Key Question: 3.2: Does living biblically mean obeying the whole bible?

Transcription

1 bb RE Today Services / A Unit of work for Key Stage 3/ 2016 Key Question: 3.2: Does living biblically mean obeying the whole bible? This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth from different types of writing in the bible and consider how Christians use them as a guide in their everyday lives. How do different Christians interpret the bible? Can the bible be misused or misinterpreted? The investigation implements the principal aim of RE, which is to engage pupils in systematic enquiry into significant human questions which religion and worldviews address, so that they can develop the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and appraise varied responses to these questions, as well as develop responses of their own. Step 1: Select a key question 3.2 Does living biblically mean obeying the whole bible? Year group: Recommended Year 8 Strand: Believing Questions in this thread: F1: Which stories are special and why? 1.4: What can we learn from sacred books? L2.2: Why is the Bible so important for Christians today? Religions and worldviews: Christians Step 2: Select learning outcomes Use the learning outcomes from column 2 of the key question outlines on p.75 Select learning outcomes appropriate for the age and ability of your pupils. Being clear about these outcomes will help you to decide what and how to teach. Emerging Expected Exceeding Outline ways in which Christians interpret the Bible as a guide for living (A1) Interpret different biblical commands and how Christians might put them into practice (A1) Account for some of the ways different Christian traditions value the Bible (B1) Give a reason for why the Gospels have particular authority for Christians (A2) Enquire into the meaning of both love God and love thy neighbour in today s world (C2) Examine the impact the commandment to love God and love one s neighbour has on individuals and communities (C2) Formulate a reasoned answer to the question: does living biblically mean obeying the whole Bible? (B3) Justify a view as to whether non-christians can live biblically (A1) 1

2 RE Today Services / A Unit of work for Key Stage 3/ 2016 Step 3: Select specific content Look at the suggested content for your key question, from column 3 in the unit outlines. Select the best content (from here, or additional information from elsewhere) to help you to teach in an engaging way so that pupils achieve the learning outcomes. This plan has selected the following content to exemplify the learning outcomes. Pupils will: Explore some of the variety of writings in the Bible, Old and New Testaments narrative, poetry, prayer, commands, lists and genealogies, wisdom literature, letters. Find a range of commands for prayer, commands, lists and genealogies, wisdom literature, letters. Find a range of commands for living, including moral, ritual, ceremonial, and worship instructions. Ask some Christians how they use the Bible in deciding how to live. Are some parts more important to Christians than others? How do Christians handle the ritual commands in Leviticus or instructions about slaves in the New Testament? Most Christians see the gospels, which transmit Jesus moral and spiritual teachings, as being of central importance, taken in the context of the entire Bible. Explore Jesus summing up of the Bible (Matthew 7:12 and Matthew 22:37, 39). Apply this summary to the questions above do they suggest moral commands are more important than other types? Consider moral commands from the Old and New Testaments, such as Leviticus 19:34, Psalms 112:1, Matthew 5: 3 12 and Romans 12: 1 2. How do these teachings help people love God and love their neighbour? Look at modern problems, from declaring war on repressive regimes to supporting homeless drug addicts, and apply this moral code. This code helps Christians to decide what would Jesus do? Consider how far ancient moral teachings can be of use in today s world. Find out about different responses to the authority of the Bible. E.g. the Evangelical s inspiration taken directly from the Bible, compared to the Catholic s parallel guidance taken from church teaching. All Christians should follow their own conscience. Does living biblically mean only following the Bible? Offer students a simple understanding of Joseph Fletcher s Situation Ethics, which is an attempt to embed Jesus teachings of love into one s life, not by following moral rules but by judging each situation with the eyes of love for all concerned. How far does this reflect an attempt to live biblically? Jesus often clashed with the Jewish religious authorities for holding rules as more important that people. Find examples of modern religious hypocrisy, e.g. a rich church which ignores world poverty. How far does living biblically mean being prepared to argue with those in authority? Do you have to be Christian to live biblically? Do any students live by similar moral codes, even if they are not Christian? Or do these ethics only mean something if you accept Jesus as the Messiah? Debate the issue. NOTE: This unit of work offers around 6 hours of classroom ideas. You need to select from it in order to achieve the learning outcomes set out in Step 2 above. 2

