Senior Project Committee

Juliana Dangond

September 11, 2022

KCP Senior Project Proposal

Should schools that have Christian or Catholic curriculums include the Church’s deceitful and
violent history in their lessons?

Dear Senior Project Committee,

Growing up in a catholic misogynistic society, I’ve been taught to never question the
status quo. However, my young mind has always bustled with questions and wondered about the
roles and structures within our society. We live in a world where women have fought for the
rights, equality, and recognition they deserve. However, I’ve noticed that people don’t openly
discuss why women are at a disadvantage. How did men establish superiority over women? Why
do women have to fight for equality? Has it always been this way?

This past summer, I stumbled upon a book that changed my life. The DaVinci Code by
Dan Brown exposed the Catholic Church for establishing these societal norms and offered the
explanations I was looking for. This highly controversial book fueled my curiosity and
encouraged me to take a look into what I have and haven’t been taught. Although I’ve never
attended Catholic school, my education has always included religion classes. Lessons would
include the history of the bible and its teachings, the moral truths behind religion, and
memorization of Catholic rites and prayers with an emphasis on our duties as members of the
Church. However, the Church’s deceitful and violent history was vaguely mentioned. The unit
was always skipped, and understandably so: it could possibly raise doubts amongst devoted
followers and disrupt the order and control the Church has held for centuries. Despite this, I
believe that the Church’s dark era is an essential part of history that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Even if we are unaware of it, this historical period has major implications for our world today. It
explains why sex is seen as shameful for women but triumphant for men, why the majority of our
world leaders are men, and why gender roles and stereotypes are so sharply defined in our
society.

Through this research project, I intend to explore more than one thousand years of
European history, from the 4th century CE to the 14th century CE, and establish the value of a
comprehensive study of the Dark Ages. By the end of my research, I expect to address the
following question: should schools that have Christian or Catholic curriculums include the
Church’s deceitful and violent history in their lessons?

This topic could contain multiple facets, but I want to narrow this project’s focus on the
educational value and influence that this time period holds. I will start by examining our mostly
misogynistic societal structures and introducing the audience to the current gender roles. Then, I
will go back in time, before 300 CE, and present the gender roles in different pagan European
societies before the rise of Constantine the Great. I will then use multiple sources to dive into
Constantine the Great’s choice to convert to Christianity and the implications of his decision.
Following this, I will demonstrate Constantine’s influence during the next ten centuries by
connecting his resolutions to the rapid rise of Christianity, the Dark Ages, and the Catholic
Inquisition. Then, I’ll tie this back to our current status quo and present why this information is
vital to understanding the society we live in today. Finally, I will assess its impact on students
learning about the Catholic and Christian religions and the possible benefits this will bring
overall.

As a student and part of the Catholic Church, I recognize both the positive and negative
effects this information could have on my community. While I personally respect and concur
with most of the Church’s principles, I also see the potential for growth and development, the
likely increase in tolerance, and the possible decrease in stereotyping this information could
bring in generations to come. My goal through this research project is to establish the importance
of recognizing the truths behind who we are, as bright or dark as these may be. Only then can we
understand and appreciate entirely who we are and the systems we are a part of. I seek to address
my driving question by looking beyond what I’ve been taught and contributing an interesting
perspective based on different sources and historical records.

To adequately and thoroughly do this, I have designed a timeline for my research. As my

research is extensive and I want my ideas to be organized and well thought out, I plan on using
as much time as possible to complete each component. This semester, my college applications
are due. Therefore, to balance this project and the application process effectively, I will be
prioritizing my work based on the closest deadline. However, this does not mean that this project
is not a priority. I will send in each component by the required deadline, and if there is any
inconvenience on my behalf, I will make sure to communicate clearly. I expect the general
research of the Church’s history to take about 10-15 business days, as I’ll mostly rely on
historical records that are difficult to attain. Based on past experience, I believe that collecting
historical sources will be the longest and most tedious task for the first component, which is why
I’ll be dedicating more time to this part of the project. After that, the annotated bibliography
should be completed in 3-4 business days. I suppose that after the first component is completed, I
will submit the final essay by the latest deadline. Anyhow, the situation will change after January
1st. I will no longer bear the burden of college applications, so I will have more than enough
time to complete the fourth and fifth components before their established deadlines.

I plan on contacting Ivan Muvdi and Monseñor Pablo Emiro Salas, two admirable men
who have dedicated their lives to the Catholic Church, to guide me through my research. Ivan
Muvdi is an educator and theologian I have known for many years, and Pablo Emiro Salas is the
archbishop of Barranquilla, the city where I reside. I believe that these men will contribute
immensely to my research project. I plan on reaching out to them before October 20th. Their
contact information is included below.

Ivan Muvdi
Lawyer, Bachelor of Education with studies in Theology
Phone number: +57 3016712290

Monseñor Pablo Emiro Salas

Catholic archbishop, religious scientist, philosopher, and theologian
Phone number: (605) 3600047/ 3690767
Email: asist.comunicaciones@arquidiocesisbaq.org
 I acknowledge that this research project is a serious academic endeavor and should be
treated as such. Therefore, I recognize that any act of plagiarism (stealing information without
giving proper credit) is to be treated as a serious offense. I understand that if I were to commit
such an offense, my project would be annulled and there will be further consequences for my
actions. I pledge to follow and respect the KCP honor code and conduct honest, ethical research
during this project.

Furthermore, I would like to thank the Senior Project Committee for this research
opportunity. I will take full advantage of this project and learn more about a topic that captivates
me, a topic that is an essential part of who I am and the society I belong to. I hope others
appreciate my work and see the value in my findings. I will strive to do my very best and present
a project that will demonstrate both my intense interest and passion for my essential question.

Maria Cadavid 11/09/2022

Parent/Guardian Consent Date

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KCP Senior Advisor Approval Date