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I am frequently asked how Jesus could be God. So this is a brief study, under the general title of Leaders and Prophets, about this central belief of Christianity.

Christianity believes that God really came into this real, material world, being fully human whilst never losing His deity: he was not just a prophet. How did Christians ever arrive at such an idea? First of all we can look to the Gospels:

• Jesus taught it: he said ‘I and the Father are one’ (John 10.30), ‘I am in the Father and the Father is in me’ (John 14.11)
• Jesus showed it: his many miracles – ‘it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you’ (Matt. 12.28) – healing the sick and raising the dead
• Jesus proved it by his resurrection

Secondly, after the resurrection, and the reception of the promised Holy Spirit (Jesus had said he himself would send the Spirit) the first Christians had a great deal of thinking to do, rather like this: Jesus must have been the Messiah, fulfilled Old Testament prophecy literally (‘Mighty God, everlasting Father’ – Isaiah 9.6) and be coming back again as he promised; only if he is really divine can he do all this. And when he said ‘before Abraham was, I Am’ (John 8.58) he made the most staggering claim: he is that Word of God, that Wisdom of God, that very image of God, through whom everything was made in the first place (Proverbs 3.19) and in whom we are made!

Thirdly, talk of God’s personified Wisdom and Word were current in Judaism at the time and, differently, in contemporary Stoicism – the divine Word (Logos) is the guiding principle, the inner formula, of the universe as a while. So John opens with the claim: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…..the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’.

St Paul articulated what this means in his letters to the Philippians and the Colossians: he identifies Jesus as pre-eminent over all creation (Colossians 1.15-20), the means by which creation was made and is sustained, and in whom ‘all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell’. He also explains (Philippians 2.4-11) that, in becoming man, Christ divested himself of divine privileges (omnipresence, omnipotence, etc.) and submitted to an ignoble death. So the incarnation is definitely in the Bible.

However, how this came to be understood over the ensuing centuries varied

Some Christians came to see Jesus as a man adopted by God because of his holiness, ‘Son’ of God in an exceptional way but not God in the flesh. Conversely some others were so keen on Jesus being God, or God’s Word, that the human element of Jesus was considered a mere minor addition, and possibly not really real anyway (Apollinaris, Sabellianism, Gnostics). Others argued over whether Jesus’ soul was divine, human, or both (Nestorius, Origen), and a major heresy argued that though he was divine and human together, God is so immutable and transcendent that the ‘god’ in Jesus must have been a lesser aspect of divinity, a special creation not eternal and not fully God (Arius). Did Jesus have just one unique nature (Monophysites) or two unmixed (orthodox definition)? Or two, unmixed indeed but actually separate (Cyril)? And so it went on!

It took the Councils of Nivea and Constantinople, in the 4th Century, to reach the most widely accepted definition in the Nicene Creed:

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.

Of course all these problems were caused by old views of humans – body and soul – and at a Platonic version of God, for whom matter was untouchable. Christianity had to break both moulds to get this definition of one Lord Jesus Christ, fully God and fully Man, a definition finally fully set out at Chalcedon in AD 451 – see http://anglicansonline.org/basics/chalcedon.html and note that even so there are variations within Christendom still. That’s the thing about God, He just won’t conform to our thinking! We have not got adequate categories to explain the Incarnation, that is clear, but it is the essential central mystery of Christianity.

Divided nature – what he does as God, what he does as man

This resource was written by Richard Coupe, one of RE:ONLINE’s Email a Believer team. 

In 2020 Latter-day Saints celebrate the 200th anniversary of the First Vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Who was this man? Firstly, it is important to note who he was not- he is not our Saviour, nor is he an object of our worship. I’m sure if he were here today, he would want us to focus on the life and teachings of his and our Master- Jesus Christ, but through Joseph Smith we learn many things about our Saviour.

So, who was Joseph Smith?

1.He was a man.

As we look at the life of Joseph, we see he had many human qualities that were to be admire. Often, we look at the Saviour and think how hard an example he is to live up to, but Joseph Smith- mere mortal that he was gave us an example of how we can follow the Saviour even with our limitations and imperfections. There are many stories from Joseph’s life that help us understand his ‘human qualities’.

I like to use an example from his life as I strive to remain steadfast in my faith. When he was challenged about his experiences, and in particular the First Vision (see below) he recorded:

I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation (Joseph Smith History 1:25).

2.He was a Prophet.

Some may have a tendency to emphasize his human qualities and perhaps give them an excuse to dismiss some of the teachings of the Saviour which Joseph taught. Above all the important fact of Joseph’s life is that he was a prophet of God. We know his standing as a Prophet of God when we read D&C 135:3:

In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!

A prophet is someone who teaches of Jesus Christ and warns the world as the mouthpiece of God. This began nearly 200 years ago in the Sacred Grove. On seeking for truth Joseph reached the conclusion that he needed to pray and ask God where his truth lay. Following this determination in the early spring of 1820 he retired to a grove of trees and received what is now termed, The First Vision:

After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! (JSH 1:15-17).

In this event Joseph saw the Father and the Son, and also received a promise that at some future point the Church would be restored through him. There were many things that Joseph revealed and restored under the direction of the Godhead. He translated the Book of Mormon, received the priesthood under the hands of Peter, James and John, and organised the Church on April 6, 1830.

3.He was a teacher.

This is linked with Joseph being a prophet. A prophet is a teacher. His subject is Christ and the plan of salvation. Through Joseph we have greater understanding of the plan of salvation. How wonderful it is to read of the teaching experiences of the Prophet Joseph. Following the death of a friend he was asked to deliver a funeral sermon; in this he taught the doctrine of baptism for the dead which excited his audience so much that they left the meeting to run to the river and start straight away.

Joseph wasn’t born a teacher- though he was foreordained so to be. He developed as all of us do- line upon line, here a little and there a little. It is this same unlettered boy who first saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that delivered great sermons years later.

4.He was a revealer of truth.

This began with Joseph’s search for truth in his early years. He learnt how to seek revelation and recognize the promptings of the Spirit. This began early in his life; when searching for truth and coming to the conclusion he must ask God he was first of all reading the Bible:

I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; (JSH 1:11-12 emphasis added).

This passage highlights how the process of revelation happens through the Holy Spirit. He works in our minds and in our hearts. It strengthens me to know that this personal revelation is available to all of us, including me. Joseph once taught that “God hath not revealed any thing to Joseph, but what he will make known unto the Twelve & even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to—bear them.”

As a Latter-day Saint I believe that knowledge and clarification of great truths were revealed through the Prophet Joseph including:

• The nature of God
• The Plan of Salvation
• The priesthood of God
• The apostasy and restoration
• Book of Mormon
• Word of Wisdom
• Temple work

5.He was a martyr.

Joseph sealed his testimony with his blood- in June 1844 he was shot by a mob while being held in Carthage Jail. Joseph once declared:

“I am tired. I have been mobbed, I have suffered so much from outsiders and from my own family… I have to seal my testimony to this generation with my blood. I have to do it for this work will never progress until I am gone for the testimony is of no force until the testator is dead. People little know who I am when they talk about me, and they never will know until they see me weighed in the balance in the Kingdom of God. Then they will know who I am, and see me as I am.”

I was once on holiday in Cornwall and saw the following dedication on a war memorial; to me it sums up the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith in teaching me of my Saviour and through him, my eternal destiny: 

In proud and grateful memory of the men… who gave their all and in giving raised men’s ideals of what man may become.

This resource was written by James Holt, one of RE:ONLINE’s Email a Believer team.

Origins

The Shema may be seen as the beginning and end of Judaism. It is a Jewish prayer extracted from three places from the Torah and composed into a sequence of paragraphs. It does not appear in its entirety at the beginning of the Torah, rather it is found in Deuteronomy 6.4-9; 11.13-21 and Numbers 15.37-41. The Shema derives its name from the Hebrew word sema, meaning ‘to hear’, which is the initial word of the first verse, which states, ‘Hear O Israel’. Thereby, instructing Jews to listen. It is believed that they were received by Moses on Mount Sinai.

Significance

The Shema is included as part of every weekday synagogue service. Its significance is inferred by the fact that its centrality is recognised in all Jewish traditions, in various ways. The recitation of the passage is taken as a commandment to be fulfilled by Jewish adult men twice daily, morning and evening. It is also a core text in other prayer books.

The Shema is taught for the love of God, loyalty to the Jewish tradition and it encourages the Jewish community to study the Torah. It is reported that Jacob’s sons read it to him and therefore adults recite it to children so that they remain within their tradition. The Shema might be the first thing that some Jewish children learn in a Jewish primary schools and at home to express belonging.

Meaning

The Shema sets out what Jews believe and how they should demonstrate their dedication to God through daily actions.

It represents their belief that they have made a Covenant with God: an agreement that they will love God and follow His laws and in return God will take care of them. Thus, as an artefact, the Shema is a way for Jewish people to remind themselves of their promises to God. This is why families have a responsibility to teach their faith to the next generation.

Practice

Unsurprisingly, the Shema has acquired a pivotal position in the collective and personal life of Jewish communities. Communally, adults recite it in the morning and evening and in the afternoon at the synagogue to fulfil the commandment and remember God.

 Individually, some Jews recite it before bed and after waking up, as it is the most holy thing to say during these times. It is also a way of thanking God for waking them up from sleep and to ask God for good sleep. Thus, it is a prayer which covers all activities of the day and night.

As a family, in some homes, mothers regularly recite the Shema with their children whilst putting them to bed. Some children memorise it and others prefer to look at the text when reciting it.

At happy events, such as moving into a new home, the mezuzah, which contains the Shema, is fixed to the doorpost and is followed by a religious service.

During festival days and especially on Shabbat, a double reading honours the Shema: at the time the Torah scroll is bought out from the Ark the opening verse of the Shema is recited collectively, and again, individually by the reader prior to reading the Torah.

There are some physical gestures adopted by Jews during various prayers and worship. On the Day of Atonement whilst reciting the opening verse of the Shema, the eyes are covered to remove distractions.

As death approaches, those gathered recite some passages from the Torah and end with the opening words of the Shema. In this way the dying person is helped to affirm their faith in the oneness of God. It is worth noting that the Shema may be recited in Hebrew and in other languages too.

Structure

The Shema has three paragraphs. The English translation is provided with an explanation of what it might mean to some Jews, how they might put it into practice and what they could learn from it.

Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One (Deuteronomy, 6.4)

From this, Jews learn to be attentive to the Torah so that God’s commands are with them. It also means their religion is monotheistic. Moreover, a closer examination reveals God as addressing Israel rather than Israel addressing God, thus Jews make claims of a reciprocal relationship because God chose them, and consequently, they believe God cannot ignore them.

Blessed is His name, whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever

This phrase does not appear in the Torah and is attributed to Jacob. Since he had whispered it, Jews whisper it as well. It tells the Jewish community to praise God. They know, through this, that God’s kingdom is everlasting. They recognise the holiness and greatness of God. It gives them hope too.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your might (Deuteronomy, 6.5)

The demand from God is unequivocal in this phrase: total obedience and wholehearted devotion and to remember God’s word. It implies that Jews be prepared to sacrifice everything. They are to love God with their might, heart and soul. God loves them; therefore, they too should have unflinching love for Him.

These words that I command you today shall be upon your heart (Deuteronomy, 6.6)

Jews learn to affirm these as laws and learn them orally. But there is also an emotional attachment. The heart is mentioned so that it can act as a guide following the dictum ‘in doing right follow your heart’, and in the heart should be the Torah.

Repeat them to your children, and talk about them when you sit in your home, and when you walk in the street; when you lie down, and when you rise up (Deuteronomy, 6.7)

This phrase gives adults the responsibility to pass on their faith to children, and this can take place in formal and informal settings. The key message is to keep it alive at all times. Literally, it means Jews should recite it every evening and morning.

