Holy Spirit Preparatory School - Religion Department Courses

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Religious Education & Theology Department at Holy Spirit Prep

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Religious Education and Theology Department Courses REL070 - 7th Grade Religion: The Life of Grace. Introduces students to the basic truths of the Church, with an emphasis on revelation, grace, and the moral life. The course especially focuses on the sacraments and the practical aspects of living the Faith. REL080 - 8th Grade Religion: Our Life in the Church. Focuses on the nature and history of the Church, and the universal call to holiness of all Her members. REL441 - The Moral Life. Covers matters of morals in the Faith, focusing on the Ten Commandments and their fulfillment in Christ and the New Law of grace and the Beatitudes. REL443 - The Mass and the Sacraments. Provides an introduction to sacramental theology, covering the seven sacraments in depth as instituted by our Lord, Jesus Christ, and means of grace. Students study in detail the actions and words of the Mass. REL451 - The Creed. Presents the fundamental structure and reasons underlying Catholicism and explains the principle beliefs of Catholics as outlined in the Apostle's Creed. REL453 - Apologetics. Apologetics is the science that aims to explain and justify religious doctrine. Topics include the major doctrinal issues arising during the Reformation, such as sola fides, sola scriptura, and the role of the Blessed Mother in the Church and in the world. REL461 - Holy Scripture. Students study Sacred Scripture in light of St. Augustine's understanding of the relationship between the Old Testament and the New: "the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New." REL463 - Church History. Demonstrates how faithful Christ has been to His promise, “I will not leave you orphans.” Beginning with Acts of the Apostles and continuing through the Church's major ecumenical councils, students see the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the Church. REL471 - Human Dignity and Social Justice. Focuses on the application of ethical principles derived from Revelation, reason, and Catholic social teaching to the fundamental problems facing the family and society today. REL473 - The Universal Call to Holiness: Vocation and the Life of Prayer. Emphasizes the various vocations to which students may be called so that they may develop a readiness to serve God as He desires. God calls all to holiness, which entails the fulfillment of one's vocation and an active prayer life. Religious Education and Theology Department Homework Policy Homework assignments in the Religious Education & Theology Department primarily fall into four categories: 1. Reading assignments, which should not exceed 10 minutes per night for an average student reader, ought to reinforce and prepare students for class material. The responsibility lies with the teacher to include reading assignments in regular class material and to make clear its relevance to the goals of the class. Accordingly, as he sees appropriate, the teacher should formally or informally assess the students on reading assignments. 2. Study and memorization hold an appropriate place in religious education. However, students should only memorize content essential to the Catholic faith, including, as Pope John Paul II writes, “words of Jesus, of important Bible passages, of the Ten Commandments, of the formulas of profession of the faith, of the liturgical texts, of key doctrinal ideas, etc.” On Catechesis in Our Time, n.55). Moreover, teachers should give students a reasonable and generous amount of time for memorization. 3. Weekly homework in the form of written assignments and projects should not exceed one hour per week for the average student and ought to reinforce class material. Again, as for all assignments, weekly homework assignments serve the purpose of communicating the essentials of the Catholic faith or an aspect there of. 4. With administrative approval, teachers may assign special assignments, such as large projects and essays, which require time outside of class that exceeds weekly homework restrictions. Religious Education and Theology Department Honors Policy Students who wish to earn honors credit for Religious Education and Theology courses will independently research a topic of their choice, with the approval of their teacher. They will write a paper based on this topic, using the required number of sources (listed below), which have been consented to by their teacher. Specific requirements: 7th and 8th grade students - 5-6 pages using at least 3 sources 9th and 10th grade students - 7-8 pages using at least 4 sources 11th and 12th grade students - 9-10 pages using at least 5 sources
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