Theology

 

This course is an overview of the essential Catholic Church teachings outlined by the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church as well as an introduction to Sacred Scripture. Through their study students will be introduced to major Catholic themes in theology and enter into the rich tradition of Catholic prayer. Finally, the student will be introduced to the life and mission of a “Setonian” through the inspiration of the life of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton anchored by the Holy Spirit. The USCCB curriculum framework guides the course of study.

The Person of Jesus Christ is the focal point of the second semester of theology. Jesus is viewed from a historical and theological perspective. Students study the Christian Scriptures and the development of the Catholic Christian Church through the years.

 

The purpose of this course is to help the student understand all God has done for us through his Son, Jesus Christ. The progression of study for students is that, for all eternity, God has planned for us to share eternal happiness with him, which is accomplished through the life, death and Resurrection of Christ who won redemption for us.

In the second semester, this course is to help students understand that in and through the Church they encounter the living Jesus Christ. They will be introduced to the fact that the Church was founded by Christ through the Apostles and sustained by him through the Holy Spirit. The students will come to know that the Church is the Living Body of Christ today.

 

One’s moral life in Christ should aim should to focus in the intellectual, moral and formational development joined to the mystery of the Lord. This course is designed to enable students to understand the Christian vision of morality with Jesus as the model, to teach a process of moral decision-making, and prepare students for the teachings of the Catholic Church through the sacraments and a life of grace. This course uses an academic discussion format, reflective writing and prayer exercises.

This course will seek to explore the sacraments of the Church. Students will explore and challenge their own sacramental life in the light of their faith and current Church teachings. This course will employ scriptures, catechism, lives of saints and doctors of the Church who have sought to define and expand the meaning of the sacraments.

 

The goal of this course is to introduce students to the major religious traditions that exist today. It is hoped that students will gain a better understanding of the variety of views that exist in our complex and diverse world, thus fostering a genuine respect for these traditions. One of the central goals of this course will be to gain a better understanding of the spirituality and belief systems of other faiths, so that each student will be able to better articulate the Catholic faith. The course will also allow students the opportunity to gain a greater appreciation of other World Faiths, and in doing this, gain a greater appreciation of the way different cultures pray and worship.

This course leads the students toward a deeper understanding of the vocations of life: how Christ calls us to live. In this course, students will learn how all vocations stem from the inherent value and sacredness of our existence, which begins from conception and to natural death. They will learn what it means to live life in the service of others, and value their call to the specific vocation in the Christian community from which God has planned for each of them.