Hold fast to them as a sign upon your hand, and let them be as reminders before your eyes (Deuteronomy, 6.8)

Literally, this means to hold fast onto the Shema and the Torah by wearing the verses on the hand and upon the forehead between the eyes. This is how the practice of wearing phylacteries (tefillin) became established. The tefillin consists of four small joined-up boxes containing the first two passages of the Shema (Deuteronomy, 6.4-9 and Deuteronomy, 11.13-21) and two other Exodus phrases of the Torah. These are handwritten on a parchment and worn on the stronger hand as this is what is used by individuals or on the left arm so that it is directed to the heart. It is a constant visual reminder for Jews that God is there, whatever they do.

Write them on the doorposts of your home and at your gates (Deuteronomy, 6.9)

The final instruction is to handwrite a parchment and fix it to the doorpost of the home and gates. In practice, to preserve the sanctity of the text, a rectangular elongated box with a slight opening, called a mezuzah, is made to house this kosher parchment, which contains the first two of the three paragraphs of the Shema (Deuteronomy, 6.4-9 and Deuteronomy, 11.13-21) and at the back, the word Shaddai (Almighty). The mezuzah is affixed on the right hand doorframe, with a little slant upwards in the direction of the room, at about shoulder height, in individual dwellings and collective compounds. In doing so, most Jews express their obedience, and, when they come into and go out of their homes, they are reminded to renew their covenant daily. The mezuzah is fixed on every door (except the lavatory and bathroom), so the whole house is covered in holiness and purity as a gift of God. Some Jews kiss the mezuzah to show their adherence to the Torah in everything they do, including daily actions like entering and leaving the home.

Mezuzah literally means ‘doorpost’, but over time came to refer to the doorpost and what is attached to it. Interestingly, a sukkah does not need a mezuzah as it is not permanent dwelling.

Deuteronomy 11.13-21

This section is an exhortation to obey, love and serve God alone with everything. In return God promises the Jewish community abundance in material well-being. Should they turn to serve other gods, the anger of God awaits them (Deuteronomy, 11. 13-17).

The next phrases (Deut. 11.18-21) repeat the instructions given above in (Deut. 6-9). Thereafter, God promises that should these be fulfilled then God will keep His promise of the land for them (Deut. 11. 21).

Numbers 15.37-41

This verse establishes the custom of Jews adorning clothes with tzitzit (fringes). Tzitzit are tassels made of several threads tied together to symbolise the numerical value of the name of God. The Shema says that when people look at the tassels they will remember their promise to keep God’s laws. Some Jews follow this rule all the time and wear a vest with tassels on four corners, called a tallit katan. At the synagogue, some also wear a special prayer shawl called a tallit gadol when praying in the morning.

To summarise, the Shema is a prayer in the first instance and a belief statement thereafter. It has a golden principle for the Jewish community in stressing that learning is initiated at home and establishes the duty to educate their children in the faith. The Shema establishes the practice of learning the three paragraphs contained within it, and of wearing the tefillin and affixing the mezuzah. These actions remind Jewish people of the promises made to and by God, their belief about unity of God and the One to be worshipped.

Learning about the Shema in RE

Here are some examples of what primary pupils might be able to do as a result of their learning about the Shema.

They can:

-use the right names for things that are special to Jews, e.g. when shown a picture, say: ‘That is a mezuzah’

-talk about what they find interesting or puzzling, e.g. talk about how interesting it was to hear that Jewish people put a prayer in a small box and fix it to their doorposts

-talk about some things that are similar for different religious people, e.g. say that Muslims, Christians and Jews all says prayers to God

-talk about some things in stories that make people ask questions, e.g. say, ‘It was mysterious when God spoke to Moses’

-describe things that are similar and different for religious people, e.g. record or say how Jews recite the Shema, but that they may say it in different languages

-ask important questions about life and compare their ideas with those of other people, e.g. ask why Jews think the Shemais such an important prayer and give their own ideas about important prayers and wishes

-use the right religious words to describe and compare what practices and experiences may be involved in belonging to different religious groups, e.g., say how different Jewish communities might have different ways of remembering God’s laws – through recitation of the Shema, through wearing of the tallit and tefillin, though doing good deeds and so on

-ask questions about the meaning and purpose of life, and suggest a range of answers which might be given by them as well as members of different religious groups or individuals, e.g. asking questions about the importance of the Shema in Jewish life and suggesting answers that might be given by a Jewish visitor to the classroom, or with reference to answers given in authoritative texts or websites.

Some common discussion questions:

• What do you think it means when the Shema says: “These words […] shall be upon your heart”?
• In the Shema, where does it say that Jews should talk about God’s laws?
• Why do you think the Shema says that Jewish people should repeat the words to their children?
• What could you use or do to help you to remember promises that you have made?

Further reading

Cohn-Sherbok, D. (2003) Judaism: History, Belief and Practice, London: Routledge.

Hoffman, C. M. (2010) Judaism: An Introduction, London: Hodder Education.

Written by Imran Mogra

An investigation into differering Christian repsonses to environmental issues.

for 15-19 year olds. Originally written by Anna Davis, updated in April 2019.

Key words and concepts

Anthropocentric: human-centered; focusing on human beings as of most value and importance, especially in relation to animals or the rest of the natural world.

Apocalyptic: in biblical studies, refers to a kind of literature that reveals God’s perspective on current and future events, often with vivid and coded imagery, stark opposition between good and evil, and a prediction of what is to come. The best-known biblical example is the Book of Revelation (the Greek title of which is equivalent to the word ‘apocalypse’) in the Bible

Conservative Evangelicalism: a Christian tradition, found across a range of established and independent churches, which places particular emphasis on the authority and infallibility of the Bible, among other doctrines.

Dominion: sovereignty or control. Especially used to refer to the idea that humanity has power over the rest of creation. See Genesis 26-28.

Ecology: the part of biology that looks at how different organisms relate to one another and to their physical surroundings. Some environmentalists are concerned that human activity is damaging the delicate balance of ecology and thus endangering the future of the planet.

Ecosystem: a particular group of organisms that understood in relation to their physical surroundings.

Environment: the natural world, particularly as it is affected by human activity.

Environmentalism: a movement that is concerned with protecting the natural world from the harmful actions of humanity.

Eschatology: used by theologians to refer to beliefs about the future, and particularly about the ultimate ‘end’ of the world. It comes from the Greek word ‘eschatos’ meaning last or final. Also used to talk about God’s plans for the future of creation, including humans, animals and the environment.

Evangelism: spreading the Christian gospel with the particular aim of converting people to Christianity.

Francis of Assisi: an Italian Catholic friar and preacher of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries who founded a number of monastic orders and has become known as the Patron Saint of animals and the environment.

Fundamentalism: in this context, a form of Christianity focused on what are believed to be its fundamentals, with a particular emphasis on the authority, infallibility and inerrancy of the Bible. This label overlaps with Conservative Evangelicalism (see above).

Gaia hypothesis: the view of scientist James Lovelock that the earth is a kind of superorganism – a complex system that automatically self-regulates in ways that maintain an environment in which life can flourish.

Genesis: The first book of the ‘Old Testament’ or ‘Hebrew Bible’. It begins with two accounts of God’s creation of the world and contains various commands by God about how humans should act in relation to other parts of creation. These commands have been the subject of differing interpretations, hence the existence of current debates about how Christianity should respond to environmental challenges.

Global warming: a gradual increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and oceans. Generally attributed to the ‘greenhouse effect’, which is caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs and other pollutants as a result of human activity. There is concern that global warming could cause sea levels to rise, having catastrophic effects of human life.

Imminent expectation: in this context, refers to the belief of some Christians that Jesus will return soon – perhaps within their lifetimes – to bring about the final end of the world.

Parable: a story or image used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus and recorded in the Gospels.

Rapture: the transporting of believers to heaven during the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of the world.

Stewardship: in Christianity, the idea that humans have been given responsibility for the rest of the natural world, and have a duty to care for it.

As well as enabling students to engage critically with different approaches to environmental stewardship, this material also develops knowledge about the Bible, and the different ways this can be approached and understood. Different methods used in Biblical Studies underpin this, as outlined below:

Historical criticism

Historical criticism is based on the presumption that the task of the biblical scholar is to discern what the text originally meant, and what events actually happened, from an objective and unbiased perspective. It has value not least in ‘distancing’ the Bible from its contemporary readers: the Bible is a collection of ancient texts, rooted in the cultural assumptions of ancient societies, that cannot cogently be regarded as simply a textbook of eternal religious or moral truths. Using this method, students can be encouraged to approach biblical texts critically, as historical sources. They may, for example, seek to identify different sources and traditions, to question which sayings of Jesus are likely to be authentic, or to consider aspects of biblical teaching that reflect ancient cultural or cosmological presuppositions. Historical criticism is no longer an uncontested or dominant method in biblical studies since it has been recognised that detached, objective historiography is impossible, and may in fact serve to conceal the interests and commitments that underlie particular construals of the past and particular readings of the texts. Nonetheless, it remains significant to a critical engagement with biblical texts as part of the study of topics such as environmental ethics.

History of interpretation

A recent development of interest within biblical studies is in the history of interpretation and influence of biblical texts (their Wirkungsgeschichte). Rather than looking to the world behind the text – the social context in which it arose, as in historical criticism – this approach instead concentrates on the world in front of the text, that is, on the diverse ways in which the text has been understood and has shaped and influenced aspects of life and culture from art and music to ethics and politics. This method means that rather than assuming that the text has one clear, correct meaning, and attempting to decide upon this, attention is directed instead to the diversity of meanings that has, through history, been derived from this text. In relation to environmental issues, it enables consideration of how Christians at different times and places have interpreted texts like Genesis 1–2 in relation to their particular convictions and concerns. It also serves to connect biblical studies much more directly with the study of issues and approaches in Christian ethics, from the earliest times right up to the present.

Reading from modern perspectives: the located reader

More recent methods of biblical study reflect the conviction that different readings can be generated depending on the social identity and location of the reader, and have given rise to feminist, black, liberationist and many other readings of the Bible. Such approaches place much greater emphasis on the role of the reader in the construction of meaning and on the influence of the reader’s context – a development which is also to be found in the study of other kinds of literature, as well as in disciplines such as history and politics, given a widespread acknowledgment that objective and detached analysis is impossible, and that the researcher’s own convictions and approach shape their presentation. Students might therefore be encouraged to ask how modern convictions and contexts shape readings of the Bible, or how different groups might read and respond to different texts.

Christian perspectives on the environment

The Evangelical Churches and Organisations

There are a number of evangelical Christian organisations that strongly support the idea that Christians must care for the environment. Stewardship is a prominent theme.

The Evangelical Environmental Network has stated that:

Because we have sinned, we have failed in our stewardship of creation. Therefore we repent of the way we have polluted, distorted, or destroyed so much of the Creator’s work.

 

They argue that we need to take better care of creation – to become better stewards – in order to live as God desires. (On the Care of Creation)

Other motivations for environmental care include an appeal to love of neighbour, encouraging people to act justly and out of consideration for those who are less fortunate. For example, the Evangelical Environmental Network includes ‘human and cultural degradation’ as among the ways in which we harm creation when we fail to act as stewards.

Tearfund, the Evangelical Alliance’s relief fund, campaigns on a variety of global humanitarian concerns including matters affecting the environment and climate change to encourage people to consider how their actions harm those who live in countries that are adversely affected by climate change. It cites a paraphrase of Romans 10.13 – ‘Love does no harm to its neighbour’ – as a call to responsible stewardship so that others do not suffer from the effects of climate change.

The Church of England

In 1991, the General Synod of the Church of England prepared a report on ‘Christian Stewardship’ with the aim of encouraging ‘a critical review of human responsibility to the living environment’. It states that:

Christians believe that this world belongs to God by creation, redemption and sustenance, and that he has entrusted it to humankind made in his image and responsible to him; we are in the position of stewards, tenants, curators, trustees or guardians, whether or not we acknowledge this responsibility.

