Departments

The Religion courses at Mount de Sales are designed to equip students with knowledge and experience in preparation for a mature life of faith. Combining cognitive and affective learning, the courses seek to educate students about the foundations and values of Catholic Christianity. Freshmen learn about the foundations of Christian faith, a process that includes tracing God’s activity in history as testified to by the Old Testament. Sophomores study the event of Jesus Christ, attending carefully to the New Testament witness and our resulting Profession of Faith. Juniors and Seniors are able to select from a range of electives, courses that explore various facets of religious faith in greater detail.

Each course in the Religion Department incorporates elements of the history, culture, and thought of the Catholic Church, with special attention to the example and inspiration of the Mercy Tradition.

Foundations of Faith

1 credit, Grade 9

This course serves as an introduction to Christianity by drawing students into encounters with the foundations of Christian faith. Students examine key moments in “salvation history,” God’s activity on behalf of creation, especially as recounted in the Old Testament. The course also introduces students to key Christian beliefs, such as Creation, Incarnation, and Salvation, and how these are understood differently by various denominations. Additionally, students study and experience aspects of Catholic culture, including forms of prayer and devotion, the calendar of Saints, and religious vocations.

The New Testament

1 credit, Grade 10

This course concentrates upon the life, ministry, message, and meaning of Jesus as found in the New Testament and professed by Christian Faith. Students examine the structure, history and authorship of the New Testament and explore the social, historical, and religious situation that gave it birth. The course also explores key components of our faith in Jesus, especially the mystery of the Incarnation. The academic information is accompanied by prayerful reflection on what the life of Jesus means for us today, as modern questions and values are examined in light of the event of Jesus Christ.

Social Justice

½ credit, Grade 11, 12

This course outlines Christian teaching about community and human dignity, and explores how to turn that teaching into action. The course draws upon Catholic Social Teaching in order to explore the radical implications of humanity being created in the image of God. The course promotes compassionate understanding of those who have suffered injustice, explores the causes of injustice, and draws upon the resources of Faith in evaluating possible solutions. With the help of a variety of media, specific topics are addressed, including abortion, capital punishment, racism, poverty, the environment, violence, and peace.

World Religions

½ credit, Grade 11, 12

The course is designed to acquaint students with other religious traditions as well as to provide them with a fresh look at their own. It organizes the religions into three major divisions: Indian (Hinduism and Buddhism), Far Eastern (Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism) and Near Eastern (Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity). It seeks to use the study of other religions to provide students with additional insights for their own faith experiences. Students will look at how each religious tradition looks at life’s fundamental questions about the human condition, spiritual perfection, human destiny, the nature of the world, ultimate reality, and God. Learning the basics of other religions will enable the students not only to speak more intelligently of those other beliefs, but also to be more precise in explaining their own beliefs to those of other religious traditions.

Religion in America

½ credit, Grade 11, 12

This is a course on the role religion has played in the shaping of American history. It is in looking at the historical roots of some of the most characteristic American intellectual, moral, and religious beliefs that we can begin to understand the American psyche. Religion stands at the core of American culture. Without a religious background and vocabulary, the study of American cultural and intellectual history is severely limited. This course will explore the ways in which America’s religious experience has been influenced by the events of the last two hundred twenty years.

The Letters of Saint Paul

½ credit, Grade 11, 12

This course provides an introduction to the history, theology, and contemporary actualization of the Letters of St. Paul. The course is designed to supplement the introduction to these letters received during the sophomore year, providing a more advanced engagement with Pauline Theology.

Prophetic and Wisdom Literature

½ credit, Grade 11, 12

This course provides an exploration of the Prophetic and Wisdom literature contained in Sacred Scripture. Students will study the historical context, format, and message of the following Prophets of Israel: Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. This course will also examine the Book of Job and the Psalms. Emphasis will be placed upon a close reading of representative sections of each book, and on discussion and reflection upon the critical questions raised therein.

Sacred Christian Art

½ credit, Grade 11, 12

Art has played a decisive role in lived Christianity, and this course allows students to experience and analyze this rich history. Major currents in Christian thought and practice are traced, and students discover how the major splits in Christianity are reflected in the artistic expression of the times. Sculpture, icons, frescos, paintings, and architecture are explored, and students are provided an opportunity to tap their own creative talent to come to a deeper understanding of lived Christianity.

Catholic Theology

½ credit, Grade 11, 12

This course examines specifically Catholic beliefs and practices at a more advanced level. The course seeks to understand the rationale and logic of topics such as the Trinity, Revelation, Sacred Scripture, and Sacraments. Students also explore and experience some Catholic prayer forms and devotional practices.