Christian Morality: Life in Jesus Christ (107) Syllabus

Mr. Nicholas Astle

Email: nastle@stjoeacad.org

Welcome to Morality! We have an exciting year ahead of us, and I want to make sure
everybody starts and stays on the same page. Keep this syllabus handy, and please do
not hesitate to let me know (either in person or by email) if you have any questions.
Course Description
This course leads students toward a deeper understanding of Gods Law revealed to us through reason
and Revelation. The course explores how Christs life and teaching is the fulfillment of the Old Law
summarized in the Ten Commandments. Thus the content of the course is informed by the moral law in
the Old Testament, by Christs moral teaching in the Gospels, and by the moral teaching of the Church
as it applies to what God has revealed to our contemporary moral questions. The New Law of Christ
calls us to go beyond keeping moral minimums and to love God, neighbor, and self with all our being.
We can only do this with Gods grace. In the end, Christian morality is about responding to Gods love
by living in full communion with God and others.

Theology Department Objectives

To develop an understanding of the basic teachings of the Gospels, the Holy Trinity, and the role of
Jesus Christ and the Church.
To provide the environment for a student to accept the grace to establish a vision of morality, both a
personal and social dimension, based on Gospel teaching and values.
To provide opportunities for a student to examine his or her own faith journey, as well as the faith
and journey of others on similar and distinctly different paths.

Materials
This class will be mostly paperless, so please bring your iPad to every class. Make sure it is
charged! You are allowed to take notes on your iPad,but you are encouraged to do it the
oldfashioned way and get a notebook. In addition, please have a nondigital Bible(seebelow)
and a journal. Journals can be any notebook, but composition books are preferred. All
journals will be kept in the classroom, so your journal cannot be the same place you take
notes.
Textbooks
Our textbook for this class is Christian Morality:

Our Response to Gods Love by Saint Marys

Press. However, the textbook is just one of many sources we will use. You will be assigned a
textbook and will be responsible for its safe return, but you are allowed and encouraged to
keep your textbook in the classroom.

Bibles
Most classwork will be done using the Bible app by Ignatius Press. However, certain exercises
require a nondigital

Bible. Please refer to the Lectio Divina handout for more information
about choosing an acceptable translation. My personal recommendation is this Bible, which is
less than $10 on Amazon and Primeeligible.
How This Class Works: Rules and Procedures

Attendance: You are expected to be in class on time every day that you are in school. If you
know ahead of time that you will be absent, please email me ASAP. Be sure to include both
the date(s) you will be missing and the reason. An email is required even if you tell me in
class.
Behavior: By this point in your educational career, you should know what is and is not
appropriate behavior. The law of the land is respect. You must show respect for me, your
classmates, the school, the universe, and everything in it.
Debate and Discussion: This class will feature a lot of debate and discussion, often about
sensitive and polarizing topics. It is the responsibility of every person in the room to create an
environment where everybody feels comfortable sharing their opinions and experiences in a
respectful way.
Google Classroom vs. eBackpack: All assignments (paper or electronic) will be posted on
eBackpack. However, anything you send me (Google Docs) must go through Google Classroom.
Group Work: Each member of a group will receive their own personal grade for any group
project, and everybody is expected to contribute fairly. If there is a concern that somebody
in your group is not being a team player in any way, come see me immediately.
Homework: Homework will usually be due two class days after it is assigned, and will follow
the AssignRemindCollect format. This means if it is assigned on a Monday, you will be
reminded in class on Tuesday, and it will be due by the end of the day Wednesday (or
Thursday). Since most of your homework will be collected through Google Classroom, it must
be submitted by 11:59 PM. If it is done on paper, it will be due at the beginning of class.
Missed Work: It is your responsibility to find out what you missed by asking (or emailing)
either me or one of your classmates. In the spirit of cooperation, you are encouraged to share
your notes with peers who have missed class. Assignments and required materials will be
available on eBackpack and Google Classroom. For most planned absences (vacations, college
visits, etc.) you will be expected to turn in your work on time or before you leave. If that is
going to be a problem, see me before you leave so we can negotiate a due date. For
unplanned absences (illness, family emergencies, etc.) you are encouraged to do whatever
work you can so you do not fall behind. Either way, see me when you return to figure out a
due date.

Projects: Most of the topics from this class cant be adequately summed up by a
multiplechoice test. You will have three large projects throughout the semester, during units
1, 3, and 5. Most large projects will also contain smaller parts (outlines and drafts) to help
you along the way.
Technology: This class will make plenty of use of your iPads and the Internet. These are
fantastic tools, but they must be used responsibly. This means you should not use them in
class for chatting, playing games, checking social media, or doing work for other classes.
Tests and Quizzes: You will have a test after units 2, 4, and 6. Each test will cover two
units. You will also have a quiz for every unit. The day before each test, we will play a review
game in class and you will be given time to write down the review questions as a study tool.
For some games, the winning team may receive bonus points on the test. If you miss the
review, the game questions will be sent to you if you ask. If you are absent the day of the
test, contact me as soon as possible to figure out when you can take the test.
Course Outline
Part 1: Foundations of Morality
Unit 1: Free Will and the Law
Unit 2: Sin and Discipleship
Part 2: Moral Issues
Unit 3: Honoring God and Obedience
Unit 4: Life and Sexuality
Unit 5: Justice
Part 3: Living a Moral Life
Unit 6: Living a Moral Life
Grades
Tests: 100 points x 3 = 300 points (30%)
Quizzes: 25 points x 6 = 150 points (15%)
Projects: 100 points x 3 = 300 points (30%)
Homework and Classwork: 100 points (10%)
Saint of the Day and Current Events = 100 points (10%)
Lectio Divina Journal = 50 points (5%)
________________________________
Total = 1000

Scale
A
A
B+
B
B
C+
C
C
D+
D
F

95100
9094
8789
8386
8082
7779
7376
7072
6769
6566
064