Theology Department

Faculty Members:

Michael Gutzwiller
Maribeth Lombardi



The spiritual and moral dimension of being a human person is often ignored or neglected by our society today.  The Theology Department aims to help students recognize and develop this dimension of themselves, personally and within a community.

Courses in the department focus on giving the students a solid academic background in the Catholic Christian tradition in the areas of scripture, history, theology and ethics.  Students are encouraged to appreciate as well as to critically reflect upon that tradition as they develop their own faith as teenagers and young adults.  Courses emphasize that faith is lived, that the moral dimension is an important and necessary aspect of religion.

The department also recognizes that not all Saint Thomas More students are Catholics, and it invites students to reflect on various expressions of faith and practice.  Courses are designed to encourage student participation and reflection on a variety of issues that relate to and touch their lives.  Students are encouraged to see themselves as being part of a faith community and to be future leaders within that community.

1700/01 Catholic Identity - Grade 9 - 0.5 credit (Required)
This course provides students from diverse religious backgrounds an overview of the basics of the Roman Catholic faith.  Students will gain a common vocabulary and a unified vision of the whole of the Catholic heritage.  Students will explore questions regarding the existence and nature of God, and the meaning and message of Jesus Christ for their own lives.  Students will also be introduced to the teachings of the Catholic faith regarding the Trinity, the nature and mission of the Church, scripture, the sacraments, prayer and worship, and Christian morality and discipleship.  These themes will be explored in a manner that will enable students to gain a personal appreciation of the Catholic faith, both intellectually and affectively.
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1702/03 Scripture - Grade 10 - 0.5 credit (Required)
This course will examine the Old and New Testaments, discussing key persons and events.  It will examine the various literary forms used in the Bible allowing for a mature approach to biblical interpretation.  Students will be encouraged to discern what some basic biblical messages are and to incorporate them into their own lives.
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1704 Morality - Grade 11 (2nd Semester) - 0.5 credit (Required)
This course will help students understand the biblical values and norms that make up living a good Christian life.  Students will learn a process for making moral decisions, and examine specific Catholic moral teachings.  Through the use of case studies, students will learn to discern possible solutions to moral dilemmas that they may encounter.  The second half of the course will focus on the social aspect of morality, i.e. social justice.  It will emphasize the Church's role in speaking on behalf of the poor and marginalized in society, just as Jesus did.  Contemporary social problems will be examined (e.g., poverty, hunger, violence, the rights of workers, pollution, and war) and students will be led to find solutions in light of the teaching of scripture and the principles of Catholic social teaching.  Students will be encouraged to work for justice in their own lives, and to come to appreciate Christianity as a world transforming religion. 
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1705 Church History - Grade 11 (1st Semester) - 0.5 credit (Required)
This course is a history of the Catholic Church from the apostles to the present day.  It will examine key people, events, and ideas that have shaped the Church.  Students will learn to appreciate the positive events and discern the negative events in this history.  In addition, students will appreciate key persons who influenced the Church and will reflect on their own place in the Church or their own religious tradition.
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1711 Christian Discipleship - Grade 11 (2nd Semester) - 0.5 credit Elective
The central question addressed in this course is “What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ in today’s world?” Students will reflect formally and systematically on issues of justice and service in the light of Roman Catholic social teaching. Application of the concepts covered in this course will involve service projects in the Milwaukee community. This course is intended to help students reflect on the meaning and implications of justice in their faith lives.
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Grade 12 - Students will choose TWO of these courses...

1706 Comparative Religions - Grade 12 - 0.5 credit (Elective)
This course examines the teachings and practices of the major world religions.  This includes Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and new religious movements and cults.  Students will reflect on their own conceptions of God, the person, and the world in light of the beliefs presented in these religions.  Students will gain an appreciation of other cultures and their beliefs.
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1707 Prayer, Meditation, and Spirituality - Grade 12 - 0.5 credit (Elective)
This one-semester course will offer students the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with God through a study and experience of prayer, meditation, and spirituality.  Students will reflect on the nature of Christian spirituality as a living out of the paschal mystery (dying and rising of Christ) as each person uniquely responds to the call and lead of the Holy Spirit in his or her life.  Students will explore the benefits of different prayer and meditation forms, including journaling, guided meditation, praying with scripture, centering prayer, liturgical prayer, and para-liturgical, along with eastern forms of meditation such as yoga and Zen Buddhism.  Students will also study different schools of spirituality (e.g. Benedictine, Franciscan, Celtic, Carmelite, Ignatian, contemplation-in action), as well as excerpts from the writings of traditional saints such as Julian of Norwich, St. Teresa of Avila, and contemporary guides such as Mother Teresa and Thomas Merton.
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1708 Christian Lifestyles Grade 12 - 0.5 credit (Elective)
This course examines the three major lifestyle choices of marriage, single life, and religious life.  Each of these will be seen as a vocation.  Students will examine how each of these lifestyles can be lived in a way that reflects Christian values.  Topics include dating, marriage, parenthood, and religious life.
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1710 Death, Life and Medical Ethics - Grade 12 (2nd Semester) - 0.5 credit (Elective)
This course is an interdisciplinary investigation to find meaning in the reality of death within religious, psychological, sociological, philosophical, legal, and medical communities. Topics will include: the stages of death, the reality of evil, euthanasia, near-death experiences, ancient and modern religious ceremonies, and in particular, the Christian response to the reality of death in the light of the passion, death, and resurrection Jesus. They will learn that Christians are called to understand the paschal mystery as their fundamental pattern of life. In the second half of the course, students will explore particular medical and technological issues (such as abortion, physician-assisted suicide, organ transplants, and palliative care) from the standpoint of Roman Catholic moral teaching, including that of contemporary theologians.
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1712 Advanced Theology - Grade 12 (1st Semester) - 0.5 credit (Elective)
Advanced theology will take a deeper look at previous issues and will move the student into new areas of theological thinking. Through reading, class discussions, papers, exams and experiences of prayer, the students will develop a mature, intellectual framework for their faith.  This course will offer students the opportunity to examine Western Philosophy (from the ancient Greeks to contemporary existentialism), issues involving the meaning of life (Who am I? What is life? Is there a God?) and pertinent ethical issues. This course will guide students in examining their own lives from an intellectual perspective and challenge them to live lives of authentic commitment.
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