P4C

Philosophy for Catechism

Who is The Holy Who is The Spirit?

What is church?

Holy Spirit?

What is church?

Why am I Christian?

Martin Clephane 1

Foreword P4C Catholic education is under increasing scrutiny and pressure: revelations of abuse by the church, the rise of militant atheism and an increasing secularism make being a witness to one’s faith increasingly more challenging. We must therefore consider how we prepare the children brought up in the Catholic faith to meet an increasingly hostile environment.

Through the use of Philosophy for Children (P4C) we can develop reasoning skills to develop apologetics in the classroom. P4C is based around the 4 Cs: caring, collaborative, creative and critical thinking skills. In our RE lessons we are adept at being caring and collaborative but there is a definite need to be more creative and critical if we are to engage the children meaningfully in addressing the ‘Big Questions’ of life.

When delivering our RE curriculum we must also make the distinction between education and faith development. In faith schools we are charged to catechise and make the doctrine of the church meaningful to its children. This is the fourth book in this series and builds on the work from P1C, P2C and P3C. In this book we look into how faith can impact on our daily lives. In the first unit ‘What is Church?’ it focuses on the distinction of church as a community as well as a building. In ‘Why am I Christian?’ it unpicks what it actually means to be a Christian, what following Christ as a model could mean, and how this can be misinterpreted. In ‘What is The Holy Spirit?’ we complete the Holy Trinity and look at how our actions are influenced and motivated.

The discussion statements in this scheme are designed to give agree/ disagree answers; from this, a gauge can be created to assess where children are in their faith.

Reasoning can deepen and support one’s faith but it does not give one faith; that is a very different experience. The gauge can help us assess the impact of a child’s age or background on their belief system.

Faith experience must always be kept as a priority in the school and the gauge can also be an indicator of how effective these experiences are.

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Food for thought: Consciousness, mortality and love. (‘Cogito ergo sum’. ‘I think therefore I am.’ Rene Descartes.)

Human experience begins with consciousness the awareness of being. This conscious thought develops into the realisation of our own mortality and from this comes fear. Beyond the basic need to survive, love underpins all our desires and from this love we have hope.

Consciousness leads to three key questions:

Who am I? Why am I here? Am I alone?

Mortality leads to three key questions: What happens after death? Who or what made me? What is life?

Love leads to three key questions: Is there a universal force? Do we have a purpose? Is there inherent morality?

The questions of consciousness lead to ideas about creation and a path to belief in a creator God, the God of the Old Testament.

The questions of mortality lead to ideas about the afterlife and belief in resurrection; as borne out in the Gospels and in the person Jesus Christ.

The ideas of love make us question how we live our life and the force that may be driving it. This is the Christian life of the New Testament and the belief in the Holy Spirit.

This analysis of consciousness and the human condition can lead us to the conclusion we are created in the image of a greater consciousness; in the image of God. Jesus is the ultimate human. As such He is conscious of His paramount place as one with God. He is conscious and fearful of His own mortality, yet aware of His spiritual immortality. He promotes a lifestyle and ideology based on love. If the Christian goal is to be more like Jesus then we must strive to be ultimately human. An understanding of the philosophical nature of our existence, therefore, is crucial.

This scheme of work takes children on the journey from consciousness and thinking to faith and doctrine or from Philosophy to Catechism (P2C).

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Contents: 2

Foreword

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Food for thought: Consciousness, mortality and love.

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Rationale / Quotes

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Summary of why we should use this scheme.

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AT2: Learning from Religion: Reflection on Meaning

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3 Big Questions

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Scheme Overview

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What is Church?

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What is Church? Introduction

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What is Church? Lesson Plan

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Worksheet 1 Going to Church is a good thing.

15-24

What is Church? PowerPoint

25-26

Building a Church

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Community

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Why am I Christian?

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Why am I Christian? Introduction

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Why am I Christian? Lesson plan

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Contents: 31

Worksheet 2 Christians are different

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Why am I Christian? PowerPoint

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Dilemmas Game

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Feeling a Little Odd

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Who is The Holy Spirit?

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Who is The Holy Spirit? Introduction

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Who is The Holy Spirit? Lesson plan

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Worksheet 3 The Holy Spirit is a good thing

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Worksheet 4 The Holy Spirit exists

45-51

Who is The Holy Spirit? PowerPoint

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Monument men

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Caoimh’s Butterfly

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Further Questions Introduction

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10 Big Questions

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Glossary

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Using the whole scheme

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Rationale: To develop deeper thinking which will lead to the skill of apologetics; making children more resilient in their faith

Quotes: I think courageous and open-minded critical enquiry lies at the heart of deepening one’s faith, and P4C offers a marvellous vehicle for that.

