Theology
Theology is reflection upon God that presupposes participation in a community of faith. At CM, students are introduced to the central tenets of Roman Catholicism through a program of instruction that integrates spirituality, Scripture, morality, historical, and systematic theology. At CM, we aim to create an atmosphere where students can continually develop their faith, grow in the experience of Christian living, and prepare to take an active role in the total Christian community.
The curriculum in grades 9 and 10 is intended to give a thorough and solid Christian foundation to each student. It is wide in scope and intense in instruction. It makes no assumptions about elementary catechesis, but instead begins with, builds upon, and intensifies the foundation of faith through the study of Sacred Scripture and the Documents of Vatican II. In grades 11 and 12, students use this foundation to examine issues which affect their personal lives and the whole world community.
Best Practices: A Theology Debate on Capital Punishment with Mr. Hahn
Courses
Theology 7- The Story of Jesus (607)
Seventh grade theology is an introduction to Catholic Christianity with a focus on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and the sacramental celebration of His ministry. The course also includes an introduction to Edmund Ignatius Rice and the Christian Brothers, giving students an understanding of the identity and mission of the school. Prayer and analysis of the specific sacraments are also included in the curriculum. The goal is to develop a strong foundation in both the Catholic faith and the history and traditions of the Congregation of Christian Brothers.
Theology 8- The History of the Catholic Church (608)
Theology 8 seeks to develop a strong foundation in the Catholic faith as well as the history and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. Students work towards a basic understanding of the history of the Roman Catholic Church and its place in the world from Pentecost to the present day. The course explores the early Church and Eucharistic celebration in private homes. It then covers the growth and development of the Church through people like Paul, through his missionary journeys and through the saints. The struggle to maintain the faith through Roman persecution, the growth of the Church in the western world, Constantine, and the crusades are all covered leading the students to the present day Church. Students are also introduced to Catholic ethics and morality, including one’s responsibility as a member of the Catholic community today.
Theology 9 (012)–Understanding Catholic Christianity
Understanding Catholic Christianity is an introductory course for studying Catholic Christianity with specific focus on the human person. The course begins within the context of the Judeo-Christian tradition, with particular emphasis placed upon God's covenantal relationship with the human race. Jesus' teachings, the messianic hope in the person of Jesus, Catholic Sacraments and monotheistic faiths are explored throughout the year. Students are expected to participate in class discussions, exchange ideas, and evaluate their own faith lives on a consistent basis. The ultimate goal for students is a constant striving and holistic growth, as designated in Catholic Memorial's Mission Statement. Previous experience with Catholic Christianity may be helpful, but is not required, since the purpose of the course is to bring students from various backgrounds and beliefs to an understanding of the faith that will enable them to develop their knowledge further and to prepare them for their future years of study.
Theology 10 (022)–Introduction to Scripture
Introduction to Scripture is divided into two semesters. The first semester will look at what Christians call the “Old Testament” in order to understand and appreciate these texts as products of real people in particular religious, historical, social, mythical, theological, ideological, economic, and political contexts. Course analysis will attempt to understand the development of Judaism and the foundations of what would later become Christianity by uncovering how the people of Israel interpreted their experiences of God, so that students can understand their own experiences and the human condition.
The second semester will introduce Christian literature by attempting to understand how the early church witnessed, understood, and expressed faith and theology in its own particular cultural context. Like the Israelites, this literature is a product and reflection of human responses to real situations and our goal will be to critically understand those situations and evaluate the Church’s responses. Students will understand both the Jewish and the Greek contexts out of which Christianity was born: tensions in the early church, the role of women, economic issues, the problems of anti-Semitism in the Gospels, and the influence of the Roman Empire. In order to accomplish this, students will have to learn how to interpret ancient texts while understanding their own modern biases and perspectives. They will also learn how to inform their own understanding of faith in order to grow and respond to situations in their own world.
Theology 11 (032)–Foundations of Moral Theology
This course deals with Christian morality through the appropriation of basic moral principles and the need to witness those principles to others. This course makes extensive use of open-ended case studies and discussion. It stresses that Christian morality does not mean knowing all the right answers, but rather believing in and acting upon a set of values. The ultimate goal of this course is the utilization of an intelligent decision-making process in moral matters based upon education, clarification, and conviction. Extensive reading is required as well as a paper or project each semester.
Leadership and Service (035)
This eleventh grade Theology course grounds students in Catholic ethics and provides a systematic approach to solving moral problems and forming conscience. Using Catholic morality as the foundation, students are challenged to respond creatively to contemporary issues facing the school and the greater community.
Catholic Leadership in a Global Marketplace (035)
This twelfth grade Theology course explores effective servant leadership in a global marketplace. Building on Leadership and Service, students will explore the Catholic foundations of social justice teaching and examine servant leadership in relation to other leadership models. Particular emphasis will be placed on the relationship between religion and public policy, the role of the church in the modern world, and the student’s individual capacity to produce lasting change. Participation in the senior service project is a central component to the course.
Theology 12 (045) Seniors -- Modern Day Saints and Prophets in an Unjust World
Modern Day Saints and Prophets in an Unjust World examines systematic oppression and our role as humans to expose and transcend those systems towards the creation of a just society. The course is designed thematically and from the position of Catholic social teachings. Students will also be introduced to systematic theology through the writings of leading Catholic theologians like Bernard Lonergan and Karl Rahner in order to help students see the theology embedded in the everyday and to help them think logically about very complex issues. Topics include economic systems, religious freedom, war, education, discrimination, and gender as well as discussions about identity formation, citizenship and social responsibility, and the role of culture in social transformation. The primary purpose of the course is to allow students to critically reflect on both the basic ethical questions facing the world today and on those individuals who acted upon their faith to influence the world around them. Students will come to understand the structural components of injustice and their own place within those structures, while understanding themselves as active history makers, not bystanders. They will also be challenged to build God’s Kingdom and the faith community through their participation in the Senior Service Program.