8th Grade Religion

Course Description

Building upon the foundation of humility and the four cardinal virtues, eighth grade students will study the history of the Church the  through the lens of magnanimity and service. With a special focus on magnanimous Saints throughout the history of the Church, students will pursue a deeper understanding and appreciation of the greatness to which God continues to call each of His beloved children in every age. Students will also study the rich teachings of the moral life given to us by the Church.

Topics of Study

• The Nature and Mission of the Catholic Church
• Pentecost, Acts of the Apostles
• Peter and Paul
• Early Church martyrs, Persecution of early Christians
• Early Church structure
• Legalization of Christianity
• Heresies, early ecumenical councils, Nicene creed
• Rise of monasticism and religious communities
• Charlemagne, Church and State
• Medieval Church
• The Great Schism, the Crusades, the Inquisition
• Church in need of renewal
• Protestant Reformation, Counter-reformation
• Missionaries in the Americas
• Enlightenment and modern times in the Church
• Catholic Social Teaching
• Freedom and Choice: The Human Person
• Conscience and our obligation to form it
• Temptation and the Reality of Sin
• Personal Prayer and Openness to the Holy Spirit
• Community, the Sacraments, and the Saints
• God’s plan for love and marriage: Theology of the Body

Virtuous Leadership in 8th Grade

With the foundation for virtuous action in humility and the four cardinal virtues, the eighth grade student is ready to practice the virtuous acts that specifically govern the pursuit of excellence: the leadership virtues of magnanimity and fraternal humility (service). Magnanimity is the habit of striving towards greatness (or excellence), whereby one feels the potential for greatness and prepares for it through his or her own effort. Fraternal humility is the habit of recognizing the potential of greatness in others and eliciting their greatness by serving them.

In eighth grade, students will be given more opportunities to lead, as well as for self-reflection on their growth in the leadership virtues as well as the virtues previously presented.

Course Materials

• Textbooks: The Communion of the Faithful (Spirit of Truth Series by Sophia Institute Press)
• YOUCAT (Youth Catechism) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church

• New American Bible

• Created for Greatness: The Power of Magnanimity by Alexandre Havard
• Theology of the Body for Teens: Discovering God’s Plan for Love and Life, Middle School Edition, Brian Butler, Jason Evert, and Colin & Aimee MacIver (Ascension Press)

Please always come to class prepared with the following: Any homework that is due, class textbook, notebook and folder for religion class, pencils, a highlighter

Methods of Assessment

Daily classwork and notes, Socratic seminars, quizzes, projects/presentations, essays/reflection writing

Course Grading

Class work, homework, quizzes - 50%

Socratic Seminars, essays, projects - 50%