Will Ord If one has the answers to all the questions - that is the proof that God is not with him. It means that he is a false prophet using religion for himself. The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt. You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties; we must be humble.

Pope Francis 37 Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

38 "What is truth?" Pilate asked.

John18:37-38

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Summary of why we should use this scheme.

1: The young people who leave our schools are vulnerable to all sorts of criticisms and indeed their faith will be increasingly challenged. Some understanding of apologetics and learning based on reason and self- reflection must be developed if we are to see their Faith develop as they move on in education.

2: One of the accusations made by critics of Faith Schools is indoctrination. Therefore, children, regardless of their faith or lack of faith, should be able to question and indeed challenge aspects of religious teaching.

3: Although religious education and levels of attainment are rigorously scrutinised in our schools, gauging where children are in terms of faith development is avoided. It would appear not only relevant to gauge this but, from a Church point of view, the only question really worth asking.

4: Make better use of attainment target ii, strand ii, the hardest area of the RE curriculum to evidence. This area specifically focuses on the asking of questions and giving reasons for belief, as shown in attainment targets.

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AT2: Learning from Religion: Reflection on Meaning Philosophy: the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence Philosophy is already part of the attainment targets set out for our schools.

Our RE curriculum should be leading us to engage with questions around the meaning of life and existence.

AT2 Learning from Religion: Reflection on Meaning i) engagement with own and others’ beliefs and values. Throughout this strand pupils will be reflecting on beliefs and values; by talking, exploring, discussing, thinking, responding and questioning, pupils will be increasingly able to structure and articulate their thoughts; they will be able to listen attentively to others and come to understand and empathise with others’ views, beliefs and values; they will develop the ability to engage critically with their own and others’ religious beliefs and world views. ii) engagement with questions of meaning and purpose In this strand pupils will be confronting the difficult questions which all people have to face; they will be thinking critically about their own questions of meaning and purpose and about the ways in which people of all faiths and none have struggled with similar questions; they will be exploring the evidence and arguments used by people of different faiths and other traditions to justify their position; they will be developing the ability to express their own point of view.

(Bishops’ Conference Department for Catholic Education and Formation)

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The three big questions covered in this scheme are: Students consider what church can mean as a holy place and as a community in the first unit ‘What is Church?’

Then we look at ourselves and what it means to be Christian in ‘Why am I Christian?’

We then move on to looking at living faith and the belief that God, as the Holy Spirit, empowers people into action in ‘Who is The Holy Spirit?’

This cycle follows on from the P3C cycle to help us consider how these aspects affect our everyday life.

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Scheme Overview Each unit is designed to take at least 2 hours, however open ended enquiry can lead in all sorts of interesting directions. The units can also be split in half if needs be; the first part focused on enquiry and hermeneutics, the second on data collection; again this is just a suggested model.

Unit

Intro and warm up

Oral response

Written response Hermeneutics

Written response Data

Break

Plenary

Time for whole session

What is church?

Outline project.

Share slides (37) getting students to discuss special places.

Students then look at places that are special for different /emotive reasons leading to looking at church.

(Slides 8-17) Slides 4-8 challenge our concept of what being a Christian might be contrasting practice and action.

Share story of ‘Building a Church’ and ‘Community’.

Students write response to the statement:

During this time data can be collated to give a percentage

Data shared along with chosen responses from either side of debate

At least 2 hours

During this time data can be collated to give a percentage

Data shared along with chosen responses from either side of debate

During this time data can be collated to give a percentage

Data shared along with chosen responses from either side of debate

Why am I Christian?

Who is The Holy Spirit?

Reflect on previous learning: P3C unit Who is Jesus?

We then discuss what it means to be Christian (slide 3) Reflect on previous learning:’ Who is God?’ from P2C And consider if God acts in our world and how. (slide 4)

Sort word list of what motivates us into 5 groups. (slides 5-8) Look at famous people and consider what motivates them.

Students annotate texts and share their interpretation; challenge or support them.

Play ‘Dilemmas game and share the joke ‘Feeling a Little Odd

Students write response to the statement:

Children annotate texts and share.

‘Christians are different.’

Share story of ‘Monument Men’ and ‘Caoimh’s Butterfly’ Students annotate texts and share.

Students write response to the statements: ‘The Holy Spirit is a good thing.’ and ‘The Holy Spirit exists.’

‘Going to church is a good thing’

Share Catechism view at a separate time.

Youcat 121, 343 at least 2 hours

Share Catechism view at a separate time.

Youcat 71,321

at least 2 hours Share Catechism view at a separate time.

Youcat 113,310, 311 10

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What is Church?

In this unit the purpose is to get students thinking about what church means.

