| Year Levels Focus: | We are created in God’s image and called to belong to a loving community as modelled in the Trinity. (TCREK017) |
| Aims: |
|
| Content Statement: |
Students will engage with the Scriptures to explore stories and images that give us some insights about God as Mystery, for example, breath, light, rock/strength, love. They will examine Christian stories, sacred art and music that seek to present images of God. Students will explore that God is the giver of all life and that he continues to give us life. They will be supported to recognise that human beings, created in God’s image, occupy the special place in God’s plan. Students will explore that Jesus reveals God’s love and has taught us to relate to God as Father. They will be deepened in awareness of God, Trinity of Love, & will be supported to grow in relationship with God, self, each other, all of life. |
God is mystery. We can never fully grasp the meaning of this mystery. The only way we can talk about God (i.e., do theology, which literally means “God talk”) is in metaphor and by analogy with what exists. Since we human beings are living beings, “persons” who “exist”, our most complete metaphor for God is that God too is a personal, living being—although God is infinitely more than that. As St Thomas Aquinas said, “God is the subsistent act of ‘to be’ itself”. God is not so much “a” being as God is the very act of being.
The Christian faith asserts that this mystery (of being-in-itself at the heart of all being) loves all beings into being. In that sense God is “creator”—God loves us into being. And because this mystery loves us, it has a “name”, it is “personal”, it has an identity by which it relates to us, reveals itself to us, and it can therefore be (in some measure) known by us (i.e., to the extent that we are capable of knowing it).
What this means is that all theology (“God talk”) is very limited when it comes to saying anything definitive about God. The most that we can do, when speaking of God, is to speak by analogy and in metaphor. As St Thomas Aquinas put it: “We can never know what God is; we can only ever know what God is not”. Or, as St Augustine said in one of his sermons, “If you understand [it], it isn’t God”.
Apart from speaking of God analogically as personal, among the most important metaphors we use to speak of God is to say that “God is love”. Now, because God is love, “God” is a verb (a “doing word”) more than a noun (the name of something). Love is something that happens between the one who loves (“the loving Father”) and the one who is loved (“the beloved Son”), united by the love they share (“their Holy Spirit of love divine”)—for which the metaphor is “Holy Trinity”, the “three” who are one in the love that unites them.
In GNFL this understanding of God is developed with the aid of these theological emphases:
- The Catholic way to speak of God is by analogy and in metaphor.
- Almost all of the books in the Bible speak of God in metaphor; and almost all Catholic theology (of the academic kind) speaks of God by analogy.
- This way of speaking of God is in our terms (in human images, ideas and language) but it is on God’s terms (the way that God wishes to reveal himself to us).
- Christians use the word “God” because we have no better one with which to point to the mystery we are trying to talk about.
- Using this poor little word saves us from falling prey to a delusion that by using bigger and more impressive words we’ve actually “got” God, that we “grasp” who and what God really is, for example, “The Supreme Being”, “The Absolute Reality”, “Pure Essence”, “Transcendent Ground of Being”. While all of these more exalted terms may have their uses, when it comes to actually defining God, all these abstractions are just as inadequate as the far more earthly biblical metaphors like “fortress and rock” (2 Samuel 22:2), “mother hen” (Matthew 23:37) and “gate for the sheep” (John 10:7).
- No definition of God’s essence or nature is possible—except perhaps the paradoxical one that deconstructs itself, and is therefore no definition at all: “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14).
- The “Christian God” is not just another god among other gods.
- The “Christian God” is rather the Christian way of speaking about this Mystery, which we experience as loving us and which is revealed in Jesus—that’s what makes it specifically Christian.
- The central Christian statement of faith is: “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16); and that love is revealed in Jesus, who loved you and me and everyone so absolutely that he gave his life for each one of us personally and for all of us collectively.
URL link to Theological Conversation chapter (PDF).
- God, source of life and love, is Mystery.
- Through Jesus we know what God is like.
- We share in God’s life and love.