3 RE Today Services / A Unit of work for Key Stage 3/ 2016 Step 4: Assessment: write specific pupil outcomes Turn the learning outcomes into pupil-friendly I can or You can statements. You might adapt these specific outcomes to form I can statements (for pupil self-assessment), You can statements (for teacher assessment), and Can you? statements (for next steps or challenge) Make the learning outcomes specific to the content you are teaching, to help you know just what it is that you want pupils to be able to understand and do as a result of their learning. These I can / You can statements will help you to integrate assessment for learning within your teaching, so that there is no need to do a separate end of unit assessment. Emerging Expected Exceeding I can You can I can You can I can You can Can you? Can you? Can you? Explain the principles of different moral codes Outline ways in which Christians interpret the Bible as a guide for living (A1) Give a reason for why the Gospels have particular authority for Christians (A2) Categorise commandments, rules and codes from the Old Testament Explain the way Christians and others use texts from the bible as a guide for their life. Summarise examples of the moral message given in the gospels Explain how biblical text can be used and misused Interpret different biblical commands and how Christians might put them into practice (A1) Enquire into the meaning of both love God and love thy neighbour in today s world (C2) Explain how the bible s moral message was refreshed and restated in the beatitudes Examine the impact the commandment to love God and love one s neighbour has on individuals and communities (C2) Give examples of how Jesus was seen as a rebel by some of his contemporaries Formulate a reasoned answer to the question: does living biblically mean obeying the whole Bible? (B3) Account for some of the ways different Christian traditions value the Bible (B1) Justify a view as to whether non-christians can live biblically (A1) Explain simply Situation ethics Step 5: Develop teaching and learning activities Develop active learning opportunities and investigations, using some engaging stimuli, to enable pupils to achieve the outcomes. Don t forget the skills you want pupils to develop, as well as the content you want them to understand. Make sure that the activities allow pupils to practise these skills as well as show their understanding. 3

4 LESSON OBJECTIVES Teaching and learning ideas and activities LEARNING OUTCOMES What is a moral code? How do Christians use the bible to help them to live? Pupils will learn to: Explain the principles of different moral codes Categorise commandments, rules and codes from the Old Testament Moral Codes What is a moral code? Display different ways we make decisions on the board: ask parents, ask friends, think for myself, look up on the internet, identify with a character in a film or novel, ask a teacher, follow my common sense, follow a religious principle, etc. Discuss which source of advice is best when making different sorts of decisions; social, moral, technical, academic. Which is most influential? Most helpful? What would be a moral question? Define moral as a type of question and a type of decision. What would be a moral decision? Ask for examples of times when students had to decide what the morally right thing to do was. Ask students to list their three most important principles when making moral decisions. Give alternatives to choose from if helpful, such as: should you always tell the truth, or is there such a thing as a white lie? Is the outcome of your decision more important than your intention? Is doing nothing the same as doing something? Ensure understanding of a moral code, whether religious or not. Biblical Commandments Christian moral code: Introduce the idea that Christians use the Bible as basis of their moral code. What do the class think the Bible s moral code is? Ask pairs to come up with at least three rules they think are in the Bible. Share and discuss; how do the class know what rules are from the Bible, which are general moral rules, and which are from other sources? Give the class the 12 commandments from the Jewish scriptures / Old Testament on Resource sheet 1. Cut them up. Ask pairs to categorise the commandments. What categories do they come up with? Share, and consider the balance of these rules. Give these three categories: ethics how to live together in harmony; ritual such as handling the practice of sacrifice; regulating the calendar festivals remind people of their story and their relationship with God. Separate cards into three new piles. Discuss commandments that fall into each category. How are Jews and Christians to relate to God? What rituals must Jews observe? Can the class suggest reasons why? Finally, list all the ways Jews and Christians must treat strangers, the poor and vulnerable. Some of these commandments are part of what are known as purity laws in Jewish teaching. Some Jews and Christians believe that these purity laws do not apply today they were attempts by the Jewish community to be distinctive and to show how their covenant with God made them live differently from all the surrounding peoples. (For one Christian perspective on these purity laws, look at Gene Robinson, Homosexuality: what the Bible says and why it matters, Greenbelt, These activities will help pupils to work towards achieving the following expected outcomes: Emerging Give a reason for why the Gospels have particular authority for Christians (A2) Outline ways in which Christians interpret the Bible as a guide for living (A1) Expected Enquire into the meaning of both love God and love thy neighbour in today s world (C2) Interpret different biblical commands and how Christians might put them into practice (A1) Examine the impact the commandment to love God and love