We look into what makes a place special: its architecture; its history its national significance; its role and then move on to what emotional attachment we might have to a place like our home or a grave.

The enquiry helps the students to consider why church might be special to some people and not others and to see church as something more than just a building.

The story of ‘Building a Church’ looks at how church buildings are frequently losing their religious role and are now used for commercial purposes, mainly due to underuse and declining church attendance.

The story of ‘Community’ shows how the Catholic Church is a global community like Facebook and this brings with it similar issues and rewards.

It develops from the previous unit in P3C ‘What is Faith?’ to show how faith is practised by church communities.

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What is Church?

Objective : To gauge students’ perspective on how they view church and if they feel a connection to their own.

Introduction to project: What is church? Why am I Christian? Who is The Holy Spirit? and how they follow on from P3C themes. This links to What is faith?

Explain vocabulary: Philosophy, Theology, and Apologetics.

Warm up: Reflect on P3C unit ‘What is Faith?’ and how we might express that faith in our lives.

Share slides (2-6) getting students to discuss special places e.g. a football stadium, palace and national buildings.

Activity to generate enquiry: Look at places that are more emotive, the World Trade Centre and Ground Zero, children’s graves and war graves. A place that is special for a romantic reason and our home. We end on a picture of St. Peter’s in Rome as an amazing place architecturally as well as a sacred place and then a more familiar church setting.

Share the story ‘Building a Church / The Facebook Community’ which contrast special places with a community model of church. Students work in groups to annotate the stories and discuss their meanings; they then feedback. Children are invited to support the themes of the story or indeed challenge them.

Students complete worksheet: ‘Going to church is a good thing.’

Giving a reason for their answer agree or disagree and give a contrary argument.

Students have a break and answers analysed.

Particular response picked up or further questions created.

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Big Questions Going to church is a good thing.

Agree

Disagree

What arguments are there to support this?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What arguments are there to the contrary?

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What is Church? PowerPoint Presentation

Show how this unit fits in with the whole scheme and how one progresses to another.

Show that these units relate to the P3C cycle and how they are linked.

A very famous philosophical question, it relates to the idea that reality is only what we sense.

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What is Church? PowerPoint Presentation

This place may be special as an arena of sporting excellence, local pride and identity, but not if you are not from Tyneside.

This place is special architecturally and historically and as the seat of government, however, some people believe it is not fit for purpose

A special place historically and in terms of national identity but not if you are republican.

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What is Church? PowerPoint Presentation

A famous building where the most important leader in the western world resides, is it as special to a British person?

St. Paul’s and London Millennium Footbridge are two very different landmarks but what do they have in common?

The tallest buildings in the world when they were built but now their status has been overshadowed.

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What is Church? PowerPoint Presentation

They now represent a symbol of terrorist threat, and a change in global politics.

The areas marking where the twin towers stood is now a monument to those who were killed so people will not forget.

In a similar way these graves are not only memorials to people but to the conflict in which they lost their lives.

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What is Church? PowerPoint Presentation

The death of children has a sharper sting and their graves mark a lack of life fulfilment and family grief.

This act of graffiti has a traditional romantic element of young love and the early experience of forming relationships.

The place where we were born often has a special place for us personally.

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What is Church? PowerPoint Presentation

Where ever we call home is a special place and may be far away from where we were born or raised.

Tying all these ideas back to the unit theme; St. Peter’s in Rome is special for many of the previous reasons but also for religious or spiritual reasons.

A more familiar image of church; does it still have the special nature?

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What is Church? PowerPoint Presentation

This story is based around a real place. It looks at how the role of a special place can change, and poses the challenge, was it ever special in the first place?

Alludes to a place being special because of the atmosphere created.

This alludes to a place being special architecturally, or aesthetically.

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What is Church? PowerPoint Presentation

This depiction of the anger of Jesus in the temple is used in Who is Jesus? and the Dilemmas game in Why am I Christian?

This is a common theme for young children’s parties and alludes to the idea of creating a special atmosphere for the kids.

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What is Church? PowerPoint Presentation

This type of preaching is outdated but will still be the impression that many people have of the clergy.

Special meals are often a theme in RE in relation to the Passover Feast, Last Supper and Holy Communion

The story of the anger in the temple shows how Jesus felt about His Father’s special place and the reaction from Jesus is unexpected .

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What is Church? PowerPoint Presentation

This takes us back to the beginning revealing that the two settings are in the same place.

It is revealed that although the places are the same, the first is set a long time ago‌

‌the second is set in the present as the purpose of the building has changed in line with attitudes over time.

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Building a Church Percy walked in to the church. The morning light glinted through its stain glass windows casting colourful shadows like a sprinkling of petals. The rich oak furnishings were polished to perfection.

