Curriculum > Religious Education

Religious Education is central to the mission of the Catholic school. At Genazzano our students are invited to develop their faith life in the both the formal and informal curriculum and through the liturgical life of the College. Religious Education is a lifelong process and at Genazzano the students are provided with the opportunities to understand the history and tradition of the Catholic faith, its foundational stories and theology and the Gospel imperative to love one another. Our students are also invited to become active members of this worshipping community. The Religious Education curriculum aims to engage our students in the transformative search for purpose and meaning and to respond to the world with compassion and justice.

The basis for the Religious Education program for Prep to Year 10 is the Archdiocesan Framework, Coming To Know, Worship and Love. This Framework outlines the ultimate goals of the Catholic school, as assisting students towards:

The Religious Education curriculum supports this in specific ways by developing in each student an understanding and appreciation of:

EARLY YEARS (PREP - YEAR 4)

The P-4 program comprises three levels each with its own distinctive emphasis.
The first level introduces Preparatory students to the "Good Shepherd Experience". This experience is deepened in Years 1 and 2. Here, Level 2 work is structured in a way that provides students with experiences of sacred play, prayer and religious celebration. Students come to know Jesus through the stories of Scripture and the signs and symbols that are significant within the Traditions of the Church.

The third level outlines a program for Years 3 and 4 that extends the students' concept and experience of Revelation. Through Scripture and Tradition they come to know more about Jesus' life, work and teaching. A key component of this level is the introduction of formal teaching and preparation for Sacramental reception: Reconciliation and First Eucharist.

MIDDLE YEARS (YEAR 5 - 8)

In Years 5 and 6, students' knowledge of Jesus and His teaching is extended through the study of significant and relevant Tradition, Scripture and Doctrine. The process of Divine Revelation is an integral component of the program as students increase their knowledge and understandings of the teachings of the Catholic Church. The students come to recognise, know and reflect upon a Trinitarian God as revealed in:

In Years 7 and 8, students' study Scriptures and Tradition in a more focused and systematic way, along with the sacraments, liturgy and the history of the Church. Integrated into the units of study is the opportunity for students to make a faith response. In both years, students will complete at least one unit from each of the following areas of study:

LATER YEARS (YEAR 9 AND 10)

In Year 9 students are invited to a deeper awareness of the life of the Church. Students are encouraged to reflect upon personal, moral and justice issues, along with further studies in the areas of Scripture, the sacraments, liturgy and the history of the Church. Integrated into the units of study is the opportunity for students to make a faith response. In both years, students will complete at least one unit from each of the following areas of study:

VCE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PATHWAYS YEAR 10 SECOND SEMESTER
In the second semester our Year 10 students are able to choose from four VCE subjects.

Religion and Society (Unit 1 Religion in Society)
In this unit, students explore the beliefs, values and ideas of religious traditions and the role that they play in maintaining and shaping culture. It explores religious beliefs about the nature of existence and the purpose of human life and the way in which these beliefs guide daily personal and communal action.

Texts and Traditions (Unit 1 Narrative Texts)
This unit examines the place of narrative within a religious tradition. It explores the variety of narratives at the source of a tradition, such as parables, miracle stories, epiphanies etc. and the importance of narrative in the form of storytelling as a foundational literary form for all religious traditions.

Texts and Traditions (Unit 2 Texts inSociety)
In this unit various texts are used as a means of investigating themes such as justice, racism and gender roles and enabling the students to challenge and critique societal values and attitudes. Events, people and places relevant to the understanding and contextualization of various issues are explored, as well as their position and influence in the Catholic Christian tradition.

Philosophy (Unit 2 Ethics and Philosophical Investigation)
This unit engages the student in philosophical investigation and critical discussion in the form of analysis of reasoning and the formulation of logical responses to philosophical questions. The principles of philosophy are explored and the application of philosophical method are applied to the everyday, personal viewpoint as well as to significant challenges faced in the modern world.

VCE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PATHWAYS YEAR 11

Students entering Year 11 choose one of six VCE units on offer:

Religion and Society (Unit 1 Religion in Society)
In this unit, students explore the beliefs, values and ideas of religious traditions and the role that they play in maintaining and shaping culture. It explores religious beliefs about the nature of existence and the purpose of human life and the way in which these beliefs guide daily personal and communal action.

Religion and Society (Unit 2 Ethics and Morality)
Ethics is a discipline that investigates morality. This unit explores the nature of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ when applied to human decisions and actions. It is concerned with discovering ways of acting that are worthy of choice and discerning those unworthy of choice.

