Religion at Carroll /

As a Catholic institution, Carroll exists to form young disciples of Jesus Christ who will use their unique gifts and talents to make our world a brighter place for all to live.   While every aspect of life at Carroll high school helps to form young disciples in some way, our religion department plays a unique role in this formation.   Through academic instruction, reflection, and discussion, our religion courses invite students to grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.  In tandem with our Campus Ministry department, students will have many opportunities at Carroll for spiritual growth.

At Carroll, we welcome students of all faith backgrounds.  All students enrich the learning atmosphere at our school and are enriched by the values-centered education that we offer.

Course Descriptions

Religion is the heart of Archbishop Carroll High School’s educational program.  Courses in the Religion curriculum are designed to give the student a strong foundation in Catholic Faith.  Eight semester courses, freshman through senior year, expose the student to the roots of our Catholic Faith, its origins and development, and its relevance and application to contemporary living and faith issues.  Elective courses invite the student to Christian service or to the study of other major world religions.

Introduction to Catholicism

This course will help new students to better understand the basics of Catholicism, its rituals, sacred texts, beliefs, and morals. A significant amount of this course will be spent learning the sacred stories of the Old and New Testaments and introducing the Catholic approach to scripture, sacraments, and the importance of prayer in their lives and learning to pray using different liturgical and meditative forms. Moving at a slower pace than other religion classes, this course is designed to help students to more seamlessly adapt to life in a Catholic school.

Old Testament

The purpose of this course is to give students a general knowledge and appreciation of Sacred Scripture. Through their study of the Bible they will come to encounter the living Word of God, Jesus Christ. Students will learn about the Bible, how it was formed, and how to read it. Students will be introduced to important stories in Salvation History, from Abraham through the prophets, and how these stories point to the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ, as proclaimed in the Gospel accounts. While much of the content of this course will be from the Old Testament, this material will be examined through the prism of the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as revealed in the Gospels.

New Testament

This course introduces students to a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the New Testament witness of Jesus Christ. Students will become familiar with the books and major sections of the New Testament, concentrating on the Gospels. A contextualist approach guided by the teaching and tradition of the Church is used to interpret the New Testament. Students will reflect on the central teaching of the Church which states the dignity of the human person is rooted in the belief that all people are created in the image and likeness of God. Students will be empowered and encouraged to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Christian Morality

This course provides a theological, philosophical, and scriptural framework for living a life as a disciple of Jesus Christ in the modern world. Students will grow in understanding of the foundational principles of morality that stem from Natural Law, Scripture, and Sacred Tradition and apply these principles to modern moral problems. Students will grow in self-understanding of the ways that they, personally, make moral decisions and be challenged to think through moral problems logically and prayerfully. Participants will learn about the importance of properly forming one’s conscience in light of Catholic moral teachings. 

Peace and Justice

In this course, students will explore the rich tradition within the Catholic Church for bringing the gospel into the societies in which we live.  Drawing upon the wisdom of the prophets of the Old Testament, the example of Jesus in the gospels, and a long history of social encyclicals and church documents, students will be challenged to find ways to live as disciples in the modern world.  Students will learn the difference between personal sin and social sin, and the many social implications of the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes.  Students will explore a wide variety of social issues and will learn and apply the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching to each.

Leaders and Legends of the Catholic Church

Using the teaching of Jesus Christ as its framework, students will examine various movements and leaders in Church history from the lens of Christian Leadership. Students will see how various periods of world or Church history gave rise to new models of leadership within the Church. Students will learn form the examples of martyrs, apologists, contemplatives, diplomats, and doctors of the Church, as well as from contemporary Catholic leaders. Through an in-depth study of Vatican II and its documents, and through writing of recent Church leaders, students will be challenged to look at their own leadership gifts and styles, and be challenged to find ways at Carroll and beyond to use their gifts for the greater good of the Church and the world.

Vocations: Responding to God's Call

Grounded in Gospel teachings, the meaning of Christian love underlies this entire course.  Through reading, class discussion, and special assignments, students will be guided to a clearer understanding of themselves and of those with whom they relate.  Students will strengthen skills which identify and deal with factors that affect their relationships with family, friends, and associates.  This course focuses on Christian living in the contemporary world.  It helps students to better their relationships as single, religious, or married persons.  Since it is in the family that we first define our identity and our relationships to others, the importance of family life within the Christian context will be stressed.

Senior Electives

World Religions

This course surveys the major religious traditions active in the world today.  It attempts to promote compassion and community with all people in the spirit of the teachings of Vatican II, which encourages dialogue and understanding between Catholics and people of other faiths.  This course will examine sacred space, time, writings, beliefs and practices, history, and other important elements of each of the world’s major religions.  Each religion's characteristics and beliefs will be analyzed through the lens of Catholicism and the person of Jesus Christ.

Prayer and Spirituality

This course will examine how prayer has been understood and practiced throughout two thousand years of Catholic Christianity.  Prayer will be studied as an essential means to growth in self-knowledge, one’s relationship to God, and strengthening believers to bring Gospel-centered values into our world as disciple of Christ.  The course will include a variety of prayer experiences incorporating (but not limited to) different ways to pray such as music and prayer, meditative prayer, and silent prayer.  While prayer experiences of other major world religions might be examined, all prayer experiences will be rooted in Jesus Christ.  There will be an emphasis in the hope, wisdom, and guidance Christ gives to us in a world in crisis.

Faith in Action

Note: This course takes place over the summer prior to a student's senior year

It is our hope that study and reflection on the Catholic faith bears fruit in faithful deeds.  This course provides a structured opportunity for students to act upon their Christian faith.  Forty hours of service in one community service setting is required.  Periodic class meetings conducted outside the school day are scheduled and must be attended.  These class meetings help the student by giving direction, allowing for reflection, and giving support.  The course includes academic assignments in addition to the required hours of service.

Mission Dayton

Note: Students must apply for and receive department approval prior to participating in this immersion experience. This course takes place during the summer prior to a student's senior year.

The Justice and Service Immersion attempts to integrate what students have learned in their Peace and Justice class with a real-world service-learning experience.  In this six-day program, students perform between 30-40 hours of community service and reflect on that experience in light of scripture and Church teachings.  Students are engaged in discussions on justice issues, prayer, journaling, and simulation activities on contemporary issues.  Spots in the immersion are limited.  The program is traditionally held in the City of Dayton.  Students involved in this program must be able to meet numerous academic requirements, including assigned reading, written assignments, and a theological reflection paper.  Students must apply for and be accepted into this program. Teacher recommendations, discipline history, attendance history, and the application itself are all used to determine acceptance in the program.