It was already half full; people liked to ensure a seat for Sunday worship. It wouldn’t be long before it was standing room only.

Justine got to Kiddy Kingdom early, it was Lily’s 4th birthday party and she needed to make sure everything was ready. The staff were taking care of the party and the children would love the soft play but it wasn’t like the little family tea parties she remembered as a child.

Kiddy Kingdom was a huge old building that had been converted to a soft play centre. It still had some original features which seemed incongruous with the gaudy platforms, netting slides and padded play areas typical of soft play.

Percy sat in his usual pew and flicked open his prayer book. He read through the Gospel of the day; Matthew 21:12-13. It was one of his favourites. It spoke about social justice, action and, most importantly to Percy, respect for God’s house: this place; this creation of stone, oak and glass; the faithful endeavour, dedication and skill of craftsmen inspired by God’s creation.

The party theme was princesses and superheroes and everyone had arrived; hordes of 4 year old Elsas, Cinderellas, Belles and Ariels, Spidermen, Supermen, Ironmen and Hulks, rampaged through tunnels, climbed up platforms, slid down slides, bounced, tumbled, laughed and occasionally cried. The noise was unbearable as the children went crazy in energetic play.

The priest swept up the aisle with his robes billowing behind him. The congregation sang with gusto and the sound of 300 men, women and children belting out ‘Bread of Heaven’ rang around the surrounding streets.

Some sort of sanity was restored as the children left the soft play to gather around the long tables covered in Disney table cloths.

Lights were dimmed and the pink frosted cake, with 4 candles lit, was brought from a side room. Everyone sang with great gusto and the sound of 30 men, women and children, belting out Happy Birthday, rang around the surrounding streets.

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The priest opened the lectionary and began, “A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew…Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer,” but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ The anger of Jesus in the Temple raged through the priest who raised his fist as well as his voice as he spoke. Percy felt his own fist clenching just listening to it. How proud he was that his place of worship was so loved, so respected and how he too, like Jesus, would be enraged by any threat to its standing.

Justine handed out the party bags as Lily’s friends left Kiddy Kingdom and then paid the manager what seemed an extortionate fee for a torturous afternoon. The madness had finally finished and an air of peace fell about the place; a peace that came as a reminder of the buildings former existence. The sun had come out and the afternoon light glinted through its stain glass windows casting colourful shadows like the sprinkling of petals.

Fulfilled and enriched by the Gospel message, Percy tipped his hat to the priest on his way out and stepped out of the Morrison Memorial Wesleyan Methodist Church onto the pavement of Albert Road, North Shields. It was the year of our Lord 1891.

Relieved and full of chicken nuggets and birthday cake, Justine and Lily waved to the staff on their way out of Kiddy Kingdom (formerly the Morrison Memorial Wesleyan Methodist Church) onto the pavement of Albert Road, North Shields. It was the year 2015.

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Community Facebook is a social networking service launched in February 2004 AD, and is operated by Facebook. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates and fellow Harvard University student Eduardo Saverin. The website's membership was initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and gradually most universities in Canada and the United States, corporations, and by September 2006, to everyone of age 13 and older with a valid email address. In 2014 there were 1 billion 390 million users. That’s 1,390,000,000. If Facebook were a nation it would be the biggest in the world just ahead of China and India.

Despite its amazing success it has plenty of critics. Some have chosen to use Facebook to boast, mock, harass, groom and abuse people. Some people see it as an avoidance of reality; having a cyber-existence. It is governed by a strict code of conduct but the magnitude of the organisation means that keeping control of everything is very difficult.

For most Facebook users it is simply a part of their life, it keeps them in touch with a community of friends and family and is a great comfort for the lonely or outcast.

Catholicism is a religion which follows the teachings of Jesus Christ who died in 33 AD and is operated by the Vatican. It was founded by St. Peter with his fellow disciples and St. Paul.

The religion’s membership was initially limited by the founders to Jews, but was expanded to other religions in the Palestine area, Greece and gradually most of Europe and the Western World, and by the 20th century the whole world, to people with a valid Baptism. In 2014 there were 1 billion 229 million users. That’s 1,229,000,000. If Catholicism were a nation it would be the third biggest in the world just behind China and India.

Despite its amazing success it has plenty of critics. Some have chosen to use Catholicism to boast, mock, harass, groom and abuse people. Some people see it as an avoidance of reality; having a spiritualexistence. It is governed by a strict code of conduct but the magnitude of the organisation means that keeping control of everything is very difficult.

For most Catholics it is simply a part of their life, it keeps them in touch with a community of friends and family and is a great comfort for the lonely or outcast.

