Sacred Scripture (2211)
This two semester course will focus on the Bible. The first semester will cover the Old Testament with special emphasis on Creation and the Fall as well as Covenantal Theology. Old Testament themes are considered with a special emphasis on how the Old Testament lays the foundation for the New Testament. During the second semester the focus of the course will be the New Testament. There will be particular focus on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as portrayed in the Gospels.
Honors Sacred Scripture (2211H)
This two semester course is a reading intensive course in which the students’ primary text will be the Bible. Students will be given an introduction to the Catholic Church’s approach to scriptural interpretation and come to appreciate the historical, literary and theological background of the Christian scriptures. During the first semester, students will focus their study on the Old Testament. As students make their way through the various books of the Old Testament there will be an emphasis on how these stories, law codes, prophecies, and other writings fit into the overarching narrative of salvation history. During the second semester, students will study the New Testament with a special focus on the distinctive background and thematic emphasis of each of the four canonical gospels. Given that this is an honors level course, it will involve a significant writing component.
Honors Ethics and Catholic Moral Theology (2400H)
This two semester course examines several different dimensions of Catholic moral teaching. Students will learn about moral decision making, character formation, the Christian understanding of the human person and its implications for morality, the role of conscience in the moral life, and the relationship between personal and social morality. Students will also examine important moral issues relating to social justice, the sanctity of human life, medical ethics, human sexuality, and war. This honors level course will be reading and writing intensive, and students will be expected to actively contribute to class discussions.