Religion and Ethics*
Grade 10
.5 credit

This foundational course in Religion introduces and cultivates skills in religious literacy, ethical analysis, and the development of the moral imagination. As an introduction to religion and ethical theory, the course investigates The Anthropocene, or the “age of humans,” through three big questions: How have the world’s religious traditions described the human creature?; How do we make ethical decisions?; Why is the study of religion important for the work of ecological citizenship?
*Required course for sophomores
Offered fall and spring semesters

Rhythm of the Sacred*
Grades 11–12
.5 credit
This semester course explores how music has been a powerful and essential part of religious experience in various parts of the world. Major world religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Sikhism are examined as reflected through composers and congregants. Students learn the basic elements of music to then analyze the ways in which sacred music remains an integral part of both individual spirituality and congregational worship. Understanding of musical style is enhanced and synthesized by listening to audio recordings, video performances, live music presentations, and student “hands-on” playing of rhythm instruments and piano keyboards.
*Prerequisite: Religion in America
*Successful completion of this course also garners Arts credit.
Offered fall and spring semesters

Religion and Politics*
Grades 11–12
.5 credit
Politics and religion exercise significant influence over our daily lives. In this course, we will explore the religious background of American history, and we will try to understand the extent to which religion informed the character of our developing country. Second, we will study the influence of faith and religion on the political process. We will study the 2020 presidential election as an indicator of the current political and religious climate in America. Students will select a candidate and, using various forms of media, follow the election process through the lens of religious discourse.
*Prerequisite: Religion in America
Offered fall semester

Sacred Texts*
Grades 11‒12
.5 credit

This course is dedicated to close readings of scriptures in the Abrahamic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. What makes a text sacred? How are scriptural canons formed and passed down? How are the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and Quran related? What similarities do they share and where are the important differences? How are these texts read devotionally and what could it mean to read them as literature? This course will include visits with religious leaders and practitioners of each of the traditions.
*Prerequisite: Religion in America
Offered fall semester

Buddhism*
Grades 11‒12
.5 credit
In this course we will track the evolution of Buddhist traditions across cultures, from the life and teachings of the historical Buddha in northern India to the dynamic, ever-evolving forms of American Buddhism. We will study Buddhist cosmology, philosophy, and psychology, exploring Buddhism’s particular understanding of humanity, with significant focus on the practice of meditation and related disciplines. We will draw from core texts of Buddhist literature as well as contemporary teachings of Buddhist leaders across the globe.
*Prerequisite: Religion in America
Offered spring semester

The Ethics of Jesus*
Grades 11‒12
.5 credit
In this class, we will explore the field of ethics in conversation with the teachings of one of the most famous moral thinkers in history, Jesus of Nazareth, using the primary documents of the Christian and Hebrew scriptures as well as important commentaries on his teachings. We will ask ourselves about our own ethical systems and hold them up to the lights of both religious (Western and non-Western) and secular standards. This class will include a required lecture at a nearby university or seminary.
*Prerequisite: Religion in America
Offered spring semester

Nature and Experience*
Grade 12
.5 credit
What is our place in the natural world? How do literary depictions of wildness, wilderness, and the pastoral reflect or evoke religious dispositions such as gratitude, joy, reverence, and awe? How do environmental writers use religious texts and traditions? To engage such questions, this interdisciplinary course examines selected texts in creative nonfiction that examine the relationship between “Nature” and human flourishing. Major texts may include works by Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, Annie Dillard, Wendell Berry, Terry Tempest Williams, Barry Lopez, Gary Snyder, Doug Peacock, Lauret Savoy, and Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Offered fall semester
*Prerequisite: Religion in America
*Successful completion of this course also garners English credit.