Theology (THEO)

All freshmen take this course.

This course is an introduction to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.  Through the study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, students will come to understand the teachings and practices of the Catholic Faith in light of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and human reason.  By providing a foundation of prayer and faith that seeks understanding, this course aims to form students into young men and women who practice the Gospel message in their daily lives in service of others for the greater glory of God.

All sophomores take this course.

This course is an introductory course designed to help students grow in knowledge and love of Sacred Scripture. Hebrew and Christian Scripture invite us into relationship, provide us with wisdom and comfort, and challenge us to love unconditionally. As Christians, we believe that the Scriptures open for us an encounter with the living God.

All juniors take this course in the fall semester.

This course examines the nature of the moral life using the skills of formal academic ethical inquiry. The course explores what it means to study morality, different ways of approaching morality, and what role God has to play in moral inquiry. The focus of this class is the Roman Catholic moral theological tradition even while examining ethical insights from a variety of philosophical, religious, and cultural traditions. The fundamental perspective of this course is that the moral life is an invitation to all persons to fulfill their human destiny in response to the gratuitous love of God. For Catholic Christians, the moral life is life in Jesus Christ, which is characterized by our loving one another as Jesus loved us. The nature of truth and goodness, development of moral character, formation of personal conscience, spiritual discernment in the Ignatian tradition, and criteria for judgment and action will be explored. Contemporary moral issues relating to consumer culture, human sexuality, alcohol and other drugs, technology and mass society, abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty will also be discussed.

All juniors take this course in the spring semester.

The goal of the course is to lead students through the “circle of praxis” (a theological method moving through experience, social analysis, theological reflection, and action) in light of the Gospels and Catholic Social Teaching.  Students will begin with the experience of accompanying marginalized peoples at their Junior Praxis Project (JPP) sites or immersions followed by the process of social analysis examining social, political, and economic structures that perpetuate poverty on local, national, and international levels.  Students will partake in theological reflection with a focus on the traditions of the Gospels and key principles of Catholic Social Teaching.   Finally, students will begin a process of discernment of personal vocation in the Ignatian tradition, exploring how they may be called to respond to the injustices of the modern world.  This cycle will repeat itself continuously throughout the year.  

All seniors take this course.

Co-requisite:  Concurrent enrollment in World Religions, Peer Ministry, or Living Sainthood.

This is a senior course that provides an opportunity for seniors to bring together the various theological resources they have learned throughout their years at Xavier in order to equip themselves for a mature response to the challenges represented by their careers and the values of the society they are entering. The teachings of the Roman Catholic faith are presented as a model of consistent response to these challenges. Students are required to write a paper that summarizes the strength their faith provides them in the face of these challenges.

All seniors take this course unless enrolled in Peer Ministry or Living Sainthood.

Co-requisite:  Concurrent enrollment in Senior Synthesis.

This course traces the development of the world‘s main religions from prehistoric to modern times. Political, economic, social, and geographic relationships among various world religions will be explored. Beginning with primal religions, the course will analyze common factors and significant differences in practices and beliefs found throughout non-developed and developed religions. Particular attention will be given to Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam.

All seniors take this course unless enrolled in World Religions or Living Sainthood.

Co-requisite:  Concurrent enrollment in Senior Synthesis.

This course is designed to prepare and allow students to respond to Christ’s call to share the Gospel within our school community.  Students will be provided with a basic background in pastoral ministry and equipped with essential ministry skills that will prepare them for leading school ministries.  Through an understanding and appreciation of Liturgy and Christian leadership, students will assist in the planning, and implementation of XCP Masses and prayer services.  This course will provide students with knowledge of the life of the Church, methods of prayer and companionship, Ignatian Spirituality, discernment, and Christian discipleship.

All seniors take this course unless enrolled in World Religions or Peer Ministry.

Co-requisite:  Concurrent enrollment in Senior Synthesis.

This course uses famous autobiographical/biographical accounts of the great Saints of the Catholic tradition to answer the question: “what does Sainthood look like?” Through the lives of Saints like Saint Justin Martyr, Saint Augustine, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Therese of Lisieux, and others, we will discover how Sainthood is not a monolith; holiness comes in many forms, and God loves variety.