Religious Studies Department
The mission of the Hill-Murray Religious Studies Department is to provide adolescents with the best Catholic religious education possible to help students grow in knowledge, understanding, and love of God, neighbor, and self. We value:
- the teachings and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church
- the teachings and spirit of Vatican Council II
- the importance of touching the heart as well as informing the mind with the Good News of Jesus
- showing respect for every person and for all God's creation
Course Descriptions
7th Grade Religion
This course focuses on the basics of the Christian faith from a Catholic perspective. Emphasis is on Scripture and worship. Students focus on the gospels, liturgical year, Sacraments and prayer. One semester course.
Main Concepts/Topics: New Testament (Jesus/Apostles/Gospels), Sacraments, Prayer, Worship, Mary and the Saints.
Text: Liturgy & Worship / New Testament, both published in 1998 by Sadlier. New American Bible.
8th Grade Religion
This course helps students grow in their understanding and expression of the Christian faith from a Catholic perspective. The course covers prayer, Jesus, sacraments, morality, the saints, church history and living our faith today. Special emphasis is placed upon helping students make connections between their learning at school and their participation in their church communities. One semester course.
Main Concepts: Prayer, Jesus, Sacraments, Morality, The Saints, Church History, Vatican II and The Modern Church.
Text: New American Bible.
9th Grade Religion - Covenant and Community
This course begins with an introductory unit on the Bible. Students will study how the theme of covenant is played out in the Old Testament and our everyday lives. Special emphasis will be placed on Catholic Social Teaching in the context of the Hebrew prophets. Each unit in scripture will be applied to current issues such as: respect for life, living in community, self-esteem, cooperation, peer pressure, non-violent conflict resolution, intimacy and chastity, sexual identity and sexual harassment. One semester course.
Main Concepts: Covenant, Patriarchs, Exodus, Judges, Prophets, Kings, Wisdom Literature, Creation Stories, Modern Day Judaism, Respect for Life, Community, Chastity and Prayer.
Text: New American Bible.
10th Grade Religion - Jesus and the New Testament
This course helps students deepen their understanding of Jesus and His message through a study of the New Testament. Emphasis will be on the relevance of the Gospel message in our lives and an understanding of why Jesus is the center of our Christian faith. The Acts of the Apostles and the early Christian Letters will be used as a guide in helping students live a Christian lifestyle. One semester course.
Main Concepts: Interpretation of Scripture, Prayer, The Gospels, Jewish Culture and History, Kingdom/Reign of God, Unconditional Love, Parables, Miracles, Paschal Mystery, Paul's Missionary Work, Body of Christ. (Note to delete “Last Supper, Ascension, Pentecost” but leave “Paschal Mystery”).
Text: Jesus of History, Christ of Faith, St. Mary's Press (1992).
11th Grade Religion - The Sacramental Church
The subject matter of this class will be the Church: its history, theological development, Sacraments, and place in the contemporary world. As Catholic theologian Karl Rahner says: “The two concepts (Church and Sacraments) are intended to throw light on one another in the course of the inquiry, so that a deeper understanding of the Church may be gained by asking what the sacraments are, and a greater comprehension of the sacraments (may be gained), by reflecting on what the Church is.”
One semester course.
Main Concepts: Sacrament, Sacraments of Initiation, Healing, and Vocation
12th Grade Religion - Personal Ethics and Social Justice
Students will consider what it means to be a Christian in today's world. Personal morality and ethics will be studied in the light of the primacy of personal conscience and Church teaching. Students will use a process for making moral decisions to discuss different moral issues. Special attention will be given to the use of the Catholic Social Teachings. Students will be challenged to use the Catholic moral and social tradition to make informed decisions about their personal and social ethics. One semester course.
Main Concepts: Personal Conscience, Protecting Human Life, Promoting Economic Justice, Pursuing Peace, Care for God’s Creation, and Catholic Sexual Morality.
Text: Catholic Social Teaching, Ave Maria Press (2000).
Juniors and seniors choose courses from the following to fulfill the religion requirement.
Contemporary Faith Perspectives
Students will investigate important contemporary topics of faith. This course examines ecumenical and interreligious issues such as leadership, salvation, moral living, interfaith dialogue and prayer in the search for truth. The course will draw from Catholic theology and survey various ecumenical and interreligious viewpoints. Students will learn about the ways in which systems of belief and practice differ from the Catholic faith and ways in which important spiritual truths can be found in other belief systems. One semester course.
Main Concepts: Revelation, Ecumenism, Inter-religious Dialogue
Spiritual Awakenings
The goal of this class is to prepare students for the transitions of human life. The fundamental question we will ask is: How does one engage the world as a disciple of Jesus Christ as a sacred person with a sacred mission? We will specifically look at the periods of societal, cultural and personal transitions one encounters along life's path. We will examine the themes of identity, initiation, vocation/career choice, lifestyles, leisure activity, prayer, discipleship and death. We will also explore the rites of passage that accompany the various changes we encounter throughout our lifetimes. One semester course.
Main Concepts: Sacrament, Vocation, Discipleship, Witness
World Religions
Students will study the universal experience of the search for spiritual and theological meaning in their lives through the examination of six world religions. This course investigates Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Christianity and Native American Spirituality. Students will compare and contrast each religion to their own religious experience. The focus of this course is on the search for truth and the contributions people who seek truth bring to the common good. One semester course.
Main Concepts: Dogma, Creed, Worship, Ritual, Codes/Laws, Religion, Cults, Denominations, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Christianity and Native American Spirituality.
Honors Introduction to Theology
This course is an honors level elective offered for seniors. The course provides an overview of the fundamental theological themes covered in an undergraduate college level introduction to theology course. Students who take this course at Hill-Murrray may also be eligible for 3 college credits through the Program for Advanced College Credit (PACC) sponsored by St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. One semester course.
Main Concepts: Faith and Reason, the Nature of God, the Nature of Humanity, the Historical-Critical Study of Scripture, the Religious Imagination, Sacramentality, Ecclesiology, and Eschatology.
Texts: In addition to Scripture, excerpts from primary sources of the Catholic tradition including documents from Church councils, papal encyclicals, and the writings of prominent theologians ancient and modern.
Christian Service Learning - Religion Elective (This course does not count toward the religion requirements for graduation)
This course focuses on the value of community service as an important part of our Christian faith. Students are guided through a process to discern their gifts and talents and seek out a placement in the community to offer service. In addition to their service placement, students are required to coordinate one community service project that is open to all students and staff. This course meets during 5th hour and students serve at their placement three times a week during 5th hour. Two days a week will be spent with the class as we process our experiences of service. One semester course.
Main Concepts: Service Learning, Social Action, Christian Leadership, Human Dignity, Organization Skills, Helping Skills, Communication Skills, Catholic Social Teaching, And Theological Reflection.
Religious Studies Requirements
- Grade 7: Religion 7 (Required - one semester)
- Grade 8: Religion 8 (Required - one semester)
- Grade 9: Covenant and Community (Required - one semester)
- Grade 10: Jesus and the New Testament (Required - one semester)
- Grade 11: The Church (Required - one semester) One semester course from list of choices.
- Grade 12: Social Justice and Personal Ethics (Required -one semester) One semester course from list of choices:
- Spirituality & The Arts
- Introduction to Theology (open only to seniors)
- Relationships & The Christian Community
- World Religions
Religious Studies and Campus Ministry Department Faculty Bios
