Christ and Culture, Grade 10, Open HRE 2O1

This course both invites and challenges the adolescent to personalize the principles that guide Catholics in understanding their role in shaping culture through our discipleship. The exploration of these principles starts with the Scriptural foundations to the questions of what it means to be human and how God has and continues to shape our humanity through culture. The principles are then developed through the Gospel themes that reveal how Jesus’ Kingdom of God is expressed in all of our relationships: to ourselves, to others, to our civil society, to our Church, and to our Global community.

Pre-requisite: none

Faith and Culture: World Religions, Grade 11College HRE 3O1

This course will fulfil the expectations of the Church in its desire that students in Catholic schools develop an objective and respectful understanding of other religious traditions from the perspective of the Catholic Church. To that end, student learning will include an understanding of the Church’s teachings on world religious traditions and how they are expressed through ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue. Within a historic and cultural context, students will explore the encounter between Christianity and other religious traditions. For all students, this course will help break down prejudice about other religions, and for some they may lead to a deeper understanding and more authentic adherence to the teachings of the Church concerning spiritual and moral truth. Other religious traditions are encountered through the unique perspective of the Catholic Church.

Pre-requisite (September 2008): Grade 10 Open Religion or Grade 10 Academic or Applied English

Faith and Culture: World Religions, Grade 11 University HRE 3M1

This course will fulfil the expectations of the Church in its desire that students in Catholic schools develop an objective and respectful understanding of other religious traditions from the perspective of the Catholic Church. To that end, student learning will include an understanding of the Church’s teachings on world religious traditions and those principles which inform ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue, together with an historical overview of the Church’s relationship with various religions, particularly Judaism and Islam. For all students, this course will help break down prejudice about other religions, and for some they may lead to a deeper understanding and more authentic adherence to the teachings of the Church concerning spiritual and moral truth. Other religious traditions are encountered through the unique perspective of the Catholic Church.

Pre-requisite (September 2008): Grade 10 Open Religion or Grade 10 Academic English

Church and Culture, Grade 12 Workplace HRE 4E1

This course has the aim of assisting students in understanding themselves as moral persons living the way of Christ through an examination of the revelation of sacred Scripture, and the experience and teaching of the Catholic Church. It engages students in critical reflection on significant contemporary moral and ethical issues in light of Scripture, Church teaching, and their own experiences. Social and ecological justice issues are explored along with a study of topics that focus on Christian mercy and forgiveness. The graces and challenges of relationships, marriage, and family life are explored from a Catholic perspective. Students are challenged to adopt the Christian stance in the political world.

Pre-requisite: none

Church and Culture, Grade 12 College HRE 4C1

This course has the aim of assisting students in understanding themselves as moral persons living the way of Christ through an examination of ethical theories, the revelation of sacred Scripture, and the experience and teaching of the Catholic Church. It engages students in critical reflection on significant contemporary moral and ethical issues in light of Scripture, Church teaching, and important thinkers. Social and ecological justice issues are explored along with a study of topics that focus on Christian mercy and forgiveness. The graces and challenges of relationships, marriage, and family life are explored from a Catholic perspective. Students are challenged to articulate and adopt the Christian stance in the political world.

Pre-requisite (September 2008): Grade 11 College or University Religion; or Grade 11 College or University English

Church and Culture, Grade 12 University HRE4U1

This course has the aim of assisting students in understanding themselves as moral persons living the way of Christ through an examination of ethical theories, the revelation of sacred Scripture, and the experience and teaching of the Catholic Church. While grounded in Revelation, the course also examines the contributions of Philosophy and the sciences to a Catholic understanding of ethics and moral living. Students will explore their own ethical and moral stance through an examination of various arenas of life such as issue of justice and peace, freedom, reconciliation, family, marriage and political life. This course is intended to prepare the senior student for the lifelong task of discerning what is good and of God while growing in their ability to live accordingly as moral persons and active, life-giving members of a global society.

Pre-requisite (September 2008): Grade 11 University Religion or Grade 11 University English

Philosophy (with a Catholic Perspective), Grade 12 University Preparation HZT 4U1

This course addresses three (or more) of the main areas of philosophy: metaphysics, logic, epistemology, ethics, social and political philosophy, and aesthetics. Students will learn critical-thinking skills, the main ideas expressed by philosophers from a variety of the world’s traditions, how to develop and explain their own philosophical ideas.

The work of the prominent Christian philosopher, Jacques Maritain, assists the students in understanding that the state of the Christian philosopher is about developing responsible appraisal and commitment within the Christian context. Encountering and confessing Jesus a the risen and present Christ, the Christian philosopher seeks the fullness of wisdom which involves the acknowledgement of common human experience, rational analysis, revelation and the mystical dimension of prayer and relationship.

Through the course’s primary resource, Pope John Paul’s encyclical, Fides et Ratio (1998), students are introduced to the Church’s respectful acknowledgment of philosophy as a rational discipline distinguished from faith and the rational discipline of theology which adheres to revelation received in faith.

Prerequisite: Any university or university/college preparation course in social sciences and humanities, English, or Canadian and world studies.