Religious Studies - Fordham Preparatory School

The mission of the Religious Studies Department is “to inspire students to find God in all things through study, reflection, and action within the Roman Catholic tradition.”

The Religious curriculum challenges each student to grow in his respect and appreciation not only of his own faith and values, but also of the faith and values of others.

As students gain knowledge in the history, beliefs, and moral standards of the Catholic tradition, they are assisted by the faculty in developing their own religious identity based on their personal convictions and free response to God’s grace, which leads toward greater love and service to others.

Graduation Requirement

Religious Studies – 4 credits

EXPLORE DEPARTMENTS

Course Offerings

Religious Studies 1
Religious Studies 2
Religious Studies 3
Christian Quest for Social Justice
Philosophy of Religion
Psychology Through the Eyes of Faith
Men & Masculinity
Seminar Honors
Theology of Sport
World Religions

Coursework by Grade

Freshman

Religious Studies 1: Faith & Revelation

The first year of the Religious Studies curriculum fosters the search for a greater understanding of what it means to both believe in God and be in relationship with God.

First Semester: Christ in Scripture
As new members of a community of faith, students explore what it means to be in relationship with God. Students receive a general knowledge and appreciation of sacred scripture, and through their study of the Bible they encounter the living word of God, Jesus Christ. Students are also aided by an examination of the life of St. Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuits, and explore central concepts of Ignatian spirituality that they apply to their personal faith life and the life of the Fordham Prep community.
Second Semester: Christology
Who is Jesus? Students are introduced to the mystery of Jesus Christ, the living word of God, the second person of the Trinity, and grow to understand that Jesus Christ is the ultimate revelation to us from God. In learning about who Christ is, the students, like St. Ignatius before them, also learn who Christ calls them to be.

Sophomore

Religious Studies 2: The Mission of Christ & the Church

First Semester: Explore God’s Promise
In the first semester, students explore God’s promise of salvation by exploring in depth the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the implications of the Paschal Mystery for the Christian life.
Second Semester: Role of the Church
In the second semester, students examine the origin, structure, and mission of the Catholic Church, and the role the Church plays in the life of the Christian.

Junior

Religious Studies 3: Living The Christian Life: Sacraments & Morality

First Semester: The Sacraments
We examine the Sacraments, including the Eucharist, as transformative encounters with Jesus Christ. We will also connect our understanding of the Sacraments to the Ignatian insight that "God can be found in all things," and reflect on how God's presence can be discerned in our personal experience.
Second Semester: Understanding Catholic Moral Theology
We look at the moral dimension of our individual and communal experience. Our study flows from the central biblical claim that all people are made in the image and likeness of God, and that we are called to live lives in which the dignity of all people is recognized, protected, and promoted. Topics including virtues and character, moral rules and principles, conscience and discernment, and how a more just and loving world might be created as we grapple with the great ethical challenges of our time.

Senior

Religious Studies 4: Faith & Morality Electives

The senior-year curriculum attempts to synthesize the three-year foundation by focusing on the journey of life in faith. Seniors study the relational aspects of the Christian vocation in three specific areas: the response in love to self (psychology), the response in love to others (morality), and the response in love to God (spirituality). Each section views this common core through a particular lens.

The areas of concentration offered:
One concentration is required of each senior

Christian Quest for Social Justice
Theology of Sport
World Religions
Philosophy of Religion
Psychology Through the Eyes of Faith
Men & Masculinity
Seminar Honors

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