5 Explain the way Christians and others use texts from the bible as a guide for their life. Ask students to identify what people must have been doing to need to be given those laws at the time. Collect together their descriptions of the way the world was when the text was compiled. In what ways is the world similar or different now? How many of these commands have some relevance to the way the world is now? What do students think Christians should do about these laws: should they obey them all? Why or why not? Should people who are not Christian or Jewish observe any commandments relating to treatment of others? Are some Commandments timeless, or are rules and laws only useful in their own setting of time and place? Gospels Christians do follow they Bible, but they pay more attention to some parts than others. The aim of this section is to understand the importance of the Gospels in guiding Christians to make moral decisions. These BBC video clips might be helpful to introduce the importance of the Bible and gospels to Christians: - Old Testament - New Testament - What the Bible means to young Christians today Read Resource sheet 2: What are the gospels and why do they have authority? Complete Section 1. Share which biblical texts students think have most authority and why. Discuss why the Gospels have particular authority for Christians Christians don t read the Bible every time they make a decision: they have a moral code, which can be neatly encapsulated in Matt 7:12 and Matt 22:37, 39. Find these passages in Section 2. The key moral teaching is: love thy neighbour. Are students familiar with this phrase? What does it mean? Who is their neighbour? Discuss the text, asking questions such as: Who is Matthew quoting? What tradition is Jesus referring to when he says the law and the prophets and the commandment? What was Matthew s religious background? What was a departure from the traditional view that Matthew endorsed? Teach the class about the Good Samaritan law in Finland and Israel, which make assisting anyone who needs help a legal requirement. It also protects those trying to help from legal damages. Other countries have similar laws, as this Wikipedia entry shows: Explore the Christian responsibility to love your neighbour through the story of the Good Samaritan. Samaritans were despised by most Jews at the time, as Jesus Jewish audience would have understood. This story offers an explanation of who is your neighbour. Put students into groups. Each will have a perspective from which to read the parable: a Jewish leader/priest at the time; a Samaritan; a Christian in the UK today; a Christian today in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro or the slums of Mumbai. What do these readers think is the main message of the parable? What does Jesus mean by your neighbour? How should Christians read the text? How should they live as a result? (Note: it is common for Western Christians to see themselves either as one of the people who passes by, or as the Good Samaritan, in a 5 one s neighbour has on individuals and communities (C2) Exceeding Account for some of the ways different Christian traditions value the Bible (B1)

6 position to help those in need. In poverty-stricken countries, the Christian readers may put themselves in the position of the man who is beaten up. Discuss what difference that perspective might make.) You might like to look back through the Old Testament commands from Resource Sheet 1 how might having a focus on loving God and neighbour affect how a Christian might choose which commands are still to be followed today? Get students to go through and decide which commands are to do with these two great commandments and why. Get them to decide if there are some that could be discarded, judged by the measure of these two commandments, and why. Rank the ones that remain which are most helpful for Christians who want to love God and their neighbour? Give the class a variety of personal moral problems to do with friendship, bullying, generosity, etc. Ask them to discuss in pairs how they might apply a Christian moral code of love God and love your neighbour to these problems. Then apply to bigger situations, such as whether to wage war against Assad in Syria, how far to help the migrants coming to Europe, or supporting the homeless and drug addicts on the streets of Britain, and apply this moral code. This code enable Christians to decide what would Jesus do? Answer the question: What does love God and love your neighbour mean today? Summarise examples of the moral message given in the gospels Explain how biblical text can be used and misused. The Gospels in the context of the Bible Recap Matthew 7:12. In this passage Jesus highlights his most important commandment, but does not discount the traditional commandments. Christians see the gospels in the context of the whole Bible. Cut a piece of A4 in half long-ways and give out to every student. Ask them to fold their long rectangle into a concertina of 4 squares. Print and cut up the four Bible passages on Resource sheet 3: The Gospels in the context of the Bible (there are 3 per page), hand out. Test your students biblical knowledge. a) Can they put these passages into chronological order? b) What type of book is each passage from, and c) what does each passage tell the reader/ listener? [teacher notes are given]. Students stick the four passages onto their concertina in chronological order and answer the questions above on the back of each passage. Taken as a whole, summarise the moral commandments given across these four passages into three short phrases. Use and Misuse of Biblical Texts To start, show the class examples of where misleading images are used in the media. This BBC summary of misleading images from 2015 is helpful: Alternatively show images that have been cropped in the media to tell a completely different story, such as; Discuss how we can misinterpret images when we take them out of context. 6

