God s love. f o u n d a t i o n o f j u s t i c e

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Stephanie Richardson
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1 Chapter God s love f o u n d a t i o n o f j u s t i c e Chapter Overview Chapter Goals In this chapter, you will help the students: learn about the virtue of justice and * Scripture s vision of a

understand that prophets speak for God about * religious, political, and social injustices. examine God s loving presence in Christ who * proclaimed God s kingdom of justice, love, and peace.

Popular Wisdom Handout 1:2 The Beatitudes Agenda for Christian Justice Student edition Special Features What s Your Opinion................. p. 4 Some Facts About Our World......... p. 6 A Reason for Hope.

1 1 Chapter God s love f o u n d a t i o n o f j u s t i c e Chapter Overview Chapter Goals In this chapter, you will help the students: learn about the virtue of justice and * Scripture s vision of a world in which people treat one another as images of God. explore the Exodus story in which God * establishes a covenant with his people. understand that prophets speak for God about * religious, political, and social injustices. examine God s loving presence in Christ who * proclaimed God s kingdom of justice, love, and peace. Key Words justice virtue natural law original sin sin covenant Exodus creation prophet Incarnation Jesus Messiah kingdom of God Beatitudes teacher manual Chapter Handouts Handout 1:1 Jesus and Popular Wisdom Handout 1:2 The Beatitudes Agenda for Christian Justice Student edition Special Features What s Your Opinion p. 4 Some Facts About Our World p. 6 A Reason for Hope p. 23 Chapter 1 Assessment Resource Spotlight a time to pray A Time to Pray: For Justice and Peace God s Love: Foundation of Justice, Disc One Blest Are They, Track 3 Anointed and Sealed, Track 4 Build Us A Table, Track 5 Available Available at acting for justice, VOLUME 1: issue 2 Learning Together Other s Needs or Our Wants...p. 4 5 To the Least of These...p Chapter 1

2 Background Chapters 1 4 set a foundation for a Christian understanding of justice. Some topics mentioned here receive further treatment in the second section of the text where specific justice issues are addressed. The foundation chapters are not meant to initiate an in-depth discussion about poverty or any other justice issues. Nor is this chapter intended to provide a thorough overview of Scripture. Rather, Chapter 1 seeks to describe the virtue of justice and its implications in daily life. The chapter identifies key themes related to justice that are found in the Bible. While you may not have a great deal of time to spend on the chapter, it is important for students to recognize how strongly and how passionately the message of justice resonates throughout Scripture. From a Catholic perspective, being Christian is inseparable from advocating justice. You may want to assign sections of text and Faith Activities for homework. Adjust any suggestions to fit your teaching style and time limitations, as well as students reliability in doing outside reading and other homework. Suggest that students either highlight key ideas as they read or take notes of key ideas in their notebooks. There are several ways to take class notes: the board, chart paper, overhead, or computer projection. This Teacher Manual will usually use the word board, but keep the other options in mind and use whatever is best in your situation. Church Wisdom Catholic Social Teaching spells out the basic demands of justice in greater detail in the human rights of every person. These fundamental rights are prerequisites for a dignified life in community. The Bible vigorously affirms the sacredness of every person as a creature formed in the image and likeness of God. The biblical emphasis on covenant and community also shows that human dignity can only be realized and protected in solidarity with others. In Catholic social thought, therefore, respect for human rights and a strong sense of both personal and communal responsibility are linked, not opposed. Visit PowerPoint presentations Customizable tests Multimedia Faith glossary Professional development articles Links to referenced Web sites and national organizations and associations (Economic Justice for All, 79) Justice and Peace 3

