2015 Religion CTJ Focus P-10 Engaging with sacred texts across the strands of the Religious Education Curriculum P-12

Year SevenCTJ FocusIn 2015, learners are asked to engage with sacred texts from the Christian tradition that continue to tell the story of God’s relationship with people and the human response to God. These texts may include the sacred writings of the Old Testament and New Testament as well as a range of Christian spiritual writings.

Teachers use the textual criticism framework of the three worlds of the text to engage learners in: A study of the world of the text (What is actually in the text? What type of writing is this

text? Is there a particular structure of the text? Who are the characters in the text and what happens? …)

A study of the world behind the text (What can we learn about the context of this text - the historical world of the human author(s); the cultural world of the time; the geographic considerations of the text; the community for whom the text was written? …)

An exploration of the world in front of the text (For whom might this text be relevant today? What are some messages from or about God that modern believers can take from this text in their time and place? How might a modern reader gain a deeper awareness of this text? Does the Church have a specific teaching about the meaning of this text? How might this text be used/applied in contemporary contexts e.g. in prayer; in liturgy; to inspire action for justice? …)

All elements of the Year 7 Achievement Standard related to the CTJ Focus are highlighted below. From this highlighted section, teachers will identify the particular elements of the standard that are being assessed, according to the focus of their unit of work. This focus is drawn from using the curriculum’s ‘line of sight’ (year level description, year level achievement standard and content descriptions) to determine the selection of appropriate learning contexts across interrelated strands, as well as appropriate learning intentions and success criteria.

Year 7 Achievement StandardBy the end of Year 7, students recognise that sacred texts reflect the audience, purpose and context of their human authors. They explain how sacred texts influence the life of believers. They explain the significance of Church teaching and basic principles of Christian morality for the way believers live out their faith, personally and communally.

Students investigate the beginnings of the Christian faith (c.6 BCE – c. 650 CE) and explain the role of key people and events in its development. They explain some ways in which Christianity shares common beginnings of faith with the other monotheistic religions (Judaism and Islam). They describe some ways in which the faith of believers is expressed, professed and lived out in different communities, past and present. They suggest reasons for change and continuity in the life of Church and religious communities over time and place. They explain the significance of prayer, ritual, sacraments and sacred texts for the faith journey of believers, personally and communally. They participate respectfully in a variety of prayer experiences, including formal prayers such as the Hail Mary and Our Father; meditative prayer including Lectio Divina and Ignatian Meditation; and meditative prayer practices including silence and stillness, and praying with icons and images.

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Assessment of Learning During the moderation process, teachers look for evidence of the demonstration of those elements of the standard in an annotated work sample/assessment piece. The table below provides suggestions of success criteria consistent with the achievement standard, as well as possible assessment opportunities from which to gather evidence of student achievement against the standard.

Elements of the Year 7 Achievement Standard

Possible Success Criteria Assessment Opportunities

Students recognise that sacred texts reflect the audience, purpose and context of their human authors.

Access contextual information (literary form, historical and cultural context and human author’s intention) to assist them to gain deeper awareness of Old Testament texts.

Recognise that the intention of the human author is important in determining the nature of the truth revealed in the text (e.g. historical truth, factual truth, religious truth).

Choose and locate a key text from the Old Testament associated with their unit study - e.g. when Israel was occupied by an ancient world power. They research, explore and discuss the world and intention of the author of the text by :i. identifying the literary form of the text

ii. identifying the text within its historical context by referencing an existing timeline (digital or other) of Israel’s history (e.g. Maccabees – time of Greek domination);

iii. researching the social, cultural and political background of the time and placeiv. exploring the background of the author.

Use this information to annotate the text itself and then write a paragraph about the “truth” of the text for the audience then and also now, noting similarities and differences.

