Christianity: Christianity: the Knowledgethe Knowledge

Welcome to Welcome to Bishop Woodford Bishop Woodford

House House . .

Christianity: Christianity: the Knowledgethe Knowledge

Session 1:Session 1:‘‘The Knowledge’ The Knowledge’

~ Beliefs and ~ Beliefs and Concepts in Concepts in ChristianityChristianity

. .

The Knowledge

What do you know about Christianity?

Teachers come with Teachers come with different levels of different levels of

expertise.expertise.

What Christianity

should you be tackling

in school?

Cambridgeshire

The Suffolk Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2006

What kind of What kind of Christianity do you Christianity do you want to portray?want to portray?

•Positive

•Present

•Living

•Cross-curricular

•Rich and varied

•Multi-cultural

Grave concerns over Christianity teaching – Alan Brine (HMI)

• Teachers still think they may be involved in nurture.

• Teachers bring huge assumptions / baggage about Christianity.

• Teachers try to cover too much content.

• Teachers ‘can’t see the wood for the trees’ and unsure where each tree fits.

• Teachers see its value as PSHE and ‘learning from’ is not LF Religion.

• He advises a more theological approach ….

What if we taught Christianity through its key ideas, beliefs

or concepts….

Where would you start?

And how would they relate to an RE syllabus ….. And how would they relate to an RE syllabus …..

……and the 2 ATs ‘Learning about Religion’ and … and the 2 ATs ‘Learning about Religion’ and …

‘ ‘Learning from Religion’.Learning from Religion’.

Concepts in ChristianityConcepts in Christianity1. creation2. sin3. gospel4. incarnation5. Kingdom of God6. disciple7. salvation8. atonement9. resurrection 10.reconciliation11.hope12. judgement

Concepts: big ideas around

which religions are formed and through which they must be

viewed.

Concept crackingConcept crackingThe Work of Trevor and Margaret Cooling

• Maybe we could write a whole curriculum based around this idea and …

• start each unit by unpacking a concept in a practical and exciting way, making it relevant to our pupils and..

• link to religious material, customs, traditions, etc

Taking on the concepts …..Taking on the concepts …..

Christianity: Christianity: the Knowledgethe Knowledge

SalvationSalvation

IncarnationIncarnation

ReconciliationReconciliation

Kingdom of GodKingdom of God

HopeHope

In looking at these five Christian concepts In looking at these five Christian concepts we are also dealing with these questions:we are also dealing with these questions:

• What do Christians say about our world?

• What do Christians say about God?

• What do Christians say about humans?

• What do Christians say about how to live?

• What do Christians say about our future?

QuestionQuestions?s?