Theology Curriculum
The ultimate goal of the Theology curriculum at Father McGivney Catholic High School is to help our students know, love, and serve God in this world so that they may be happy with Him forever in the next. The eight semesters of theology required for FMCHS students include the six required courses as directed by the USCCB's Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age (2007) along with specific instruction in the Apologetics. The additional Apologetics material is to support the defense of the Faith that is needed in our modern culture. Two electives (Church History and Catholic Social Teaching) are offered as college-preparatory Theology IV. From the introduction of this Framework, we understand that "The definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ" (Catechesi Tradendae, 5). Each course in the curriculum is designed to impart to students the what and why of the teachings and Tradition of the Catholic Church, and then to instruct students on how to defend and live those teachings in their lives.
THEOLOGY I – Jesus and the Bible
First Semester: The Revelation of Jesus Christ in Scripture
The purpose of this course is to give students a general knowledge and appreciation of the Sacred Scriptures. Through their study of the Bible they will come to encounter the living Word of God, Jesus Christ. In the course they will learn about the Bible, authored by God through Inspiration, and its value to people throughout the world. If they have not been taught this earlier, they will learn how to read the Bible and will become familiar with the major sections of the Bible and the books included in each section. The students will pay particular attention to the Gospels, where they may grow to know and love Jesus Christ more personally.
Second Semester: Who Is Jesus Christ?
The purpose of this course is to help students understand that it is only through Christ that they can fully live out God’s plans for their lives. Students are to learn the moral concepts and precepts that govern the lives of Christ’s disciples. Great focus is placed on the Virtues and Saints as examples of virtuous living. This course entails a more challenging curriculum than the standard course with a greater deal of study.
THEOLOGY II – Jesus and the Church
First Semester: The Mission of Jesus Christ (The Paschal Mystery)
The purpose of this course is to help students understand all that God has done for us through his Son, Jesus Christ. Through this course of study, students will learn that for all eternity, God has planned for us to share eternal happiness with him, which is accomplished through the redemption Christ won for us. Students will learn that they share in this redemption only in and through Jesus Christ. They will also be introduced to what it means to be a disciple of Christ and what life as a disciple entails.
Second Semester: Jesus Christ’s Mission Continues in the Church
The purpose of this course is to help the students understand that in and through the Church they encounter the living Jesus Christ. They will be introduced to the fact that the Church was founded by Christ through the Apostles and is sustained by him through the Holy Spirit. The students will come to know that the Church is the living Body of Christ today. This Body has both divine and human elements. In this course, students will learn not so much about events in the life of the Church but about the sacred nature of the Church.
THEOLOGY III – Sacraments and Morality
First Semester: Sacraments as Privileged Encounters with Jesus Christ
The purpose of this course is to help students understand that they can encounter Christ today in a full and real way in and through the sacraments, and especially through the Eucharist. Students will examine each of the sacraments in detail so as to learn how they may encounter Christ throughout life.
Second Semester: Life in Jesus Christ (Morality)
The purpose of this course is to help students understand that it is only through Christ that they can fully live out God’s plans for their lives. Students are to learn the moral concepts and precepts that govern the lives of Christ’s disciples.
THEOLOGY IV – Church History and Catholic Social Teaching
First Semester: History of the Catholic Church
The purpose of this course is to supply the students with a general knowledge of the Church’s history from apostolic times to the present. They will be introduced to the fact that the Church was founded by Christ through the Apostles and is sustained by him throughout history through the Holy Spirit. The students will come to know that the Church is the living Body of Christ today and, as such, has both divine and human elements. In this course, students will learn about the Church’s 2,000 years of history and about how the Church is led and governed by the successors of the Apostles.
Second Semester: Living as a Disciple of Jesus Christ in Society
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the Church’s social teaching. In this course, students are to learn how Christ’s concern for others, especially the poor and needy, is present today in the Church’s social teaching and mission.