7 In this section we will consider if misinterpretation can also apply to the use of biblical texts. Show this image of a tattoo of Leviticus 18:22, then show the class Leviticus 19:28 which bans tattoos: This is an example of a short text being used to make a point, although it is problematic in a larger context. Here are some further suggestions you might like to use: give groups of students the shorter texts to discuss in groups and to summarise for other groups; then give them the additional context and get them to report back on how the context can change the meaning. Example 1: - Read Psalm 63: 1-8. What does the text appear to be about? Then read verses How do these change the tone of the piece? - Ephesians 5:22-23: then add v24-25 (and beyond to 28?) - Examples from Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:21 Give first part: e.g. You have heard it said: An eye for an eye. What does this mean? Then add rest of Jesus comments: But I say to you - What difference does context make? Example 2: Give students the following two texts: - Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favour, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. (Colossians 3:22) - Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. (Ephesians 6:5) Then put them in the context of the full passages: Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favour, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters (Col 3: 21-23) Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. (Eph 6: 5-6) Then give a bit of context of slavery in the 1 st century: slavery was seen as a form of employment in the first century, often as a preferred alternative to destitution. Slaves usually received wages and often became trusted members of the household, joining in religious observances and celebrations with the family. If they were fortunate they could earn their freedom. Some learnt valuable skills, such as literacy, and even rose to positions of power. 7

8 Then show how these particular passages have been misread to justify slavery: Explain how the bible s moral message was refreshed and restated in the beatitudes. The Beatitudes Ask students to list the rules in their life, at school, home, in the law, and in any other groups they belong to that they disagree with and would like to remove. Collate a class list. Why do students disagree with these rules? Categorise reasons why students wish to remove them: unfair, too restrictive, out of date, divisive, irrelevant, etc Choose something society used to think was immoral but is now widely accepted; gay marriage is a good example. Discuss how and why the acceptance of same-sex love has happened. What other moral attitudes have also changed? Does this mean that ALL our moral rules will change over time? Are there some universal moral laws that will never fundamentally change? Teach that although Jesus never abandoned Jewish law, he did question it. There are 613 commandments (mitzvoth) in total. In Jesus time some of the laws had become rather weighty, as we shall learn later in this unit. Christians believe Jesus refreshed and updated the Jewish law, re-defining what was important for a new age. The Beatitudes in Matthew are seen as a central part of Jesus refreshed, updated message. In the course of his formative Sermon on the Mount Jesus outlined how he wanted people to act, and what benefits would flow to them in acting this way. Give students a copy of the Beatitudes from a new translation (e.g. Common English Version on Discuss and annotate the text before defining beatitude. Each 2-line blessing relates to states of mind that Jesus Jewish audience would have been familiar with as these states are referred to throughout Jewish the scriptures. Talk through the text, giving students time to annotate. Define beatitude now the class have focused in depth on the text. Teacher notes are given. Once students understand the meaning of the text, translate each blessing into modern language, retaining the state of mind Jesus describes and what benefits will accrue. For example, blessed are the poor in spirit could become if you feel invisible and hopeless, don t worry, you will find a place with God. Ask each group to choose two blessings and find modern examples that apply - what would invisible and hopeless be in a modern setting? How would modern Christians show such people can find a place with God? Notes: Suggested time for this set of teaching and learning ideas 3 hours. Teachers might like to read A J Jacob s 2007 book, A year of living biblically. Jacobs, a secular Jew, tries to follow all 613 biblical commandments. 8

