The theology program is a four-year required course sequence. Its overall goal is to enable students to think theologically and to reflect upon their own faith. The first three years are foundational and consist of Scripture in the ninth grade year, Catholicism for sophomores, and Christian Morality for juniors. The senior year builds upon the foundation through a variety of electives, most one semester in length, some of which are coed.

Department Members
Diana Turney, Department Chair
Art Buckley
Tommy Calais
Julie Donati
Anne Doyleh
Martin Nguyen
Becky Rushing
Georgia Skopal
Ben Walther
Dan Westerman

Theology Courses

300 SCRIPTURE (1 credit)
Introduction to Sacred Scripture is a yearlong course of study of the Holy Bible designed for the student in the ninth grade. The course presents a survey of both the Old and New Testaments with an emphasis on a literary and historical approach to the study of Scripture. The course will include units that deal with the development of the Bible, the study of the historical and cultural influences which helped to shape the Bible, and the themes of the Scriptures. The study of the Bible is the foundation of all theological studies at St. Agnes Academy.

306 CATHOLICISM (1 credit)
This sophomore level course looks at various aspects of the Catholic faith. Students study the historical development of the Church from biblical times to the present, and explore such contemporary concerns as women's roles in the Church, parish ministries, and ecumenism. Major beliefs and doctrines are presented, including explanation of how such beliefs have developed and their relevance for Catholic believers today. Catholic practices are also studied with a particular emphasis on sacraments as the living celebration of the faith. Our goal is that students have a clearer understanding and appreciation of Catholicism by the end of the course.

310 CHRISTIAN MORALITY/SOCIAL JUSTICE (1 credit)
This junior level class is designed to give students a basic understanding of Catholic Christian moral principles and how to apply them. The course includes an examination of the nature and role of conscience as well as methods of acquiring a well-formed conscience. Specific moral questions are studied, and students learn to apply the principles discussed to real life situations. Integral to this course is an introduction to Catholic social teaching. Groups of students research and present particular justice issues as part of this study.

SENIOR LEVEL ELECTIVES IN THEOLOGY

321 HEALING RACISM (1/2 credit)
This course provides a forum for discussing racism.  We study racism in our country’s past in our search to answer the question of why there is so much prejudice and racism in our society.  We will also look at how racism manifests itself in more subtle and destructive ways today. Through this dialogue, study, and prayer, it is hoped that we will work on healing the damage racism has caused in our own lives and in our communities.
Open to Strake Jesuit students.

324 SPIRITUALITY (1/2 credit)
This one semester course explores the study of who God is and how we experience God. The course includes a study of what spirituality is and how we express our knowledge and relationship with God. We will look at how different spiritual traditions developed, so while there may be a historical flavor to tracing the development, this is not a history course. The course involves the study of the spirituality of the people most responsible for the growth of each tradition. For example, we will study St. Ignatius Loyola, Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi, St. Dominic, Sts. Benedict and Scholastica, St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, as well as the spirituality each of them taught. The student will have to be open to trying these prayer styles in their own prayer and then reflecting on the experience. This presupposes having faith or being open to having faith. The course is not designed to be a lecture course; the students will be having discussions in class. Other topics covered will be the desert ascetics and asceticism, suffering and its meaning in our Christian tradition, death and resurrection, holiness, Marian spirituality, women saints and mystics, and Eucharistic spirituality. The objective is to give the student opportunities to discover many spiritualities and styles of prayer within our rich Christian tradition and hopefully come away with a better understanding of who God is and a better understanding of their relationship to God.
Taken at Strake Jesuit.

325 PEACE: PATHWAY TO WHOLENESS (1/2 credit)
This course will use the New Testament to present peace as a pathway to wholeness in relationship to self, others, the world community and the environment. Students will examine the power of peace to resolve conflict and to create justice in family, friendships and world relations. This peace is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ in his teaching and his life. There will be exploration of other historical people and events that are examples of gospel peacemaking. This course will present the peace of Christ as the foundation and focus of a life dedicated to promoting universal justice and human rights.
Open to Strake Jesuit students.