The report cites Genesis 1.26-30 as giving humans authority over the natural world. However, at the same time it reads Genesis 2.15-17 as instructing humans to both ‘work’ it and ‘care’ for it. So humans have ‘dominion’ over the earth but this is a gift from God. This means that humans should care for the world ‘in the way God himself demands’.

Other motivations for environmental care include an appeal to love of neighbour, encouraging people to act justly and out of consideration for those who are less fortunate. For example, the Church of England writes of how ‘we are tenants of the world only in our own generation’, highlighting the importance of preserving the natural environment out of concern for the wellbeing of future generations. (Christians and the Environment: Report by the Board for Social Responsibility).

The Catholic Church

The Catholic Church understands stewardship as resulting from humans having been created in the image of God (the Catholic doctrine of the imago Dei).

Agneta Sutton from the Catholic Truth Society writes that:

From the very first, the biblical account of our role in creation declares that we have a special position and stand in a special relationship to God and so to the rest of creation. (Ecology and Stewardship: What Catholics Believe About the Environment. London: CTS. 2012. p. 8)

The International Theological Commission states that humans are:

…made in [God’s] image to participate in his work, in his project of love and salvation, indeed in his own lordship over the universe. Since man’s place as ruler is in fact a participation in the divine governance of creation, we speak of it here as a form of stewardship. (Communion and Stewardship: Human Persons Created in the Image of God, Section 57)

Pope John Paul II, a former leader of the Catholic Church, has spoken of the need for an ‘ecological conversion’. He remarks that:

Man’s lordship is not absolute, but ministerial…not the mission of an absolute and unquestionable master, but of a steward of God’s kingdom. (Communion and Stewardship, Section 73)

So for Catholics, ‘God appoints man as his steward in the manner of the master in the Gospel parables (cf. Luke 19:12)’. (Communion and Stewardship, Section 58).

The Orthodox Church

The Orthodox Church understands Genesis 1 as a call to stewardship, requiring humans to be responsible for creation. This is also linked with the Orthodox emphasis on ‘deification’ – the idea that humans come to share fully in God’s being and nature through the process of salvation. The Report of the WCC Inter-Orthodox Consultation states that:

We are called to exercise dominion over all creatures on earth (cf. Gen. 1:28), i.e. to be stewards … of God’s material world, caring for it, maintaining it in its integrity and perfecting it by opening it up to God through our own deification.  (Orthodox Perspectives on Creation, Section 11).

Orthodox theology also places emphasis on the importance of priesthood, not only as an office within the Church, but as a role that can be played by humanity in relation to the rest of creation: humans can help to offer the creation to God and mediate and express its praise to God. This may be linked with the idea of ‘deification’: the goal for humanity and for creation is to be transformed, renewed, perfected, and taken up into God. Some have suggested that these ideas about the transformation of all creation – its incorporation into the divine – may be especially valuable ideas to inspire environmental care. They express different ideas and emphases from the kind of stewardship expressed in the Protestant Churches, which is more concerned with the role of humans in relation to the rest of creation.

Conservative Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christian groups opposed to environmentalism

Not all Christians agree that we should be concerned about preserving the environment, or acting to reduce carbon emissions. Some conservative evangelical and fundamentalist groups see the environmental movement as a dangerous threat – a false, non-Christian religion.

It is important to note that such groups do not necessarily reject the idea of stewardship, but that they understand it in particular ways. Members of such groups are likely to put greater stress on the importance of evangelism (converting individuals to faith), the imminent return of Jesus, and ethical values related to sexual and family ethics than on conservation or care for the planet. Certain biblical texts to do with the end of the world are of particular importance here, for example, 1 Thessalonians 4.13-5.2 and Mark 13.7-31.

Sometimes these views are expressed in academic books, or on organisations’ websites, but more often they are to be found at a popular level on individuals’ blogs and websites.

For example, the American Evangelical organization Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation the environmentalist view of the world which it claims ‘elevates nature above the needs of people, of even the poorest and the most helpless’. The Cornwall Alliance argues that such environmentalism is a ‘green dragon’ that presents a major threat to the Christian religion.

Further, Calvin Beisner, spokesman for the Cornwall Alliance, sees the domination of nature by humans as an essential task. He writes: ‘…continued population growth will result not in the depletion but in the increased abundance of resources, and not in increased pollution of the earth but in its increased cleansing and transformation from wilderness to garden, “from its bondage to decay…into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21).’ (Where Garden Meets Wilderness: Evangelical Entry into the Environmental Debate. Grand Rapids, MI: Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty/Eerdmans. 1997. p. 107)

In more popular literature, Spencer Strickland, through a blog published by Jeremiah Daniel McCarver, ‘Saving Earth One Human at a Time’ draws attention to the impact of beliefs about the imminent end of the world on concern for the environment:

Christians should not be carried away into the frenzy that is being stirred up in popular culture. While it is true that we are all stewards of the earth and should thus take care of it, we should also be aware of the fact that the “heavens and earth which are now” are being prevented from being destroyed by the Word of God (2 Pet. 3:7). God will one day destroy the earth with the fire of judgment, and this is the warning that Christians must take to those who are lost, in order that they might be saved through the obedience of the Gospel.

Similarly, Todd Strandberg, writing on his website ‘Rapture Ready’ states that, in his view, ‘any preacher who decides to get involved in environmental issues is like a heart surgeon who suddenly leaves an operation to fix a clogged toilet.’

Learning activities

1 Is Christianity to blame?

As a class, read and discuss the ‘Beyond Stewardship?’ stimulus text ‘Lynn White: Is Christianity to blame for our ecological crisis?’ Available to download here.

2 Origins of stewardship

Divide the class into small groups. Give each group one of the following texts:

Genesis 1

Genesis 2

Genesis 3

Genesis 4

Within their groups, the students read the texts and then discuss whether:

• the text encourages care of the planet?
• the text suggests humans are ‘in charge’?
• the text suggests the land has intrinsic/instrumental value?
• humans being made in the image of God change their relationship with the Earth?

The students should be encouraged to give reasons for their answers, and should refer to the texts the back up their views.

The groups can present their findings and views about the text they have studied to the rest of the class.

3 Contemporary Christian views

Display images depicting modern environmental problems, such as the destruction of the rainforest to grow palm oil, collapse of insect populations, reduction in water tables for cotton production and plastic pollution. Discuss what the images suggest about contemporary attitudes towards how we should care for the environment. Can any implications be drawn about Christian attitudes?

Establish the critical question: Is Christianity to blame for the Ecological Crisis? This is based on Lynn white Jr’s argument.

Divide the class into small groups. Give each group:

• one of the viewpoints from the ‘Christian Perspective’ section of this resource;
• a large recording sheet with space for notes on their Christian viewpoint, and THREE additional viewpoints.

Using their recording sheet, each group works together to create succinct notes recording their viewpoint and three others in relation to the critical question.

After reading and discussing their viewpoint, groups send one or two envoys to other groups to discuss and learn about other viewpoints, before returning to their original group.

Allow plenty of time for reading, discussion, definition and note-taking. Students will end up with a multi-layered analysis of Christian views and a critical view.

If time, listen to a brief answer from each group to the critical question, or set as a written homework, drawing on the evidence gathered.

4 How do different Christian views shape the argument?

Ask groups to copy this graph:

In groups, place each Christian perspective on this graph: do they place human authority over nature above human responsibility to protect nature; do they value humans above the natural world, etc?

Share and discuss graphs. As a class, ascribe reasons to each positioning; what are they based on? Either give a theological argument or a biblical reference to support each position. Through the course of the conversation, ensure these two positions are defined:

Christian Environmentalism: humans must transform the way we treat the environment; the natural world must be protected and nurtured, in both Evangelical and denominational Christian thinking.

Conservative Evangelical or Fundamentalist non-Environmentalism: God will destroy the earth at the End Times, this is God’s plan for humanity and the natural world.

Debate

Divide the class into two groups: Christian Environmentalism and non-environmentalism. Each groups has 15 minutes to create 4 strong arguments in favour of their position, in response to the motion (below).

Groups should also predict counter-arguments and prepare to meet them.

Motion:  The earth is ours to use

An investigation into Sikh belief about God through a study of the Mool Mantar, the Enlightenment of Guru Nanak and the Ik Onkar symbol.

For KS2 pupils. Originally written by Gemma Kingston, updated in April 2019.

Key words and concepts

Amrit: Literally ‘Nectar’. A drink made from sugar dissolved in water and stirred with a sword – drunk during special ceremonies. Considered to be divine.

Guru: ‘Teacher’. The name given to the ten great human teachers of Sikhism and also to the Sikh holy book.

Guru Granth Sahib: The Sikh scripture. The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh declared that there would be no other living Gurus after him, so instead Sikhs could look to their holy scriptures for guidance, so the holy book became the ‘Guru.’ It is a collection of teachings and writings by Guru Nanak and other Gurus as well as Sikh, Hindu and Muslim saints. These scriptures are written in Punjabi and are greatly respected by all Sikhs as the living word of God. The book is given the same respect as a human Guru.

Guru Nanak: The Sikh faith was founded by Guru Nanak (1469-1539) and shaped by his nine successors in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in South Asia.

Gurdwara: a Sikh place of worship. Any building where the Guru Granth Sahib is kept is a Sikh place of worship. It is called the Gurdwara (‘Gateway to the Guru’). A focal point for the communitu.

Ik Onkar: pronounced ‘Ik O-an-kaar’. Design which represents the statement of faith ‘There is only one God’. The first phrase of the Mool Mantar. It is also used as a symbol to decorate Sikh objects. Punjabi – Found on turban badges.

Khalsa: The brotherhood of Sikhs, founded by the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.

Monotheist: someone who believes in one God.

Mool Mantar: Basic teaching; essential teaching. The basic statement of belief at the beginning of the Guru Granth Sahib. The first hymn composed by Guru Nanak.

Punjab: ‘Land of Five Rivers’. The northern region of India where Sikhism originates from.

Sikh: The word ‘Sikh’ in the Punjabi language means ‘disciple’, Sikhs are the disciples of God who follow the writings and teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus.

Sikhism: Sikhism is founded upon the life and teaching of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and nine successive gurus who lived in the northern part of South Asia between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries. Sikhism is a worldwide religion with nearly 30 million adherents which is about 1% of the world’s population.

Waheguru: Wonderful Lord. A Sikh name for God.

Learning activities

You will need:

• the Ik Onkar symbol (shown below), images of Sikh artefacts bearing this symbol.

• A virtual tour of the Gurdwara, or images of a Gurdwara’s various areas.
• An audio file or video of the Mool Mantar, the Sikh prayer, as well as an image of the prayer in the Gurumurkhi script.
• Images and information about the Kara- one of the 5 K’s (a bangle).
• Information about Sarika Watkins-Singh, suspended for wearing her Kara to school.

ENQUIRE.Show the pupils a selection of images showing artefacts decorated with the Ik Onkar symbol, such as the below, and give them a chance to look carefully at the artefacts and notice anything each item has in common. Ask questions about the objects, their purpose and significance. Do they notice the symbol which appears in each?

Draw the pupils’ attention to the Ik Onkar Explain this is an important Sikh symbol which can be seen in many places such as badges, on the walls of a gurdwara and in the home.

Show pupils a selection of symbols from other religious traditions, such as the Jewish Star of David or the Christian cross. Ask pupils to suggest (a) what such symbols communicate to believers, and (b) how believers might use these symbols to show their beliefs. Encourage them to make a record of their answers.

Show pupils the Mool Mantar (sometimes written Mool Mantra) – see below – and ask if they can spot the symbol in the writing: can they work out from the translation what the symbol means? Explain that the first words of the Mool Mantar are ‘Ik Onkar’ meaning ‘there is one God’ and that the symbol acts as a visual reminder to Sikhs of what they believe about God and his oneness (monotheism).

Ask the pupils to design another object that includes the Ik Onkar symbol which would be for Sikhs a constant reminder of God’s oneness.