9 LESSON OBJECTIVES Teaching and learning ideas and activities LEARNING OUTCOMES Why did some people have a problem with Jesus? Pupils will learn to: Understand simply Situation ethics Explain the meaning of agape in the bible Situation ethics Ask groups of students to come up with examples of a dilemma when what people are told is right doesn t always seem good. For example, it is not right to steal, but perhaps stealing medicine to save a life actually lead to a good outcome; or students might feel it is right to treat older relatives respectfully, but their opinions might not always be good. It might not be right, but it could be a good thing to stand up to racist or homophobic opinions. Collect together their examples and identify any common features. You may need to recap a definition of moral again, as you are talking about what is morally good. In this section the class are going to explore the difference between what we are told is right, and what is good. The difference between right and good occurs in religious as well as secular life. Get students to identify some religious rules that people (including religious people themselves) do not think are good and explain why. For example, many people object to some of Christian church teachings on abortion or euthanasia. Read about Joseph Fletcher s Situation Ethics on Resource sheet 5. Ensure understanding of Agape Love. Discuss Fletcher s example of ignoring Jesus teaching to give to everyone who asks you if it is not the right thing to do in a particular situation. The phrase your kindness could kill was used for an advertising campaign to make much the same point (Google images your kindness could kill poster ). Ask groups to design situations where ignoring what seems right is actually good in a particular situation, such as going against one s parents, the school, a religious law, a school rule, etc. Groups perform these as short scenes and freeze at the point of the moral dilemma. The class discusses what should happen and why. Groups then play out the ending of the scene showing what happened. Fletcher is different because he does not expect a set of moral rules, such as the 10 Commandments, to work for all situations, in all times and places. He argues that situations cannot be predicted, and therefore moral rules must be flexible. Display the 10 Commandments; ask the class if breaking any of these could ever be morally good? Ask groups to give examples from two Commandments. Do they know of other religious rules which, in particular situations, could be broken? Discuss more generally whether there universal moral rules, or does it always depend on the situation? Note that it is, even in Fletcher s terms, very nearly always right and good not to lie, steal, commit adultery or murder! Discuss how far situation ethics reflect an attempt to live biblically? Situation ethics is based on Agape Love; how far is this true of the Bible passages looked at? Is it actually harder to live a life of love than to merely follow the rules? 9 These activities will help pupils to work towards achieving the following expected outcomes: Emerging Outline ways in which Christians interpret the Bible as a guide for living (A1) Expected Interpret different biblical commands and how Christians might put them into practice (A1) Enquire into the meaning of both love God and love thy neighbour in today s world (C2) Examine the impact the commandment to love God and love one s neighbour has on individuals and communities (C2)

10 Give examples of how Jesus was seen as a rebel by some of his contemporaries Jesus the rebel Find images of street pastors : there are plenty on the internet- sitting on the floor with homeless or drunk people, in situations which look alarming or unpleasant. Watch an advert for a church like the Salvation Army which reaches out to societies most vulnerable, eg: Ask students to research and collect examples of local Christian churches or charities who do something similar. Get them to explain why these groups work with the vulnerable and suggest in what ways this might be seen as a rebellious thing to do. Show images of current rebels in the public eye, and include Jesus. E.g.- a footballer resisting a contract or refusing to wear a sponsored football shirt, a politician defending an unpopular idea, someone in trouble with the law, a musician or artist known as a rule breaker, etc. Ask the class to tell you what connects them all. Are they surprised to find Jesus portrayed as a rebel? Get students to give reasons why Jesus was executed. You might find that some are rather hazy as to why someone who taught us all to be nice was crucified an agonising, public death for criminals and troublemakers Read the passages on Resource sheet 6 about Jesus spending time with 1 st century undesirables: tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners, as well as information on some of the terms. Give out the passages to 6 or 9 groups. Ask each group to create a 1-minute mime for each passage. Discuss why Jesus was seen as such a rebel in each of the passages. Who did he argue with in each passage? Return to the question of why he was executed: get them to identify any clues in these passages. Relate to situation ethics. Jesus often clashed with the Jewish religious authorities for holding rules as more important that people. Find out about Christian figures who stand up for the poor and vulnerable against authority, e.g. Archbishop Justin Welby in the UK speaking against Wonga and government policy on benefits, or Pope Francis stating that the Catholic church should be a church for the poor. How far does living biblically mean being prepared to argue with those in authority? How far can secular people live biblically? Create a set of key questions which refer to all the topics you have discussed in this unit, such as: - Can a moral rule apply to all times and places? - Is love all we need? - Can rebellion be morally good? - What does love your neighbour mean? - Should we trust our conscience? - Do we need role models? - Why do Christians want to follow Jesus guidance and teaching? Formulate a reasoned answer to the question: does living biblically mean obeying the whole Bible? (B3) Exceeding Justify a view as to whether non- Christians can live biblically (A1) 10

11 Write these on large sheets, place around the room and ask students to add their answers and further questions, and then add their responses to others comments. Give them time to walk around and read. What does living biblically mean? Ask groups to answer this question in three single words (let them look through their notes). Record all these words on the board. What is the most common word? Ask for connections between words. Ask for examples of what actions would describe the words, such as love, love God, neighbour, Agape, rebel, law, teaching, etc. How can these words be understood as actions in the modern world: love of others, care for the planet, becoming a nurse, being a generous employer, etc? If the class argue that not all Christians live like this, let them follow this line of enquiry, it is true that not all Christians manage to live biblically! Why not? Finally, address the question in discussion: How far can secular people live biblically? Notes: Suggested time for this set of lessons 3 hours 11