335 INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY (1 credit)
Philosophy (literally--"love of wisdom") is a discipline which attempts to answer the ultimate questions about God, humanity, and the universe by means of human reason without resorting to religious faith. Can we really know anything with certainty? Can we prove the existence of God? Can we prove the existence of the soul and its immortality? What is the purpose of the universe? Human destiny? What is evil? The first semester attempts to answer these questions in a non-Christian philosophical context both ancient and modern. The second semester attempts to answer the ultimate question in the context of Christian philosophy. In addition, there is a short section in logic.
Open to Strake Jesuit students.

337 CHRISTIAN PARENTING (1/2 credit)
This course will present the psychological, physiological, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of child development as the basis for good parenting. We will explore the parenting skills necessary for a healthy family environment and examine the meaning and roles of both motherhood and fatherhood. An integral part of the course will be how to incorporate faith development and the sacramental life of the Church into the life of the family. Additionally, attention will be given to the blessings of and challenges raised by interdenominational and interfaith marriages.
Open to Strake Jesuit students.

350 CHRISTIANITY & CONTEMPORARY U.S. CULTURE (1/2 credit)
This course focuses on three fundamental areas:

1. What are the values and operative philosophies of U.S. culture today? How did we arrive at them, and how are they expressed?
2. How does religious faith develop in U.S.?
3. At what points do Christianity and U.S. culture support each other, and at what points do they oppose each other? To what extent can one be American and Christian?

The course provides an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of life within the context of the U.S. and Catholic-Christian traditions. It also allows students to assess the values and attitudes commonly presented in U.S. television, movies, advertising, and so on.
Open to Strake Jesuit students.

355 NON CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY (1/2 credit)
This course will cover the Orthodox Church, the mainline Protestant churches of Episcopalianism, Lutheranism, Methodism, Presbyterianism and select other denominations such as Baptist, Mormon, and the Pentecostal movement. In addition to studying the beliefs of each denomination, they will examine their origin, development, structure and forms of worship. The course will include a field trip to various churches to examine their worship spaces and speak with their clergy.
Taken at Strake Jesuit.

357 SEEKING GOD THROUGH FILM (1/2 CREDIT)
This class will explore, through film, theological themes such as love, forgiveness, goodness, evil, salvation, the meaning of life, God’s relationship with humanity, suffering and the trials of everyday life. Students will view, analyze, and discuss selected films in light of scripture and Catholic teaching. This course will help students to approach film more critically and attentively, becoming aware of how film can be a medium for reinforcing gospel values, and not just a medium that presents values contrary to the gospel.
Open to Strake Jesuit students.

365 AUGUSTINE AND AQUINAS (1/2 CREDIT)
This course will explore the philosophical and theological contributions of these thinkers. The course will emphasize their understanding of the relationship between reason and faith, God, the human person, knowledge, human destiny, and morality. The course will require considerable interaction with ancient and early philosophy, especially Plato, Aristotle, and Plotinus.
Taken at Strake Jesuit.

372 RELIGIOUS THEMES IN FICTION (1/2 credit)   
This class will explore religious themes found in secular fiction and writing.  We will primarily read short stories, but will also use novels, plays, poems, and lyrics.  Our authors include Graham Greene, Flannery O'Connor, Saul Bellow, Robert Stone, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Walker Percy, Andre Dubus, and others.  We will look at the way authors have used their writing to examine themes such as: belief and unbelief; temptation, sin and forgiveness; grace and the sacredness of the world; suffering and death; redemption and salvation; and more.
Taken at Strake Jesuit.

374 ELECTION, POLITICS, AND RELIGION (1/2 credit)  
This course will examine current American political issues, especially the 2008 elections, and explore how religious beliefs impact how we vote and who we support.   We will analyze how political issues are presented in the press, literature, film, and music.  We will also look at the different ways high school and college students can become politically involved to help bring about meaningful change.  We will meet with representatives of political parties and political candidates, people involved in Catholic justice and peace efforts, college campus activists and other local activists, politically-oriented artists, and others.
Taken at Strake Jesuit.