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Why am I Christian?

In this unit the purpose is to consider what it means to be Christian. It contrasts the practices, customs or outward signs of Christianity with the daily actions or behaviour that could be deemed, but may not be exclusively, Christian. It considers what this means by looking at Christ as a model and challenges the biblical interpretations we may have and how they could be, and often are, misinterpreted.

In the ‘Dilemmas Game’ scenarios parodying Gospel accounts of Christ’s behaviour are given along with three choices. The students are asked which of the three choices they would give, the Gospel account is then shared to reveal what Christ’s reaction was, which is at times surprising. This unit links well with the unit ‘Who is Jesus?’ in P3C, where we look at the many different versions of Christ we find in the Gospels.

‘Feeling a Little Odd’ is a joke around Catholic customs which have become a habit to such an extent that we lose the reason why we do them. It helps students reflect on what might be an appearance of Christianity without having real substance behind it while at the same time looking at some of the little customs that make us distinct. This unit also links to P3C unit ‘Why am I here?’

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Why am I Christian?

Objective: To gauge student’s perspective on how they view Christianity.

Explain vocabulary: Philosophy, Theology, and Apologetics.

Reflect on previous learning: What is Church? P3C unit Who is Jesus? And P2C unit Who am I? We then discuss what it means to be a Christian (slide 2) Enquiry: What makes someone a Christian? A series of slides look at different people who are viewed as Christian. Posing the question ‘ Who is more Christian?’ gets students to start to verbalise what Christian qualities are and justify why they think one person has them to a greater extent than another.

Share the ‘Dilemmas Game’ A series of scenarios parodying Gospel accounts of Christ’s behaviour are given with three choices given. The students are asked which of the three choices they would give.

Share the story ‘A Little Odd’ a joke around Catholic customs which have become a habit to such an extent that we lose the reason why we do them.

Students complete worksheet: ‘Christians are different.’

Giving a reason for their answer agree or disagree.

Students have a break while answers are analysed.

Particular responses picked up or further questions created.

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Big Questions Christians are different.

Agree

Disagree

What arguments are there to support this?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What arguments are there to the contrary?

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Why am I Christian? PowerPoint Presentation Relate to the previous unit and the P2C unit ‘Who am I?’ and P3C unit ‘Who is Jesus?’

Warm up This plays with meaning of words and the ideas of existence and non-existence.

The intention is to get students to unpick what being a Christian means in a range of contexts.

The purpose in this section, although phrased as a competition is to engage in asking which qualities the individuals have.

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Why am I Christian? PowerPoint Presentation

Martin Luther King who we have used as an example in a previous unit is very different in some respects to Peter but they also have similarities.

These questions challenge a black and white or stereotypical view of Christianity and expose the challenge of being a Christian.

In this slide we challenge the idea that overt symbolism and actions wholly identify someone as a Christian.

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Why am I Christian? PowerPoint Presentation

This may tap into an idea of being ‘culturally’ affiliated to a religion as picked up in ‘What is Faith?’ It also highlights the reason for the many schisms in Christianity.

This game challenges what a Christ-like response to a situation might be.

This opens a moral debate based on the actions of Jesus at the wedding feast of Cana.

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Why am I Christian? PowerPoint Presentation

Discussion could continue to unpick why Jesus made this choice.

Again the story of the anger in the temple is used as an example to challenge the interpretation/ justification of Christian action

Liberation Theology would be an example of how this version of Christianity has manifested itself.

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Why am I Christian? PowerPoint Presentation

Possibly the most challenging of Christian attitudes is the turning the other cheek. Which flies in the face of militaristic responses.

We can use the Amish as an example of the manifestation of this Christian attitude.

This can be argued to be very much in contrast with the anger in the temple situation.

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Why am I Christian? PowerPoint Presentation

This reaction is very much the tolerant accepting version that satisfy the ‘British Values’ agenda.

This poses the challenge again in contrast with the last example of when to follow rules or challenge them.

This challenge of Jewish rules are what Jesus is eventually arrested for, does it make us less tolerant of Judaism?

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Dilemmas Game You are at a family wedding. They run out of wine. You have plenty enough to get some more for yourself but your Mum wants to save the family embarrassment and asks you to get wine for everyone; do you: a) State it is not your responsibility and only get some for yourself. b) Agree but insist on getting the cheapest possible wine. c) Do as your mother asks and get the best wine possible.

John 2:1-11 You go to your favourite public place for peace and quiet, only to find that it has been taken over by business men using it to make money and exploiting people; do you: a) Fly into a rage, trash the place and chase the business men out. b) Accept that money men always win and find somewhere else. c) Write to those in charge complaining and hope something changes.