3 Lesson Plan Strategies Pages Pages G Celebrate God s Justice See See page 002 for music track suggestions. C h a p t e r O p e n e r Begin with prayer. Invite students to gather in a circle. Have a volunteer read aloud the scripture passage from Genesis 1:1 2:4 or Romans 4:1 8. As an option, you may want to use the suggested prayer for this chapter from A Time to Pray. Preview the Chapter Goals. Have five volunteers each read aloud one of the chapter goals. After each goal has been read aloud, ask students what questions they may have about the topic and/or what they think they will learn. Record responses on the board or in a place where they can remain for the duration of the chapter. Refer to the questions when applicable during the course of the chapter. Additional Activity Icebreaker: Getting To Know One Another The following activity provides students with an opportunity to introduce themselves to one another and to you, to experience sharing in a small group, and to begin identifying on a personal level what justice entails. 1. Ask students to form groups of three, preferably with classmates they know least. Tell them to count off within each group (one, two, three). 2. Tell the number threes in each group that they are to give a one-minute autobiographical sketch to the others in their groups. Let students know that everyone will have a chance to share in this way. Give everyone a moment to prepare. Ask the others to listen attentively and, by making brief comments or asking questions, help the person speaking to tell his or her story. Let the number threes know that they can talk about themselves in whatever way they wish, either informing the others as much as possible about their lives (family, grade school, personal interests, and so on) or focusing on one or two incidents from their childhood. 3. Alert students when to begin, and after a minute say Stop. Then, ask everyone to close their eyes and to think about what they have just heard. After a moment, tell them to open their eyes and direct the number ones and twos to tell the number three in their groups some things that struck them about the autobiography. Suggest that they begin each comment with, I thought it was interesting that you Repeat this process of autobiographical storytelling; first with the number twos in each group and then with the number ones. If time permits, use this exercise for students to introduce one another to the whole class. Have the number ones introduce the number twos, the number twos introduce the number threes, and the number threes introduce the number ones. (You might also introduce yourself as part of this exercise.) 4 Chapter 1

4 Tell students that in this course they will be learning about and discussing Christian foundations for justice and peace and several justice issues. This opening exercise is meant to set a tone for how they need to approach the study of these important topics. That is, they need to listen, to be open with one another, and to look for goodness and truth in situations that are often overlooked. Tell them that if they have looked at their books even briefly, they probably have noted that the topics to be examined are serious, sometimes controversial, and at times, unsettling. To understand them in a new light, students need to approach these topics with an open, caring, and attentive attitude. T o p i c 1 What Is Justice? What s Your? Opinion Ask students to respond to What s Your Opinion? Ask for a show of hands for agree, disagree, or uncertain on each statement. Then briefly discuss the items in the list. Invite four student volunteers to read the first four paragraphs, which include the topic of the Trinity. Then ask them how the doctrine of the Trinity relates to justice. (Justice means taking action to address the injustices in the world and involves giving God and our neighbors their due.) Ask students for key ideas from the reading. Write these on the board, and suggest that students also take notes in a notebook, even if that merely involves copying the notes from the board. Take note of the key words justice and virtue and their definitions. Have students find further definitions of justice in the text. List these on the board, and discuss as needed. The Virtue of Justice Faith Activity Sense of Justice Ask students why God is the foundation of justice. Have them give examples of why there would be justice in the world if we did not believe in God. Tell them that to believe in God has direct implications of justice. When we give glory to God, we commit to making the world a more just and peaceful place. Additional Activity Bringing Justice into the World Work of Human Hands is a program sponsored by Catholic Relief Services. Its vision is to create opportunities for artisans and other workers from around the world to make their goods and sell them directly to consumers. According to CRS, Compared to large manufacturers, a significant portion of the price of Work of Human Hands products is returned directly to the cooperatives of artisans and farmers who produce the goods. You can support this program by purchasing things through its catalog. HPages FYI This section is an opportunity for students to get in touch with their attitudes related to the topics of the chapter. The statements are available electronically as well as in the text. While some statements will have a response that is more Christian than other responses, it is best HPages not to 4 5 FYI This section is an opportunity for students to get in touch with their attitudes related to the topics of the chapter. The statements are available electronically as well as in the text. acting for justice, VOLUME 1: issue 2 Learning Together Other s Needs or Our Wants, p. 4 5 To the Least of These, p for a link to the Catholic Relief Services Web site. Justice and Peace 5