- Our Creator God continues to give and renew all life.
- Created in God’s image, we occupy a unique place in God’s plan.
- In God’s image, we become fully human through the experience of community.
We are created in God’s image and called to belong to a loving community as modelled in the Trinity. (TCREK017)
Students will engage with the Scriptures to explore stories and images that give us some insights about God as Mystery, for example, breath, light, rock/strength, love. They will examine Christian stories, sacred art and music that seek to present images of God. Students will explore that God is the giver of all life and that he continues to give us life. They will be supported to recognise that human beings, created in God’s image, occupy the special place in God’s plan. Students will explore that Jesus reveals God’s love and has taught us to relate to God as Father. They will be deepened in awareness of God, Trinity of Love, & will be supported to grow in relationship with God, self, each other, all of life.
TCREI007
Developing questions for investigating religious ideas, events and rituals (TCREI007)
- developing and posing questions about the Trinity as a community of loving Persons
- generating questions about the Mass and why Catholics say “it is what God does for us”
- asking “why are there different forms of writing in the Bible and why is it not all narrative?”
- questioning and reflecting on how Pope Francis is pope, just as St Peter was the first pope
- formulating questions about, and writing examples of, ways that the Spirit of Jesus lives in others and the church community
TCREI008
Being familiar with some of the most significant stories of the Old and New Testaments and discussing characters and meanings (TCREI008)
- learning words from glossaries of significant words from the Old Testament and the sacraments, e.g., covenant, initiation, sin, reconciliation
- using a range of methods including digital technologies to plan and conduct an information search about the different genres in the Bible, including parables, proverbs, narratives, psalms, miracle stories, etc.
- defining and explaining the different genres of writing found in the Bible
TCREI009
Representing and communicating religious or spiritual ideas and information using diagrams, models and simple reports (TCREI009)
- researching biblical lands and creating three-dimensional maps of geographical areas that relate to important Old Testament stories
- gathering Scripture quotations around a series of themes and making a class mural, story maps or a class big book
- writing student-derived examples of Scripture genres based on biblical texts (e.g., writing a letter to a friend who is far away, encouraging her or him to stay strong and keep going even though she or he is alone)
- retelling Scripture passages illustrating different genres and making shadow puppet plays
TCRED007
With guidance, identifying questions about religious ideas, events or rituals and recording ideas, thoughts and feelings (TCRED007)
- developing searching questions about how the mystery of God helps us grow in wisdom and understanding
- reflecting individually or collectively using imaginative prayer and meditation, journalling, reflective writing
- inviting a guest speaker (e.g., the parish priest) to class to ask him questions, using a Q and A style format, about the Mass, God, the Church, or his vocation
- designing simple surveys to find out what students understand about questions such as “How is the Church animated by the Spirit?”
- using a range of methods including digital technologies to plan and conduct an information search about the teachings of Pope Francis and what he says about the Church today
TCRED008
Weighing up values and ideas to make connections. Sharing thoughts and suggestions with others. Reflecting, contributing to group dialogue, generating questions and drawing conclusions regarding principles for living responsibly, personally and in society (TCRED008)
- examining individually and collectively the idea of covenant
- listening to the stories of the Old Testament prophets
- examining our own actions and decisions in the light of their example
- weighing up choices
- sharing thoughts and suggestions about how families can live more like a loving community
TCRED009
Responding at the personal level or, with others, designing, sharing and, where possible enacting, a simple action plan towards improving specific situations at school or beyond (TCRED009)
- organising and leading an assembly prayer using Scripture, calling us to trust in God to find peace
- constructing visual representations or mosaics highlighting how the sacraments are celebrations of the presence of God in our lives
- journalling during Lent or Advent to invite Jesus into our choices, and living love by practising gratitude and acts of kindness
- creating a class or school prayer calendar using appropriate Scripture passages
By the end of Year 4, students can acknowledge that they and all human persons are created in the image of God, and that Jesus (God-with-us) reveals for us that God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—calls each one of us into a loving relationship with him and each other. They can recognise that Jesus’ loving example, as witnessed in the Gospels, informs the choices and guides the actions of those who follow him. They can recognise that, in the community of the Church, followers of Jesus celebrate God’s loving presence through the liturgy, and are nourished by the sacraments and by his Word in Scripture to live like Jesus. They can identify the Eucharist and describe its ritual elements as the celebration at the heart of Christian prayer and life. They can recognise that Jesus through his sharing of his Holy Spirit is present in the Church and its sacraments, and they can describe how the Spirit enlivens and guides us to be healing, forgiving and reconciling people. They can identify the way we celebrate God’s healing and forgiveness, and describe their ritual elements through the sacraments of Penance and of the Anointing of the Sick.