Matthew 21:12-13 You are betrayed by your friends and are wrongly accused; as a result, things get nasty and someone hits you in the face; do you: a) Hit them back even harder. b) Plead your innocence. c) Offer up your other cheek to be slapped again.

Matthew 5:39 A new form of tax has been introduced and your friends all think it is unfair; do you: a) Pay the tax because the government has introduced it, so, fair enough. b) Join a protest group and risk imprisonment for tax evasion. c) Encourage your friends to take a stance, using the legal process.

Matthew 22:20-22 You work in a shop and are under strict instructions to close at a certain time, an elderly customer arrives just as you shut the door and put up the closed sign; do you: a) Ignore your instructions and help the person in need by opening again. b) Walk away and turn the lights off. c) Open the door but explain to them that you are unable to help them.

Luke 13:14 38

Feeling a little odd A man walked into the doctors and said, “Doctor, Doctor, every time I say Jesus I bow my head. Not a serious bow like a Japanese greeting but a slight bobbing of the head which could be misconstrued as some sort of nervous tic.

I can’t pray without making the Sign of the Cross, when I have been worried I have crossed myself three times in a row like it will have more effect.

I bless myself with Holy water in and out of Church, sometimes the receptacle has gone dry; I still pop my fingers in and make the sign of the cross, there is no Holy Water, perhaps it is Holy air.

I genuflect facing the altar going in and out of the pew, and I bow to the altar when walking past it.

Instead of furry dice or an air freshener in my car I have rosary beads hanging from my rear view mirror.

When singing ‘The Wild Rover’ after the ‘No, nay never’ I shout God Bless the Pope.

I always have fish on a Friday, I never eat sweets in Lent, I feel guilty all the time and I am terrified of nuns. What is wrong with me?’

The doctor pondered for a second, ‘Mmm, it sounds like a classic case of OCD.” “OCD!” the man exclaimed, “What do you mean OCD?” “I am afraid you are suffering from Odd Catholic Dictates. Your actions are guided by rulings and traditions of the Catholic Church.”

“Oh dear!” replied the man, “ Is there anything that can be done?”

“Hard to say.” answered the doctor, “You could join the AA.” “What’s that?” the man enquired.

“Atheists Anonymous.” replied the doctor.

The man feeling a little relieved stood to go, “Thank you kindly Doctor.”

“Not at all.” smiled the doctor, “See you next time Father O’Connor.”

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Who Is The Holy Spirit?

In this unit the purpose is to get students thinking about the nature of The Holy Spirit as a Christian interpretation of God in action. This completes The Trinity, carrying on from ‘Who is Jesus?’ from P3C which focused on God as human and ‘Who is God?’ from P2C which looked at different interpretations of God as creator. In this unit we contrast the idea of the Holy Spirit as an inspirational and motivational force working within us and through us with the idea of the Holy Spirit as a force influencing the world around us.

The story ‘Monument Men’ is a true story which looks at how we find ourselves motivated to help others or to make the right choices which, from a Christian point of view, is the work of the Holy Spirit. It also addresses the idea of social justice as part of Christianity.

The story ‘Caoimh’s Butterfly’ is a true story which looks at an event at a Baptism which can be interpreted (and indeed is by the parents) as an act of the spirit of a deceased child and/ or as the Holy Spirit working within the family at a difficult and emotional time.

There are two worksheets for this unit; ‘The Holy Spirit is a good thing.’, and ‘The Holy Spirit exists.’ Children agree or disagree and explain why. This can give an indication of their standpoint of faith at this time in their lives.

This unit links to the P2C unit ‘Who is God?’ and P3C ‘Who is Jesus?’

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Who is The Holy Spirit?

Objective: To gauge children’s perspective on how they view the nature of The Holy Spirit.

Explain vocabulary: Philosophy, Theology, Apologetics, Deism, Theism Reflect on previous learning: ‘Who is God?’ from P2C and ‘Who is Jesus?’ from P3C and consider if The Holy Spirit acts in our world and how. (slide 2) Show power-point: Sort group of 15 words listing what motivates us under 5 titles: need, greed, desire, evil, good (slides 3-6) Look at pairs of famous people and consider what motivates them; is it the same thing? (slides 7-10) Share story of ‘Monument Men’ and ‘Caoimh’s Butterfly’; two real life stories which could be seen as examples of The Holy Spirit in action.

Students annotate texts and share. Children complete worksheet: ‘The Holy Spirit is a good thing.’ And ‘The Holy Spirit Exists’ giving a reason for their answer; agree or disagree.

Children have a break and answers analysed. Particular response picked up or further questions created.

Summing up of the project, make links back to the following: What is truth?

What is Faith?

What is Church?

Who am I?