EXPLORE – A PLACE OF WORSHIP (GURDWARA). Explain the role of the Gurdwara in the Sikh community, perhaps by reading the relevant section of a text book on Sikhism. Point out that the Gurdwara is a focal point for the Sikh community and that it is open to all: it is a place of equality and sharing.

If it is not possible to take pupils to a gurdwara, take them through the virtual tour of a Gurdwara via an online video tour. Ask pupils to look carefully for any Ik Onkar symbols. Encourage pupils to reflect on their significance and ask them to suggest how attending the Gurdwara might inspire Sikhs to treat other people in a kind way. Encourage them to note down their reflections and to say what visits they have made that have inspired them.

EXPLORE – SIKH TEXT. Together with pupils, read the translation of the Mool Mantar – see below. Show the Mool Mantar in its original script (Gurmukhi – the script in which the Punjabi language is written).

Explain that the Mool Mantar means ‘basic teaching’ and is found at the beginning of every section of the Guru Granth Sahib. It is very much like a Sikh creed, the ‘essence’ of the teachings, repeated each day during early morning prayer.

The Mool Mantar – basic teaching

Encourage pupils to memorise the first few lines and ask them why Sikhs might memorise the whole Mool Mantar. Point out that most Sikhs will have heard the Mool Mantar said and sung very many times since they were young and that it contains many teachings that reveal what God is like in Sikh belief.

Ask pupils to work in pairs to come up with two questions to ask a Sikh about the Mool Mantar, especially focusing on what it might mean to that particular Sikh believer, and to the wider community. Ask them then to meet with another pair and to see if they can imagine what a Sikh might say in answer to each other’s questions.

Set pupils the challenge of defining the words ‘eternal,’ ‘immortal,’ and ‘enlightened.’ Ask them to use a dictionary to define them and then (a) to use them as a Sikh would to describe God and (b) to use modelling clay to create a new symbol to represent each of these terms, or any other from the Mool Mantar. Encourage them to take photos and then to write or audio-record their thoughts as to the meaning of their creations. The results could go into a class or online book about the Mool Mantar.

EXPLORE – Guru Nanak. Show an image of Guru Nanak that includes the Ik Onkar. and ask pupils to identify him. Point out the symbol if they have not noticed it. Explain briefly who Guru Nanak is and that the Mool Mantar is believed to be the first thing said by Guru Nanak upon his enlightenment at the age of about 30.

At a time in India when Muslims and Hindus were in conflict, Guru Nanak said ‘there is no Hindu, there is no Muslim’. Ask pupils to suggest what this reveals about what Sikhs believe to be the nature of God, and how Sikhs believe Waheguru is the same God worshipped by all other religions. Ask pupils for their reflections on the idea that there might be One God for all humanity which different people call different names. What other names do the pupils know? (Allah, God, Yahweh, etc.). Explain that not all people (a) believe in God and (b) believe that all religions worship the same God. Can they give examples and suggest reasons for such differences of opinion and belief?

EXPLORE – SIKH LIVING. Show the pupils a range of Sikh artefacts. Focus on the Sikh Kara. Ask pupils to suggest why a Sikh might wear the Kara: what might it mean and symbolise? What might it communicate about the nature of God? For those who need more support, ask what a circle could represent about God?

Explain that the kara is a bangle, usually made from iron or steel and worn on the right wrist. The steel is a symbol of strength, and the circular shape is a symbol of unity and eternity – a circle has no beginning and no end. This reflects the Sikh view of God who is eternal and infinite. The circular shape also stands for unity between Sikhs and between Sikhs and God. It is another representation of Sikh belief in one God, a symbol of God having no beginning or end. It keeps a Sikh focused and close to God.

Look at different styles of Kara available online for Sikhs to buy, with the choice of sacred text from the Guru Granth Sahib engraved on them. Ask them to report back to the class on the type of karas available to Sikhs and to work together to design their own style, based on what they have seen. [Remind pupils of the need to consider websites thoughtfully: what is this website trying to say or do? Who put the material up there and why?]

In role, encourage them to write a sales pitch to a Sikh customer. Their report should include how the bracelet will make a Sikh feel closer to God and what it will remind them about the nature of God. [Pupils could also produce packaging and a card to be sold with the bracelet.]

Explain that Sikhs believe that God doesn’t exist just in the sky or heaven but is present everywhere and lives within the human heart and within all living beings and life. That is one reason why they use the term ‘Waheguru’. Encourage pupils to reflect on the meaning of the word ‘God’ and ask them whether they think the concept of ‘God’ in Sikhism is very different from other beliefs about God. Do they think that God is ‘he’ or ‘she’ or beyond gender? Explain that most religions that believe in God often refer to God using the male pronoun, but that most of them believe that God is beyond gender. This is certainly the case in Sikh teaching.

Use the statements below to prompt deeper thinking. Show pupils the following statements, ask them to reflect upon each in turn and to offer suggestions as to the meaning:

• The Guru Granth Sahib says of God: ‘One Light fills all creation. That Light is You.’ I wonder… what does this mean?
• Sikhs believe that ‘the Creator is in the creation and the creation is in the Creator.’ I wonder… what does this mean?
• Sikhs believe that ‘God is neither male nor female but instead a spirit that spreads across the universe.’ He is like ‘the fragrance within a flower’ (Guru Granth Sahib). I wonder… what does this mean?

As pupils offer their thoughts, encourage reflection on the inspiration given to Sikhs by the statements, and comparison with other world views.

With pupils, read about Sarika Watkins-Singh, who at the age of 14 was suspended twice from school for wearing her Kara until a high court judgement allowed her to wear it.

What are arguments for and against Sarika’s actions? Ask pupils which arguments they find most persuasive and why. Ask them to consider that if school rules say no jewellery in school, would it be ok to wear jewellery if it is a religious symbol?

Hold a class debate.

An investigation into the relationship between the development of the universal declaration on human rights and some key texts from three religions.

KS4. Originally written by Adrian Skilbeck, updated in April 2019.

Key words and concepts

Human Rights: those rights which are inherent in our nature and without which we cannot live as human beings. Human rights and fundamental freedoms allow us to develop fully and use our human qualities, our intelligence, our talents and our conscience.

Universal: in relation to human rights they are conceptually possessed by all people in the world, by virtue of being human.

Inalienable: again in relation to human rights it is the idea that what we possess should not be taken away from or given away by the possessor.

Responsibilities: In relation to human rights it is the idea that those who are in possession of their human rights have a responsibility to help those who do not. In respect of religious teachings, it is common to all the main religions that followers are taught they have a responsibility for those in need.

Needs: as a variation on the concept of rights they are those things required by human beings because they are essential and not merely desirable. In Simone Weil’s work needs are both needs of the body and needs of the soul.

Obligations: acts or courses of action that a person is morally bound to carry out. In relation to human needs they are the things human beings are required to do for other human beings to ensure their needs are met.

Promised Land: The land that God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 12:7), a land said to flow with milk and honey.

Jerusalem: A holy city for Jews, Christians and Muslims. The name means ‘city of peace’. Israel claims it as its eternal, undivided capital, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Today Israel controls the whole city, and its ongoing status is disputed.

Homeland: a person or a people’s native land.

Palestine: Often called the Holy Land. Historic region on the east of the Mediterranean Sea, comprising parts of modern Israel, Jordan and Egypt.

Zionism: The belief that Jews should have their own nation. Zionism gained much support in the first half of the twentieth century, leading to the founding of the state of Israel in Palestine in 1948.

Diaspora: the dispersion of the Jews beyond the borders of their country. In general a diaspora refers to any more or less homogenous group of people with a shared heritage or homeland who have moved out to other parts of the world.

Shoah (The Holocaust): a biblical word meaning destruction which has come to stand for the mass murder of European Jewry by the Nazis and their associates during World War 2.

Angel of Death: The figure that appears in the animation is taken from the reference in the Old Testament Book of Exodus Chapter 11 and 12 to the angel who delivers the tenth plague upon Egypt – the death of the firstborn which the Jews are warned to protect themselves against by marking their doors with lamb’s blood. In Judaism the angel of death is known as Samael, Sariel or Azrael, in Islam as Malak Al-Mawt. The visitations of the plagues upon the Egyptians is also described in the Qur’an in Surah al- A’raf 133.

Pupils will need some background information that puts both the animation and the Israeli – Palestinian conflict in context so that they can make sense of it and begin to articulate their responses which will then lead into the rest of this resource.

The song ‘This Land Is Mine’ is taken from the 1960 Hollywood film Exodus, which is about the founding of the state of Israel following World War 2 and in the aftermath of the Shoah (Holocaust). The film focusses on the life of Ari ben Canaan (‘ben’ means ‘son of’) and his attempt to create a peaceful Jewish homeland in Palestine. It is a tale of struggle which does not question the underlying assumptions expressed by the central character and places his actions in an heroic light. Nina Paley’s animation challenges the absolute nature of the statement that ‘This Land is Mine’. Nina Paley is an American Jew and so the animation should be seen as a critical American response to what the Palestinian scholar and writer Edward Said called ‘the main narrative model that dominates American thinking’ with regard to the foundation of Israel, that the Israelis have a God-given right to the land of Palestine. Paley’s film brings out the contrast between the absolute claim to land based on holy scripture and the historical reality of a land that has been fought over by many different peoples for thousands of years. It introduces us to human rights and the complex relationship between religion and politics in the modern world.

This is a stimulus resource that can be used for a range of different pedagogical outcomes. It is used here to facilitate discussion of human rights but it could also be used to explore issues of peace, conflict and reconciliation, the relationship between art and religion, the different ways in which individuals express their beliefs, values and commitments and the conflict between personal and religious/cultural values.

You will need to find ‘This Land is Mine’ by Nina Paley. It is available online.

You will also need to find the following texts online:

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Draft For A Statement of Human Obligations by Simone Weil
• Luke 10: 25-37, the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Learning activities

Activity 1: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict

(adapted from Susanna Hookway’s ‘Conflict: Jerusalem’ in Questions of Truth)

Before introducing Nina Paley’s ‘This Land Is Mine’, split the class into four or five teams. Each team is presented with five statements about Israeli/Jewish claims to the land and five statements about Palestinian/Muslim claims to the land. Remind pupils that not all Israelis are Jewish and not all Palestinians are Muslims. The following statements are simplified for this activity – not all Jews or Muslims believe exactly this!

Israeli/Jewish

1. Our history is one of suffering and persecution, especially in the Holocaust. We have been and still are, badly treated and regarded with suspicion by other cultures. We need to establish our identity, freedom and national development and we need to secure the land to do that.
2. God made promises to Abraham which included that we would live in the land forever.
3. The Jews are now a political nation with Israel our historic homeland.
4. For centuries we have prayed that we would celebrate the Passover ‘next year’ in Now our prayers are being answered.
5. Our ancestors have lived here since the twentieth century BCE.

Palestinian/Muslim

1. Our ancestors have lived in the land for at least thirteen centuries.
2. Jews and Palestinians are blood brothers. We share the same father, Abraham, and the same God.
3. The 1922 mandate said the rights of non-Jews should be protected. American presidents promised to consult Arabs. These promises have been broken and continue to be ignored, creating suffering and misery.
4. We have a stake in Abraham’s heritage. Abraham himself never tried to take away anyone’s land. The only land he owned was the field he purchased in order to bury his wife Sarah.
5. We have suffered greatly and been cruelly treated. We need to establish our identity, guarantee our basic human rights including our right to respect, our freedom and our right to self determination as a Palestinian people.

Ask the teams to group their facts under three headings: Religious, Historical and Political. Explain that there will be overlaps but the teams should aim to recognise the close connections between the three.

Encourage the pupils to develop their reasons for their groupings. Do they find any of the statements more persuasive than the others?