Students can explore, pose questions about and respond in a variety of ways to religious experiences, texts and stories. They can reflect on living responsibly and can develop, share and enact a response at the personal level and/or a simple plan of action at the school or local level.
Pre-unit assessment
Ask students to complete some sentence starters:
- I think God is like …
- I see signs of God when …
- Things people have learned about God include …
Learning Hook
View YouTube clip, Images of God, by Marie-Helene Delval.
Surface
(Giving language, facts, and basic concepts structure to lead into deeper learning)
Key Vocabulary: mystery; Father, Son, Holy Spirit; Comforter, Healer, joy, peace, image
What is God like?
Support students to identify and wonder about various names and images they use for God and some that are used in Scripture, for example:
air—breath, wind
water—stream, river, ocean
light—sun, lantern, fire, flame
rock—might, power
love—mother, father, friend.
- Describe particular things, particular people. Draw an image of a person or thing from a classmate’s description or instruction.
- Share some graphic stories that “paint a picture in the mind”. See The Car Trip: Kids’ Poems and Stories (YouTube), which paints vivid pictures.
- Referring to family photos or drawings, invite students to tell the story of people or events that are important to them.
- Build a photo gallery of people and events important in the students’ lives. Discuss how the images are held in mind and heart, how they are valued, and how they guide thoughts and actions.
- From the images, develop metaphors/similes for the people depicted, for example, my little sister is sunshine; my mum is a miracle worker; my grandpa is like an owl.
- Discuss the depths of meaning held in the statements.
- Introduce some statements about God: God is … (or) God is like …
- Reflect on the Images of God by Marie-Helene Delval, or introduce a picture storybook, for example, The Boy and the Ocean, by Max Lucado, or God Is Like, by Julie Walters, to help open discussion. (On YouTube: The Boy and the Ocean, uploaded by Crossway)
- List the different names and images that students use for God.
- Consider where and how they developed these. Ponder why there are so many different names and images.
- Encourage students to ask some people they know how they like to think of God. What are some of their favourite images and names for God? Why do they hold them?
- Through a simplified guided Scripture hunt, identify some key images used in Scripture. Consider the examples immediately under the heading above, as well as: Being who creates/shapes/saves. Build up a collage of words and text. Hear the song, God’s Love Is… , by John Burland.
- Suggest some brief Scripture texts for students to memorise, or for their reflection, creative expression, prayer. See Catholic Online: 1 Min. Morning Prayer, Good Morning, God (YouTube).
Deep
(Learning experiences that lead on from beginning experiences to questioning more deeply and exploring ideas in different ways to lead to making connections between faith and life)
Continue to investigate the question, “What is God Like?”
Guide students in investigating the images chosen from the Scriptures and invite questioning and creative responses.
- Investigate chosen images of God from the Scriptures, for example:
Psalm 104:3, air—breath, wind
Psalm 136:6, water—stream, river, ocean
Jeremiah 29:11; 31:3; 1 John 4:8, love
Psalm 18:2, rock—stronghold
Exodus 13:21, fire
1 John 1:5, light
Isaiah 49:15, mother with her child. - View Sweet Mama Dog, by Jim Stenson (YouTube). Are there some ways in which we might see the dog’s character and actions as an image of God?
