Introduction to Religious Education

What is Religious Education?

It is the teaching and learning about different religions which help to broaden children awareness of different aspects of the religions. Example. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism etc.

Religious Education is also concern with morals, values, ethical issues that affect human beings and the environment. In addition, it relates to how one conduct themselves in society and how to interact with each other.

What is religion?

It is the belief in a power greater than one's self.

• The belief in a super natural being controlling power.
• What people believe about God.
• A belief in a God

Reasons people are religious

1. The need for strength to face all the challenges that life brings. eg. poverty, sickness.
2. Religion gives them a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives.
3. To put their faith in something or someone beyond themselves to help guide their conscience.
4. For guidance and support for coping with doubts and fear.
5. To satisfy their social and basic. Example. food, clothing.

Previous titles for Religious Education

1. Religious Instructions
2. Bible Knowledge
3. Religious Knowledge
4. Christian Life Education

These titles focused on the Bible and instruction in the Christian faith.

Values important to society

Common values from different religions

Honesty- Honesty in our dealing with each other, especially in our business dealings.

Truthfulness-Being truthful in the way that we treat others stems from the basic truthfulness that we show towards God.

Respect-Young people are expected to show respect towards themselves and other people including their peers and elders-especially their parents and grandparents.

Courage-Courage is the strength to believe and to do what our beliefs tell us to overcome our natural fears of doing these things.

Equality-Treating all people as our equal is a way of showing them the respect that they deserve.

Forgiveness-Many religions stress the importance of forgiving others, particularly if we expect them to forgive us.

Kindness-If God is kind and gracious towards us then this quality should be found in all our dealings with others.

Where religion comes from? Religio

The word religion comes from the latin word 'religio' meaning to bind things closely together.

• Religion binds us together by its practices, belief and festivals.
• It draws people closely together into a common search for an understanding of what life is about and why we are here.

Reasons for Religious Education being taught in Schools

1. Students will learn about the different religions.
2. It helps to promote students moral, spiritual and physical development.
3. It provides students with important information which will help them to decide on their own religious views or choose their religion.
4. Helps us to understand the different faith groups in our community.
5. It encourages some important values. Therefore, the child will be able to think freely and choose what is right from wrong.

Jobs related to Religious Education

• Pastor/Priest/Minister
• Teacher/Lecturer
• Social Worker
• Counsellor

Concepts in Religious Education

Morals-a lesson taught by a story or event.
Values-how useful or important something is.
Ethics-the study of rules that guide behavior; of right and wrong.
Theist- A person who believe in God or gods.
Atheist-A person who does not believe in God or gods.
Agnostic-A person who is not believe sure whether there is a God or not.

Different types of Self

Concepts relating to Self

Self-A person’s basic personality, characteristics, or nature; that which makes a person different from everyone else and, therefore, unique.

Conscience-A person’s sense of what is right and wrong in what they do.

Values-The importance, worth or usefulness of something.

Integrity-The quality of being honest and always following sound moral principles.

Physical

As we grow our bodies change. An important change is when we become capable of producing children. This stage is known as puberty, and may begin as early as eight years old, while others have to wait until they are 14 or 15. At the same time as our bodies are changing, our emotions begin to swing erratically as well. We can be on top of the world one moment and feel depressed the next. Puberty usually ends around the age of 17. The Old Testament teaches that God created our physical bodies and that humans were made in the image of God. Therefore, Jews and Christians believe that we have a responsibility to care for our bodies and to respect the bodies of others.

Spiritual

We have a spiritual self. There is a part of us, our soul or spirit that is linked to our body but is also separate from it. Our spiritual self encourages us to worship and find out more about God and to express care and concern for others. One way of expressing our spirituality is in helping these whom others would prefer not to know or care about. For example the homeless and the poor.

Moral

Our morality refers to the principles and virtues that guide us in way that we treat other people. Many people believe that their conscience is the voice of God speaking to them and telling them what is the right and wrong thing for them to do. Almost everyone in society believes that murder, stealing and telling lies are wrong. Although this does not stop people from doing these things.

Sexual

We become aware of the sexual side of our personalities when puberty kicks in. Our sexual drive is at its strongest as we pass through our teens, our 20’s and early 30’s.

Socio-Cultural

This side focus on how religion works in the lives of people. People with similar beliefs meet together regularly to pray, mediate, read their holy books, hold religious festivals and worship. They are help to those who belong to them and to anyone else who is in need.

Jewish and Christian Creation Story

Muslim Creation Story

Hindu Creation Story

Term Two

Topic: Creation at Risk

Objectives:

1.       Define the terms pollution, recycle, acid rain and chemical weathering

2.       Tell ways in which to preserves the environment

Ways in which we destroy Creation

We create a billion tons of rubbish each year.

In Jamaica, most of the rubbish that people put in their bin is emptied into land fill site. Our largest land fill site is called Riverton City Dump or Riverton Landfill.

DISPOSAL SITES IN JAMAICA

Name of Disposal Site	Location	Parishes Served
Riverton	St. Catherine	Clarendon, Kingston and St. Andrew; St. Catherine
Church Corner	St. Thomas	St. Thomas
Doctor’s Wood	Portland	Portland
Tobalski	St. Ann	St. Ann
Haddon	St. Ann	St. Ann and St. Mary
Martin’s Hill	Manchester	Manchester
Myersville	St. Elizabeth	St. Elizabeth
Retirement	St. James	Trelawny; St. James; Hanover; Westmoreland

These are enormous holes dug in the ground, which are then filled with rubbish.

One way to deal with this is to recycle. Recycling is converting waste into a form in which it can be reuse.

Human activities that contribute to creation at risk

Pollution is the substances with an unpleasant or harmful effect. This can be present in the air, soil or water. Eg. Faeces (feces) and urine passed out on walls and in corner at public places.

Deforestation-is the cutting down of trees without replanting them. This reduces the oxygen we need which comes from the trees, and also cause less rainfalls.

The effects of Acid Rain and Chemical Weathering on peoples’ lives

The smoke from factories, fumes from vehicles, and other chemicals mixed with rain and water vapour forms Acid Rain. This then fall back to the earth.

Acid Rain will destroy trees, buildings, and even sea creatures.

Chemical Weathering-is the breakdown of material by chemical eg. Acid Rain.

This spoil the colour of paints on building and the building materials. It also affects human health when they inhale chemicals in the air and this caused breathing problem.

Once this chemical gets into the lungs, it causes the airways in the respiratory system to get narrow. This cause less oxygen to enter the lungs and breathing became more difficult.