Recommended for Grades 10-11
From apostolic times to contemporary ones, the Church’s history is one of pilgrimage, a journey that begins and ends with Jesus. This book combines basic elements of Church history and ecclesiology so that students can begin to understand the historical roots of today’s Church and many of the teachings, traditions, and practices central to Catholic life today. Particularly, this book helps students to gain insight into how theology has developed, how our Catholic Church works today, and the important role that they--the students--play in forming the Church of tomorrow. Students come away with an understanding of the nature, function, and ministry of our Church. Lesson titles include the following: The Early Christian Church, The Pope and Infallibility, Developing Catholic Doctrine, Gospel-Based Spirituality, The Church’s Social Mission, and the Catholic Church Today.
This minicourse edition offers students opportunities to read scriptural passages and therefore see the Bible as an important tool in the development of a rich and mature faith life. The unit includes readings, discussion guides, and reflection sheets. Students examine the faith statements of the Nicene Creed; paraphrase a prayer attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas; study a graphic organizer listing the relationship between justice and charity; and discuss the renewal—the many surprising but wonderful sweeping changes—initiated by the Second Vatican Council.