5 Discuss this program, and brainstorm other ways teenagers can collaborate with God in working to bring about more justice and love in the world. Choose one to put into action this week. Discuss students project suggestions and reach a consensus regarding the action to be taken. Then develop a plan for carrying out the action and evaluating the work after it has been completed. Pages 6 9 G A Just World Direct students to silently read the first three paragraphs. Make note of the key word natural law. Discuss why treating people with dignity is a requirement of justice. Have a student read aloud the story of Martin and Angelo. Group Talk 1 Have you ever been a Martin/Angelo or an Alexander/Brad in a similar situation during your life? If so, describe one. If students are hesitant to share their stories, start with one of your own. 2 This incident symbolizes power arrangements in our communities and the world. Name some world situations where power is also unequal. Answers will vary. 3 How do you feel about the world of the basketball courts described in this story? Is it a just or unjust system? Are there ways to make it more just? Explain. Try to reach a consensus regarding a just or an unjust system. Make a list on the board as students suggest and explain ways to make the situation more just. Summarize the paragraph after the story about winning and losing. GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE Some Facts About Our World Take some time to read the information in Some Facts About Our World. If you have access to the Internet in the classroom, have a student go to the Catholic Relief Services link and search for current crisis situations. 6 Chapter 1

6 Faith Activity Life-Giving Encounter Brainstorm some encounters that students have had that were transforming. Discuss a similar situation in your life. Encourage students to write a letter to the person that they discussed. Direct students to read the next three paragraphs describing Christ s vision of a just world. Additional Activity Biblical Foundations for Justice Give the following assignment: Analyze ways that our society both fosters and hinders the basic goodness of people. How does society care for and fail to care for people in need? Analyze our interconnectedness. Think in terms of aspects of society, such as religion, education, the economy, music, popular magazines, television, and movies. Create a poster, audiocassette, CD, videotape, or other mode of presentation to illustrate your analysis of one or more aspects of society in terms of the biblical foundations for justice. Justice and Peace 7

7 for a PowerPoint presentation of this material. Page 10 G God s Creation of the World Invite two student volunteers to read the first two paragraphs. Ask students what is meant by figurative language. Stress the importance of religious truths behind the stories in Genesis. Then answer any questions students have regarding the difference between literal interpretations and the deeper religious interpretations of these stories. Use Jesus parables as another example of stories that explore religious truths; no one discounts Jesus teachings because his stories were not literally or historically true he was teaching religious truths through stories. Expand on the text by presenting the creation story. Read the first story of creation in Genesis (1:1 2:4) if you did not do so in the opening prayer. Invite students to identify themes present in the story. Mention that each culture typically has at least one story describing creation. While the stories do not aim for scientific accuracy, they do tell us about the way groups of people viewed God, themselves, and their relationship to one another and to the rest of creation. Discuss with students what other themes a creation story might contain that is different from those that are found in Genesis. (An example is the Babylonian creation story, in which creation results from a battle between gods of good and gods of evil.) Provide background information from Genesis to talk about God s creation: Genesis Story of Creation Separation Decoration Day 1 light (day) and dark (night) Day 4 sun (day) and moon and stars (night) Day 2 waters above (sky) and waters below Day 5 birds (sky) and water animals (sea) Day 3 waters (sea) and dry land (earth) Day 6 land animals and humans Explain that the first Genesis creation story was written to be understood not literally but in a way that helped people remember the story and its message (God is the Creator and creation is good) long before writing down stories was even possible for these nomadic people. 8 Chapter 1