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13 RESOURCE SHEET 2: WHAT ARE THE GOSPELS AND WHY DO THEY HAVE AUTHORITY? What is the Bible? Although the word Bible means book, the Christian Bible is not one single volume but a collection of many types of literature written by many authors over hundreds of years. It contains the myths, stories and historical events of an ancient tribe of people, the Hebrews, along with poems, prayers, philosophical explorations of life and death and wisdom about how to live. The New Testament contains the story of the Jewish teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, whom the writers saw as being more than a teacher and were convinced was the Son of God. Letters to early converts offer guidance on how to live in their new faith. The Christian Bible contains Jewish scriptures, which Christians call the Old Testament. The second section of the Christian Bible, which Christians call the New Testament, details the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and the development of what his death meant. The Old Testament or Jewish scriptures were written between c.1200 and c.165 BCE, although some strands are older, and the New Testament books were mostly written in the 1 st century CE. What are the Gospels? The Gospels form the backbone of the New Testament. They are the four books written by companions of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These were 1 st century Jews who followed Jesus as he travelled, taught and was finally crucified in present day Palestine, then under the Greco-Roman empire. The English word Gospel is a shortening of two Old English words, god (good) and spel (a story). Thus the Gospels tell the good news of what Jesus life and death means for humanity. There is some disagreement among scholars about whose text was first, and who used which sources. The most widely accepted view sees Mark s Gospel as the first to be written around CE (note that this is later than some of Saint Paul s letters). The gospels of Matthew and Luke draw heavily on Mark s gospel, and together the three are called the Synoptic Gospels, because they are different presentations of the same material ( Synoptic means seeing together ). Although the story of Jesus life and death remain constant, each synoptic author presents his own theological understanding to communicate to his particular audience. Mark portrays Jesus as the saviour who has long been prophesied in Jewish scriptures. Mark s Jesus keeps his divinity humbly hidden, offering himself to suffer and die for the people of God. Matthew (probably written between CE) emphasises both Jesus divinity and the practical and often radical nature of his teachings while on earth. Luke s gospel (probably written between CE) shows through Jesus actions, his death and resurrection, as well as older Jewish messiah texts, how the coming of Jesus offers salvation to humanity. The final gospel, the Gospel of John (written between CE) offers signs of Jesus godly nature throughout his life, culminating with Jesus death and resurrection, proof for the writer that he is God on earth. The Gospels are of prime importance for Christians because they are a record of what Jesus said and did, as well as considerations of what this means. While some Christian as well as secular scholars question just how much the gospels contain the actual words of Jesus, most Christians see the words as authoritative in guiding them in how to live and worship. Following the Gospels are letters that reveal the spread of Christianity, then a small and persecuted sect of Judaism, around the 1 st Century Greco-Roman world. 13

14 Section 1: What are the gospels and why do they have authority? Draw a think bubble on each type of text: write in each why this text helps Christians make decisions What does this line denote? Draw a speech bubble on the ONE text that has MOST authority. Explain why. Type of text What it tells us Stories, principles and laws Prophets Wisdom Gospels Letters Apocalyptic Choose: advice from early Christians to their churches; ideas about the end times; reminders and warnings about how to live, from those chosen by God; accounts of Jesus life by his companions; history and moral code of the Hebrew people; contemplations and reflections on the nature of God, life and suffering. 14

15 Section 2: Can the Christian message be encapsulated in the gospels? Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (NIV) Matthew 22:37-39 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself. (NIV) Who was Saint Matthew? A companion of Jesus. Would have taught and shared his experiences widely, and finally committed his views on the meaning of Jesus life and death probably between CE. He drew on the earlier Gospel of Mark and other sources no longer in existence, as well as his own experiences. Matthew was Jewish, and was familiar with traditional Jewish culture and laws. However, it seems he was open to a new outlook on the old ways. What does love God and love your neighbour mean today? Matthew presents Jesus as a divine saviour, as God in human form. Matthew gives as much significance to Jesus teachings as to his acts. In seeing Jesus as divine, Matthew distances himself from mainstream Judaism. Matthew gives clues, such as in Jesus baptism, of the divinity of Jesus, which he believes is finally revealed after his death and resurrection. Matthew places a real emphasis on whether people are for God or against God. Most of those in authority think they are for God but their actions in excluding the most vulnerable shows that they are not. Care for outcasts is a real indicator of whether someone is for God or not. 15

