The letter listed in red represents the A- G UC requirement the course meets.
Religious Studies

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Catholic Character & Faith - NONE

Ten Credits

Open to Grade 9

PREREQUISITE:  None

DESCRIPTION:  This course is an introduction to the Old Testament integrated into some core Catholic beliefs, practices, and attitudes. Bible study is premised on seeing the Sacred Scriptures as a source of God’s revealed truth and as closely connected to Sacred Tradition. Biblical themes of creation, covenant, and the role of the prophets in proclaiming God’s message are emphasized throughout the course. Students are introduced to the Catholic creed, to Christian prayer, and to Christian morality.

Hebrew Scriptures/Intro to Marianist Education - NONE

Ten Credits

Open to Grade 9

PREREQUISITES:  None

DESCRIPTION:  This course is an introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures integrated into some core Catholic beliefs, practices, and attitudes. Bible study is premised on seeing the Sacred Scriptures as a source of God’s revealed truth and as closely connected to Sacred Tradition. Biblical themes of creation, covenant, and the role of the prophets in proclaiming God’s message are emphasized throughout the course. Students are introduced to the Catholic creed, to Christian prayer, and to Christian morality. The family life/ human sexuality component of this course includes a special emphasis on the role of women in the Hebrew Scriptures as well as Mary’s defining role in the Promise stage of Salvation History. This course introduces the student to Marianist history, to the key symbols of the Marianist ‘table,’ and to vocation as a call to service and an essential element of the Christian experience.

Sacrments & Scripture - G

Ten Credits

Open to Grade 10

PREREQUISITES:  None

DESCRIPTION:  This course focuses on the New Testament and the Catholic Church—its history, structure and mission. This course presents the historical and literary development of the Christian scriptures. Included are characteristics of the land of Palestine, the life of Jesus of Nazareth, his teachings, and accounts of his death and Resurrection. The Christian scriptures are presented as the record of the faith response of the people of the first century A.D. who accepted Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. During the second half of the semester, the course presents an overview of the Catholic church in light of Cardinal Dulles’s models: Church as institution, teacher, sacrament, servant, and community. Included is an examination of the seven sacraments and the theology in which they are rooted. The Family Life/ Human Sexuality component of this course highlights both the Gospel teachings and St. Paul’s teachings on human sexuality and family life. The Marianist component of the sophomore course introduces the charism of hospitality. The contrast between servant leadership and the secular understanding of leadership is explored. Finally, an emphasis is placed on the role of Mary in two stages of Salvation History--the time of Jesus and the era of the Church.

Ten Credits

Open to Grade 11

PREREQUISITES:  None

DESCRIPTION:  This course stimulates an awareness of the fundamental areas of economic and political systems as they relate to total world development and basic human needs and rights. Issues addressed include poverty, hunger, sexism, racism, life-choice, the aged, the environment, violence, nuclear proliferation, criminal justice, and economic justice. Political and economic systems such as communism and capitalism, and various religious stances such as theism and atheism are studied and their operations compared. The question of religious involvement in political and social issues is also considered. The Consistent Ethic of Life serves as the centerpiece of a study of human life issues and of the fundamentals of moral living. The topics of abortion and the status of women, part of this ethic, introduce students to the Family Life/human sexuality component of this course. Abstinence is introduced both in the Baby Project and in a unit on sexual morality from the morality text. Father Chaminade’s three levels of virtue are presented along with his instruction on “mental prayer.” The contributions of women of faith to the Christian tradition are emphasized. Father Chaminade’s instruction about reading “the signs of the times” is connected to the beginnings of Catholic Social Teaching with the publication of Rerum Novarum.

Ten Credits

Open to Grade 12

PREREQUISITES:  None

DESCRIPTION:  The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to each of the major world religions: their roots and histories, their basic tenets, and specific topics that serve to expand the student’s understanding of particular themes within each belief system. This class explores non-Western traditions during the first quarter, including primal and Asian religions. Some special topics include studying different degrees of religious tolerance, case studies of ethical dilemmas, and the value of focused meditation. During the second quarter we study the Western traditions, including Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Some special topics will include the role of suffering in human life, the necessity of law in society, and student presentations on major Islamist nations and historically significant Christian figures and events. Included in second quarter are units that focus on relationships, sexuality, family, and community in light of Catholic faith and tradition. During the study of Christianity students will be asked to compare and contrast the Marianist vision of ‘mixed composition’ with a hierarchical model of Church. They will be invited to discover where their personal gifts would be put to the best use. Finally, they will be able to explain the process of discerning God’s call and to compare the various lifestyle options.

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