8 Faith Activity Creation Discuss the opposites of the word creation. Encourage students to demonstrate the theme Creation and Its Opposites in My Life in a work of art, poem, song, or essay. Have volunteers share with the class or assign the project for homework. The Fall of the First Humans Have students read silently the first three paragraphs. Ask students to summarize key ideas from The Fall of the First Humans; list the ideas on the board. Take note of the key words original sin and sin and their definitions. Be sure students understand the difference between original sin and personal sin. Ask them for examples of how sinfulness is reflected in the choices people make. HPage 11 Stress the link between sin and injustice in the word today. Summarize the next paragraph, and discuss the Catechism quote about creation as a state of journeying. Ask students to relate the journeying theme to their own lives. Group Talk 1 Give examples to illustrate how the fact that God created everything and everyone has justice implications. To say that people and things have inherent goodness implies a way of viewing and treating them. It requires that we show reverence for the earth and its creatures, including other people and ourselves. for a PowerPoint presentation of this material. 2 Explain how acceptance of injustice is a failure to love God. God s hope is that we will respond to his love by cooperating with his plan for creation. We believe that when we freely choose to love, we are collaborating with God in this work of completing creation. When injustice exists, love means working to overcome it. Thus, creation by God lays the foundation for the work of justice. 3 What do you think is the relationship between original sin and injustice? Give examples to illustrate the connection. The tendency toward sin is a consequence of original sin; unjust social structures are one result. Examples may include prejudice and discrimination, poor versus rich in neighborhoods and countries, and a lack of respect for the sacredness of life. Additional Activity Injustice Today Ask students to keep a running list of answers as you ask the following questions: What are the most serious sins today? What are some of the far-reaching results of these sins? Do they result in injustices? Encourage students to make their lists based on their own experiences. Invite volunteers to share their lists. Justice and Peace 9

9 Page 12 G God s Covenant with Abraham Read aloud the paragraph discussing the covenant with Abraham. Take note of the key word covenant and its definition. Expand on the text by discussing Abraham, a witness of faith: According to Scripture, Abraham is the father of the chosen people. He is said to have lived around 1800 b.c. and moved at God s direction from Ur at the eastern edge of the Fertile Crescent to Canaan (Israel today). God promised Abraham land and descendants and asked Abraham to accept the Lord as his God; this promise is the covenant. Abraham s wife was Sarah, and the son of his old age was Isaac. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Abraham is a witness of faith and the father of all believers (See CCC, 165 and 1080). Page 12 G Group Talk 1 Justice means giving everyone what he or she is due. In light of this definition, discuss the following: What makes Christian justice unique? As Christians our understanding of justice means giving God what is his due and our neighbors what is theirs. Justice is a cardinal virtue; it guides us to give others what we would expect from them. 2 What are some aspects of U.S. society that indicate a lack of respect for the dignity and equality of all people? Answers will vary. 3 What are the most serious sins today? What are some of the far reaching results of these sins? Do they result in injustices? Answers will vary. for a PowerPoint presentation of these Review Questions. Review What is a virtue and what types of virtues are there? Virtue is a habit and disposition that helps us to choose to do good. There are both theological and moral virtues. Describe justice as a virtue. Acting justly is a personal disposition and habit. What makes humans distinct from other creatures? Humans are made in God s image and have the moral sense to act justly. Why is the story of creation important for understanding what God s call to justice demands? It expresses fundamental religious truths about God, us, our relationship with him, and provides us with a vision of justice. What is the relationship between sin and injustice? Sin has caused humans to lose their original sense of justice. 10 Chapter 1

We Belong. Restored Order Session 1 Whole Community Ritual. Gathering Rite. Celebration of the Word. Before the Celebration.

We Belong. Restored Order Session 1 Whole Community Ritual. Gathering Rite. Celebration of the Word. Before the Celebration. Restored Order Session 1 Whole Community Ritual We Belong Choose a gathering space that will be conducive to prayer and to accommodate the size of the group; the church, a chapel, or a gathering place