16 RESOURCE SHEET 3: THE GOSPELS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE Leviticus 19:34 The foreigner living among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God. Psalm 112: 1 Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. Matthew 22:37-39 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself. Romans 12: 1-2 I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Leviticus 19:34 The foreigner living among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God. Psalm 112: 1 Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. Matthew 22:37-39 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself. Romans 12: 1-2 I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Leviticus 19:34 The foreigner living among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God. Psalm 112: 1 Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. Matthew 22:37-39 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself. Romans 12: 1-2 I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. New International Version 16

17 Teacher notes on Resource sheet 3 Leviticus 19:34 The foreigner living among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God. (NIV) Chronology: 1 st Stories, principles and laws This book: after the Exodus from Egypt, rescued by God, before entering the promised land of Israel, these rules are given to the Hebrews telling them how to live in a way pleasing to God. This passage tells the listener to treat strangers as your friends, because they have been strangers in a strange land themselves and know what it is like. Psalm 112: 1 Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. (NIV) Chronology: 2 nd Wisdom This book: a large collection of prayers and hymns expressing love and adoration of God, asking questions to God and contemplating the human condition. This passage tells the listener to praise God, be mindful of his power, and take pleasure in obeying him. Matthew 22:37-39 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself. (NIV) Chronology: 3 rd Gospel This book: the gospel of Matthew. Reports from a companion of Jesus. See above. This passage tells the listener that the most important commandments of all are to love God and love each other, but does not discount the other commandments. Romans 12: 1-2 I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (NIV) Chronology: 4 th Letters This book: written after Jesus death by Paul, letters to help the Roman church. Paul converted to follow Jesus and was incredibly active in spreading Christian theology around the Greco- Roman world. This passage tells the listeners that they must be prepared to give up everything to God, even if this means being separated from the people around them. 17

18 Beatitudes: Teacher Notes Jesus uses phrases which would be familiar to a Jewish audience. Jesus echoes the promises made by the great prophet Isaiah when he heralds a period of living in God s favour (Isaiah 61:1-3, right). Jesus takes these states of mind, explains the sort of attitude his followers should have, and describes the blessing they could receive. Jesus builds on the old traditions of established Judaism to offer a new message. Where Isaiah promised a return to peace and prosperity here on earth, Jesus hints at a different place where people can find happiness: the kingdom of heaven. This is not just a future heaven after death, but the reign of God in human hearts, minds and communities, starting from now. Poor in spirit : oppressed, beaten, downtrodden. Having little in the way of possessions, but also little in the way of hope for the future. Jesus is offering these people hope. Instead of emptiness and hopelessness, they can fill their lives with God. Mourn : we might mourn for things or people who are lost, but in ancient Jewish culture the one thing mourned above all else was the loss of the land of Israel. Isaiah spoke to the Jews when they had experienced one exile, and Jesus now speaks to Jewish people who are once again living in exile, ruled by Rome and scattered outside their land. The promise of comfort refers to the Jewish hope for a messiah (saviour) who could return Jews to their land. Jesus offers a new hope the promise of the kingdom of heaven, but Christians see this as further evidence that he is the long-awaited messiah. Meek : here Jesus echoes Ps 37:11 the meek shall possess the land. Moses is described as humble (Numbers 12:3). The meek or humble are gentle and kind. The opposite is proud. They do not put themselves above others. The promise of inheriting the land again plays on the Jews hope for an end to exile, although Jesus does not limit the promise to the Land of Israel. Hunger and thirst for righteousness, or for justice and merciful : people who put others first, treat others with love and care about others, will find themselves the beneficiaries of this from God. This is a key strand of Jesus message; the duty to act in the world to support each other, as a way of showing love to God. Pure in heart : The story of the Fall of Adam and Eve explores the idea that human hearts have always harboured evil (Gen 6:5). Other passages in the New Testament show that the heart is seen as the place where unhelpful and downright bad urges stem from (Matt 15:18-19). Thus the person whose heart is free from any selfish and hateful feelings will see God. This is not meant physically, but spiritually: to see God in the Old Testament is to have some sense of God s glory, power, love and holiness (see Exodus 34:6-7) The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendour. Isaiah 61: 1-3 (NIV) Peacemakers : the long-awaited messiah was expected to bring peace to earth, as in Isaiah 9:6. This is a key role of the messiah so when Jesus says that humans can also work towards creating peace, he is giving ordinary people a call to create a fairer and more just world, to do some of the work of the messiah. This is a call to action, and Jesus suggests the rewards will be great. Persecuted in the name of righteousness : Jesus alludes to the fact that those who follow him will often be forced to live at odds with the rest of society, and will even suffer for their convictions. Jesus assured the crowd at this point that this is what God wants, and again he hints at a kingdom where they will know God. Jesus sets out the responsibilities of his followers, and offers a new type of relationship with God in return. 18 Beatitudes : blessings From the Latin beatitude meaning happiness

