Studies in Catholic Thought

Preliminary Course

In the Preliminary course, students will begin by developing an understanding of humanhood and personhood as understood by the Catholic tradition that is, to appreciate that every human is a person. The human person is a foundational concept of the Catholic Church, founded in Scripture and informed by theology, philosophy and science.

The Preliminary course explains the place of Scripture and other relevant Church documents in the Catholic tradition through the study of 3 modules:

• “Who is the Human Person?”, 

• Trinitarian God; and 

• Humanity and the Re-imagining of Creation.

HSC Course

Throughout the HSC course, students will explore and develop an understanding of how a moral and ethical life naturally flows from the Catholic Church’s understanding of what it is to be human. 

The Good Life begins with students developing an understanding of humanity’s place in creation, the idea of freedom and opening the concept of an ordered creation and the introduction of sin through biblical examples. Drawing on this knowledge, students will explore the key ethical understandings that underpin the Catholic approach to living a good life, beginning with philosophy and the works of the great thinkers in the Catholic tradition.

The HSC course analyses how Scripture and other relevant Church documents, with the integration of faith and reason, continues to guide the Church through the study of 3 modules:

• “Virtue, Vice, Salvation”, 

• Good Works; and 

• The Common Good.

The Preliminary course assessment program will be made up of three formal tasks, one task may be a formal written examination whilst the other tasks will be in the form of a research task and presentation.

The HSC course assessment program will be made up of three formal tasks, one of which may be a formal written examination as well as a multi-modal presentation and a research task.

Assessment will cover the knowledge and understanding of course content, religious skills using Scripture and Catholic Church documents, inquiry and research skills and the communication of religious ideas and understanding in appropriate forms.

Throughout the Preliminary and HSC course, students will explore and develop an understanding of how a moral and ethical life naturally flows from the Catholic Church’s understanding of what it is to be human. 

The Good Life begins with students developing an understanding of humanity’s place in creation, the idea of freedom and opening the concept of an ordered creation and the introduction of sin through biblical examples. 

Drawing on this knowledge, students will explore the key ethical understandings that underpin the Catholic approach to living a good life, beginning with philosophy and the works of the great thinkers in the Catholic tradition.