Reading Assignment: Read the essay, from Harvard Divinity, How Christians got Their Name.
C3 Inquiry unit for Christianity
Dr. Tim Hall has created C3 inquiries for most religions. Here is his inquiry for Christianity.
Frontline has a three part document on Jesus called from Jesus to Christ. Here are video discussion questions for Part 1.
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This exercise introduces students to some of the different forms of Christianity such as the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches, Ethiopic Christianity, and Protestant denominations.
Hand out the attached short two page essays on each of the forms and the chart onto which students note unique characteristics of each form of Christianity. Once finished, they complete a short quiz.
Hand out the attached short two page essays on each of the forms and the chart onto which students note unique characteristics of each form of Christianity. Once finished, they complete a short quiz.
EXERCISE: PILGRIMAGE (taken from Harvard Divinity)
To go on pilgrimage means to journey to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion, to seek divine aid or discharge a religious obligation.
Here are three popular sites--the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the rock-hewn churches in Lalibela in Ethiopia, and the shrine of the Virgin of Guadeloupe in Mexico. Read about them using the links below. Then create a travel brochure or a multimedia presentation on two of the sites (maybe a colorful poster explaining why your sites might make for the BEST pilgrimage).
The earliest extant account of a Christian pilgrim comes in a letter from a Spanish woman named Egeria (also spelled Etheria) addressed to the women in her community. In the fourth c. c.e., she visited a number of holy sites in the Eastern Mediterranean. Note how experiencing these places confirms for her the truth of scripture. Only a portion survives, but what does is highly interesting. To learn more about Egeria, click here. Read an early English translation of her Latin text here.
Examine this image of the tilma and read the entry: Our Lady of Guadalupe. 2016. From the Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
To go on pilgrimage means to journey to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion, to seek divine aid or discharge a religious obligation.
Here are three popular sites--the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the rock-hewn churches in Lalibela in Ethiopia, and the shrine of the Virgin of Guadeloupe in Mexico. Read about them using the links below. Then create a travel brochure or a multimedia presentation on two of the sites (maybe a colorful poster explaining why your sites might make for the BEST pilgrimage).
The earliest extant account of a Christian pilgrim comes in a letter from a Spanish woman named Egeria (also spelled Etheria) addressed to the women in her community. In the fourth c. c.e., she visited a number of holy sites in the Eastern Mediterranean. Note how experiencing these places confirms for her the truth of scripture. Only a portion survives, but what does is highly interesting. To learn more about Egeria, click here. Read an early English translation of her Latin text here.
- One of the major Christian pilgrimage sites today is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Learn more about the history of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by reading this short article or by reading this article Take a virtual tour of the site here.
- Another fascinating site of pilgrimage is found at Lalibela in Ethiopia. The eleven rock-hewn churches found there now comprise a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To learn more about Lalibela, click here and here is a short two minute clip about the church from UNESCO
- The most frequently visited Catholic pilgrimage site is found at the shrine of the Virgin of Guadeloupe in Mexico. It contains the tilma (a mantel or cloak) said to be the imprint of the Virgin Mary. According to the tradition, she appeared to Juan Diego in the 16th century and said (in English translation):
Examine this image of the tilma and read the entry: Our Lady of Guadalupe. 2016. From the Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Students read the positions about climate change representing two perspectives within the United States Evangelical Christian Community. They should note the similarities and differences represented, and how each group relies on scripture to ground their assertions.
Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action
The Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation: Open Letter
DISCUSSION:
Name two specific differences between these positions and the justifications offered for each. Which perspective do you think is most persuasive and why?
Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action
The Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation: Open Letter
DISCUSSION:
Name two specific differences between these positions and the justifications offered for each. Which perspective do you think is most persuasive and why?
Source: Harvard Divinity) One of the primary ways to interpret Christian scripture is through artistic representation, and it's here that we can see the effects of one new way of viewing the Bible, realism in art.
EXERCISE: REALISM AND NATURALISM
EXERCISE: REALISM AND NATURALISM
- Explore the Catalan Altarpiece in more detail here. What do the details convey. What aspects of the scriptural narratives from the Gospel of John 19 and Luke 1-2 are evident? What is not represented? What impact do those choices have on interpretation?
- View this video of Masaccio’s painting, “The Virgin and Child Enthroned,” from 1426 c.e. Consider the effects of science, mathematics, and historical realism on how the Annunciation is portrayed. What is your reaction to this painting compared to the Catalan Altar or the Collier painting?
- Listen to John Collier’s description of his painting, The Assumption. What meanings do the details in this painting convey? What aspects of the scriptural narratives from the Gospel of John 19 and Luke 1-2 are evident? What is not represented? What impact do those choices have on interpretation?
- Consider another artistic medium, listen here as Marie Howe reads her 2008 poem, “The Annunciation.” After listening, consider: What effects and affects arise in telling the story of Mary, Jesus’ mother, from a first person perspective? How does the poem convey realism (interiority), history (the annunciation as an event), and time (when it happened, is [always] happening, will happen again and again)? Compare your reaction to reading Luke 1:26-38 to hearing this poem.
- Choose one similarity and one difference you saw in comparing the Catalan altarpiece and the Collier painting, or the Howe poem. You might choose something specific, like the flowers or the gaze of Mary, or something more abstract like time, place, subjectivity.
- What difference do you think it makes for interpreting the birth of Jesus in how this feature is represented artistically? What do the shifts in the style of artistic representation reveal about the way that Biblical interpretation participates in the broader currents of its time?
Students categorize 24 Christian images by theme including entombment, resurrection, baptism, betrayal, etc. Using Google Slides, students choose one slide from each group, and explain how it justifies the theme AND what they find DISTINCTIVE about the image.
Students study traditional images of the Virgin Mary and note how similar they to their preconceptions. Then, they view Chris Olifi's version of the Virgin Mary and read about the controversy. Students can then either blog their reaction or discuss it with the class. We discussed it and got in a heated discussion. Click here for the images and the stories.
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THE STRANGER from The Stranger Film on Vimeo.
Pentecostalism is one of the fastest growing forms of Christianity. I show my students this powerpoint about Pentecostalism and ask them to read the Biblical basis of Pentecost and then research its development in Brazil, Guatemala, Kenya, Nigeria, India, Philippines, and South Korea. The Pew Center of Research has summaries of all these countries at its site.
Here is a good overview of Pentacostal christainity fro Elle Hardy at Premiere Christianity. Elle hardy has a great book called Beyond Belief. Sections of the book mightbe good for class.
Here is a good overview of Pentacostal christainity fro Elle Hardy at Premiere Christianity. Elle hardy has a great book called Beyond Belief. Sections of the book mightbe good for class.
Dorothy Day
Intesting essay from the NY Times called "Was Dorothy Day Too Left-Wing to Be a Catholic Saint?"
"The Archdiocese of New York has asked the Vatican to consider the social activist for sainthood. But church leaders are not entirely comfortable with her politics."
"The Archdiocese of New York has asked the Vatican to consider the social activist for sainthood. But church leaders are not entirely comfortable with her politics."
Jerusalem Within these walls
This video of a preacher checking his phone while speaking in tongues is my favorite video on the internet right now pic.twitter.com/I9iqZpCQmF
— deathray (@nuns_on_film) October 1, 2019
Interesting 9 minute clip from the New York Times--literally a drive-in church service.
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