Combined Unit of Work for
12B Christian Morality and Moral Development & 12F Justice and Peace
ACHIEVEMENT AIMS
In this course of study students will gain and apply knowledge, skills, values and
attitudes to understand:
1. The sources (Scripture and Tradition), nature and function of Christian morality:
a. How moral imperatives form Catholic teaching on Social Justice.
2. The Church’s teaching on specific moral issues including contemporary justice
and peace issues.
3. The development of moral decision-making skills and how this process facilities
actions on behalf of justice and peace.
ACHIEVEMENT OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:
1. Develop an understanding that morality involves the search for truth, goodness,
and happiness in response to God’s call that we become fully human:
a. Develop an understanding of the Christian vision of tika (justice).
2. Recognise the sources of Christian morality in the person and gospel of Jesus
Christ:
a. Recognise the sources of the Church’s teaching on justice in Scripture
and the on-going Catholic tradition.
3. Develop skills necessary for moral decision-making through an understanding of
conscience, the stages of moral development, and the Church’s teaching on the
nature of morality.
4. Identify and explore key principles and concepts – including human dignity,
freedom and responsibility – underlying the Church’s teaching on particular
issues of social justice.
5. Investigate specific moral issues in the light of Catholic teachings:
a. Develop an understanding on the Church’s teachings on peace and war.
LEARNING INTENTIONS
At the conclusion of this course of study students will:
 Recognise that Christians find the meaning of life in Jesus Christ.
 Identify and explain key Catholic teachings about the human condition and
morality.
 Identify ways in which Christians can respond in freedom to God’s love to bring
about justice.
 Describe what Scripture communicate about the Reign of God and Jesus’
attitude to justice.
 Demonstrate an understanding of the role of natural law, civil law, Scripture, the
teachings of the Church, and in moral decision-making.
 Identify and describe important Church statements on justice.
 Outline a method of moral decision-making.
 Apply a method of moral decision-making.
 Demonstrate the relationship between human dignity, freedom and responsibility.
Christian Morality and Moral Development / Justice and Peace
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Apply a method of moral decision-making to a variety of case studies including
issues of social justice.
Identify ways in which society builds up and provides for the common good.
Identify factors which determine whether actions are morally right or wrong.
Identify and describe to key Catholic teachings on sexuality.
Identify and describe key Catholic teachings on social justice.
Recognise and reflect on the moral virtues that are found in a person of pono.
ASSESSMENT
The course work lends itself to being assessed through AS 90822 Religious Studies 2.3
Examine an example of contemporary social action related to a religious tradition
EG:
Explain and analyse how the Roman Catholic Church responds to a
contemporary social issue.
KEY IDEAS (material that would need to be covered so that the achievement objectives
are met)
1. Develop an understanding that morality involves the search for truth, goodness, and
happiness in response to God’s call that we become fully human:
a. Develop an understanding of the Christian vision of tika (justice).
 The human condition and human freedom.
 The basis of morality
 What justice is.
 Justice and mercy.
2. Recognise the sources of Christian morality in the person and gospel of Jesus
Christ:
a. Recognise the sources of the Church’s teaching on justice in Scripture and
the on-going Catholic tradition.
 Christian morality.
 Basis of Church social doctrine.
 Justice in Scripture – the Reign of God.
 Jesus and justice.
3. Develop skills necessary for moral decision-making through an understanding of
conscience, the stages of moral development, and the Church’s teaching on the
nature of morality:
 Conscience and moral decision-making.
 Natural law, civil law, Scripture, Church teachings, experience as contributing to
an informed conscience.
 Decision-making model/s and application:
o See, Think, Judge, Act, Reflect.
 Social morality.
Christian Morality and Moral Development / Justice and Peace
4. Identify and explore key principles and concepts – including human dignity, freedom
and responsibility – underlying the Church’s teaching on particular issues of social
justice:
 Historical development of Church justice statements.
 Human dignity, freedom and responsibility.
 The common Good and preferential option for the poor.
 Themes of social justice.
5. Investigate specific moral issues in the light of Catholic teachings:
a. an understanding on the Church’s teachings on peace and war:
 War, peace and terrorism – Just War Theory.
 Use of alcohol.
 Euthanasia and end of life issues.
Possible lesson focus: This is based on 28 hour periods prior to assessment. It work
with only one of the student text books at a time. It would however, be desirable that the
teacher has access to both teacher guides 12B and 12F throughout the teaching and
learning cycle.
An integrated approach is required so that the material covered in the second stage of
the programme is linked back to the appropriate material in the first topic.
Christian Morality and Moral Development / Justice and Peace
It is presumed that the teacher has read the two teachers guides for these topics and is familiar with the overall learning
intentions and content of the programme of teaching and learning.
STB references to the student text 12B: Justice and Peace.
STF references to the student text 12F: Christian Morality and Moral Development.
TGB reference to the teacher guide for 12B.
TGF reference to the teacher guide for 12F.
PDSI E reference to Senior Theme E book of Personal Development and Social Issues Resource.
PDSI B reference to Senior Theme B book of Personal Development and Social Issues Resource.
In order to explore how the Catholic Church acts on social issues the material sent to schools by Caritas Aotearoa New
Zealand will be useful. Their website also contains supporting information and details http://www.caritas.org.nz
Lesson/s
Being human
1-3
Sources of Christian Morality
4-6
Moral Choices
7-11
12-13
14-15
End-of-life issues
Sexuality
Coverage
 Made in the image of God STF 2, TGF 3-6, 31-33, 34-35
 Moral choices: STF 2-3, TGF 35 - 36
 Freedom, Sin: STF 4-5, TGF 36-40
 Living life to the full by becoming like God STF 6-7, TGF
13- 17, 45-48
 The Reign of God STF 8 -10, TGF 54-58
 Social and personal morality STF 11-12, TGF 11-12
 Conscience STF 13-16, TGF 18-22, 62-68
 Method for decision-making STF 17-20, TGF 79-83
 See, Think, Judge, Act, Reflect TGB 129-130
 Effect of moral choices STF 41, TGF 132
 Euthanasia STF 25 – 27,
TGF 24-25 96-105
 Care of the dying STF 28-31 PDSI 65,81-83,84-86
 Sexuality definitions and influences STF 32-35, 37, TGF
23-24, 25-27
Christian Morality and Moral Development / Justice and Peace
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Social sin
16-17
Need to change student text
Justice in Scripture
18-20
The Catholic Church and Justice
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21-25
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26-28
Church responses to social issues
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Catholic teachings on sexuality STF 35-36, TGF 119125, PDSI E 26-74, PDSI B 59-83
Moral integrity STF 39-40, TGF 27- 28, 131-132
The Common Good STF 20-22, TGF 86-87, 90-91
Objective and subjective issues of choice STF 23-25
Right relationships STB 4-6, TGB 33-36
Justice a moral principle STB 2-3
Liberation in the Old Testament STB 7-9, TGB 46-48
Faithfulness to the Covenant STB 10-14, TGB 52-54
Jesus and Justice STB 15-17, TGB 60-68
The early Church STB 18
Historical developments STB 18- 25, TGB 9- 1072-86
Principles of social justice STB 26 - 28, TGB 36, TGB 1322, 95-98, TGF 2-6
Human dignity, freedom and responsibility STB 29-34,
TGB 10-12, 103-105
Just War STB 35-44, TGB 23 -27,112-115,119-126
Review See, Think, Judge, Act, Reflect STB 45-46, TGB
129-130
Acting justly as individuals and socially STB 47 Caritas
materials this and previous years
Christian Morality and Moral Development / Justice and Peace