Course 112 UNDERSTANDING CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY LEVEL 2 Course 122 HEBREW SCRIPTURES/CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES LEVEL 2 Course 132 MORALITY/SOCIAL ISSUES AND JUSTICE LEVEL 2 Course 142 CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLES LEVEL 2 Course 144 EXPLORING WORLD RELIGIONS LEVEL 2 Course 146 FAITH AND VALUES IN THE MEDIA LEVEL 2 Course 147 FAITH AND REASON LEVEL 2

Course 112 UNDERSTANDING CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY (Level 2)

This overview of Catholicism is a required two semester course for all freshmen. The course does not assume a Catholic background or faith commitment, but will provide students with a common basic vocabulary that will make future Religious Studies courses more understandable. The course will demonstrate how religion relates and responds to human experience and how the Catholic faith has grown out of God's loving action in history. At the completion of the course, students will recognize and understand the influence and power religion can have in a person's life.

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Course 122 HEBREW SCRIPTURES/CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES (Level 2)

This two semester program is required for all sophomores. In the first semester, students become familiar with the beginnings of monotheism and examine God's relationship and covenant with the Chosen People, as well as Christianity's Judaic roots. The course follows the history and development of Judaism by examining some of the historical, prophetical and wisdom literature in the Hebrew Scriptures. In the second semester, students become familiar with the life and message of Jesus Christ. By examining the Gospels, Epistles, and other books of Christian Scripture, theological themes such as revelation, service, and salvation are explored.

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Course 132 MORALITY/SOCIAL ISSUES AND JUSTICE (Level 2)

These two courses are required for all juniors. Morality is taken in the first semester and Social Justice is taken in the second semester. In the first semester, students are presented with a solid foundation in Christian principles and values and are given skills involved in moral decision- making. At the end of the course, students will be able to articulate and explain official Catholic teaching on major moral issues and will demonstrate the ability to formulate thoughtful analysis of moral issues. The fundamental belief underlying the second semester course is that Christian faith calls believers to practice justice. Students will be able to identify elements of a just world and be able to define characteristics in society that can influence the work that must be accomplished if justice is to prevail. Students will review the Church's teachings on social justice and reflect on the lives of individuals who dared to challenge injustice while living the Gospel message. At the completion of this course students will be able to establish personal guidelines for doing justice and living justly.

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Course 142 CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLES (Level 2)

A second semester requirement for all seniors, this course is designed to help students understand and develop methods of dealing with the opportunities, challenges and developmental tasks facing them in young adulthood. The belief that underlies this course is that a Christian lifestyle is the optimal way to grow and develop. The course focuses on life themes that are common to four lifestyle paths-single life, married life, religious life, and ordained ministry. As students consider the developmental tasks of young adulthood and the four lifestyle paths, they will examine issues and choices in light of the Gospel and Christian tradition and consider Jesus Christ a role model who is fully human and alive.

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Course 144 EXPLORING WORLD RELIGIONS (Level 2)

This one semester, elective course for seniors will take a close look at the world's major religions including Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Protestant and Orthodox Christianity. Students will study the beliefs, rituals, sacred texts and spirituality of these traditions. In addition, the cultural and historical context of each religion will be examined. Drawing on their knowledge of Catholic Christianity, students will compare and contrast these faiths with that of the Catholic Church.

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Course 146 FAITH AND VALUES IN THE MEDIA (Level 2)

This one semester, elective course for seniors will focus on the essential elements of media awareness and literacy so as to enable and empower young adults to discern and evaluate the impact media and its message has on a Christian lifestyle. The students will study how media and the adults who control it have gone to great expense to connect with teen culture often at the expense of Christian faith and values. Students will be asked to demonstrate their understanding of media literacy and illustrate their ability to discern its effect on faith and values.

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Course 147 FAITH AND REASON (Level 2)

This one semester, elective course for seniors will explore the relationship between Christian faith and reason. Students will explore some of the traditional branches of philosophy such as metaphysics (the nature of reality), logic (the study of thinking) and ethics (the study of good and evil). Students will analyze the lives, work and ideas of philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Saint Augustine, Saint Thomas Aquinas and CS Lewis. Through reading, written work and class discussions students will be asked to develop their own responses to these thinkers and to demonstrate their understanding of the relationship between faith and reason.

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