Why am I here?

Why am I Christian?

Who is God?

Who is Jesus?

Who is The Holy Spirit?

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Big Questions The Holy Spirit is a good thing.

Agree

Disagree

What arguments are there to support this?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What arguments are there to the contrary?

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Big Questions The Holy Spirit exists.

Agree

Disagree

What arguments are there to support this?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What arguments are there to the contrary?

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This unit completes the idea of the Holy Trinity and relates to the P2C unit ‘Who is God? ‘and P3C unit ‘Who is Jesus?’

A famous paradox from the middle ages by Jean Buridan called Buridan’s bridge.

Impossible to solve but great fun to try.

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The challenge with The Holy Spirit is that we don’t personify this aspect of God as we tend to do with The Father and need to do with The Son.

Students can start to see common traits between the words in the list.

Given these five titles which words would they associate with each?

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Who is The Holy Spirit? PowerPoint Presentation

This is a typical way of grouping, however, some students may wish to challenge some of the groupings.

People can be motivated to do all sorts of things, good and bad, for country or family.

The following group of slides show successful or at least well know people and we can use the words from the groups to try to work out what motivated them.

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Who is The Holy Spirit? PowerPoint Presentation Hitler and Churchill may be seen as polar opposites or good versus evil, but perhaps we can argue that some of their motivations were the same.

Two different forms of Christianity and working for change in different ways…or not?

St. Peter is seen as the first pope, is Pope Francis, therefore, motivated in the same way?

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Who is The Holy Spirit? PowerPoint Presentation

This story is based on a real experience which helps us reflect on how we are motivated into action for good.

Like most city centres Newcastle has issues of deprivation alongside affluence.

Homelessness is one of these problems that has grown despite the raising of awareness in society.

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Who is The Holy Spirit? PowerPoint Presentation

The popularity of trendy coffee shops has also grown.

Could the reasons from the growth of homelessness /poverty and corporate chains be linked?

These images contrast the successful man raised on high while the homeless man is on the cold ground.

An unusual benefit from the availability of the free newspaper.

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Who is The Holy Spirit? PowerPoint Presentation Quite literally the warmth of human kindness. We could consider what sharing with two other people would be like; or giving away two thirds of what we have.

Events seem to have conspired to make the act of kindness happen; coincidence or destiny?

The final remark brings the experience into a religious frame of reference and harkens back to the story of the homeless man in ‘Who is Jesus?’ In P3C.

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Monument Men I once had to get something from Newcastle town centre, and I decided I would pop in before going on to work. It was the first time I had ever been there before the shops opened and I saw a different side to this wonderful city.

At that time in the morning parking was much easier to come by so I dropped my car off at the College Street Car Park which meant I was straight into the town centre; which was great because it was a chilly March morning. My short walk to Northumberland Street, the main shopping area, took me past Newcastle City Hall.

Some of the greatest names in music history had played there including Bob Dylan and the Beatles, but at the top of the steps in front of the doors were people at the opposite end of the social spectrum, a huddle of three bodies in sleeping bags which had not yet stirred from their night of hardship on the cold steps of the City Hall.

It crossed my mind to leave some money where they were lying but what if they didn’t see it, or it was taken or blew away. This was enough of a risk to relieve my conscience so I left nothing and continued walking.

Still with fifteen minutes to kill before the shops opened, I made my way to a coffee shop opposite Grey’s Monument; a tribute to the great Victorian political reformer. I got a coffee and sat at the window facing the monument; a 130 feet pillar of stone with the statue of Earl Grey standing nobly on top.

As I sipped my coffee three men, clearly homeless and I presume the ones I had seen in the sleeping bags, arrived at the monument. They wore numerous layers of clothes, which were filthy. It was clearly not their first night on the streets of Newcastle as they already had a routine established. One had a drink of coffee which he had acquired from somewhere; a second man came in to the coffee shop and gathered packets of sugar. His scruffy presence in the trendy modern environment made the customers a little uncomfortable; did his actions constitute some kind of theft? Would the management have an issue with it? The homeless man was clearly unphased by any of this, as his goal was to get some basic form of sustenance for him and his friends.

The third man went to where the free Metro papers are held and grabbed a wad of them; these were not to read but to make dry and comfortable seats so they could sit on the cold damp stone of the monument base.

I gazed on this activity quite unmoved, I could intellectualise all of this away as a symptom of modern capitalist society, but this changed when a simple thing 52

happened. They began to share the cup of coffee, each taking turns to enjoy the sweet warmth in an attempt to take the edge off the bitter morning. They had next to nothing but what they had they wanted to share and it revealed something profound; they had respect for each other and despite losing everything they had held onto their sense of fairness; they had dignity.

