Image of God Series

Name: Image of God Series
Brand: Ignatius Press

by Ignatius Press

Religious_studiesGrades 1–8

Image of God Series: Traditional Catholic Religious Education Curriculum

The Image of God Series is a comprehensive Catholic religious education curriculum for grades 1-8 published by Ignatius Press. It provides systematic instruction in Catholic doctrine, Scripture, and sacramental preparation through textbooks and detailed teacher guides designed for daily classroom lessons.

Best for

Catholic schools and homeschool families seeking systematic, doctrine-focused religious education with traditional classroom instruction methods for grades 1-8

Evaluation Criteria

4 strengths · 2 neutral

Direct InstructionStrength

The curriculum is designed for traditional classroom instruction with detailed teacher support materials.

Described as 'clearly designed for daily lessons in a classroom setting' with 'detailed teacher's manuals' that include lesson plans, activity suggestions, and practical application ideas

Historical ContextStrength

Historical context is provided particularly in upper grades through Church history and lives of saints.

Grade 8 includes 'Christ With Us Now and Always: A History of the Church' covering 'from Pentecost through persecutions, heresies, and the age of reform to the modern world,' and lessons include 'lives of the saints'

Vocabulary BuildingStrength

The curriculum includes explicit vocabulary instruction as part of its structured approach.

Teacher manuals specifically include 'vocabulary words' as a component of the detailed instructional materials

Theological KnowledgeStrength

The curriculum systematically builds Catholic theological knowledge through doctrine-focused lessons and sacramental preparation.

Review emphasizes 'solid church doctrine,' systematic coverage of sacraments with 'a full chapter dedicated to each Sacrament' in grade 8, and progression from basic concepts to deeper theological study

Teacher TrainingNeutral

Comprehensive teacher guides provide extensive instructional support but formal training programs are not mentioned.

Teacher manuals include 'lesson and unit-review worksheets, activity suggestions, vocabulary words, recommended resources, lessons about special liturgical celebrations, prayer services, and practical application ideas'

Primary Text EngagementNeutral

The curriculum incorporates Scripture throughout lessons but the extent of direct textual engagement varies by grade level.

Review mentions lessons are 'filled with Scripture' and grade 7 is described as 'essentially a New Testament survey course,' while grade 6 focuses on 'extensive study of the Old Testament'

Sources: cathyduffyreviews.com