Curriculum

Theology

Within the Catholic, Jesuit identity of Loyola Academy, the mission of the theology department is:

to invite each student to respond
to the transformative call of Christ,
encountered sacramentally
and in an ecclesial community
that fosters spiritual, intellectual,
and social conversion
to a faith that does justice.

In the spring of 2021, twenty one students representing all four graduating classes, along with eleven faculty and staff members, collaborated on content to enhance an Ignatian spirituality app sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies (IAJS) at Boston College. The IAJS at Boston College partnered with twelve Jesuit secondary schools on this digital project. Each school was given a theme for one of the weeks, and students were asked to provide seven days of reflections—a mix of written, audio and video—to be used for prayer by those who join Ignatius' pilgrimage through the app. Enjoy this video reflection by Drew Jimenez '22 and Rachel Lin-Peistrup '22. Learn more about this project here.

A Faith that Lives Justice

In this course, students will hone their skills of reflection and dialogue as they apply various frameworks for moral reasoning and evaluate them in light of the Catholic moral tradition. Marked by a respect for human dignity and a commitment to right relationship, students will engage in a process of conscience formation that allows them see a more complete view of reality and encounter God’s vision for the world. Students will scrutinize

the signs of the times through Catholic social teaching and its “See, Judge, Act” paradigm, critically reflect on social structures, and discern their own vocational call to a faith that lives justice.
Christian Life in Community

In this course, students will be invited to experience how God calls them into relationship as part of the Beloved Community. Students will be invited to engage with God’s dream for the world through an integration of prayer, Ignatian imagination, and action. They will explore the Catholic Tradition and the vision of the Kingdom of God as revealed in Scripture. This course introduces the Beloved Community, developed through the Church, and humanity’s call to work toward a hope-filled future. Students will leave this course empowered to love as God loves.
Christology/Faith through Film & Fiction

Christology

0.5 credit, Track 6

This course offered first semester uses methodologies from anthropology, psychology, and scriptural theology to grapple with questions such as: Who is Jesus the Christ? Where do I encounter Jesus? How will I respond to the kingdom invitation of Jesus? Units explore topics in conversion, vocation, spirituality, justice, and kingdom theology. This course is required for all seniors who do not take Justice Seminar.

Exploring Faith through Film and Fiction (R445)

0.5 credit, Track 6

In this course students examine theological themes in films and fiction. Students will concentrate on identifying core elements of the Catholic worldview as it infuses the vision of artists and storytellers. The fourth quarter consists of both creating stories for the purpose of social justice and experiencing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius through the utilization of film and reflective journaling.
Christology/God & Sci in Post Modernity

Christology

0.5 credit, Track 6

This course offered first semester uses methodologies from anthropology, psychology, and scriptural theology to grapple with questions such as: Who is Jesus the Christ? Where do I encounter Jesus? How will I respond to the kingdom invitation of Jesus? Units explore topics in conversion, vocation, spirituality, justice, and kingdom theology. This course is required for all seniors who do not take Justice Seminar.

God and Science in Postmodernity (R447)

0.5 credit, Track 6

This course explores the historically tenuous relationship between religion and science by considering controversial questions such as: Has science made religion obsolete? Can we prove that God does not exist? Are faith and science incompatible? Students read contemporary authors who pose challenges to faith and their religious respondents, including a Catholic, Jesuit worldview that emphasizes God’s presence in all things. The goal of the course is to instill students with the task of bringing compassion and critical thinking into a greater public discussion that is, at times, quite hostile.
Christology/World Religions

Christology

0.5 credit, Track 6

This course offered first semester uses methodologies from anthropology, psychology, and scriptural theology to grapple with questions such as: Who is Jesus the Christ? Where do I encounter Jesus? How will I respond to the kingdom invitation of Jesus? Units explore topics in conversion, vocation, spirituality, justice, and kingdom theology. This course is required for all seniors who do not take Justice Seminar.

