Unit 8 Religion and Equality

1. Unit 8 Religion and Equality

2. Answer the following question in silence – you have 10 minutes Explain how Christian beliefs might affect someone’s attitude towards people of other races. 7 marks Keywords you could include: GOD; EQUAL; HUMANITY; LOVE; PAULS TEACHINGS IN GALATIONS; GOOD SAMARITAN; DESMOND TUTU AND APPARTHEID; MLK; HISTORY

3. Learning Goals By the end of this lesson you will: • Understand different Christian views about other religions. • Understand Christian beliefs about forgiveness and reconciliation.

4. Christian attitudes to other religions

5. Christ of St John on the Cross by Salvador Dali Some Christians believe that there would have been no point to the death and Resurrection of Jesus if there were already lots of ways of reaching God. This means that Christianity is the one and only true religion.

6. The old image of Missionaries Christianity is an evangelical religion. It is important to share your beliefs with others. Or conquerors?

7. Evangelical Church From the earliest days of Christianity, Christians have told others about their faith by preaching in public places. This still happens today and Christians visit people in their homes and distribute leaflets

8. Modern Missionaries Many Christians spread the Christian message while doing Charity or Aid work in the Developing World.

9. Prejudice within the Christian Church • Sometimes Roman Catholics and Protestants have serious disagreement issues e.g. authority of the Pope, role of women as priests. • In each branch of the Church, there are people who think that theirs is the only right way to worship and that the other denominations are wrong.

10. Roman Catholic and Protestant Rivalries in Northern Ireland

12. It even affected us here in the mainland. This hotel in Brighton was bombed when it was the setting for the 1984 Conservative Party Conference under Margaret Thatcher. IRA bombing in London

13. Ecumenical movement Some Christians are very concerned about these differences, especially when they lead to extreme situations like the Troubles in Northern Ireland. They work towards uniting different groups within Christianity, by reminding them that they should think of themselves as one body sharing a common goal.

14. The Ecumenical Movement in Northern Ireland Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan, Winners of the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize. They began the Peace Movement when 3children where hit by a getaway driver hit by the security forces.

15. What would you do if? 1.Your friend has borrowed your favourite CD and has broken it, what would you do? a) Tell them not to worry, it was an accident and you were bored listening to it anyway. b) Get really angry and demand that they replace it straight away. c) Understand that it was an accident but ask for them to replace it when they can afford to or replace it with the CD in their collection that you have always wanted.

16. 2. One of your friends really fancies the boy/girl that you also like. You unknowingly confide in them your feelings and how you think that the boy/girl likes you to. Your friend tells you to go for it but you discover the next week that they are going out. What do you do? • Never speak to that friend again and get your mates to make their life difficult. • Understand that it is not your friends fault that they are more attractive than you to the boy/girl of your dreams and get on with life. • Understand that you cannot stop your friend from going out with that person but discuss how they hurt your feelings by not discussing theirs when you were being honest.

17. 3. What would you do if a friend spills Cherryade down your new white top and denies it was their fault (they were jostled by someone else). • Turn round a yell at them that they should not have been buying this chemical muck in the first place and how could they be so stupid. • Say nothing and go to the bathroom and try your best to clean it up. • Tell your friend that you know it was an accident but explain that you need their help to clear up and they have some responsibility.

18. 4.You lend a member of your tutor group money as they forgot their lunch. They returned the money but today you needed money for your lunch and they refused to give you any. Instead they laughed and showed you the money that they had. Do you? • Understand that they maybe need the money and ask someone else. The next time they ask for money you will be the bigger person and lend it to them. • You tell them indignantly that it is the last time you will help them and walk away. • You start a shouting match in the tutor room because you are that angry at the unfairness of them.

19. 5. You tell your friend a really big secret and they post it on the JBS internet for everyone to see. You are really embarrassed and do not want to come to school today. • You come to school, you hold your head up high and brazen it out. You explain to some people what had happened and you discover that it is not so important to anyone else but you. You tell your friend that she has done you a favour by making you realise how unimportant the problem actually is. • You come to school and you feel that everyone is laughing at you. You publicly ignore your friend. • You come to school upset and others see you and you realise that there are better friends to be made. You decide that your friend is not worth getting upset about.

20. How did you score? • 1. a) 4 b) 1 c) 2 • 2. a) 1 b) 4 c) 2 • 3. a) 1 b) 4 c) 2 • 4. a) 4 b) 1 c) 2 • 5. a) 4 b) 1 c) 2 • Now add up your scores

21. How forgiving are you? • 16-20 Your sainthood is in the post. Wow, you could show the Pope a thing or too. Some Christians can act like this but it takes a lot of patience and commitment. • 10-16 You try to be a good person and friend. Make sure that people do not take advantage of you. • Less than 10 – maybe you need to take a deep breath before you act. I would not like to get on the wrong side of you.