Outline and Content of Courses

Following is a description of the CETH 10, 20, and 30 courses. A suggested time allotment for each course topic is given, based on a total course time of 100 hours. As moral growth and development is an ongoing process, various moral issues are studied throughout CETH 10, 20, and 30. For each grade level, specific moral topics are suggested for study. By following these suggestions, duplication in studying moral issues will be avoided.

1. My Story (10 hours)
   1. My Life Story
      • one’s personal biography
      • connection between my story and the stories of those around me (family, friends, country, Church, etc.)
      • one’s faith journey
      
      
   2. Talents and Gifts to Share
      • one’s talents and gifts
      • one’s limitations
      • one’s Christian responsibility to share talents and gifts
      
      
   3. The Needs of Others
      • the needs of the local community beyond one’s family and friends
      
      
   4. Giving Myself in Service
      • community service project
      • community resources
      
      
2. Our Story (5 hours)
   1. Composition and Interpretation of Scripture
   • the Bible’s structure and formation
   • location of scripture passages
   • the Church’s approach to interpreting scripture
   
   
3. Jesus’ Story (85 hours)
   1. Jesus of History
      • the Jewish roots of Jesus: review of major Bible people and events leading up to Jesus
      • the life and culture of Jesus’ people
      • Jesus’ life before his mission
      
      
   2. The Christian Testament
      • the composition of the Christian Testament: gospels, letters, Acts, Revelation
      • characteristics of the four gospels
      
      
   3. Message of Jesus
      • Jesus’ new commandment: love of God and neighbour
      • Beatitudes, parables, and teachings
      • contemporary application to healthy and unhealthy relationships, including a discussion of sexuality and abortion
      
      
   4. Mission of Jesus
      • Jesus builds God’s kingdom whereby all people unconditionally love one another
      • Jesus is a model of service
      • Jesus the healer
      • opposition to the Reign of God: evil in all its forms
      • reflection on community service project and examination of how we can serve in the future
      
      
   5. Jesus’ Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension
      • opposition to Jesus
      • Jesus’ death and its meaning
      • belief in the resurrection of Jesus and its meaning
      • the power of the resurrection in our lives
      
      

1. Christ’s Body: The Church (50 hours)
   1. A Community Called Church
      • definition of Church
      
      
   2. History of the Church
      • overview of major historical people and events of the Church, both the negative (e.g. support of war, role of women) and the positive (e.g. social justice)
      • using the adaptive dimension, each school may study its own Church’s particular history (e.g. Vatican II Council, Reformation, Great Schism)
      • ecumenical movement among Churches
      
      
   3. Creed of the Church
      • basic Christian beliefs, with a focus on the Trinity
      • examination of past and present Christian creeds
      
      
   4. Models of the Church
      • various models of the Church, both actual and desired models
      • systemic issues relating to Church as institution
      
      
   5. Encountering the Sacred
      • symbols
      • meaning of the sacraments
      • brief review of history of the sacraments including an explanation of how sacramental practices have changed
      • study of how sacrament traditions are practiced by various Christian Churches
      
      
   6. Personal and Communal Practices of Faith
      • various forms of prayer
      • scripture’s examples of prayer, including The Lord’s Prayer
      • ritual and celebration on Sunday and holy days
      • optional: liturgical year
      
      
   7. Evangelization and Mission
      • Christian responsibility to spread the Good News
      
      
2. Living as Christ’s Body: Christian Morality (25 hours)
   1. Key Concepts in Morality
      • study of freedom, law, principles, ends, means, authority, etc.
      
      
   2. Moral Development
      • theories of moral development
      
      
   3. Moral Theories
      • overview of various moral theories
      
      
   4. Christian Principles
      • Christian moral principles found in scripture and tradition
      
      
   5. Decision Making
      • conscience formation
      • Christian guidelines for decision making
      • cultural influences (media, chemical abuse, etc.)
      
      
   6. Sin and Forgiveness
      • Christian view of sin
      • the complete and generous forgiveness of God (grace)
      • the Christian call to forgiveness
      
      
3. Living as Christ’s Body: Contemporary Moral Issues (25 hours)
   1. Reverence for all Created Life
      • Christian teaching on reverence for all created life, using Jesus as a model
      • scripture passages that speak of reverence for life
      • application to various issues such as ecology, suicide, euthanasia, etc.
      
      
   2. Justice and Peace
      • Christian teaching about justice and peace, using Jesus as a model
      • scripture passages that speak of justice and peace
      • application to various issues such as poverty, prejudice, under-/ unemployment, etc.
      
      
   3. Non-Violence
      • Christian teaching about non-violence, using Jesus as a model
      • scripture passages which illustrate healthy, non-violent relationships
      • application to various issues such as conflict resolution, abuse, war, etc.
      
      

1. Living as a Christian in a Secular World: Christian Lifestyles (75 hours)
   1. Who Am I?
      • the nature of people: human dignity; humans as image of God; sinful tendencies
      • influences which form us
      • ways of self-discovery
      
      
   2. Philosophy of Life
      • definition of philosophy of life
      • various life philosophies
      • Christianity’s responses to these philosophies of life
      
      
   3. Belief
      • reasons for belief in God
      • images of God
      • basic Christian beliefs about God and life
      
      
   4. Relationships and Love
      • nature of true love
      • characteristics of healthy relationships
      • when love goes wrong: unhealthy relationships, including the misuse of power
      • a Christian response to "loving one another"
      
      
   5. Sexuality
      • the gift and goodness of sexuality
      • ordering one’s sexuality
      • Christian responses to various issues: homosexuality, birth control, reproductive technologies, etc.
      
      
   6. Commitment and Vocation
      • the responsibilities and rewards of commitment
      • various vocational commitments in single, married, ordained and religious life
      
      
   7. Marriage and Family Life
      • types of marriage: common law, civil, sacramental
      • the rite of a Christian marriage ceremony
      • the gift of children
      • characteristics of a healthy family
      • brokenness: separation, divorce, family divisions, etc.h) Life/Death; Brokenness/Healing
      • Christian understanding of pain, suffering, life and death
      • the Christian message of hope and healing amidst brokenness
      
      
2. Living Out One’s Faith in a Secular World: World Religions (25 hours)
   1. Wisdom, Works, and Worship
      • basic elements of a religion: wisdom, works, and worship
      • distinction between an authentic religion and a cult
      
      
   2. Various Religions and Spiritualities: Aboriginal Canadian Spirituality, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, etc.
      • the wisdom, works, and worship of various religions
      • the truths of various religions