Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion whose adherents believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the son of God and their savior. Christianity developed out of a sect of Judaism that believed Jesus was the messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. The main tenet of Christianity is that Jesus was resurrected.
(excerpt below from Evangelical Lutheran Church of America ) What Is Christianity? A basic overview of our church’s foundations To define it simply, Christianity is one of the world’s major monotheistic religions. Christians believe in Jesus Christ and follow his teachings. We believe Jesus is God’s own son, sent by God to become human. As the son of God, Jesus is divine, but he was also a human being who lived among us on earth, over 2,000 years ago. Followers of Jesus are part of God’s people, whose heritage includes the Jewish people and the Christian Church throughout the world today. Who was Jesus? As a person, Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew who lived and died in biblical Israel under Roman rule in a province the Romans called Palestine. He spent his adult life in ministry with his disciples, traveling around the region, teaching about God and spreading a message of God’s love, peace, hope and forgiveness. He healed the sick and fed the hungry. He gathered many followers who were passionate about his teachings. As his following grew, some of the religious leaders became more and more distrustful and angry with him, until he was eventually turned over to the Roman government by Judas, one of his own disciples. The Roman governor Pontius Pilate then sentenced him to execution. He died by being nailed to a cross in the outskirts of the city of Jerusalem. But death did not contain him. On the third day after his crucifixion, the day Christians call Easter, Jesus appeared among his followers as the risen, living Lord. He continued to teach, spreading the Good News, sharing the story of his life and resurrection to people here on earth for forty days before returning to heaven. His story and teachings are depicted in the New Testament of the Bible. As Christians, we believe that Christ lives among us today by the power of God’s Spirit, present when the Good News is preached and the sacraments are administered. |
Comparative religions is the study of religions concerned with the systematic comparison of the doctrines, practices, and history of five of the world's major religions. There are many benefits to such a course of enquiry but in general the comparative study of religion yields a deeper understanding of the fundamental philosophical concerns of religion and of the differences and similarities in beliefs among people who practice these religions. A person who has undertaken such a course of study has a much richer and more sophisticated understanding of human beliefs and practices regarding religious practice.
In this class, we will be studying Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
In this class, we will be studying Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Concepts
Celebrations, festivals, ceremonies and customs
identify major festivals and relate each to the beliefs they celebrate
identify at least one unique custom of the religion be able to describe and explain the beliefs, ceremonies and customs associated with the celebration Easter |
Sacred writings, stories and key figures
understand how the current Bible was constructed
be able to explore the issues which are raised when considering creation, virgin birth, miracles and resurrection show a basic knowledge of the main events in the life of Jesus |
Beliefs
show an understanding of the concept of the Trinity be able to outline the key beliefs of Christianity: 1) how does one become a Christian; 2) how should Christians behave; 3) what happens after death |
Sacred places, worship and symbols
be aware of a range of Christian symbols and their significance recognize the Lord's Prayer as a central Christian tradition and have some understanding of its terminology show an understanding of Communion |
Moral values and attitudes
explain a Christian perspective on a current social/moral issue and tie it to specific Christian beliefs apply the moral of a parable of Jesus to a current social, economic or political issue |
Challenges
Challenge #1—Individual: Create an illustrated dictionary of Christian terms. Include any terms you find throughout the unit that are new to you or are used in a new way. Also include in your dictionary a map of the major world centers of Christianity. Due April 12 Challenge #2—Individual: Present the key beliefs of Christianity: 1) how does one become a Christian; 2) how should Christians behave; 3) what happens after death. Due April 17 Challenge #3—Individual: Tell the story of the life of Jesus by choosing some of the main events and telling the stories. You should choose important events that, taken as a whole, give the reader an idea of the beliefs of Christianity and how it is different from Judaism. Due April 19 Challenge #4—Group: Apply the moral of a parable of Jesus to a current social, economic or political issue. How would the situation change if everyone involved behaved according to the principles of the parable? Be prepared to present your product to the class. Due May 3 Challenge #5—Individual: Create a piece of art that illustrates and explains some of the major symbols of Christianity. This is for extra credit points (up to 10 points possible). Due May 1 Remember: Reflections are due WITH EACH CHALLENGE!! |
Resources
Sorry, I didn't have this sheet posted earlier. If you used a reflection sheet from another page and it was the old form, that's okay. I'll accept either one. I think this is actually easier to do.....
Remember, to use this form, choose something you've done and track it up, showing how you reached the highest level you reached by supporting it with the lower levels. Some people left the lower levels blank in earlier challenges, but you can't reach, for example, evaluation, if you don't do all the stages that lead up to it. Show me you understand what you did. Remember, I'm available to help you do this, but it's very important that you understand your own thinking. |