Theology Department

A message from Theology Department Chair Fr. Brian Taber, S.J.

Fides quaerens intellectum - "faith seeking understanding. This motto of Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109), bishop and Doctor of the Church, expresses the goal of theology. All first-year students receive instruction in the basic doctrine and tenets of the Catholic faith. Once this foundation has been laid, sophomores are invited to study the history of salvation revealed in Scripture and culminating in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Juniors build upon their knowledge of Scripture and Tradition through a year-long morality course that exposes them to the history of ideas in tandem with lessons on how the Church responds to social issues. Seniors analyze how the other world religions approach the great questions of meaning and choose among elective options that apply the Catholic approach to science, the arts, social teaching, and the great religious charisms that animate the Church.

Pope Francis

"Clearly, theology is impossible without faith; it is part of the very process of faith, which seeks an ever deeper understanding of God's self-disclosure culminating in Christ."

Resources

Meet the Theology Department

List of 10 members.

Ms. Katie Davis-Crowder

Theology Teacher
Ms. Rebecca Frett

Theology Teacher
Mr. Patrick Lambert

Theology Teacher

Bio
Towards the end of his high school journey, Patrick Lambert became deeply immersed in his faith - so immersed that he decided to attend a seminary for four years.

During his time at the seminary, he discovered a new passion.

“I had an art history professor who fascinated me. I took every class I could with him, and through the student-teacher relationship, I became very passionate about education,” says Lambert.

He continues, “I love reading scripture with students and having them realize that their life has meaning and is worth living. I’m basically in the business of human flourishing, and I think that that’s amazing.”

Lambert’s biggest wish for his students is happiness. Regardless of what they decide to do or who they decide to be, he wishes for their contentment and joy.

Outside of the classroom, you can find Lambert spending quality time with his wife Elisa and his two daughters, who mean the world to him.

His advice for students: Life is worth living. Go out and make the most of it.
Mr. Steven Lord

Theology Teacher

3124215900

Bio
We all have our ideas about a perfect day.

Steve Lord’s would include soccer and hanging out with his German shepherd, Scout. But it wouldn’t be complete without classroom time. Lord teaches Catholic Ethics and The Catholic Imagination.

“I felt called to be there for the kids and give them a sense of how much God loves them,” says Lord.

That calling has roots in his own childhood. Lord’s father was a minister. He says theology conversations were central to his relationship with his dad.

Later on, theology helped him make sense of what he calls “some of the big questions in life that were unavoidable.”

Lord is a Marine who served during the Gulf War. Battlefield experiences caused him to lean into what he knew could help.

“Theology allowed me to think through it in a rich, intellectual way,” says Lord. He even explored the relationship between trauma and how ministry can be helpful, in his Master’s thesis.

The wide range of experience has informed Lord’s work at Saint Ignatius College Prep, where he converted to Catholicism, a decision influenced, he says, by the Jesuits, Pope John Paul II and the richness of Catholic tradition.

When he’s teaching, Lord says, “I try to share generously with my students without overdoing it…It gives them permission to ask questions…In my field of theology, every single year, I learn new things from the questions they ask. They help me to learn, ‘How do I need to hear this?’”

From teacher to learner and back again, Lord hopes the theological conversations contribute to his students’ growth as well.

“I guess I’d want them to know we all struggle. We’re all imperfect, but we’re all good by God’s grace.”
Fr. Mark Luedtke , S.J. 86

Theology Teacher
Mr. Michael McKeon Jr.

Theology Teacher
Ms. Renee Reyes 14

Theology Teacher

Bio
Her faith has always been important to her.

That’s why, when it came time to pick a high school, Renee Reyes ‘14 was certain that attending a reputable Catholic one was the right choice for her.

“When I toured Saint Ignatius College Prep, everyone was so welcoming. It was such a beautiful place to be, and the classes were interesting. The teachers cared so much and they still do, which is really cool to see,” says Reyes.

That care is what made her want to go into education. Reyes says one of her theology teachers, Mr. Steven Lord, drove her passion for theology.

“I can almost remember everything that was said in his class because he made it so interesting,” says Reyes.

She hopes her students think her classes are just as compelling.

“I try to make it as exciting as possible because I want them to remember it,” says Reyes, “I don’t want them to take a test on it, and then forget it.”

To hit that high bar, she shows her students how God is present in their lives.

She explains, “We study the lives of the people in the Bible. If God is present in their lives, He’s so present in our lives. If God answers their prayers, He’s going to answer our prayers, too.”

Outside of the classroom, you can find Reyes with a front-row seat at her students’ events.

She says, “I want to know what they’re passionate about, not just what they got on a test. I go to everything for them, and it’s fun to see them in their element.”

Her message to students: You’re important. You’ve been given certain gifts, graces and abilities that make you special. God has something special for you.
Fr. Brian Taber , S.J.

Theology Department Chair
Deacon Chuck Thompson

English & Theology Teacher
Mr. Tom Weiler

Theology Teacher

Saint Ignatius College Prep

Saint Ignatius College Prep, a Jesuit Catholic school in the heart of Chicago, is a diverse community dedicated to educating young men and women for lives of faith, love, service and leadership.