Listen "Episode 13: Dcn. Charles Beard"
Episode Synopsis
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 editionThe methodological difference between theology and religious studies, and why teaching theology as if it were religious studies is dangerousWhy knowledge in theology is always ordered toward caritas (love), not just informationHow Deacon Charles “sells” theology in a context where Catholics are a minority and many students just want to ace AP PhysicsHelping students see theology as “the most practical subject you can study”… because everyone is going to die somedayBuilding trust with colleagues so theology supports, rather than polices, other departmentsPractical ideas for cross-curricular collaboration and “essential questions” that connect theology with every other subjectA 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.
More episodes of the podcast The Making Every Class Catholic Podcast
Episode 11: J. Jacob Tawney
03/12/2025
Episode 12: Fr. Ambrose Criste
04/11/2025
Episode 10: Charlies Camosy
03/09/2025
Episode 9: Matt Hoven
16/08/2025
Episode 8: Jennifer Donelson-Nowicka
02/07/2025
Episode 7: Kelly Kearse & Stacy Trasancos
03/06/2025
Episode 6: David Cloutier
07/05/2025
Episode 5: Rebecca Rook
06/05/2025
Episode 4: R. Jared Staudt
10/03/2025
Episode 3: Elisabeth Sullivan
12/02/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.