Strictly RE 2018 Handling the hot stuff Tackling tough issues in RE (9-14)

1. Strictly RE 2018 Handling the hot stuff Tackling tough issues in RE (9-14)

2. A series of strategies to deal with controversial, contemporary or difficult issues within RE This seminar will present five practical ways of approaching controversial questions in RE that enable pupils to think more deeply about the nature and place of religion in society and in their own ideas.

3. Controversies in RE are often thought to be big ethical questions, but… • I’m suggesting controversy is the life blood of the subject, because RE is always about 2+ views of everything. • Great RE might start with one view or opinion, but is not really finished –specially for our age group, 7-14s, without alternatives being considered. • So all our topics are controversies: • What should we do at Christmas? Does it matter what you believe? Are we more like monkeys or robots? Should you give your lottery money straight to charity and cut our the middleman? Will religion die out in a century… • We’ll do some ethics. But begin with religion. What about prayer, huh? Any use? Whistling in the dark? Waste of breath? Vital communication with the Almighty Creator? Practice of 5 billion?

4. If a Christian doesn’t go to church or pray are they still a Christian? • Would people who are agnostic still have their prayers answered? • Does God respond to your prayers in a dream or when you are awake? • If you do not pray for a month and then pray will your prayers still be answered? • Would it be better to pray for good things to happen or to make good things happen? • Does God answer every prayer you ask him? • If I never prayed would I still be accepted in Heaven? • Do you believe prays always get answered? • If I pray then don’t get an answer will he still listen to me? • What if Christians stopped praying and then prayed again, would their prayers be answered? • Is it ok to change your religion half way through your life? • If you did something really bad will God still answer your prayers? • What do you think should be prayed for more than anything else?

5. Prayer: a controversial topic. What does it mean to be open minded here? Not presumptuous, interrogating all views. Do the children model that with their 9 year old questions?

6. Prayer controversies • “The question of whether prayer is meaningful goes to the heart of all questions about religious validity.” Does it? • What do the 9 year old’s questions about prayer suggest about their thinking? • Should RE address pupils’ questions? • Possible to imagine teaching about prayer that is purely factual – ‘Muslims do this, Christians do that.’ But is it as – or more – important for RE to do theological and philosophical questioning?

7. Cohesion controversies • What are your prejudices? • Against people who are different ages, ethnicities, social classes, religions? Against travellers or the Irish? Against Americans? • Scoring out of ten for ‘Respect’ • Everyone demands respect, but finds it easier to see it denied when the denial is aimed at them! • This ‘simplistic and crass’ activity opens up pupils’ own sense of what respect means in a realistic way. • Discuss with a partner and give marks out of ten.

9. Cohesion controversies • Highest score? • Lowest score? • Distancing and grounding: vital tools in values clarification • Distancing: explore the ‘close to home’ by ‘playing away’ – a situation which is fictional or at some distance from the pupil enables them to ‘travel, learn, return’. • Grounding: abstract conversation makes it all too easy to separate ‘issues’ from students’ lived realities. Grounded study and examples work to reduce this gap.

10. Here are some learning activities which teachers could use to bring the programme’s potential into focus for their students. • Three Dilemma Scenarios: give pupils these three dilemmas and ask them in pairs to research the teachings they need to know about and make recommendations to the key character about what to do. They then write the ‘what happened next’ section of the dilemma. • A Muslim teenager asks for help. Imagine you are a Muslim community leader, and often speak with young people about how to follow the faith. A keen young Muslim comes to talk to you about faith and life one day, and is clearly rather distressed. You explore the reasons for his/her distress, and eventually the young person says: ‘Well, the truth is that I’m pretty sure I’m a homosexual, and I’m terrified that I will be thrown out of the mosque, and my family will reject me. I’ve tried to be ‘straight’, but it feels like Allah made me this way.” How do you reply? What are your options? What happens over the next two weeks, and the next two years? Write extensions of the scenario called ‘Two weeks later...’ and ‘Two years later...’

11. Is the church homophobic? If it is, should you stay or should you go? With a partner imagine you are two young Christians in an ordinary London church who are taught that if LGBT people want to be Christians they should not have sex with same sex partners, and that gay marriage is against Christian belief (many Churches teach this idea). The two young Christians disagree, arguing that if God makes people gay, they should be allowed to marry. The two Christians discuss whether they should continue to be a part of what they think is a ‘homophobic church’ or move to the one we saw in the film. Write the script for this conversation, and decide what conclusions they might come to, considering the alternatives. What happens over the next two weeks, and the next two years? Write extensions of the scenario called ‘Two weeks later...’ and ‘Two years later...’

12. The atheist attack. Imagine you are invited by friends who are atheist, gay and lesbian to a protest meeting. The local inter faith council is having a meeting where people from the different religions explain their views on issues of sexuality. Your friends are pretty sure they will all speak negatively about LGBT people. They are planning banners and protests outside or inside the meeting. You agree to go along. There are banners to choose from. Which would you choose? • ‘Religions are homophobic. Shut them up’ • ‘If you don’t like gay marriage, then don’t get gay married’ • ‘Why do you think God keeps making gay people?’ • ‘Gay Love is not a sin: Equal Love, Natural Love, Human Love.’ • You choose your banner. When you all arrive at the meeting, some people outside are getting abusive and chanting. Others go inside to listen and ask questions. What do you do? A reporter asks why you are there, and what you hope to achieve. What do you reply? Christians and Muslims at the event ask you: “aren’t you more prejudiced than us if you won’t come and hear our views?” What do you say? What happens over the next two weeks, and the next two years? Write extensions of the scenario called ‘Two weeks later...’ and ‘Two years later...’