Activity 2: ‘This Land Is Mine’: the song and the animation

Bring up the lyrics of the song on a whiteboard. [These can be found on several lyrics websites, but note that although Nina Paley freely shares her material, the lyrics of the song are copyright and should only be used for educational purposes within your Use the information provided in the Key words and concepts section above to provide the relevant context but take care not to reduce the impact of the animation by saying too much about it at this stage.]

Ask pupils for their initial impressions of the lyrics – the thoughts and sentiments expressed, images invoked, the tone of the lyrics.

In small groups, ask pupils to make a list of all the positive words, phrases and images in the lyrics. As a follow up ask them to consider whether there is anything negative in the lyrics.

Play the song (it can be found on You Tube and is the version sung by Andy Williams). Did the music bear out their thoughts? What words would they use to describe the mood or feeling of the song?

Tell the class they are now going to watch a short animation in which the song is Play the animation.

What are students thoughts about the animation? Were they shocked?

Suggested questions:

• What kind of images do the words of the song evoke?
• What kind of feelings/emotions/thoughts do they express?
• What were your reactions to hearing the song?
• What kind of impression did the song and the music make on you?
• How surprised or shocked were you by the video?
• What images were memorable?
• How has it changed your understanding of the song?
• Leaving aside the violent action of the animation, how is the land represented?
• What is the position of the film-maker in relation to conflict in general and the Israeli – Palestinian conflict in particular?
• Does she favour one side over the other?
• Is this a biased or unbiased video?
• What is the film maker saying about the conflict?
• How does the film help us understand the religious nature of the problem?
• The animation has been described as ‘facile’. This means it is too simple and avoids the complexities of the conflict. Do you agree?
• How is the artist using the figure of the angel of death in the animation?
• Which people did you recognise in the animation? [It might be worth identifying the section from the appearance of the British onwards as the important one for the discussion of human rights.]
• The animation uses stereotypes to make a point. Which stereotypes did you recognise?
• The animation is both shocking funny. Why do you think Nina Paley has used humour to make a serious point?

Activity 3a: What is human in ‘Human Rights’?

(adapted from the Human Rights Resource Centre)

Write the words ‘HUMAN’ and ‘RIGHTS’ at the top of chart on a Smartboard. Below the word ‘human’ draw a circle or the outline of a human being. Ask pupils to suggest what qualities define a human being and write the words inside the outline. For example, ‘intelligence,’ ‘sympathy.’

Next ask pupils what they think is needed in order to protect, enhance, and fully develop these qualities of a human being. List their answers outside the circle.

and ask participants to explain them. For example, ‘education,’ ‘friendship,’ ‘loving family.’ [Note: save this list for use in Activity 3b.]

Explain that everything inside the circle relates to human dignity, the wholeness of being Everything written around the outline represents what is necessary to human dignity. Human rights are based on these necessities.

Explain that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) sets the standard for how human beings should behave towards one another so that everyone’s human dignity is respected. Display these two sentences from the UDHR and ask pupils to read and reflect on them for a few minutes:

…recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of the freedom, justice, and peace in the world…

Preamble, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 1, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Activity 3b: What do we mean by rights?

Ask pupils to suggest different meanings the word ‘right’ can have (e.g., ‘correct’, ‘opposite of left’, ‘just’.) Ask them to consider common expressions like ‘We’re within our rights’ or ‘You have no right to say that’. Record these different meanings on the board. What is the meaning of ‘right’ when we speak of a human right?

In small groups, ask pupils to suggest a definition for human rights: write these possibilities on the board. Negotiate a definition that gains class consensus and write it on a chart sheet by itself.

Write on the whiteboard this definition of human rights:

Human rights belong to all people regardless of their sex, race, colour, language, national origin, age, class, religion, or political beliefs. They are universal, inalienable, indivisible, and interdependent.

Ask the pupils what they think is meant by: ‘universal’, ‘inalienable’, ‘indivisible’, ‘interdependent’? and then to look up these terms in a dictionary and to write down their meaning.

Write ‘SURVIVAL/SUBSISTENCE,’ ‘HUMAN DIGNITY,’ and ‘CONVENIENCES AND LUXURIES’ on another part of the whiteboard. Discuss the meaning of these terms, then remind pupils of the list of things needed in order to protect, enhance, and fully develop the qualities of a human being that they created in Activity 3a. Ask them to place each item under one of the headings. For example, is education necessary to survival? To human dignity? Is education a convenience or a luxury?

Activity 4: Ranking rights

Provide pupils with a simplified version of nine of the articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They are:

• No one should be held in slavery.
• No one should be tortured.
• Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression of that opinion in any way they wish.
• All human beings are born free and equal and should treat all people as if they are brothers.
• Everyone has the right to a standard of living that allows for good health.
• Everyone has the right to be taken care of if they are unemployed, sick, disabled, widowed, old or unable to look after themselves.
• Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
• Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
• Everyone has the right to education.

Using the Think-Pair-Share strategy, encourage pupils to decide on what they think is the most important human right from the list provided. As a pair they then rank the others. A good approach to the second part of this would be to do it as a Diamond Nine activity. Where does freedom of thought, conscience and religion figure in their ranking?

Activity 5: What Is a Universal Right?

Show pupils the comments of Eleanor Roosevelt, Chair of the UN commission that drafted the UDHR, on the importance of universal human rights standards:

Where, after all, do universal rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.

Without concerned citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.

Eleanor Roosevelt: The Great Question

Engage pupils in some reflection on Eleanor Roosevelt’s words.

Ask them then to suggest examples of how someone’ s human rights might be infringed on a local level and to identify which article in the UDHR is being infringed.

Encourage pupils to work in small groups to develop and role-play a scene in which they show the infringement of the right. Techniques such as marking the moment and thoughts aloud can be employed to explore the significance of the moment and the thoughts of those involved. Who does the person appeal to in order to redress the wrong? Are they taken seriously?

Activity 6: Religion and human rights

Explain that in order to gain a full picture of human rights they will now have the opportunity to investigate teachings from Judaism, Islam and Christianity about the importance of social justice, our responsibilities for others, particularly looking after the most vulnerable in society and to compare the teachings with the Declaration of Human They will be making decisions about which article best matches the religious teaching.

Provide pupils with the following quotations and give them time to read and reflect:

Islam

It is righteous to …spend of your substance out of love for [Allah], for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves (Surah 2:177).

And of his signs is this: he created you of dust and you are now human beings dispersed everywhere (ar-Rum 30:20).

You who have attained to faith! Be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in all equity; and never let hatred of any one lead you into the sin of deviating from justice. Be just: this is closest to being God-conscious. (Surah 5:8).

Judaism

[The Lord]… secures justice for those who are wronged and gives food to the hungry (Psalm 146:7).

Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ (Genesis 1:26).

If your brother becomes poor beside you and sells himself to you, you shall not make him serve as a slave: (Leviticus 25:39).

Christianity

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me (Matthew 25: 35-36).

Human life is precious (Luke 12: 6-7).

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

Explain that the three religions here do have much more to say about rights and responsibilities, but that these verses are a focus for the current investigation.

Ask pupils to decide in pairs which articles of the UDHR may be linked to different quotations and to offer some analysis of how religious teachings such as these, which predate the UDHR by hundreds of years, may have been influential in the formation of the Declaration.

Encourage them to make some notes on the similarities and difference they have noticed in the statements.

Activity 7: Comparing Simone Weil’s idea of needs and obligations with human rights via the parable of the Good Samaritan

Explain to pupils that they will have the opportunity now to gain some real depth in their understanding of the possible relationship between religion and human rights through a ‘triangular activity’ in which they compare versions of two texts through the medium of a third:

The two texts are extracts from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Draft For A Statement of Human Obligations by Simone Weil

Mediating text: Luke 10: 25-37, the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Introduce pupils to Simone Weil’s work in the context of human rights and the period in which she was writing and provide them with copies of (a) the UDHR.

Remind pupils of the Parable of the Good Samaritan by reading Luke 10:25-37 and encourage them in twos or threes to read through the UDHR and Simone Weil’s essay, picking out features that could be related to the Parable. Ask them to share their connections in a brief class feedback session.

Ask the pupils to then imagine that following a human catastrophe that has wiped out most of humanity, they have been tasked with providing guidance in the setting up of a new human community. Working in two groups or in larger groups that are then split into two, ask one group to draw up a set of ten fundamental rights, and the other to draw up a set of ten fundamental needs and corresponding obligations, with justifying wording in the appropriate language. Encourage each group to then decide on recommendations for ensuring the guidelines can and will be met, how they are to be kept under review and a mechanism for revising them.

Provide an opportunity for the groups to relate their proposals, e.g., as posters displayed on the walls, or as a digital presentation, and ask the class to work out how they will decide on which set of proposals would be the most effective.

Set pupils an evaluation questions, such as, ‘How far do you think some Jewish, Christian and Muslim teachings are consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?’

An examination of how stories, hymns and prayers can help people understand more about themselves and others with reference to Judaism.

For 8-12 year olds. Originally written by Dave Francis. Updated in April 2019.

Key words and concepts

Rosh Hashanah: Head of the Year. Jewish New Year festival.

Shofar: ram’s horn blown at the season of Rosh Hashanah.

Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement. Fast day occurring on the tenth day after Rosh Hashanah; a solemn day of Tefillah and Teshuva.

Tefillah: self-judgement. Jewish prayer and meditation.

Teshuva: repentance. Returning to G-d. (Jews often write G-d instead of ‘God’ in order to avoid any accidental misuse of the Holy Name.)

Torah: law; teaching. The Five Books of Moses.

Kol Nidrei – lit. ‘All Vows’: Prayer recited on the evening of Yom Kippur.

Fasting: willingly abstaining from food, drink or both, for a period of time.

Forgiveness: in human terms, the giving up being resentful or angry at someone because of a perceived wrong. It can also refer to giving up the demand that someone be punished. When asking for G-d’s forgiveness, people generally refer to their hope that the punishment they deserve from a just G-d will be tempered by mercy.

Creation: the Judaeo-Christian stories of the creation of the world are written in Genesis Chapters 1 & 2. The Jewish calendar is dated from the Creation. Jews write ‘AM’ after each year – meaning ‘Anno Mundi’ (Year of the World). The pattern and purpose of Creation is revealed in the Torah and Talmud (collection of oral Torah / teaching).

Sin: in Judaism, because human beings are given free-will, they are responsible for their own sin. But because human beings are weak and give in to temptation, G-d allows repentance and, through His mercy, can give forgiveness.

Atonement: in the days of the Temple in Jerusalem, there were rituals for making amends for wrong-doing, and animal sacrifices were made. On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, most Jews today do not make animal sacrifices, but offer prayers of confession and repentance. Yom Kippur is a day for fasting and charity.

G-d’s forgiveness: according to Rabbi David Shlomo Rosen, to secure G-d’s forgiveness, ‘It is not enough to hope and pray for pardon: man must humble himself, acknowledge his wrong, and resolve to depart from sin (e.g. II Sam. 12:13ff; 1 Kings 21:27-29)’ and then, ‘remorse must be translated into deeds.’ See D. Rosen, 2003, ‘The concept of Forgiveness in Judaism’.

Learning activities

Tell pupils about the investigation they will be doing: into how different sorts of activities and actions can help us understand more about themselves and their relationships. Explain that to know what is important to us, it’s a good idea to compare with what other people find important. Ask pupils to discuss in pairs how we can keep our relationships in a good state of repair.

This lesson focuses on Jewish actions and underlying beliefs around Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (see definitions above). It is a good idea to start by showing pupils examples of modern Jews celebrating these days. There are many video clips on You Tube, some created to teach children, such as BBC clips, some by Jewish musical groups. The Yom Kippur clip should show the blowing of the horn (shofar). Yom Kippur is solemn and Rosh Hashanah is more celebratory, look for clips that reflect the different emotional tones of these days, such as through worship, practices and especially songs sung on these days.

Explain that Jews believe that although people are ‘sinful’ G-d can forgive sins provided people say sorry (repent). So, every year on a special day called Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), Jews say sorry for anything they have done wrong and remember that G-d will balance their good deeds against their bad. It is a time to start the new year with good deeds. Ask pupils what their favourite or most special time of the year is.

