All Theology courses conform to the “Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age.”
Theology I
The Revelation of Jesus Christ in Scripture (Semester I)
The purpose of this course is to give students a general knowledge and appreciation of Sacred Scriptures. Through their study of the Bible, they encounter the living Word of God, Jesus Christ.
Who is Jesus Christ? (Semester II)
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the mystery of Jesus Christ, the living Word of God. Students learn that Jesus Christ is the ultimate Revelation to us from God. In learning about who He is, the students also learn who He calls them to be.
Theology II
Paschal Mystery (Semester I)
In this course, students explore the saving actions of the Lord. They study, in depth, the meaning of God’s sacred and mysterious plan from creation, through to the consequences and the promises of a Savior in the Old Testament, while ultimately focusing on the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
Church (Semester II)
The purpose of this course is to guide students to an understanding of the interrelationship among the various components of the Catholic Church. While acknowledging the importance of the historical perspective, this course emphasizes the living Church as One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. The course is constructed around those themes that represent Church practice and belief such as the Church as the People of God, the Church as servant, and the Church as sacrament. Each theme has a historical component and provides insight as to how the Church has come to its contemporary expression.
Theology III
Morality - Life in Jesus Christ (Semester I)
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 learn the moral concepts and precepts that govern the lives of Christ’s disciples.
Sacraments as Privileged Encounters with Jesus Christ (Semester II)
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, especially the Eucharist. Students examine each of the sacraments in detail so as to learn how they may encounter Christ throughout life.
Theology IV
Rising seniors take two of the following semester courses:
Praying with Scripture
This course aims to use the foundational knowledge of scripture students have already built through the first three years of religious studies at IHA, in order to help students understand how Catholics can pray using Sacred Scripture. Students will engage with the entirety of the Bible on a narrative level first, and then through a contemplative lens to examine how the scripture speaks into their own lives. This exercise will provide first hand experience with our Catholic understanding of divine revelation and leave students prepared to graduate with a robust prayer life.
Vocations
Vocations is the religious studies course designed and focused on the young woman who is ready to reflect on all she has learned as she prepares to take ownership of her life and her faith. This course helps students bring together both personal and faith experiences and asks, “What are you going to do with everything that you have learned?” As students reflect on their own stories, they will also develop a vision of the vocation God has planned for them. Students consider how adults look at topics like love, friendship, communication, sexuality, and faith. Students examine different lifestyles adults can choose to live a life of loving yourself, others, and God.
Saints in Church History
This course will invite students to consider what events in History built the Church they know today. By reflecting on the Catholic Church’s evolution from Pentecost to the Present, students will come to understand how the Church was shaped and formed, and how many of its stances, practices and positions came to be. The Pivotal Players course walks through the history of the Catholic Church from the time of the Apostles and the Early Church, breaking bread and holding Mass in their homes, to the era of Pope Francis and the New Evangelization we are living in today. However, students won’t just walk through history in the traditional sense, rather, they will look at each time period through the lives of major saints who led the Church during each period. There is a heavy focus on the impact of female saints and doctors of the Church and the way women contributed to the growth of our Church over its history and continue to do so today.
Apologetics
The purpose of the Apologetics course is to examine what the Church actually teaches and the logic behind it. Students are given the opportunity to compare those doctrines to the teachings of other major world religions such as Judaism, Islam, and other forms of Christianity, and explore similarities and differences. Students will leave this course with a solid ability to explain Church teaching and make a persuasive argument for it.