The Latin-Centered Curriculum

In The Latin-Centered Curriculum, the high school Christian Studies program focuses on biblical literacy. But what about students who have already studied the Bible in greater detail in the earlier grades?

For such students, Church History and Theology form the natural next steps in Christian Studies. What follows are my suggestions for readings for 9th-12th grade. My goal here is to provide a chronological overview of the most important ideas, figures, and books of Christian history; I hope it goes without saying that readers should feel free to substitute materials to suit their specific needs.

Readings are arranged for four 9- or 10-week terms per year. Christian Studies is normally scheduled for one day a week for a minimum of two hours, but the work can always be arranged differently to suit your family's needs. The pace of reading is significantly faster than what appears in LCC; you may of course assign fewer works to be read at a slower pace.

Note that these readings form an academic study of ecclesiastical history, theology, and spirituality. Academics are only one aspect of Christian education. The spiritual formation of the child is accomplished by the Holy Spirit, through the religious life of the family and the larger Christian community. Worship services, sacramental life, family devotions, character training, personal prayer, devotional Bible study, spiritual direction or counsel, and formal catechesis may each play a role. All these are vital - but far beyond the scope of an academic curriculum guide like LCC. Your own religious tradition is your surest guide in these matters.

Ninth Grade

1. Apostolic Fathers
2. Church Fathers (St. Justin Martyr-St. Leo the Great)
3. Desert Fathers and Mothers
4. Eusebius

Tenth Grade

1. St. Augustine of Hippo: Confessions
2. St. Benedict of Nursia; The Venerable Bede
3. St. Anselm of Canterbury: Cur Deus Homo or other works; St. Thomas Aquinas
4. St. Thomas Aquinas

Eleventh Grade

1. Thomas à Kempis: The Imitation of Christ
2. Luther: Selections (95 Theses, The Freedom of a Christian, Bondage of the Will, On Secular Authority), Calvin: The Institutes (Parts X and XII)
3. Bunyan: The Pilgrim's Progress
4. St. Francis de Sales: Introduction to the Devout Life; Br. Lawrence: The Practice of the Presence of God

Twelfth Grade

1. The Way of a Pilgrim
2. G. K. Chesterton: Orthodoxy , The Everlasting Man
3. C. S. Lewis: Mere Christianity , The Screwtape Letters or Church documents*
4. The Challenge of Jesus (N. T. Wright) or Jesus of Nazareth (Pope Benedict XVI) and/or Church documents*

* Church documents would include, for example, Lumen Gentium, Dei Verbum, and other major Vatican II documents (for Catholics), The Westminster or Heidelberg Confessions (for some Protestants), or other important creedal or doctrinal statements relevant to your family's church affiliation.