19 RESOURCE SHEET 5: Situation ethics Joseph Fletcher, Situation Ethics, 1966 Can a moral rule be applied in all situations and at all times? Should we break moral rules if they don t work in a specific situation? In his 1966 book, Joseph Fletcher, an American priest and Christian thinker, argued that sometimes it is better to break biblical rules if they don t actually help the situation. There are many rules and principles in Christianity, stemming from both the Bible and various church teachings. Christianity can be seen as a system of moral rules. Fletcher called his approach to life a nonsystem (1966, p. 11) because there are no rules or methods. Situation ethics is incredibly simple and can be understood by asking one question: what is the most loving thing to do? Situation ethics has one guiding principle: apply love to all individuals in every unique situation. Fletcher makes a distinction between doing the right thing and doing the good thing. Doing what is right means doing what society, or your parents, or a religious teaching, or the majority of people, expect you to do. However, doing what is good might be different to what is right. It might mean disobeying a rule, breaking a code, or disagreeing with someone in authority if you think the person in authority is actually hiding behind rules or tradition to avoid doing what is good. Agape love In the New Testament the Greek word Jesus uses for love is agape. There are different words for love in Greek denoting love for possessions, sexual love or the love of friendship. Agape love is the sort of love of a parent for a child; it is a total love which demands complete selfsacrifice for the other. It is sometimes called selfemptying love. This is the love that Jesus, and Joseph Fletcher, refer to. How do we make moral decisions? Fletcher argues that Jesus insisted that the law must not become a dead thing, controlling people without love. But that is often exactly what has happened in Christian countries and Christian ethics in the community. Fletcher calls this legalism where rules are put before people, and obeying the rules is seen as good in itself, with little regard to the effect of those rules on individuals. What matters most: laws or love? Fletcher is emphatic: love. Fletcher wanted to free Christian thinking from legalism, although this might mean breaking biblical and church rules. He described a situationist approach, where moral principles are only applied if they are relevant to that particular situation, and discarded if they do not help in that situation. He gave the example of encountering a homeless person. Although Jesus said in Luke 6:30 give to everyone who asks you, Fletcher argued that if to give a handout only pauperizes and degrades him, the situationist ignores Jesus teaching and finds some other way to help (p. 26). Situation ethics is based around one command only: to show love to all people. Because all people and the situations they are in are unique, what is most loving for them might be different in different situations. Fletcher asks his readers to see reason as the instrument of moral judgment (26); we should think for ourselves rather than blindly following rules. The way of love is not morally soft or lax. It demands much more of a follower of Jesus to live a life of love, rather than to merely keep the rules. 19

20 RESOURCE SHEET 6: JESUS THE REBEL Mark 2: While Jesus was having dinner at Levi s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners? On hearing this, Jesus said to them, It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. NIV Matt 23: 1-12 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honour at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called Rabbi by others. But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth father, for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. NIV Mark 11: On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, Is it not written: My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of robbers. The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. NIV Glossary Tax collector : collected taxes for the hated Romans, from their own Jewish community. Seen as traitors by other Jewish people. Phylacteries: also called tefellin ; prayer boxes containing the first line of the shema, a most holy prayer for Jewish people. First line; Hear! Oh Israel! The Lord your God, the Lord is one. Jewish men tie them to their heads and upper arms when they pray to have the words of God close to their minds and hearts. Tassels: tassels hang from the corners of the prayer shawl worn by Jewish men during prayer. The shawl symbolises being wrapped in the word of God during prayer, and separate from the mundane world. The number of tassels symbolise the 613 commandments in the Torah. Rabbi : teacher, Jewish religious leader. Jesus himself was known as a Rabbi. Pharisees : influential religious teachers, the name means 'separated ones'. Some were represented in the Gospels as obsessed with rules, but others were much closer to Jesus in their teachings. They held that anyone could become close to God by observing Jewish purity laws concerning actions, food, clothes, etc. They had developed many additional rules and regulations to add to the religious laws, such as a list of things Jews were not allowed to do on the Sabbath, in order to keep people from breaking the major commands. Moses seat : the Pharisees gathered to form a council, where they claimed to promote traditional Jewish law. 20