Play a clip of the shofar (ram’s horn) being sounded at Yom Kippur, as well as Yom Kippur prayers and songs. Ask pupils for their reflections about the music: the chanting and the blowing of the shofar. What are their reactions?

Teach about some Yom Kippur traditions:

• The sound of the shofar reminds Jews of the soul’s yearning to be reunited with God
• Fasting for 25 hours
• Reflecting on the year’s past behavior; resolving to do better in the coming year
• Confession and forgiveness of sins
• Chanting the Kol Nidrei (see key words above)
• Retelling the story of Jonah and the Big Fish which reminds Jews that God will hear them when needed

Why do the class think the tradition of using these practices have survived in Jewish practice for hundreds of years?

Teach about Rosh Hashanah traditions:

• Rosh Hashanah is Jewish new Year, it is celebrated a week before Yom Kippur
• Apples are dipped in honey to represent the hope of a good year to come
• The first day of Rosh Hashanah recalls the first day of creation.
• Sweet delicacies are eaten at meals to represent the hope of a good year
• The shofar is sounded

Ask pupils to work in pairs to create three questions they would like to ask a Jewish teenager during this period. Collect these questions and see if the class can agree on one or two questions to follow up. Ask them to record these questions on paper. Explain that this paper will be their ‘Investigation Sheet’ to record evidence that may help answer their question(s).

Ask pupils to work in small groups to make notes on their investigation sheets of some of the beliefs and concepts underpinning the celebration of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur e.g. creation, repentance, atonement, forgiveness, joy. Allocate separate beliefs and concepts to each group so that all are covered by the class as a whole. Ask each group to note on their sheets what they think Jews may learn from taking part in the festivals, especially about themselves and their relationships.

Share information about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur found in text books such as in RE Today’s publication, Opening Up Judaism, by Fiona Moss, (ed.) 2011 to explore with pupils what these festivals mean to Jews and ask why all religions have evolved festivals and holy days; what purpose do they serve? Do such festivals help families in some special ways? Ask pupils to add any evidence to their investigations in writing.

What other ways of finding answers to their questions might there be? Do they think of asking members of a nearby Jewish community or family? How about asking you, their teacher? Try ‘Email a Believer’ on REonline.org.uk.

Ask the class to work in groups to research the four foods often used at Rosh Hashanah: challah (bread), pomegranates, honey cakes, and apples. What does each symbolise? Can pupils find any information about the history of their usage? Ask groups to draw the food and write inside what it symbolises at the festival.

Show Rosh Hashanah cards, there are many to browse through online. Alternatively show Rosh Hashanah cards from your artefacts collection or from a supplier.

Ask the groups to make Rosh Hashanah cards featuring symbolic foods or any practice discussed. Inside, alongside a suitable greeting, they should complete a sentence beginning, ‘Rosh Hashanah is important because …’

As pupils are completing their cards, tell the story of Jonah and the Big Fish, a story often told at Rosh Hashanah, e.g., from Opening Up Judaism, 17, and ask pupils what they think Jewish people might learn from this story about (a) human beings and (b) G-d. What are their favourite stories? Do they think that stories can influence the way we behave towards others? Ask pupils to add a note on the back of their cards one of the things they think Jews may learn from the story of Jonah. They should then add the name of a story that they think important or meaningful to themselves, with a point they learnt from the story.

Explain that many stories are told in order to encourage people to lead a better life. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are times when Jewish people recommit themselves to being kinder to others in the new year ahead. Ask pupils what good deeds they think they might do today / in the coming week. On their investigation sheets, encourage pupils to add some notes showing how the lives of Jews who keep the festivals may be changed in some way.

An investigation into the importance of Muhammad (pbuh) for pupils with special needs achieving at ‘P Levels’ 1-8.

For pupils with special needs achieving at ‘P Levels’ 1-8. Originally written by Anne Krisman. Updated in April 2019.

Learning Outcomes

Emerging

• Talk about what makes you and others special and unique
• Use the word ‘Qur’an’ in talking or writing

Expected

• Use the words ‘Muhammad’, ‘Islam’ and ‘Muslim’ correctly
• Explain how Muhammad heard God’s words
• Explain why Muhammad is inspirational to Muslims

Exceeding

• Explain, with reference to two Islamic practices, how we can see the impact Muhammad had on Islam

Key words and concepts

Hadith: a report of what the prophet Muhammad said or did. Used as guidance by Muslims.

Nasheed: a form of unaccompanied Islamic devotional music. Sometimes a drum is used.

Qur’an: meaning ‘recitations’. God’s words revealed through the prophet Muhammad in Muslim belief.

Inspirational: influencing people to lead their lives in a special way.

This resource uses the idea of ‘burning core ideas’ to express the key knowledge to communicate to pupils:

• Muhammad is special to Muslims;
• Islam is the name of the Muslim religion;
• Muslims believe in one God called Allah;
• Muslims cannot see their God;
• Muslims do not make pictures of Allah or Muhammad as people;
• Muslims’ holy book is called the Qur’an.

Further key ideas and knowledge:

• Muhammad was  trusted  by people – they called him Al-Amin (the one you can trust);
• Muhammad believed in  one God  called Allah;
• Muslims call him a  messenger  and prophet of Islam (rasul);
• Muslims say ‘Peace be Upon Him’ after the name of Muhammad, sometimes written as ‘pbuh’;
• Muslims believe an  angel  appeared to Muhammad in a cave on a mountain (Mount Hira);
• Muslims believe the angel, called Jibril, revealed the words of the  Qur’an;
• Muslims try to lead their lives from the  example  of Muhammad.

Learning activities

The following activities follow the ‘Five Keys Into RE’ approach (Anne Krisman)

1 Connection – How can we link our theme with pupils’ lives?

Share these thoughts with the pupils:

• We all have special unique qualities.
• We like to help others.
• We have special places where we can be calm.
• We care about

Let pupils know that Muhammad was known as ‘The Friend’ and ‘The Helper’ and that they are going to look at things that connect them with the life of Muhammad. This will begin by looking at their special unique qualities.

Share or gather the special qualities of each child in the class. This can be done by sharing ideas in the classroom, by going around the school and asking people who know them well, or by asking parents and carers to respond. Words such as helpful, kind, peaceful will be gathered.

Make the names and qualities into a class performance: names can be signed, clapped, drummed or chanted for each child, e.g., Joshua the Peaceful, Hannah the Friend.

Make a display with pupils’ pictures, their new values name and where appropriate, comments about why this name is right for them.

Paint either a) the pupil’s first name or b) their values name onto the fold of an A3 or larger piece of paper. Fold the paper to create a symmetrical design. Ask the pupils to then decorate and beautify their name.

An additional idea is to write the pupil’s values name in PVA glue and to encourage children to throw different coloured sand onto it. If you wish to highlight Muhammad’s special colour during this theme, use green sand.

While working you could play different nasheeds about Muhammad, you will find many on you Tube, such as:

• Ya Muhammad
• Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him)
• 99 Names for Muhammad
• 99 Names of Muhammad (translated)

2 Knowledge – How can we communicate burning core knowledge within the theme to our pupils?

Share these examples of burning core knowledge with the pupils:

• Muhammad was trusted by people (Al-Amin);
• Muhammad believed in one God called Allah;
• Muslims call him a prophet and messenger of God (rasul);
• Muslims believe an angel appeared to him in a cave and revealed to him the words of the Qur’an.

Let pupils know that Muhammad was valued by people and called Al-Amin – The Trustworthy. Muslims believe he was a messenger of God and that they are going to learn more about his life.

To highlight the importance of Muhammad’s name of Al-Amin – The Trustworthy – trust the pupils to take a special gold wrapped package to another class. Arrange for the member of staff who receives the package to affirm the trust placed in the pupils and to pass on something special from their room for the pupils to take back to their class.

Ask pupils to carry a message in an envelope or sign that Muslims believe there is only one God and tell this to others in the class or around the school. Anyone who hears the message can take a gold star and add it to a picture of the Arabic calligraphy for Allah, to show that the message has been heard.

Let pupils know that Muhammad believed in one God called Allah.

Listen and watch popular nasheeds which mention Allah, for example Yusuf Islam: A is for Allah, Zain Bhikha: Mountain of Mecca.

Encourage pupils to sign the letter A and the number one while responding to the music.

Islamic plaques with Muslim prayers and the raised names of Allah and Muhammad can be touched – these can be obtained from shops in areas with a Muslim population and through artefact catalogues.

Print out lots of small pictures of the word Allah in Arabic calligraphy. Ask pupils to carefully stick the words on to gold paper, trying to put them on the right way up and showing care in placing them, to reflect how Muslims respond to the name of God. [This can also be repeated with the name of Muhammad, this time sticking the names on green paper and keeping the same rules of respect and care. These two pieces of work can be stuck together and a beautiful border made around them, to link them, with glitter.]

Let pupils know that, Muslims believe that an angel appeared to Muhammad in a cave and revealed to him the words of the Qur’an

Show images of Mount Hira while listening to Zain Bhikha’s Mountain of Mecca.

Ask pupils to create a collage made from brown ripped paper, of the cave at Mount Hira. Then, without creating a human image, add the feeling of the angel Jibril, using glitter, holographic paper, cellophane etc.

Make a peaceful cave area in the classroom by putting together prayer mats, cushions and glittery material. Add light changing resources to show the presence of an angel.

Introduce pupils to the first of four stories of Muhammad and use the sensory story guide to help pupils know about the revelation that Muslims believe Muhammad received on Mount Hira.

Share the sensory story together, allow time for the stimuli to be experienced by each pupil.

Ask pupils to reflect on the story and, where appropriate, to ask questions about it.

Where appropriate, choose a question to focus on, for example, ‘Why did the angel say, “Read!”?’ and share possible answers. Adults can also ask questions and respond.

If time, share the story once more.

3 Senses – Which sensory elements are in the theme?

The following sensory activities can help pupils experience something of the life of Muhammad and the importance of Islam to Muslims:

Recitation of the Qur’an and Call to Prayer (adhan);

Islamic nasheeds (unaccompanied devotional music, sometimes using drums);

Prayer mat and topi (prayer cap).

Play a version of the Call to Prayer (adhan) to pupils while they use red, orange, purple and yellow crayons or sponge paint to create a sunset sky. Versions to be used could include those from Turkey, Bosnia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as well as British muezzins.

Afterwards, encourage pupils to add a black paper cut-out of a dome and minaret, to give a scene of a mosque at sunset.

Engage pupils in the experience of wearing or touching a Muslim prayer cap (topi) for boys and headscarf for girls, while turning the pages of a Qur’an on the whiteboard, a resource called ‘Baybar’s Magnificent Qur’an’.

Encourage them to touch some Muslim prayer mats and then look at how Muslims pray, such as by looking at video clips or animation online.

Help pupils make a prayer mat out of sensory materials, such as textured wallpaper. The prayer mat could include arches, a picture of the Ka’bah at Mecca, and a hanging lamp to stick on.

4 Symbols – Which symbols are the most accessible in the theme?

Share these examples of Muslim symbols with the pupils:

• Moon and star;
• Arabic name of Muhammad and Allah;
• Salaam (peace) – Muslims say ‘peace be upon him’ when talking about Muhammad;
• Islamic art symmetrical designs.

Crescent Moon and Star

Invite pupils to recognise the moon and stars in a slideshow of pictures and to sort a selection of pictures of crescent moons and stars.

Encourage pupils to use Makaton signing for star and moon while listening to a song about wonder in the universe, for example There is Only One God by Zain Bhikha.

Encourage pupils to make collage pictures of the Muslim symbol – the crescent moon and star, or rub over a moon and star stencil and decorate.

Salaam – Peace

Ask pupils to identify what makes them feel peaceful out of a choice of different pictures, such as listening to music, going on the computer, lying down, praying, etc.

