Theology

This course will act as an introduction to the beliefs
and practices of Catholic Christianity. The nature of
faith and religion, the Judeo-Christian tradition,
Jesus' teachings, the messianic hope in the person of
Jesus, sacraments and liturgical practice, prayer and
spirituality, and issues of ethics and social justice are
explored throughout the year. Special emphasis will
be placed on the history and spirituality of the
Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, of whose
tradition Georgetown Preparatory School is a part.
Students will learn about the founder of the Jesuits,
St. Ignatius of Loyola, as well as other important
Jesuits, Ignatian spirituality, and vocabulary
particular to the Society.

Previous experience with Catholic Christianity may
be helpful, but is not required, since the purpose of
the course is to bring students from various
backgrounds and beliefs to an understanding of the
faith that will enable them to develop their
knowledge further and to prepare them for their
future years of study. (1 credit)

The first semester of this course will serve as an
introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures. Students will
examine its formation, history, content, and
relevance, both in a historical and contemporary
context. Most people are familiar with the stories of
Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, the Exodus, David and
Goliath, etc. In this course, students will actually
examine these texts in an attempt to discover who
wrote the stories, why these stories were written, how
the stories have been redacted, and how these stories
are relevant today.

The second semester of the course will serve as an
examination of the Christian Testament. The process
in which these texts will be examined will be the
same as the Hebrew Bible, in that an emphasis will
be placed not only on contemporary interpretation of
the texts, but also on the Bible’s sitz im Leben (lifesetting). Once again, the focus will be to move
beyond mere familiarity with the biblical stories of
Jesus and the early Christians and actually examine
the texts in an attempt to understand the critical
issues of authorship, redaction, intent, and relevance
in both historical and contemporary contexts. (1
credit)

It was the desire of St. Ignatius Loyola that the Jesuit
school educate the virtuous person who would be
active in the public arena. Toward this end, Theology
III is a year-long course in Christian ethics, both
personal and social. In the first semester we will
examine what it means to be virtuous and how to
make ethical decisions by drawing on the classical
philosophical traditions, social psychology, and the
Christian spiritual call to build the Kingdom of God.
We will also engage in an in-depth study of the
Holocaust and human behavior through the memoir
Night by Elie Wiesel.

In addition, we will explore what the early Jesuits
called becoming “Contemplatives in Action” by
spending time exploring prayer, reflection and
grounding our action in the world in a prayerful and
mindful context. Students will learn what it means to
pay attention to their interior life and let that
reflective life guide their actions in the world. In the
second semester we will examine through the lens of
Catholic Social Teaching what it means to live a faith
that does justice. We will study various justice issues
in preparation for the service learning that will
happen in the summer, so the students are prepared to
go beyond the classroom to help build the just world
we all long for. Greg Boyle's Tattoos on the Heart
will be our guide during the 2nd semester along with
See, Judge, Act by Erin Brighman. (1 credit)

The spiritual quest for wholeness and flourishing is at
the heart of human existence. This course challenges
you to awaken to the spiritual dimension of life in
three stages. First you seek greater knowledge of
yourself by analyzing your ways of learning, your
experiences of religion and spirituality, and your
identity and worldview. You employ academic
methods and spiritual practices to discern and clarify
your deepest desires, values, influences, and
personality. In Stage Two you are acquainted with
other spiritual quests from Indigenous, Hindu,
Buddhist, Jewish, and Muslim traditions. You see
how different religious identities are distinctive ways
of living and being in the world. You become aware
of global religious diversity, capable of building
inter-religious relationships, and adept at interpreting
the roles religion has played historically and is
playing today. Along the way, you deepen your
understanding of yourself and your context, grow by
absorbing all that is true and good in these traditions,
and practice various forms of prayer and meditation.
The final stage is a capstone experience of Ignatian spirituality. You learn Ignatian skills, practices, and
styles of prayer from The First Spiritual Exercises of
St. Ignatius. You become capable of an Ignatian
spiritual life revolving around contemplation,
reflection, discernment, and action as your journey
continues beyond Prep. (1 credit)