Theology

All Departments:

Teaching Mercy.

Our Theology Department aims to provide a program rich in the Catholic Christian tradition, attentive to the diverse cultural identities of students, and imbued with the Mercy charism of Catherine McAuley. The four-year program focuses on faith development; knowledge of Scripture and Catholic Church teaching and practice; ethical reasoning and moral development in the Catholic Social Tradition; and integrating faith in the real world through a living spirituality. Women exercising leadership in the Church is stressed throughout, and the importance of service, social responsibility, community, and prayer are woven into each course.

Students take a Theology course each year at Merion Mercy, offering a comprehensive background in the foundational beliefs and teachings of the Catholic faith.

Theology at Merion Mercy

Program Spotlight

The Praxis Project

The Praxis project is a signature experience in the Merion Mercy theology department that combines critical inquiry, spiritual reflection, and meaningful action.

Each year, students in the Social Justice Leadership course collaborate in groups to explore a contemporary social issue tied to their coursework in the Mercy charism and the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy. Guided by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, the project is organized into three stages: See — critically evaluating worldviews; Judge — analyzing structural injustices that perpetuate the issue; and Act — conducting fieldwork and interviews with experts to inform a justice-driven response.

Department Goals

An understanding of and appreciation for the beliefs, teachings, rites, and history of the Catholic Church.
A grasp of the meaning of salvation history and students’ place in it.
An understanding of the Mercy charism, the life and work of Catherine McAuley, and the history, current works, and Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy (Nonviolence, Women, Earth, Racism, Immigration).
An appreciation for and an experience of diverse forms of personal and communal prayer.
An understanding of the meaning and the power of sacred scripture and the ability to use scripture for prayer and guidance in students’ lives.
A knowledge of and an appreciation for the moral teachings of the Catholic Church.
The ability to use a process in moral decision making grounded in scripture, Church documents, reason, and experience.
A knowledge of the vast wealth of Catholic Social Teaching and lived application to contemporary social realities.
An ability to critically and creatively reflect upon contemporary cultural realities (social, economic, political) in light of Christian faith and reason and develop actionable steps to address such realities.
An appreciation for the life and works of scriptural, historical and contemporary women and men who can support and inspire students’ own living faith.
A knowledge of the married, single, consecrated religious and ordained vocations and discernment of students’ own callings.
A deepening of a living spirituality nurtured by person-to-person connections with teachers, students, and community members in the Greater Philadelphia area.