World Religions: Sacred Responses (R448)

0.5 credit, Track 6

This course explores the degrees to which God’s truth is present in the major religions of the world. This exploration is done through the lens of Catholic teaching on interreligious dialogue and surveying the beliefs, practices, and contemporary influences of the major religions of the world: Hinduism, Buddhism, Eastern traditions (e.g., Taoism, Confucianism, and Shintoism), Judaism, and Islam. The course begins with the premise that humans are created to be in relationship with God and to discover the fullness of God’s truth. Students are invited to reflect on how these faith traditions help them discern their call to discipleship.
Encountering Global Theologies

In this course, students will develop a theological perspective informed by interreligious dialogue with Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Islamic, and global Catholic voices through the four movements of The Spiritual Exercises. Specifically, students will encounter the teachings, practices, and histories of global religious traditions within and beyond the Catholic faith; through the lens of Ignatian Spirituality, reflect deeply on the relationship between these religious traditions and the Church; and guided by Catholic social teaching, develop a capstone project centered on a concern for justice in light of the student’s encounter with global religious voices.
Faith & Justice

In this course, students will hone their skills of reflection and dialogue as they apply various frameworks for moral reasoning and evaluate them in light of the Catholic moral tradition. Marked by a respect for human dignity and a commitment to right relationship, students will engage in a process of conscience formation that allows them see a more complete view of reality and encounter God’s vision for the world. Students will scrutinize the signs of the times through Catholic social teaching and its “See, Judge, Act” paradigm, critically reflect on social structures, and discern their own vocational call to a faith that lives justice.
Foundations of Theology - Level 1

In this course, students will be invited to experience themselves as beloved by God and as members of the Loyola community. Through self-reflection and dialogue, students will co-create a classroom community by engaging questions about themselves, the communities to which they belong, and the God revealed in Scripture. These
questions will be explored through the careful integration of foundational biblical interpretation and the Ignatian Spiritual Tradition. This course traces the movement of
Salvation History in Scripture, culminating in a response to the call to leadership as “contemplatives in action.”
Foundations of Theology - Level 6

In this course, students will be invited to experience themselves as beloved by God and as members of the Loyola community. Through self-reflection and dialogue, students will co-create a classroom community by engaging questions about themselves, the communities to which they belong, and the God revealed in Scripture. These questions will be explored through the careful integration of foundational biblical interpretation and the Ignatian Spiritual Tradition. This course traces the movement of Salvation History in Scripture, culminating in a response to the call to leadership as “contemplatives in action.”
Justice Seminar

In this Ignatian Service Learning (ISL) course, students will experience social service, advocacy and the work for social justice. Through direct service with a community partner, students will encounter structural and systemic justice issues and the limitations of their own worldview. Throughout this course, students will use Ignatian discernment, theological reflection, Christian spiritualities, and insights from the social sciences to develop mutual relationships with a community partner. Seven service site visits outside of school hours will be required each semester. Students will demonstrate their learning as a person for and with others through a capstone project.
The Challenge of Being Human

In this course, students will explore ultimate questions and a diversity of responses to them. What is the meaning of life? Why do we suffer? How ought I live? Philosophy and theology offer diverse perspectives on these ‘big questions.’ Through reflection on personal experience, class discussions, readings, and a capstone project, students will explore what it means to be human and how we ought to live together. Although these questions are enduring, students will be encouraged to develop an authentic path to a “hope-filled future.”
The Ignatian Journey

In this course, students will experience The Spiritual Exercises as they explore themes of grace, discipleship, suffering, and hope in the Gospels as well as in places they may not think to look: movies, stories, and their own daily lives. Students will be invited into a dynamic and spiritually active classroom community that is marked by prayer, journaling, conversation, a class retreat, and a capstone project. By the end of this course, students will cultivate a Catholic Imagination, discern their emerging vocation, and embody a more mature and ever-deepening faith for the pilgrimage ahead.