Home

Academics

Virtual Tour

The changes in society and in the Roman Catholic Church after the 2nd Vatican Council force us to re-examine our effectiveness as a vehicle of Christian nurture. We have to admit that our program is counter-cultural to what the students encounter each day in the world around them. We believe that an atmosphere of openness and mutual respect in the classroom will assist in making the curriculum relevant to the students and in fostering the learning environment.

Christian formation is an integral part of the educational process. It cannot be an isolated element of the program, but must be a vital influence that affects every facet of the educational experience. It must include instruction, reflection, prayer, and service within a pervasive religious milieu. This process is facilitated by assisting the students to “find God in all things.” By interaction with the students on the cognitive, emotional, and spiritual levels in a spirit of openness we can assist the students in linking their classroom activities with the world in which they live and in their interaction with each other.

The Theology Department seeks to educate Loyola’s students to develop basic skills such as prayer, worship, and scripture by involving them in all aspects of both planning and executing all school religious activities. We seek to transmit not only the doctrinal element, but also the moral imperatives. These skills can only be alive and meaningful to the student by daily application in and out of the classroom by the students and by the entire faculty and administration. What is taught must be lived out in the school by example and reminder in the everyday life of the school and in specific liturgical activities.

The ultimate goal of the Theology Department is that by graduation the students will have a basic knowledge of the major doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church. The graduate will also have examined his or her own religious feelings with a view to choosing a fundamental orientation toward God and establishing a relationship with a religious tradition and/or community. What is said here, respectful of the conscience and religious background of the individual, applies to the non-Catholic graduate of Loyola School as well.

COURSE OFFERINGS

Theology I - 9th year (1 credit)
This course is designed for students as they begin their high school years and focuses on issues of faith confronting adolescents. Students are encouraged to discover who they are, how they got to this point and where they want to go. Special emphasis is placed on how the resources of the Catholic Tradition assist young people in making the challenging decisions facing them today.

Theology II - 10th year (1 credit)
The sophomore course in the first semester focuses on the concepts and specifics of sacraments, the basic presumption of the course being that we need a way of viewing all reality as sacraments. Catholicism is essentially and particularly sacramental. The seven official sacraments have a history and are earthly, concrete, personal experiences of God's grace available to us. The second semester offers a course in morality to assist the students in developing their own faith identity. It focuses on attitudes and values to encourage the students to a more ethical sense and to grow in the art of Christian living. In addition to the exploration of basic principles, it offers case studies to concretize the student's reflections.

Theology III - 11th year (1 credit)
The entire year is spent in the study of Sacred Scripture. The methods of biblical criticism are explained, as well as the geographic, social, political, economic, and cultural background necessary for an understanding of the Bible.

Theology IV - 12th year (1 credit)
The fourth year program consists of two semester-long elective courses selected from the following:

Death and Dying: This course focuses on the rich tradition of Christianity concerning the mystery of death and responds pastorally to students as they face the phenomenon of death and dying in their personal lives.

Prayer: This course is an introduction to the various forms of prayer that will enable the student to feel comfortable in talking with his/her God.

Religion in America: This course develops an appreciation of the role of religion in American life and an understanding of the variety of religious experiences that have contributed to the development of our country.

Social Ethics: This course explains the foundational elements of Catholic social teaching, investigates the means and meaning of work for justice and leads to a recognition of the importance and duty of all Christians to work for justice.

World Religions: This course invites students to re-examine their personal faith in more depth by opening doors to the spiritual riches of the world's major religions. The first part of the course examines the key elements of religion in general -- worship, revelation, and community. The second part examines Hinduism, Shintoism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.

BACK TO TOP