- Use music, poetry, visuals, movement to explore the chosen images. Welcome questioning and wondering, and encourage students to share thoughts and ideas about the images presented and others they might suggest.
- Share ideas about why people develop images about God.
- Encourage students to identify the essentials and the limitations of an image (even when we use an image for a person we know). Discuss how the images we choose can change and develop over time.
- Use photos, a video, records of conversations, etc. to consider questions such as the following: From a photo album, what can I know about the person?
What extra information does a video/Skype connection bring?
What more do I know when I read about /talk to other people about the person?
What difference does it make to spend time with the person him- or herself? - Provide further opportunities for students to engage prayerfully with the images of God shared in the unit. Invite students to share experiences, insights and growing understandings. Discuss whether/how their images are growing/changing.
How does Jesus show us what God is like?
Support students to examine Gospel images of God and to examine how Jesus reveals God in his actions.
- Invite students in groups to explore chosen references and share discoveries, questions and thoughts. (Cf. God as Shepherd, Provider, Father, Comforter, Healer, Life-giver.) See Understanding Faith (UF), Unit 20, p. 8 ff.
- Investigate how Jesus acted as the expression of God as love, comfort, life, and friend; and what he taught us about God. Draw conclusions about what Jesus showed us about God’s love.
When do I see God’s image in my life?
Encourage students to assess aspects of their own lives and to explore others’ life experiences for signs/reflections of God.
- Who brings life, comfort, peace, love … to you? Have you known times of joy wonder, growth, comfort, peace …? Invite wondering about God.
- Interview family members and others about when they have known times of joy, wonder, growth, comfort, peace, love, etc. Invite wondering about God.
- Offer opportunities for students to reflect on and pray about these experiences as actions of God, who is always near, always giving life. Ponder the Gerard Manley Hopkins quote, “Christ plays in ten thousand places,/ Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his” (from As Kingfishers Catch Fire). Invite students to share their thoughts in a creative response.
Transfer
(Learning experiences that help students engage with deeper understandings that can be applied in their own lives)
How can I be an image of God for others?
Provide opportunity to internalise chosen images of God and to discern ways to reflect aspects of that image by our actions.
- Consider that before we can produce the image that is best like the person or thing we are describing, we must see or know the real thing and yet, still, many aspects remain hidden or a mystery.
- Offer reflection times and prayer experiences that give students opportunity to “sit with” a chosen image of someone they love. Reflect on that person’s special qualities and on how we can show some of those qualities to others.
- I’ll Be Always Loving You, by Trisha Watts (YouTube), is a gentle song that would support reflection.
- Consider the images of God explored in the unit (and others personal to the students).
- Develop responses for life using sentence starters like the following:
I can bring the light of God …
I can bring the warmth of God …
I can bring the comfort of God …
I can bring the strength of God …
I can be a true friend like God … - In ritual prayer, share the images and proposals for action.
- View on YouTube: This Little Light of Mine (Listener Kids, or JamJar 20003000).
Resources
Burland, John. God’s Love Is …. YouTube.
The Car Trip: Kids’ Poems and Stories. YouTube.
Catholic Online. Good Morning, God. 1 Min. Morning Prayer. YouTube.
Delval, Marie-Helen. Images of God.
Delval, Marie-Helen. Images of God. YouTube.
Hopkins, Gerard Manley. As Kingfishers Catch Fire. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44389/as-kingfishers-catch-fire.
Listener Kids. This Little Light of Mine. YouTube.
Lucado, Max. The Boy and the Ocean.
Lucado, Max. The Boy and the Ocean. Crossway. YouTube.
Stenson, Jim. Sweet Mama Dog. YouTube.
This Little Light of Mine. JamJar 20003000. YouTube.
Understanding Faith. Stage 2, Unit 20, pp. 8-12. Online Subscription.
Walters, Julie. God Is Like.
Watts, Trisha. I’ll Be Always Loving You. YouTube.
* Unless otherwise noted, items listed under “Resources” are books.