Help them practise writing the word Salaam in paint while listening to peaceful chill out music.

Ask pupils to make a dove of peace – there are many templates online. Add cut-outs of the name of Muhammad, with crescent moon and star symbols, to show that Muslims say ‘peace be upon him’ when talking about him.

Islamic art symmetrical designs

Explain that Muslims believe only Allah is the creator and so natural designs are shown in a non-realistic but beautiful way, with unexpected colours being used. Repetition of designs shows that God goes on for ever. An example can be found in Iznik pottery from the 16^th century Ottoman Empire, although its designs are still being used for ceramics in Turkey.

Show images of Iznik art from the Turkish tradition. Ask pupils to look for the colours of blue, red and white and for flowers.

Prepare four pieces of black, blue, red and white paper and make concertina folds. The black will be used for the background. Ask pupils to draw simple flower designs and leaves shapes on the three pieces of paper and to cut these up. They should then lay out the three elements of the flower design on the concertina folded black paper, trying to repeat the pattern.

Create an Iznik Art gallery from the pictures, displayed with images of Iznik art pottery.

5 Values – Which values in the theme speak to our pupils?

Share these examples of Muslim values with the pupils:

• Following a straight path
• Helping poor people
• Caring for animals
• Forgiveness

Explain to pupils that they are going to learn about three more stories about Muhammad (Muslims say peace be upon him) that will help them understand how inspirational he is for all Muslims and how he set an example for all Muslims to follow.

Share the sensory story of Muhammad and Crying Camel allowing time for the stimuli to be delivered in a caring manner to each pupil.

Ask pupils to reflect on the story and, where appropriate, to comment and ask questions about it.

Where appropriate, choose questions to focus on, for example, ‘How do we look when we are sad?’ ‘How can we be kind to animals?’ and share possible answers. Adults can also ask questions and respond.

If time, share the story once more.

In follow up lessons, use Muhammad and the Old Woman, as a call and response poem, and Muhammad and the Sleeping Kitten, with the associated activities, to show how inspirational Muhammad is for Muslims. Can pupils identify the parts of each story that show that Muhammad was helpful, kind, compassionate, loving, generous, following a straight path, brave, forgiving?

For 9-12 year olds. Originally written by Fiona Moss. Updated in April 2019.

Learning Outcomes

Emerging

• Use the words ‘fasting’, ‘Ramadan’ and ‘sawm’ correctly in talking or writing
• Give one reason why fasting is important for Muslims, and one reason why it is difficult

Expected

• Give two reasons why Muslims fast, supported by a teaching from the Qur’an
• Give a balanced response to the question of whether athletes should fast
• With reference to Muslim athletes and fasting, give a supported view as to why holding beliefs can be difficult

Exceeding

• Offer a supported view as to how easy or hard it is in life to stick to beliefs

Key words and concepts

Five pillars: The basic precepts of Islam including belief in One God and his prophet Muhammad, prayer, giving of charity, fasting and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Id-ul-Fitr: Celebration of breaking the fast on the day after Ramadan ends, which is also the first day of Shawal, the tenth Islamic month. Also known as Id-ul-Saghir – the Lesser Id – and Sheker Bayram (Turkish) – sugar feast.

Iftar: A meal served at the end of the day during Ramadan, to break the fast. Literally, ‘break-fast.’

Imam: Leader. A person who leads the communal prayer, or a founder of an Islamic school of jurisprudence. In Shi’ah Islam, Imam is also the title of Ali (Radhi-Allahu-anhu – may Allah be pleased with him) and his successors.

Ramadan: The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which fasting is required from just before dawn until sunset, as ordered by Allah in the Qur’an.

Salah: Prescribed communication with, and worship of, Allah, performed under specific conditions, in the manner taught by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and recited in the Arabic language. The five daily times of salah are fixed by Allah.

Sawm: Fasting from just before dawn until sunset. Abstinence is required from all food and drink (including water) as well as smoking and conjugal relations.

Ummah: Community. World-wide community of Muslims; the nation of Islam.

Belief: a confidence that something is true that is not easily proved and is something that others will have different views and opinions about. The term often refers to people’s faith or religious convictions.

Fasting: for Muslims, going without food or liquid between dawn and dusk. Fasting also means not taking medication or smoking. Muslims undertake this for 29-30 days at the time of Ramadan. Muslims also undertake extra prayers and believe fasting brings them closer to Allah.

Commitment: showing dedication to something that is important to you perhaps a particular belief, activity or cause, even if that commitment means forgoing other things.

Learning activities

Set the learning activities in the context of the enquiry question, in this example we have suggested the question, ‘Why can holding beliefs be difficult?’ However, much of the learning suggested could be adapted to questions relating to a religion specific question, e.g., ‘What are the challenges of fasting for Muslims?’

Ask pupils what they recall about the practice of fasting. Can they think of different practices in different religions concerning the length of the fast, what the fast consists of and what exceptions there may be? For example, do they know about the Christian observance of Lent and giving up of luxuries during the whole period of 40 days? Can they compare this with the Muslim practice of fasting during the month of Ramadan and the abstinence from food and drink during daylight hours?

If pupils are not already familiar with the practices of Muslims at Ramadan, explain that for practising Muslims over the age of puberty, about 11, they will fast in daylight hours for approximately 30 days. Fasting means going without food or drink, even water, during the hours of daylight. In the height of summer this means approximately 18 hours with no liquid or food. There are however exemptions from fasting, e.g., for those who are ill or pregnant.

Ask pupils to make a connection between the Muslim practice of fasting during Ramadan with something they could do to (a) remind themselves of people in the world who do not have enough to eat and (b) improve their own will-power and self-control.

Share with pupils that the Olympic games in London 2012 was during Ramadan, and that around 25% of the athletes taking part were Muslim. Introduce pupils to the mystery: Should Imran fast during the Games? (The event and sport that Imran is potentially competing in can be adapted to make it topical, e.g., in 2016 this could be the Olympics in Brazil; in 2014 the Wimbledon Tennis Championships will coincide with Ramadan). Provide pupils with the following scenario:

Imran is a 17 year old tennis player…(sport could be adapted) who has qualified for the … [insert event]. A vital part of the event coincides with Ramadan and, as a Muslim, he is worried about whether he should fast whilst training and competing. He collects together information about the importance of fasting and what other athletes have decided to do to help him make his decision.

Organise pupils to work in groups of 3 or 4 and provide them with the different pieces of information that Imran has collected.

General Islamic Teaching

Muslims who are ill or need to look after their bodies (such as when pregnant or breastfeeding.

It is possible to ‘catch up’ with fasting after a period when Muslims couldn’t fast during Ramadan.

When fasting, Muslims do not drink a sip of water, even if it is very hot.

Muslims do not eat or drink between the hours of daylight.

Children as young as 9 will fast.

Ramadan is a month of fasting in Islam.

Giving up food helps Muslims think about those who go hungry all year round.

Muslims are proud to fast to show their obedience to Allah.

Qur’anic Teaching

Qur’an 2: 185

O you who have faith! Prescribed for you is fasting as it was prescribed for those who were before you, so that you may be Godwary. (alQur’an.info)

Suggests God wants Muslims to fast because it makes them righteous, or ‘Godwary’

Qur’an 2: 184

But should any of you be sick or on a journey, let it be a [similar] number of other days. Those who find it straining shall be liable to atonement by feeding a needy person. Should anyone do good of his own accord, that is better for him, and to fast is better for you, should you know. (alQur’an.info)

Suggests God recommends Muslims fast, but if they cannot, they could feed a needy person instead.

Qur’an 2: 185

Allah desires ease for you, and He does not desire hardship for you,  (alQur’an.info)

However God does not create responsibilities that Muslims cannot meet. Islam should not be a burden.

Qur’an 16:128

Indeed Allah is with those who are Godwary and those who are virtuous. (alQur’an.info)

Fasting shows restraint, this pleases God

What do Muslim athletes do?

Reference: ‘Ramadan in Sports: How do Elite Athletes Cope?’, Ricard Winton, BBC Sport, bbc.com, 05.09.15

Mo Farah, the runner, eats and drinks if Ramadan occurs during a performance season. He fasts once the season has finished.

Moe Sbihi, an Olympic rower, does not fast if Ramadan falls in the Olympic period.

He fasts instead in the winter months, and eats huge amounts of food in the morning before daybreak, about 4am. He finds it hard to not drink all day when he is training and fasting.

Mo Farah, Moe Sbihi, Abdul Buhari (discus) and other British Muslim athletes did not fast in the run up to London 2012. They did not want to let the team down. Instead they funded meals for a poor community in Tangiers.

Ask pupils to read the information on the cards and group together information that links, e.g., narrative, facts, opinions, important information, irrelevant information. Pupils need to decide for themselves how to sort the information. The challenge for them is that at the end of the time allocated they must give Imran some advice.

Offer pupils a series of oral sentence starters to frame their group response to Imran:

• I think Imran should… ..
• I think this decision is hard for Imran ..
• One argument for breaking the fast ..
• One argument for keeping the fast ..
• If I were a Muslim I ..

Once pupils have offered their responses ask them to think what the counter argument might be and how that might affect their life as a member of the Muslim community.

You could link this work to literacy and ask pupils to write a balanced or a persuasive argument.

Write in the centre of six large pieces of paper ‘Beliefs about…’ and then finish the statement with food, behaviour or clothing. Give each group a piece of paper.

1. Ask the first group to write any beliefs that might have to do with this category, g., not eat meat.
2. Move the piece of paper to a different group. Ask this group to draw a line from a belief and write an example of an occasion when it might be a challenge to hold that belief, e.g., at a party.
3. Move the piece of paper to a final group. Ask this group to write suggestions of what believers might say or do to keep to their belief.

As a result of this work support pupils to work in groups to enquire into people who have held a set of beliefs and had them challenged. Give pupils a series of people to choose from e.g., Sarika Watkins-Singh who as a teenager was banned from wearing the Kara but took her school to Court and won; the disciple Peter who denied Jesus three times; Samantha Devine, a 13-year-old Catholic pupil in Kent, who was told not to wear a crucifix on a chain because it breached health and safety rules.

Ask pupils to create a presentation telling this person’s story through drama, newspaper report or other method to share what the person’s beliefs were, how they were challenged, and how they managed to resolve the dilemma. In their presentations, pupils should include:

• different opinions that followers of the religion(s) involved in the story might have about what can be learnt from it;
• at least TWO important questions that pupils think should be asked about the story they are investigating and the possible answers they think relate best to the way people should live their lives.

An investigation into Islamic history and beliefs based on the sitarah.

KS2&3. Originally written by Jim Robinson, updated in April 2019.

Learning Outcomes

Emerging

• Explain the purpose of the sitarah cloth
• Explain the significance of on Qur’anic passage on the sitarah cloth

Expected

• Explain how at least two key Islamic beliefs are represented on the sitarah cloth
• Compare and contrast one ancient use of the sitarah to a modern use
• With reference to two pieces of information, explain what secret story the cloth tells

Exceeding

• Offer a supported view as to whether the sitarah is a sacred object or not

Key words and concepts

Sitarah: screen or curtain hung near the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad.

Haramayn: holy sanctuaries of Mecca and Medina.

Kiswa: ceremonial embroidered black cloth used to cover the Ka’bah.

tomb: place where someone is buried, usually casket-shaped in Islam.

Qur’an: Muslim holy book containing 114 verses of the revelations of Muhammad.

Shahadah: confession of faith, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Muhammad [often succeeded by ‘Peace be upon him, pbuh, as a mark of respect]: the final prophet of Allah, the ‘Seal of the Prophets’, to whom Allah revealed the Qur’an, the Muslim sacred scripture.

Medina: city established by Muhammad as the first Muslim community, where the Mosque of the prophet houses his tomb along with the tombs of other key figures in Islam.