OrExplore an Old Testament text which includes reference to a key ritual or festival of the Jewish people. (For examples of appropriate texts, refer to STOT 12 elaborations.) Create a concept web (digital or other) that identifies key information about and the significance of the festival or religious practice. Using that information, analyse the text in order to explore the concepts of religious, historical and factual truth pertaining to the text, focusing on the symbolic and religious meaning the author intended for audiences then and now, rather than whether it happened as described.

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Elements of the Year 7 Achievement Standard

Possible Success Criteria Assessment Opportunities

Students recognise that sacred texts reflect the audience, purpose and context of their human authors.

Access contextual information (literary form, historical and cultural context and human author’s intention) assists the reader to gain deeper awareness of New Testament texts.

Recognise that the intention of the human author is important in determining the nature of the truth revealed in the text (e.g. historical truth, factual truth, religious truth).

Choose and locate a key text from the New Testament associated with their unit study. They research, explore and discuss the world and intention of the author of the text by :i. Identifying the literary form of the text

ii. identifying the text within its historical context by referencing an existing timeline (digital or other) of Israel’s history (e.g. Maccabees – time of Greek domination);

iii. researching the social, cultural and political background of the time and placeiv. exploring the background of the author.

Use this information to annotate the text itself and then write a paragraph about the “truth” of the text for the audience then and also now, noting similarities and differences.

OrExplore a New Testament text which includes reference to a key ritual or festival of the Jewish people. (For examples of appropriate texts, refer to STNT 16 elaborations.) Create a concept web (digital or other) that identifies key information about and the significance of the festival or religious practice. Using that information, analyse the text in order to explore the concepts of religious, historical and factual truth pertaining to the text, focusing on the symbolic and religious meaning the author intended for audiences then and now, rather than whether it happened as described.

OrExamine one (or a part) of the letters of Paul, or the pastoral letters from Early Church communities contained in the New Testament, in order to explore the audience, purpose and context of the authors. Having identified key messages and themes, discuss whether, how and why the messages may be the same or different for a modern audience, such as themselves.

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Elements of the Year 7 Achievement Standard

Possible Success Criteria Assessment Opportunities

Students recognise that sacred texts reflect the audience, purpose and context of their human authors.

Recognise that the Gospels are not simply eye witness accounts of the life of Jesus, but are post-resurrection texts intended for different audiences.

Distinguish three stages in the formation of the Gospels: the life and teaching of Jesus, the oral tradition, and the written Gospels.

Recognise that each Gospel depicts Jesus in a particular way.

In groups or as a class, choose one of the four Gospels and explore and research the author and the formation of the gospel. In particular, explore the original intended audience of the gospel and locate that audience in the social, cultural and historical worlds of the early church.

Take one or more texts from the gospel which reveal/s the context and purpose of this particular author and audience and annotate the text in a way that demonstrates your understanding of the concepts of religious, factual and historical truth, focusing on the religious and symbolic meaning of the text rather than whether it actually happened.

Students explain how sacred texts influence the life of believers.

Analyse and explain how the writings and key messages of the founders of religious orders influence the way of life of religious communities (e.g. prayer life, apostolate, dress, spiritual practices, beliefs, symbols, daily life).

Explore some of the sayings/writings of founders of religious orders or institutes (e.g. Ignatius Loyola; St Francis; Mary MacKillop; Catherine McAuley; Marcellin Champagnat) in order to explain why the followers acted as they did at the time and why those actions may be the same or different in our time and place. Demonstrate a recognition that teachings of the founder (be it Jesus or another) need to be recontextualised and reinterpreted for audiences across time, and yet still remain faithful to the core message or teaching.

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Elements of the Year 7 Achievement Standard

Possible Success Criteria Assessment Opportunities

Students explain the significance of sacred texts for the faith journey of believers, personally and communally.

Describe one or more ways in which Christians pray with Scripture, including Lectio Divina (Benedictine tradition) and Ignatian Meditation.

Explain the significance of praying with Scripture for believers.