Texts and Traditions (Unit 2 Texts in Society)
In this unit various texts are used as a means of investigating themes such as justice, racism and gender roles and enabling the students to challenge and critique societal values and attitudes. Events, people and places relevant to the understanding and contextualization of various issues are studied, as well as their position and influence in the Catholic Christian tradition.

Texts and Traditions Unit 3 (Texts in the Early Tradition)
This unit explores the beginnings of Christianity and the Christian scriptures, with particular attention paid to the gospel of Luke. It examines the manner in which the Christian Scriptures are presented and the teachings contained within them. It also explores the significant people, places and events recorded in the Christian and Hebrew Scriptures and how the original texts came to be written to codify the beliefs and mission of the early Church.

Texts and Traditions Unit 4 (Texts and their Teachings)
This unit continues the exegetical study of the gospel of Luke and examines the way in which the themes contained in the Christian Scriptures have been interpreted by the original and later audiences. Key Gospel themes are explored through the analysis of selected passages.

Religion and Society Unit 3 (The Search for Meaning)
In this unit the students examine core beliefs about the nature and purpose of reality and the relationship between human life and the rest of the natural world. Religious understanding are studied in the light of beliefs, myths and other stories, sacred texts, rituals, symbols, community structures and values.

Religion and Society Unit 4 (The Challenge of Response to Change)
A range of internal and external challenges faced by the Christian tradition during its historical development are studied. In this unit students examine the distinctive insights that the Christian tradition brings to debates on major social and moral issues and the beneficial impact this may have on secular society.

Philosophy Unit 3 (The Good Life)
In this unit the perennial and universal question of what it is for the human being to live well is considered. The nature of happiness and the role of pleasure are examined in the context of moral decency and what that means and entails. Different periods of philosophical thought is explored as to their impact on contemporary western ideas about the good life.

Philosophy Unit 4 (Mind, Science and Knowledge)
In this unit two areas of contemporary philosophical debate and their historical development is explored. This involves the evaluation of viewpoints and arguments in set texts and the relationship between historical and contemporary arguments. The areas involved are metaphysics and epistemology and the link between science and the mind in exploring the acquisition and application of knowledge.

VCE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PATHWAYS YEAR 12

In Year 12, students are offered four possible courses of study. Students can complete either VCE Texts and Traditions (Units 3&4) Religion and Society (3 &4) and Philosophy (3 & 4) or an internal school-based curriculum.

Texts and Traditions Units 3 and 4

Unit 3 (Texts in the early Tradition)  
This unit explores the beginnings of Christianity and the Christian scriptures, with particular attention paid to the gospel of Luke. It examines the manner in which the Christian Scriptures are presented and the teachings contained within them. It also explores the significant people, places and events recorded in the Christian and Hebrew Scriptures and how the original texts came to be written to codify the beliefs and mission of the early Church. The sociocultural, political and religious climate of 1st century Palestine and the Roman Empire as background to the writing of the gospels is examined in relation to the purpose and audience of the text.

Unit 4 (Texts and their Teachings)
This unit continues the exegetical study of the Gospel of Luke and examines the way in which the themes contained here have been interpreted by the original and later audiences.

Religion and Society Unit 3 (The Search for Meaning)
In this unit our students examine core beliefs about the nature and purpose of reality and the relationship between human life and the rest of the natural world. Religious understanding is examined in the light of beliefs, myths and other stories, sacred texts, rituals, symbols, community structures and values.

Religion and Society Unit 4 (The Challenge of Response to Change)
A range of internal and external challenges faced by the Christian tradition during its historical development are examined in this unit. In this unit the students examine the distinctive insights that the Christian tradition brings to debates on major social and moral issues and the beneficial impact this may have on secular society.

Philosophy Unit 3 (The Good Life)
In this unit the perennial and universal question of what it is for the human being to live well is considered.  The nature of happiness and the role of pleasure will be considered in the context of moral decency and what that means and entails. Different periods of philosophical thought will be examined in considering their impact on contemporary western ideas about the good life.

Philosophy Unit 4(Mind, Science and Knowledge)
In this unit two areas of contemporary philosophical debate and their historical development are explored. This involves the evaluation of viewpoints and arguments in set texts and the relationship between historical and contemporary arguments. The areas involved are metaphysics and epistemology and the link between science and the mind in exploring the acquisition and application of knowledge.

Year 12 Religious Education

The school-based program is designed to provide students about to enter tertiary, workplace and other post school environments with an emerging adult perspective of their Faith by:

Curriculum