Episode 13: Dcn. Charles Beard

What does it mean to “teach theology from a Catholic point of view” when theology is already “the Catholic class”? And how might you do that in a school where many (even most) of your students aren’t Catholic in the first place? In this episode, I talk with Deacon Charles Beard, theology teacher at Cascia Hall in Tulsa, Oklahoma, about what makes theology more than “religious facts” or “the Jesus answer,” and how to help students see it as the place where their real questions belong—questions about meaning, suffering, love, vocation, and God’s call in their lives. Together we explore: Why Educating for Eternity has chapters on every subject except theology—and what I’d include for theology teachers in a revised and expanded edition The methodological difference between theology and religious studies, and why teaching theology as if it were religious studies is dangerous Why knowledge in theology is always ordered toward caritas (love), not just information How Deacon Charles “sells” theology in a context where Catholics are a minority and many students just want to ace AP Physics Helping students see theology as “the most practical subject you can study”… because everyone is going to die someday Building trust with colleagues so theology supports, rather than polices, other departments Practical ideas for cross-curricular collaboration and “essential questions” that connect theology with every other subject A creative assignment idea: a “Theology of X” project that invites students to explore something they already love—sports, music, chess, art, business—theologically. Whether you teach theology or another subject area, this episode will help you think more clearly about what theology is, how it serves the whole school, and how every classroom can become a place where the deepest human questions are welcomed and taken seriously.