Explore and experience one or more of the following meditative practices, a number of times:

Ignatian Scripture Meditation Lectio Divina Lectio of (Christian) Art Lectio of (Christian) Music

After each experience, journal your experience of the practice, exploring and explaining your response to the particular Scripture text and the particular meditative practice used. Share this experience with other members of the class and complete your journaling by adding similarities and differences in the response of others to the same text.

Further information about assessing student learning is available on the BCE Learning and Teaching Portal . Further assessment opportunities may be drawn from the content elaborations of the Religion Curriculum P-12 and the Learning Bytes.

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Ignatian Meditation Practice

Called the Ignatian method of meditation, this exercise is attributed to St Ignatius Loyola and involves the use of visualisation and imagination. In it take a scripture passage and then imagines you have the opportunity to go off on your own to dialogue with the teacher (God, Jesus, Isaiah, Paul, James etc.) about what has just been taught or said: be it a law, a parable, an aphorism, a judgement, or an exhortation, seeking further clarification or meaning. You imagine, during the meditation, what you would ask further and say, and even what the speaker would say in return!

Steps:

1. Assume the posture for meditation. (Sitting upright; feet on the

floor; body relaxed and comfortable)

2. Begin to regulate your breathing to slow your metabolism and empty your mind of distracting thoughts.

3. Recite your mantra prayer: Maranatha (“Come Lord Jesus”); or “Speak to me, Word of God”; “Speak Lord, I am listening”; or one of your own.

When you are ready, either listen to, or read a chosen text from the Sacred Scriptures. This should not be long- a short paragraph is best. Read it (or have it read to you) slowly, pausing slightly at the end of each sentence.

Listen to the reading for anything that interests you, challenges you, excites you, puzzles you, even angers or upsets you.

Think and formulate some questions, comments, statements you would make in response to the speaker in the text. What would you ask, say, challenge, protest about?

Imagine that you have the opportunity to be alone with the speaker of the text: be it Jesus, or St Paul, or one of the prophets, or God.

Ask the speaker about what they meant, or who they intended this teaching for, or whether it applies to you, or what impact it would have on you.

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State your opinions, feelings, attitudes, emotions on hearing this text. Do you agree with it? Can you accept it? How does it make you feel? Is it asking something too hard? Is it relevant for people today?

Hear what the speaker, in their wisdom, might reply. Recognise that what God wants and what you want may be different; that God’s ways and your ways may not be the same. What is God asking of you through this speaker? Hear that God is a patient God and that you might not be ready yet to respond in faith.

Ask God’s help, in prayer, for the courage and strength to believe and to respond in faith.

1. For the last time, read or listen to the passage and at the end, rest in silence. Return to your breathing and your mantra for a few minutes, clearing your mind of all thoughts. You may wish to turn the word or phrase you have been reflecting on into a mantra.

2. At the end of the meditation, you might like to spend a few minutes journaling whatever comes to mind, or walk a labyrinth, reflecting on the experience, or noting any reflections or responses you had to the text. You may wish to write a prayer to use on other occasions, or even construct a mantra from the word or phrase you heard today with the ear of your heart.

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Lectio Divina for Young People

The practice used for 1500 years in the monastic movements of Christianity is called Lectio

Divina, or Sacred Reading. Devised by St Benedict, it involves reading, but more importantly,

listening with the “ear of your heart” to a passage of scripture until a word or phrase strikes

you. That word or phrase then becomes the object of meditation: to be used as a mantra or as a

means of an interior dialogue as to what it is saying to you in your time and place. One’s

meditation on the word or phrase ends with a prayer. Read, Read again and Reflect; Read

again and Respond; Read again and Rest.

Steps:

1. Assume the posture for meditation. (Sitting upright; feet on the floor; body

relaxed and comfortable)

2. Begin to regulate your breathing to slow your metabolism and empty your mind of distracting thoughts.

3. Recite your mantra prayer: Maranatha (“Come Lord Jesus”); or “Speak to me, Word of God”; “Speak Lord, I am listening”; or one of your own.