13. Trans controversies: gender binary or gender fluid? • The new GCSE requires teaching about sexualities and ethics. The current generation see issues about trans / cis as simply egalitarian. But non-binary gender identity is hard work (socially constructed hard work?) • Biblical examples: could RE explore the issues around non-binary gendering through sacred text? • Sacred text applied: abstract conversation makes it all too easy to separate ‘issues’ from lived realities. How does this issue work out for religious believers today?

14. Trans people in the Bible? • The issue of equality for Trans people, and the questions it raises about gender fluidity and the fluidity of sexual orientation are important testing grounds for young people today – the issues are more visible than ever before. • You thought you knew the story of Joseph and his brothers, I expect. • Read it again, closely, with Peterson Toscano • Interesting extra study here: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/23/gender-fluid-generation-young-people-male-female-trans

15. My thanks to Crystal Bailey for these ideas Watch this clip!

16. Title: How might religious scripture be interpreted to explore modern issues today? To be successful in this unit I will… Identify what human rights are and the UDHR. Explain the reasons why laws are needed to protect human rights. Apply religious beliefs and attitudes about humans rights by exploring the responsibilities that come with human rights. Explain what is meant by social justice and explain religious responses to equality. Consider examples of social in justice and how this indicates the removal of human rights. Identify and explain the terms prejudice and discrimination. Give examples and explain different attitudes towards homophobia and racism. Consider what positive discrimination is and whether it is acceptable in society including ideals of equality and justice. Explain the role, status and treatment of women within Judaism and Christianity. Explore issues of the freedom of religion and religious expression, and belief including religious expression, by referring to exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism. Explain and understand religious attitudes towards wealth and its uses, by referring to tithing and doing religious acts of charity. Consider whether you can be religious and rich and the uses of wealth. Explore the different ways in which the poor are exploited, including issues relating to fair pay, excessive interest on loans and people trafficking. Consider the responsibilities of wealth, including the duty to tackle poverty and its causes. Explain the different religious attitudes towards giving money to the poor. Consider the responsibilities of those living in poverty to help themselves overcome the difficulties they face. Explore how religious people assist those in poverty including reference to religious charities and sustainable developments.

17. TASK: 1. Read the extract and highlight as you read. 2. After you have read the extract, from the text draw what you think the ‘ornate garment’ might look like 3. Answer the questions below in full sentences:a. In the story of Joseph and his brothers who seems to be the macho type? b. What causes tension between Joseph and his brothers? What is on the surface, and what might lie beneath?c. Look for causes of dislike and tension, noting what the group’s ideas might be. Why do Joseph’s brothers seem to resent him? d. Why does he seem different? Describe the difference issues Joseph and his coat might relate to in today’s society. Explain critically the different connections the story of Joseph might rise about gender and sexuality. Evaluate how the Bible might relate to Bible world issues.

18. DISCUSS: In translation the garment is usually rendered “a coat of many colors” or “a robe with long sleeves.” Imagine for a moment though it is not a coat or a robe. Imagine instead it is a dress—a princess dress. How might this change the story and how we look at it? What might it reveal about Joseph? Jacob? How might the idea that the garment was actually a dress linked to our learning? Describe the difference issues Joseph and his coat might relate to in today’s society. Explain critically the different connections the story of Joseph might rise about gender and sexuality. Evaluate how the Bible might relate to some current issues about gender.

19. TASK: Read Peterson Toscano’sarticle. Explain in your own words what you learn from Peterson’s new ideas. DISCUSS: In terms of gender, Peterson’s reading is that the Bible may be giving us an example of trans life, or gender fluidity from over 3000 years ago. Is it good to bring Peterson’s way of reading to light and to life? What can Christians learn from this way of reading the story of Joseph?

20. TASK: Consensus map-How might Christian communities respond to current issues about gender fluidity, trans people and different sexualities? What would responses based on equality, celebration of difference and love for all look like?

21. Write to Peterson Toscano… • Write an email of not more than 400 words to Peterson Toscano – tell him what you think of his ideas, what you learned from his work and what you make of his contribution to an ‘inclusive church’… Hi Peterson. I have been reading your article about the Joseph story in the Bible. I think…

22. 15 signposts • Establish ground rules with the class for discussing controversial issues. • Encourage the use of 'owning and grounding' language such as 'in my opinion', 'some Hindus would say‘… • Treat the question or incident as a positive rather than negative event • Affirm the importance of the pupils' contribution, even if you don't agree with it, with phrases like 'I've often wondered… • Help pupils to understand that diversity of values and ways of living and opinions and the existence of unanswerable questions • Allow for the possibility of a range of answers or opinions. For example, use 'most Christians would probably say..., but some Muslims would think • Use the situation to open up rather than close down conversation • Encourage further exploration by suggesting other people that pupils could ask • Correct factual misinformation • In the case of personal disclosure, the prime need may be for comfort or reassurance • Throw questions back for further clarification with phrases like 'What do you think?', 'Can you clarify...?‘ • Be as honest as possible without being ruthless. • Let a discussion develop if it is being taken seriously by the class. But have a quiet or reflective technique ready to provide a suitable close • Never intrude in a demanding way into a pupil's personal life. • If a difficult issue arises, which is impossible to handle properly, return to it later when it can be dealt with in a more considered way.

23. Which of the fifteen signposts do you always use? • Which do you know about, but could do with brushing up? • Which do you disagree with? • Which have made you think fresh thoughts today? • Will you make your RE more controversial next week? Year?