Theology
The Theology department at Garces Memorial High School has made great strides in moving toward a curriculum aligned with the framework developed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The curriculum begins with students in grade 9 studying Faith and Revelation and Theology of the Body, while continuing in grade 10 with the study of the Old and New Testament. In grade 11, students study the History of the Church and in the fourth quarter, a study of the Sacraments.During student’s senior year, they will study in the college preparatory classes, Ethics/Catholic Morality and Catholic Social Teachings while the honors curriculum will include Ethics/Catholic Morality and Philosophy of Man. Garces Memorial has transitioned to using the Didache series with additional support materials for each class level.
Graduation Requirement
All Students who graduate from Garces Memorial High School must successfully complete 4 years of Theology.
Theology Course Catalog
Faith & Revelation: This course will give students a general knowledge and appreciation of the Sacred Scriptures. Through their study of the Bible, they will come to encounter the living Word of God, Jesus Christ. In this course, they will learn about the Bible, authored by God through Inspiration, and its value. They will learn how to read the Bible, become familiar with the major sections of the Bible, and the books included in each section. This course provides a basis and understanding of essentials to further theological studies. It will show how Scripture is the inspired Word of God, and how natural revelation and reason compliment Divine Revelation. This course will explore what Catholics believe about God, why they believe it, and why such belief is reasonable. Semester course.
Theology of the Body: This course will examine the foundations and major conclusions of theology of the body, as manifested in Pope Saint John Paul II’s encyclicals in addition to other writings. The focus will be on the universal vocation to holiness which is realized in love. Semester course.
This course satisfies graduation requirements but does not satisfy UC/CSU entrance requirements.
The World of the Old Testament: This course carries college preparatory credit and introduces the student to the Bible. It provides a contemporary framework in which to understand the faith history of the Jewish nation in which our Christian faith takes root. Course content includes the major books of the Old Testament, which strongly influences our Christian belief and lifestyle. Semester course.
Satisfies UC/CSU entry requirement. g- College Prep Elective
The World of the New Testament: This course carries college preparatory credit and aids the student in developing a mature understanding of Jesus as he is presented to us in the Gospels. It offers analytical approach to the New Testament encompassing the origins, backgrounds, and history of the books of the New Testament. The course follows Old Testament Theology. Semester course.
Satisfies UC/CSU entry requirement. g- College Prep Elective
History of the Church: This course carries college preparatory credit and enables the student to examine the Church as a growing, vital community. Course content includes the historical development of Catholicism, the ecumenical councils and the heresies they condemned, and an evaluation of the direction of Vatican II. Semester course.
Satisfies UC/CSU entry requirement. g- College Prep Elective
Sacraments: This course is a single semester-long survey of the history and developments of the seven sacraments. The primary distinction in the course is that between the Greek and Latin senses of sacrament. Learning the historical developments in sacrament is the most important dimension of this course. Semester course.
This course satisfies graduation requirements but does not satisfy UC/CSU entrance requirements.
History of the Church: This course will involve analysis of cause and effect relationships in the growth and development of the Catholic Church, and the Core of theological development over two thousand years. Students are expected, after instruction, to demonstrate higher skills in the expression, both written and oral, of their understanding of the role of the Catholic Church in the formation of modern Western society, especially Europe. Semester course.
Prerequisites: To advance to Theology 11 honors, the prospective student must have had Theology 10 honors and/or a B+ in Theology 10 Prep with Instructor approval.
This course satisfies graduation requirements but does not satisfy UC/CSU entrance requirements.
Catholic Social Teachings: "Catholic Social Teaching is a semester-long course on the Church's principle truths about the dignity of the human person, the structure of society, the rights and responsibilities of individuals, family life, protection of the poor and vulnerable, and the solidarity of the human family. Rooted in God's Covenant and inspired by the teachings of Christ, this course teaches fundamental principles for acting justly in the world." Semester course.
Catholic Morality & Ethics: This course enables students to examine Aristotelianism, the pre-Christian model of morality incorporated by the Church. Course content includes law and conscience, sin and fundamental options, and moral implications of sex, family life, and the life of the Church in general. Semester course.
This course satisfies graduation requirements but does not satisfy UC/CSU entrance requirements.
Catholic Morality & Ethics: This single semester course explores the fundamental concepts of ethics and the reality of the natural law in the context of Aristotelian Catholic moral teaching. This is achieved by first looking at fundamental concepts of the science of ethics. This material is found in the teachings of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas. Then the flaws of the modern concepts of procedural ethics with its several different approaches—primarily those of Kant and Mill—will be studied. Semester course.
Philosophy of Man: A single semester course for seniors. This will satisfy the theology requirement for the semester. The course will involve reading selections from Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Dostoevsky, Boethius, Pope Leo XIII, and Pope Benedict XVI. The students will be required to write and discuss what they have read and written. The selected readings of each philosopher are designed to focus the student to the topic of the course, that is, the Catholic Church's concept of man. Semester course.
Prerequisites: In order to advance into Theology 12 honors, the prospective student must have had Theology 11 honors and/or a B+ in Theology 11 Prep with instructor approval.
This course satisfies graduation requirements but does not satisfy UC/CSU entrance requirements.
The class trains students to be peer ministers on campus through all-school Masses, school prayer services, retreats for all grade levels, & spiritual activities.
10th-12th grade
This is an elective course (it does not count as part of the required 4 years of theology graduation requirement) . This course does not satisfy UC/CSU entrance requirements.