Sophomore Theology – Honors
Church Studies- Course Outline
Fall Trimester
Week
Unit
Objective
Bishop’s
Framework
Reading
Power Point
1
1
1.To analyze the Christian’s participation in Church worship,
community, and mission as the work of a disciple of Christ
1.a. To identify Christ as the founder of the Church
1.b. To categorize the Church as a living tradition
IV.I.A.
1,3,5
*TCYH I A,B(The
Church in Your
Hands)
*TCYH I C, D, E
TCYH I: Changing
Church, Living
Tradition
2
3
4
2
5
6
3
4
1.c. To examine the differences between historical and
theological study of the church
3. To break down the Church tradition into its historically Jewish
origins, and to reconstruct the biblical themes concerning those
origins, including Israel as God’s chosen people
3.a. To outline the themes of election, promise, covenant, and
the priesthood of Israel
3. b. To categorize the dynamics of time (past, present, future) in
the biblical theme of redemption and to explain eschatology
2. To demonstrate the continuity of Jesus’ public ministry with
the Church emerging after the resurrection
IV I.E,F
*TCYH II A,B
IV II.A
IV I.A,B,C
*TCYH III A,B –
Called Together 5-10
*TCYH III – C Scriptures
*TCYH III – D
Called Together 10-12
TCYH III – E
Scriptures
TCYH IV – A
TCYH III: A, B, C
Jesus’ Idea of Church:
Ancient Israel
Jesus’ Idea of Church:
Biblical Covenant
TCYH III: DEF Kahal
of God
Jesus Shapes His
Tradition
Winter Trimester
Week
Unit
Objective
Bishop’s
Framework
Reading
Power Point
1-2
4
2.a. To review the historical understandings of “Messiah” and other
apocalyptic figures and scenarios 2.b. To review the message of Jesus
(from Gr. 9) and locate it in Jesus’ public ministry
III II.B
*TCYH IV – B –
Scriptures, Called
Together 12-16
*TCYH IV – C –
Scriptures, Called
Together 20-21,
TCYH IV –
Scriptures, Called
Together 26-28
*TCYH V – A –
Called Together 1620
*TCYH V A Scriptures
Jesus Shapes His
Tradition
6. To differentiate the various interpretations of Jesus Christ in the
New Testament
3
6.a. To construct a distinctive N.T. idea of the priesthood of Jesus
4. To demonstrate the historical importance of the Holy Spirit
in the church, especially in the mission to the Gentiles.
IV
I.B,C,D
5
4.a. To locate the themes of the Holy Spirit’s role in the Church in the
biblical account of Pentecost 4.b. to identify the various accounts of
Christ’s commissioning. 4.c. To differentiate the terms disciple,
apostle, and the Twelve.
IV III.D
6
5. To reconstruct an historical account of the spread of faith in
Jesus Christ to Gentiles, and identify the role of St. Pau l
IV I.D
8. To identify Peter as the unifying force of the emerging Church
9. To construct the foundations of Church unity in the historical
emergence of the episcopate, creeds and the New Testament
10. To appraise the early role of the Church of Rome
11. To identify martyrdom and outline its influence on the church.
IV I.E,F
4
5
IV III.D
Time
permitting
12. To examine the great changes in the Church in the 4th and 5th
centuries. 13. To identify factors that lead to the division of the
Church into the West and Eastern Churches.
Option
B II
8
1
1. To analyze types of freedom and distinguish the Catholic
meaning of freedom.
VI V.A
2. To break down morality into freedom, responsibility, moral
value, and action.
2. a. To distinguish morality from ethics
2. b. To identify a case approach to ethics
VI V.A
6. To distinguish moral value from other values and identify
primary moral values, especially justice
6.a. To differentiate moral obligation from legal obligation
VI II
Option
C II
9
10
MORALITY
*TCYH V B –
Handout
*TCYH VI A –
Scriptures
Jesus Shapes His
Tradition: Priesthood
Organizing Jesus’
Tradition: Authority
Organizing Jesus’
Tradition: Politics
TCYH VI B Scriptures
Organizing Jesus’
Tradition: Paul and
the Gentiles
*Introduction to
Ethics and Catholic
Morality A*Cases 1-3
*Introduction Sec. B;
Cases 4-6
Intro: Ethics and
Morality
*Introduction Sec. C;
Cases 7-9
*Introduction Sec. D
Intro: Moral Value
and Obligation
Intro: Case Analysis
Spring Trimester
Week
Unit
Objective
Bishop’s
Framework
Reading
Power Point
1
2
1. To analyze types of freedom and distinguish the Catholic
meaning of freedom, continued.
VI V.A
*Hanigan 3
Hanigan 3:
Freedom and Moral
Development
3. To identify conscience, examine conscience formation, and
assess its role in the moral life
4. To define sin and impediment and interpret their influence
on moral decision making
5. To analyze and diagram the stages of moral development
according to Laurence Kohlberg
9. To examine the meanings of love and isolate the moral
meaning of love using the greek terms for love
8. To identify the relationship of faith and reason in the
Catholic moral tradition
7. To interpret the rationality of moral decision making using
the concept of moral law
10. To identify a distinctively Christian approach to ethics based
on agape.
11. To demonstrate the Christian understanding of the law of
agape based on the Sermon on the Mount
12. To examine virtue approaches to morality and ethics
VI III.F
Cases 11-13
VI IV
*Introduction Sec E
13. To identify a natural law approach to morality and ethics
VI II.A
17. To explain the social dimension of sin and illustrate it with
contemporary responses
18. To practice the application of moral methodologies by using
a variety of case studies including life issues
14. To examine Catholic approaches to the ethics of human
sexuality
15. To discuss the influence of gender, sexual orientation, and
culture on sexual morality
Option C III
B
2
3
3
4
5
6
4
7-8
9
10
5
Moral Issue 1:
Cheating
Cases 14-15
VI II.C
*Hanigan 7 p. 145-52
VI II.A
*Hanigan 7 p. 156-60
VI II.C
*Introduction Section
F
*Introduction Section
G
Abortion, Case 16
VI III.D
Option D
III B
Euthanasia Cases 1720
Video: Choosing
Death (no quiz)
Lectures
Hanigan 7: Love
and Moral Rules
Moral Issue 2:
Abortion
Moral Issue 3:
Euthanasia