"Faciendi et Credendi" means, in Latin, "Believing and doing." For the Christian, this should evoke the Letter of James: "What good is it if someone says he has faith but does not have works?" (2:14). It also evokes the idea that the study of religion involves both the beliefs and practices of a religious community. Finally, it recalls that students of theology and religious studies are engaged in both classroom learning and active participation in volunteer service, ministry, etc.

Faciendi et Credendi is the blog for the Religious Studies/Theology Program at Loras College. It is an ongoing, public account of student progress that the program requires of all its majors. The blog provides an electronic “space” for students to reflect on their experiences as a major and on the relationship of those experiences to other facets of their life at Loras.

In order to post to the blog, first find the appropriate topic by clicking on the Blog Prompts tab. Find the prompt based on how long it has been since you declared your religious studies/theology major. Then, return to the Home tab and click on New Post in the top right corner of the page. This will open an html editor where you can type your post.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Semester 3 Week 6


          As I am now a junior Religious Studies major here at Loras College I really need to start thinking about my future and what I intend to do with my major.  I suppose I should note here that I am seriously considering adding a Philosophy major because I am almost done with my Religious Studies major and I have already taken some of the classes needed.  Anyway that is just a side note.

          There are many different career options that are possible with a Religious Studies major.  Some of them include graduate school to pursue a doctorate in many different aspects of theology, parish work such as a director of religious education, a youth minister, director of RCIA, liturgical coordinator, marriage ministry or other sorts of specialized ministry.  There are also volunteer options such as a volunteer at Catholic camps, the Peace corps, etc.

          Obviously each of these different options requires different skills.  Graduate school would require a strong academic background in Religious Studies/Theology and study skills as well as a good GRE score and letters of recommendation.  Plus a strong will is necessary for continuing on education and a vision of where you want to go with your graduate degree.  I think the Religious Studies program at Loras prepares students very well for graduate school.  The classes are always very high caliber and challenge me to the utmost especially in writing a paper and developing a thesis, which from what I have heard, you do a lot of in graduate school.  Also, during senior year Loras has a 6 credit hour thesis students can complete if they are seriously considering going onto graduate school which can help one get into graduate school.  Plus, the student faculty relationships on campus are very strong and personal so the professors are always helpful for knowledge and guidance because of how well they know their students.
           As for parish and volunteer work, it seems that not only grades or involvement of certain activities seems to be the only thing important, but hands on experience.  This is where the Religious Studies practicum I think comes into really helping students out.  It gives experience to the student, but it also forces them (in a good way) to connect their daily experiences with what they learned in the classroom through evaluations and journals.  It also helps students make connections with the parish/school community for potential jobs in the future.  As for class work I think Loras lays a good foundation for ministry in what they teach.  We get a great and broad background of knowledge of Catholic theology and beliefs, through classes such as Christian Sexual Morality, Catholic Social Teachings, Sacraments, The Catholic Heritage, Introduction to Theology and Religious Studies, and many other classes.  We also get a good biblical foundation through classes such as Jesus and the Gospels, God’s Literature, Does the Land Belong to Israel?, Wisdom of the Prophets, and others.  The only thing that I think maybe could be added to the Loras curriculum is some classes on ministry within the Church.  But, I know that a class about foundations of ministry is being added for next semester which will be a great addition.  

          To be honest I do not know what I would like to do with my major, the ideas I have seem to change every week.  But, I do know I want to graduate (haha) and as of right now I have no desire to go to graduate school to pursue a doctorate, so it is a good thing I have many other options.  Right now I am leaning towards possibly working in catechism in some sort of aspect in a parish whether in RCIA or religious education.  Young adult and adult ministry also really interests me.  I am excited to see where the Lord leads me and the experiences still to come in the Religious Studies department at Loras College.   
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1 comment:

  1. Matthew ShadleMay 27, 2012 at 9:28 PM

    Kelleryn, I think you definitely have the academic skills to succeed in graduate studies if that is what you choose to do. Also, if you decided to further study theology, your background in philosophy would definitely give you an advantage! Many people go into the study of theology without much background in philosophy, which is really crucial for understanding theology, both old and new.

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