In our Christian Studies program, we remain grounded in our Anabaptist principles, working with students as their faith develops and grows throughout their time at Westgate. In all of our courses we focus on developing Biblical literacy and spiritual reflection. We recognize and welcome the many different Christian traditions in our school, as well as other faiths and perspectives. It is our hope that through the progression in these courses our students acquire a strong academic and spiritual foundation for their beliefs and understand the beliefs of others in their community.
6 The Fruits of the Spirit
In this course, we will study the nine fruits of the Spirit focusing on Biblical stories and finding evidence in our own lives of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
7 Old Testament—The Story of God and God’s People
This course is an introduction to the Christian faith from an Anabaptist perspective. It will give students a base understanding of the Bible and explore some themes throughout the Bible such as Caring for God’s Creation, Listening to God’s Voice, Working for God’s Shalom, and Living God’s Way. Students will develop knowledge that will help them participate more fully in chapel, school community events, future Christian Studies courses, as well as church life if they so choose. Students will be invited to recognize that they (and all) are loved by God and to respond to the invitation to become disciples of Jesus.
8 Jesus’ Life and Teaching
This course focuses on a study of Jesus: his life and teachings. Students learn about the prophets and Jesus’ Jewish context, and undertake an independent reading of the gospel of Luke and a study of the Sermon on the Mount. The course concludes with a basic study of Anabaptist history.
11G The Church and Faith Today
The Grade 9 course places emphasis on the current Christian church and the living out of faith. Students keep a faith journal and study how churches live out God’s vision for the world. The peace and justice emphasis of our church’s history is explored for relevancy and application to the world today. One major practical component is a community service assignment in which students participate throughout the year.
21G A Christian Response to Religious Plurality
This course will focus on a Christian response to other religious traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and Indigenous Spirituality. We will also spend time looking at the many faces of Christianity in our world.
31G Christian Ethics
This course involves a study of Christian ethics, specifically from an Anabaptist perspective. It includes a look at morality and how people make moral decisions as well as discussions about, and research into, many societal issues facing Christians today.
41G Mennonite History
This course studies basic Anabaptist theology and then uses Mennonite History to examine the attempts of Mennonites to apply their theology to life. The historical focus of the course is mainly on the Russian Mennonite tradition where Westgate’s roots lie. However, questions raised should be applicable to all students.