Encountering Jesus the Christ attempts to answer the essential questions "who is Jesus of Nazareth?" and "what can we know about Jesus through the study of the New Testament?" This course is a combination of Christology - a complete study of the person and divinity of Jesus Christ - with an overview of the books of the New Testament. Through their study of the Gospels and other New Testament writings students will reflect on the person of Jesus and what it means to call oneself a follower of Christ.

"How should I act?" "What should I do?" "Who am I to become?" "What is my place in the community?" These questions and more will be addressed in this required sophomore course. The class will survey a number of non- and pre-Christian approaches to ethics before moving on to the question of how Christianity in general, and Catholicism in particular, makes a difference to the moral life. In addition to theoretical and conceptual frameworks, the lives of admirable moral witnesses will be considered as formative influences. The course will also utilize real-world examples and situations to think through proper and fitting courses of action for the present-day young adult.

This course will focus on the contributions Christian men and women of faith and zeal have made to the development of Christian spirituality throughout the centuries. It will begin by examining various understandings of spirituality. Then, utilizing James Fowler's Theory of Faith Development, it will provide a foundation for evaluating personal faith development. Following this foundational work, the contributions of various "God-Seekers" including Augustine, Francis of Assisi, Ignatius of Loyola, Martin Luther, John Calvin, as well as Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Avila, Therese of Lisieux and Dorothy Day will be examined to gain an appreciation of their understanding of the Divine. One of the main objectives of the course is for students to reflect on how they resonate or resist the images and understandings of God offered by the life and writings of these noted "God-Seekers" and how their personal faith has developed in recent years.

Honors Theology Seminar offers students the opportunity to explore theological and philosophical questions in an academically rigorous environment at the Honors level. Students will make a broad consideration of the Catholic theological tradition as it engages the modern world. The small class size and seminar format will prize student-directed discussion and an atmosphere of collaboration.

Prerequisite Course: Christian Spirituality and one additional Theology elective

Approval Standard: Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course and will be determined by 1) student performance on major assessments and active engagement in classroom activities, with emphasis on the second semester and 2) the consistent and independent work ethic necessary to succeed in an advanced-level course.

Students who request Honors Theology Seminar and also want to earn one spring college credit through St. John's College in Queens, NY, for a $325 fee should request Honors Theology Seminar DE, course #642 See Mr. Chominski, Mr. Boehm, or Mr. Dougherty for more details.

Honors Theology Seminar offers students the opportunity to explore theological and philosophical questions in an academically rigorous environment at the Honors level. Students will make a broad consideration of the Catholic theological tradition as it engages the modern world. The small class size and seminar format will prize student-directed discussion and an atmosphere of collaboration.

Prerequisite Course: Christian Spirituality and one additional Theology elective

Approval Standard: Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course and will be determined by 1) student performance on major assessments and active engagement in classroom activities, with emphasis on the second semester and 2) the consistent and independent work ethic necessary to succeed in an advanced-level course.

This course is an elective opportunity for juniors and seniors to apply the Christian call to serve others and help create a community inside and outside the school. This is accomplished by actually working at various service sites during the semester. Thirty-five hours of service are required. Group sharing and individual mentoring to process the student's experience are important aspects of the student's growth as a person and a Christian.

This course will address the fundamental question: How have various religions developed throughout the world and taken root in America? While the course will not be able to investigate all religions of the world, it will sample religious traditions that originated both outside America, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, along with Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as a few that were established in America, such as the Jehovah Witnesses, The Church of Scientology, and The Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Incorporated in this overview will be an investigation of what these traditions offer in the way of moral teachings and practices.

Faith in History provides students with an opportunity to explore instances when religion and philosophy became intertwined with world politics, economics, and societal movements throughout history by evaluating primary and secondary sources and engaging in debate and group discussion.

Studying the complex, reciprocal relationship between these two disciplines will allow students to gain a better understanding of how their faith affects the world around them, as well as the lens through which they see it.

"Awareness of one discipline enables a more informed, nuanced understanding of the other." - U. of Birmingham, UK