Theology Department

Essential Knowledge and Skills

Through this course, students will learn how to encounter Christ in their lives through the sacraments of the Church. Students will study each sacrament in detail in order to develop a deep understanding of the way sacraments can influence and enhance life. Students will learn how the Catholic Church relates to non-Catholic Christians and other faiths of the world. Students will be introduced to a way of understanding other religions of the world and recognizing the faith similarities and differences between these and the Catholic Church. Students will also continue to develop their commitment to service and to fully participate in the faith life of the school.

Indicators of Student Learning

Upon completion of this course, students will:

Understand the privileged encounters with Christ through the sacraments as well as interreligious issues in our world.

• Develop a respect for the sacramental nature of the Church and the challenges we face with worship and practicing sacraments.

• Understand the difference between sacraments of initiation, healing, and vocation

• Recognize Divine Revelation throughout history and basic beliefs of the Catholic faith.

• Understand the relationship of the Catholic Church and other Christian faiths

• Understand the relationship between the Catholic Church and Jewish faiths

• Understand the relationship of the Catholic Church with other non- Christian faiths

Articulate and connect theology with a lived faith experience:

• Develop a sense of community in class and school

• Develop respect and love for self, God, and others

Recognize a personal connection to the larger community and the responsibility we hold for Christian Service:

• Participate in the service learning program

• Participate in service reflections and service journaling

• Reflect on their personal relationship with God for inclusion in the Spiritual Portfolio

Develop communication skills:

• Share ideas and information in small group and whole class discussions, visual presentations, written reflections, and multimedia presentations.

• Use writing as a tool (i.e. journals, summarizations, reports, and essays)

• Use communication strategies to facilitate retention of information such as repeating information constructing mnemonic devices, and taking notes.

• Build vocabulary by learning terminology used by the Catholic Church and other world religions

Enhance personal use of technology:

• Collaborate with peers to use technology projects and creative works.

• Create multi- media presentations, participate in web quests, collaborative presentations, and/ or Power Points.

Assessments

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

• Learn and be tested on the elements of the USCCB’s Doctrinal Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age

• Participating in school-wide liturgies and the class retreats

• Completing work to be included in the student’s Spiritual Portfolio

• Completing the required number of service hours

• Completing the reflections and projects that tie service with personal experience and affects on others.

• Expressing ideas clearly

• Presenting ideas and information in visual presentations, written responses, and multimedia presentations.

• Creating and presenting digital projects and/ or multi- media presentations