Abstract

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has always possessed a vigorous concept of the value of education for its youth. Programs of religious instruction have encouraged the young people to further their understanding of religious concepts. In July, 1953, all of the Church educational institutions, except those in the islands of the Pacific, were combined into one organization and named The Unified Church School System. As of January 1, 1965 the Pacific Board of Education, which directed the Church schools in the Pacific Islands, was also incorporated into the aforementioned mother unit. One important department of continual research in this system is curriculum development. The development of teacher manuals for the instructors is a never-ending process. New manuals are needed as educational understanding progresses. New methods of presentation are under experimentation with the hope that the youth will more readily accept the religious instruction and put it into vital application in their lives. The purpose of this particular field project is to develop such a course of study for the teachers in one particular segment of this educational system.

The Church Schools of the Pacific teach a class of religion each year in their junior and senior high schools, sometimes referred to as "Church Colleges." This necessitates the use of six different gospel subjects. They are generally arranged in this order: seventh grade: Book of Mormon; eighth grade, New Testament; ninth grade, Church History; tenth grade, Old Testament; eleventh grade, Modern Scripture; and in the twelfth grade, a special leadership and church service training program. The Church schools in the Pacific have had the use of the courses of study developed by the seminary program, a sister department in the school system for released time and non-released time junior and senior high school students. The first four courses mentioned are used quite successfully, with some adaptation, but a need has developed for a course for the eleventh graders in Modern L. D. S. Scripture on a par with those developed by the seminary department. It is the work of this field project to develop such an outline, field test it a year, then print it after evaluation as a course of study. The final draft printed for use in the schools of the Pacific would also be presented as partial fulfillment of the master's degree by the writer to the graduate department of religion at Brigham Young University.

Degree

MRE

College and Department

Religious Education; Church History and Doctrine

Rights

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