As a Catholic school, NDB’s religion class curriculum covers much more than the teachings of the Catholic church. All NDB seniors take a semester-long World Religions course, where they explore a variety of global faiths and traditions.
In the Catholic tradition, it is imperative to study other religions to encourage interreligious dialogue and appreciation of other faiths, while deepening one’s understanding of one’s own faith.
“I think Dr. Ciernick does a really good job of explaining all the different religions and the different aspects and how they differ from each other,” said senior Niki Tzartanis. “I think [the field trip] will be fun. I think it’ll be a way to learn more about the religions in a real-world sense.”
The three main religions of the world, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, are all gone into depth, but smaller-scale religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and other prominent faiths, are also taught. Through projects and lectures, all of these religions are touched upon, and it is necessary that they explore the different practices, rituals, and more around the world.
“It’s been a very interesting class; it’s cool to learn about other religions through the Catholic perspective,” shared senior Nikki Guinasso. “I hope that the field trip presents the opportunity to deepen my understanding and knowledge of the Jewish and Islamic religions, and bond with my classmates.”
This trip was an educational and well-rounded experience that transcended and applauded the teachings of religions around the world.
“I have really enjoyed the class,” said senior Ari Salerno. “I feel like Dr. Ciernick is very intentional in the way that she teaches the class. She keeps it almost open-ended, but educational in the way that you can see how much effort she puts in to be accurate about everything she’s teaching.”
Salerno also touched on her excitement about the field trip organized by religion teacher Helen Ciernick.
“I think that would be super interesting,” added Salerno about the field trip.
The field trip will allow students to explore a different religion and culture, which will not only give them knowledge but also, for some, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