Mecca: sacred city of Islam and direction of prayer for Muslims.

hajj: annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

mosque: Muslim place of worship.

mihrab: niche in a mosque indicating the direction of Mecca.

Sultan Selim III: Ottoman or Turkish ruler who reigned from 1789-1807.

donation: gift given without expectation of payment.

piety: the quality of being religious or reverent. For Muslims this might be expressed through an act of devotion, e.g., charitable giving at an auspicious event, such as the hajj.

prestige: widely recognised respect and admiration felt for someone or something.

sacred: set apart, special because it is in a sacred space or place or relates to a religious concept or person.

calligraphy: the art of using special script when writing out sacred verses e.g. the thuluth script used on the sitarah to record verses in Arabic from the Qur’an.

Allah: Arabic for God, means literally ‘the’ [al] ‘God’ to represent the fact that there is only one God, as monotheism is a key belief in Islam. ‘Alahu Akbar’ or ‘God is great’ is a key phrase used by Muslims.

Shirk [idolatry]: the placing of an individual or thing above Allah for worship is regarded as a grave sin. No images are allowed in Islam and calligraphy is used instead.

Prophet: messenger of God, Allah. Muslims believe that there have been at least 25 prophets in total starting with Adam, each of whom provided partial messages from Allah whereas the message or revelation imparted to Muhammad is complete and perfect and the final one.

Caliph [successor]: there are believed to be four Rightly Guided Caliphs or ‘successors’ of the prophet Muhammad. These are: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali. They are mentioned by name on the top of the sitarah.

angels: the angel Gabriel [Jibril in Arabic] revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad. A belief in angels is central to the Six Articles of Faith in Islam. Angels are heavenly beings who do the will of Allah.

blessings: the conferral of sacred benefits, spiritual rewards from Allah. Some Muslims believe that possessing or being close to objects such as the sitarah confer blessings because they have been close to a sacred place such as the tomb of the prophet Muhammad. For example, reciting one of the verses found on the sitarah is said to confer blessings and lead to paradise.

paradise: in Islam the place where the righteous will go as reward in the afterlife from Allah. Allah judges all individually. There is no intercessor who will stand between the individual and Allah on Judgment Day. There are different ideas about what paradise or Jannah will be like and there are references to it in the Qur’an where it is sometimes described as a celestial garden.

pilgrimage: a sacred journey undertaken as a religious duty or in the hopes of spiritual reward. In Islam pilgrimage [hajj] is one of the Five Pillars or duties of Islam. Only the fit and healthy and those who are free of debt are expected to undertake hajj to Mecca. In Islam there is minor hajj, which can be undertaken at any time of the year, and major hajj which is annual pilgrimage undertaken during the month of hajj [dhul-ul-hajj]. Pilgrimage can include an optional visit to the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina where pilgrims can be near the tomb of Muhammad, which is screened off.

Learning activities

The learning activities are based around the Sitarah, an embroidered cloth to cover the prophet’s tomb in Medina. The Sitarah is held in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and is available to look at online.

Firstly, search for Sitarah, Jameel Centre, Ashmolean and make sure you have this resource. The Jameel Centre is an online resource allowing viewers to look at and learn about some of the museum’s collection.

Explain that pupils are going to investigate and then make a presentation on a museum exhibit [or better still take them to the Ashmolean Museum, Room 31 Islamic Middle East Gallery to look at the sitarah] to answer the question: What secret stories can be told by a sacred object in Islam? This can be done using it as a mystery object initially or a group exercise where they are given the task of identifying what the object is using the weblink above. Prior knowledge of what the inside of a mosque looks like is needed. Labelled drawings of a mosque showing the mihrab, mosque lamps and use of calligraphy would be useful from the start. Similarly, prior knowledge of aspects of the hajj is required such as the decoration of the Ka’bah with a cloth similar to the sitarah and a map of Saudi Arabia showing the pilgrimage route with Mecca and Medina.

Provide some background historical information about the sitarah as a sacred curtain donated initially by a Muslim ruler during hajj to be hung on a wall in or near the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad in Medina. Pupils can be given the task of finding additional background information using a range of resources such as: the video of the tomb, recent photographs of the tomb, links to the British Museum hajj exhibition, weblinks to information about the Prophet’s Mosque and the Green Dome in Medina, information about the Ka’bah and the kiswa cloth that cover it and the sacred sites of Mecca and Medina [the Haramayn]. Remind them that they are trying to find out what secret stories can be revealed by the sitarah and that they are acting like detectives finding clues.

Show pupils the sitarah either in the Ashmolean Museum as part of a museum visit or as a PowerPoint presentation in the classroom using its online resources. Take pupils through what they need to focus on working from the outside edge to the middle in a clockwise direction. Draw attention to the framing of the overall design within arches and columns that resemble the mihrab, then the calligraphy and the finer details such as the imperial monogram of Sultan Selim III at the bottom which is two crossed swords and symbol in between. Ask pupils to write down as many key facts as they can remember about the sitarah and then share these in pairs or groups. If pupils are on a museum visit there is an interactive board with a link to the online information about the sitarah also.

Provide pupils with quote from Dr Christopher Brown CBE Director of the Ashmolean Museum about why the sitarah is so important in understanding the ‘complex nature of the Islamic cultural tradition’. Ask pupils to record on a large sheet of paper what they have learnt so far about this Islamic cultural tradition and about their own cultural traditions [e.g. the importance of learning about other cultures and religions, shared values, celebrating diversity]. Then ask them to record at least three questions they would like to ask about the sitarah as a sacred object and about the possible secret meanings and stories hidden in its design. Swap questions with each other to use as a later task where the other pupil has to try and answer the question and provide useful information regarding the sitarah.

Provide pupils with a printed version of the Ashmolean information about the sitarah. Ask pupils to work in pairs to recall aspects of the sitarah and then label an image of the sitarah explaining what it shows about Muslim beliefs.

Ask pupils to work in pairs to exchange views and make a range of written comments on why each of the following five verses from the Qur’an was chosen to be embroidered onto the sitarah.

Encourage them to say what each verse reveals about why the sitarah is a sacred object, and what each verse might be saying about the meaning and purpose of life. Prompt their thinking by asking which quote from the Qur’an might be the most revealing in this respect. [The Throne Verse seems the most likely as it brings rewards.]

Ask them to focus on the design which recalls the mosque, the place of worship and in particular the mihrab showing the direction of prayer [Mecca] and the references to Caliphs and the donation of the sitarah by the Sultan. Direct the discussion towards whether the sitarah is an example of piety [devotion through the act of giving at an auspicious event, the hajj] or prestige [marking the accession to the throne of the Sultan; something that was standard practice at the time amongst the Ottoman rulers].

1. 29:35 Chapter of the Light which proclaims God as the ‘light of the heavens and ’ [Think about the mosque lamp.]
2. 33:56 Chapter of the Clans: ‘Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all ’
3. The Shahadah: ‘There is no god but God and Muhammad is His Prophet.’ [The names of Allah and of Muhammad are on the red roundels at the top of the ]
4. 2:225 Throne Verse. One part of it states: ‘His throne extends over the heavens and on earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them, for He is the Most High, The Supreme in “’

Explain that you would now like them to work out answers to their original questions asked about the sitarah and its possible secret meanings and stories. They can email a Muslim or ask an RE Expert to help them find the answers. Share some of the answers across the class.

In preparation for the next lesson, pupils should assemble all the information that they have gathered so far about the sitarah in response to the original main question about the secret stories it might reveal and then decide how this information will be presented. Examples could include: a poster display of questions and answers; a cartoon illustrating the voyage of the sitarah from Constantinople to Medina and then Oxford; an interactive quiz; a guidebook for visitors to the museum going to see the exhibit; a letter of thanks to the museum or the donor Dr Khalil explaining how it has helped deepen understanding of Muslims tradition and culture; or as a collection of recordings of pupils speaking about what they have learnt about and from the sitarah to donate to the Ashmolean Museum Education Department for use as a resources for future RE students.

Provide access for pupils to computers and other resources to enable them to produce their presentations. They should choose a catchy title, bearing in mind the key question, ‘What secret stories can be told by a sacred object in Islam?’ and think about the intended audience. This is where Assessment for Learning could be applied to improve presentations and think about assessment opportunities.

Encourage the pupils to include some or all of the following ideas in their presentations:

• the ‘secret stories’ that can now be told about the sacred object, the sitarah (this could include a sense of competition for finding the most obscure or most revealing secret e.g. Sultan Selim III, the original donor of the sitarah, was a member of the Sufi order of whirling dervishes and this means the sitarah may well have been given out of piety as well as prestige;
• some mistaken beliefs about the prophet’s tomb, e.g. that you should ask for Muhammad’s mercy when only Allah can grant mercy to the believer;
• their ideas about the sitarah as a CURTAIN – why might that be significant for Muslims here?
• what big questions of life are being addressed within the design of the sitarah and within the embroidered quotations [e.g. about God, the role of Muhammad as God’s prophet, the ultimate rewards for Muslims who honour God, Muhammad and the teachings of the Qur’an]
• how people might give different answers to those questions, depending on their own beliefs;
• their own insights into the stories, mistaken beliefs, mysteries and big questions raised by their study of the sitarah, using reasoning and examples to support their ideas;
• their thoughts about how and why the Sufi practice of dhikr which involves the repeated recitation of the name of Allah might create a trance like state of union with God;
• the choice made by the designer of the sitarah to use the Thuluth script for the embroidered verses of the Qur’an and what secret stories this tells us about the art of calligraphy [e.g., the belief that you cannot be a calligrapher until you have mastered the Thuluth script; the beauty behind the lines and shapes created this way and how it might show devotion to Allah and His revelation in the words of the Qur’an];
• their own thoughts about how the arts and beautifully embroidered cloth specifically might lift people spiritually [e.g. linking with the idea of beauty and order in creation being a sign or ayat of Allah].

Ask pupils to present their completed work to others. This can be done in a variety of ways: as a poster in which questions are answered; as a PowerPoint presentation; as a cartoon charting the creation of the sitarah to its donation to the Ashmolean; as a guide for visitors to the Ashmolean; as a question and answer interactive display to go in the museum for young visitors.

Remind pupils of the questions they wrote about the sacredness of the sitarah and ask them to choose three of the best. Explain that a key Muslim belief is that there is only one God and worship of anything or anyone other than God is called shirk (idolatry), which is a sin. Ask them to work out in small groups what answers they think that present day Muslims might give to these questions, bearing in mind the points above about shirk. What answers might believers from another religion such as Christianity give? [This could link with the idea of relics of Jesus and saints.]

Explain that not all Muslims will agree about the value of the sitarah in providing protection and blessings. Most believe that only Allah can provide this, so Muslims should perform their religious duties such as prayer (du’a), follow the teachings of the Qur’an and remember the words of the 1^st Caliph Abu Bakr, “Oh people, if Muhammad is the sole object of your worship, then know that he is dead. But if it is Allah the One God you worship then know that He does not die.” Other Muslims may believe that going to the Prophet’s Mosque at Medina as part of hajj and praying in front of his tomb will gain them protection (for example from hell) and blessings in life. However, visiting the Prophet’s tomb is regarded as an optional part of hajj. The verses from the Qur’an embroidered onto the sitarah remind Muslims of the Allah’s power over the universe and the importance of worshipping Him alone. Remind them also about shirk (see above). This could provide the basis of a pupil debate about the spiritual value of the sitarah, arguing both for and against from a Muslim perspective.

Revisit the group exercise and the sheet summarising what was learnt about Islamic cultural tradition and one’s own tradition (based around the quote from Dr Christopher Brown). What can now be added to this? In summary and as feedback, do pupils feel that the sitarah is an object of piety or prestige? What has it taught them about their own beliefs and what insights have they gained about the beliefs of Muslims, bearing in mind that there might be differences within these?

[There are videos of the hajj available from the British Museum shop that might be relevant in terms of the procession of the kiswa or ceremonial cloth covering the Ka’bah at Mecca.]