​​​​​Model For Religious Education

At St Peter Claver College, as in all schools and colleges of the Archdiocese of Brisbane, teaching people religion and teaching people to be religious draw upon the Catholic Christian tradition in ways that are mindful of local contexts and the ecumenical and multi-faith realities of contemporary culture.

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©​ Brisbane Catholic Education's Model of Religious Education (2008).

At St Peter Claver we intentionally develop our curriculum on the foundations of a Catholic theology and philosophy of curriculum. Learning is inextricably linked with living life to the full. It is personal, relational and communal. Learning is visible, active and interactive to create knowledge and meaning. A student- centred approach that is invitational and dialogical, fostering critical reflective thinking underpins the Religious Education program.​

Religious Education Years 7 -10

Year 7	Focus 1	Focus 2	Focus 3	Focus 4
Topic Focus Inquiry	Sacraments and Sacramentality.  How do sacraments express and support the journey of faith and life?  Belonging to a community.	Where it all began?  How did the human authors express the nature of truth in the sacred texts?	Doing Good.  What if everybody did that?	The Power of Words.  How does the truth of texts, creeds and prayers enable believers to listen, understand and talk to God?

 

Year 8	Focus 1	Focus 2	Focus 3	Focus 4
Topic Focus Inquiry	Unity and Diversity. Belonging – What if everyone belonged?	Movers and Shakers. Who changed the Church and rocked the world?	Covenant. What promises have I made to my God, myself and others?	Mission Matters.  Living out Jesus' mission for others in our world today … mission possible?

 

Year 9	Focus 1	Focus 2	Focus 3	Focus 4
Topic Focus Inquiry	Making sense of Jesus.  What can modern believers take from the world of Jesus' teachings for their own time and place?	​Let there be light. To err is human, to forgive is divine?	Restoring the balance.  Why should I care?	Learning from the past.  What are the causes and effects of the events that developed the Church in the modern world?

 

Year 10	Focus 1	Focus 2	Focus 3	Focus 4
Topic Focus Inquiry	The Mystery of God. Are there any common threads in humanity's attempts to explain the mystery that is God?	Responding to the Signs of the Times.  Why is faith decreasing in our time and what aspects of contemporary society could benefit from religion?	Making Amends and Moving Forward.  How does reconciliation and forgiveness lead to healing?	Religious Voices in the World. Are there any common threads that might be used to bring all religions and faiths together in peace?

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Religious Education Years 11 and 12

A range of choices from specialised Religious Education Courses are available to meet the needs and interests of learners in their senior secondary years in the Archdiocese of Brisbane. The accredited courses provide opportunities for learners to develop a deeper understanding of the Catholic Christian tradition and an empathetic understanding of world religions, as well as a grasp of the impact of religious teachings on the lives of believers. The approach taken in these courses promotes the religious literacy of students, developing their knowledge, skills and dispositions to interpret and use language confidently in and for faith contexts and the wider society.

Courses offered at St Peter Claver include:

• Study of Religion.
• Religion and Ethics.
  

Study of Religion General Subject

Students have the opportunity to:

• Engage with an inquiry approach to learn about religions, their central beliefs and practices, and their influence on people, society and culture.
• Develop a range of transferable thinking and processing skills that will help them live and work successfully in the 21st Century.
• Become informed citizens, as religion continues to function as a powerful dimension of human experience.

What are the possible pathways beyond school?

Study of Religion provides a basis for further tertiary studies, vocational education and employment in such fields as anthropology, the arts, education, journalism, politics, psychology, religious studies, sociology and social work.

Religion and Ethics Applied Subject

Students have the opportunity to:

• Explore their personal values and life choices and the ways in which these are related to their beliefs.
• Understand the personal, relational and spiritual perspectives of human experience and reflect on the richness of religious and ethical worldviews.
• Examine how topics such as the meaning of life, spirituality, purpose and destiny, life choices, moral and ethical issues and justice are dealt with in various religious, spiritual and ethical traditions.

What are the possible pathways beyond school?

Religion and Ethics provides a basis for engaging with others in diverse settings, including further education and employment in any field, developing skills and attitudes that contribute to lifelong learning.