4. When you are ready, either listen to, or read a chosen text from the Sacred Scriptures. This should not be long- a short paragraph is best. Read it (or have it read to you) slowly, pausing slightly at the end of each sentence. Listen for a word or phrase that stands out for you today.

5. After a short pause, listen to or read the passage again, this time locating the word or phrase you chose in the first reading of the text within the story or teaching. At the end of the second reading, think about your word or phrase and why it may have stood out for you at this moment in your life. Is it saying something to you? Is there something you need to do or change or consider? Listen to what the passage is saying to your heart: do you need to respond in love, or compassion, or empathy?

6. Listen to the passage again, and at the end of the reading respond to what it may be saying to you. Will you act or not on what you have thought about? Is there anything you can do? Ask for God’s help and the courage of the Holy Spirit to do what is best.

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7. For the last time, read or listen to the passage and at the end, rest in silence. Return to your breathing and your mantra for a few minutes, clearing your mind of all thoughts. You may wish to turn the word or phrase you have been reflecting on into a mantra.

8. At the end of the meditation, you might like to spend a few minutes journaling whatever comes to mind, or walk a labyrinth, reflecting on the experience, or noting any reflections or responses you had to the text. You may wish to write a prayer to use on other occasions, or even construct a mantra from the word or phrase you heard today with the ear of your heart.

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Praying with Art

Select and Sit with an art work and “read” it slowly. Ask yourself:

What are the first thoughts/emotions/responses that this artwork invokes in me?

What aspects of the artwork do I see/feel on closer/longer examination?

Is there anything that this art work says to me about God or about the great questions of life?

How might this art work have an influence on my world view or my belief system?

Some words which describe my reaction to this artwork.

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Lectio of MusicPreparationPrepare for your lectio prayer by finding a quiet place and take some time to settle yourself into stillness and rest in silence. Breathe deeply and be present to your body. Become aware of the sacredness of this time you have set aside to be present to God.

Choice of Music:If possible, choose three versions of the music- e.g. orchestral no words; music with words; a solo presentation e.g. on a single music instrument. A You tube clip may be one choice, though the emphasis is on listening, not viewing.

First HearingThe first moment in lectio is reading God’s word. As in praying with icons, we are dealing with an entirely different kind of sacred “text.” Play the piece of music once to enter into its landscape. Notice the sounds of the notes and silences between them, rest into the movement of the music. Be present to how it rises and falls in your body and imagination. Allow the music to fill you, breathing it in. Slowly become aware if there is a dominant sound or image or feeling that is calling to you in this initial experience. Rest with that image or feeling, taking it in and being fully present to it

Second HearingPlay the music a second time. This time while listening allow the sound or image or feeling that first called to you to draw you more deeply into the experience of it. Allow it to unfold in your imagination and notice what memories, feelings, images or other sounds are evoked. Notice how the experience of listening to the music touches you and how you might express that touch. Hold the awareness of how the music is flowing through you and what is being evoked.

Third HearingPlay the music a third time. This time focus on how your heart wants to respond to being touched. What is the invitation present in the unfolding of sounds, images, memories, and feelings for you today? How is God speaking to your life in this moment through this music? What is the “yes” within you that is longing to be expressed? If you feel comfortable, take a moment to express with your voice what you are experiencing in your body. It might be a simple sound or a line from a song or something you have created in the moment.

Resting with GodSpend some time resting in silence and releasing the sounds, feelings, and images that are stirring in you. Close your eyes for a few minutes and rest in the stillness in simple awareness of God’s presence. Allow yourself some time to simply be.

ClosingWhen you have come to the end of your prayer time you may want to play the music again and just experience it anew from the other side of the lectio time. Notice if anything else stirs in you and offer a prayer of thanks for the gift of this time and for God’s presence in beauty and stillness.

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