As I sat in my sharp suit, tie, cufflinks and overcoat, my conscience was pricked and now I needed to act. Coffee shops often have a ‘pass it on’ policy where you can pay for a coffee for someone homeless to get one free. This was a great idea, I thought, as it allowed me to relieve my conscience and not actually have to interact with the homeless; so I went straight to the counter only to find that they ran no such scheme at that particular branch.

Now I really had to make a choice; I had given to charities countless times, I had tossed change into a homeless person’s hands on the odd occasion too, but now I did something I had never done before. I asked the lady behind the counter for two large coffees, popped lids on, headed out of the café and walked towards the monument.

The men didn’t realise I was walking towards them until I was right next to them.

“Just thought you guys should have one each.” I said, and popped the cups down next to them. They all smiled, buoyed up by the gesture and as I turned to walk on the nearest man called out three words.

“God Bless You!”

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Caoimh’s Butterfly Caoimh (pronounced Keeva) died shortly after her second birthday from pneumonia; leaving her Mum and Dad, Catherine and Paul, bereft. Catherine was eight months pregnant and Caoimh’s little sister Oonagh (pronounced Oona) was born only three weeks later.

The sudden death of one child and the arrival of the second was a terrible maelstrom of emotions, but the new life of little Oonagh gave Catherine and Paul something to focus on.

Paul would often say that Oonagh saved his life, and indeed life went on for in a couple of years they had yet another girl called Aoife (pronounced Eefa).

Every day was still sad with Caoimh no longer around and at family events the great chasm that her death left in the family was even more acutely felt.

One such occasion was Aoife’s Baptism which was held back in Ireland where Catherine’s family come from. The church was packed and the sun was streaming in on a beautiful summer’s day. Oonagh brought a favourite teddy bear of Caoimh’s to symbolise her presence with them on this special day.

Caoimh’s favourite thing was butterflies. She loved them and to such an extent that a fundraising event held in Caoimh’s name is called the ‘Butterfly Bash’. During the Baptism ceremony a remarkable thing happened; as they all sat in church a butterfly appeared and fluttered its way around where they were sitting. An unusual but not unique thing to see in a church, but what happened next was even more unusual; the butterfly stopped flapping its wings and alighted upon the teddy so loved by Caoimh.

No one said a word but everyone knew what they were all thinking. Not interrupting the service, knowing smiles beamed from one member of the family to another and another.

Everyone there was touched by what happened and are to this day.

In Memory of Caoimh Harris. 2009-2011

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Further questions: I include further questions; my top 10. These are less philosophical and focus on the everyday challenging questions people have about modern Catholicism.

This unit can be used before the scheme of work to develop the skills of enquiry, or after to give the philosophical work a more everyday experiential slant.

They are written in direct response to the increasingly hostile environment that the faith finds itself in. For us all it is important to address these questions so we can build a better Church for the future.

They open up debate regarding important issues of social justice, racism, sexism and inequality. Allowing children to respond both verbally and in a written form is essential as some children struggle with writing but can have really articulate responses. Also some children can feel uncomfortable expressing their views in public, and would rather write them down; particularly if a response might be controversial or against the majority view.

It is always important that the children give their own answers and not the ones they think you want them to give. From their responses you can learn a great deal about the children’s perspectives.

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Big Questions

1 Does the Big Bang prove that God doesn’t exist?

2 Is the Creation Story any use?

3 Is God good?

4 If God is good why does He let bad things happen?

5 If you are not a Christian what happens when you die?

6 If Muslims commit terrorist acts, should we be friends with Muslims?

7 If Jesus came for the poor why does the Pope live in a palace?

8 There is no proof that God exists, why should I believe?

9 Why is it God the Father and not Mother?

10 If I can’t trust the clergy should I still stay a Catholic?

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Glossary philosophy: the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, paradox: a seemingly absurd or contradictory statement or proposition which when investigated may prove to be well founded or true or a statement or proposition which, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems logically unacceptable or self-contradictory apologetics: reasoned arguments or writings in justification of something, typically a theory or religious doctrine hermeneutics: the branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation, especially of the Bible or literary texts catechism: a summary of the principles of Christian religion in the form of questions and answers, used for religious instruction(in Roman Catholic use) religious instruction in general. catechesis: a method of oral instruction involving question and answer techniques theism: belief in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe. theology: the study of the nature of God and religious belief natural theology: theology or knowledge of God based on observed facts and experience apart from divine revelation. deism: the belief that reason and observation of the natural world are sufficient to determine the existence of a Creator, accompanied with the rejection of revelation and authority as a source of religious knowledge revelation: the divine or supernatural disclosure to humans of something relating to human existence fideism: the doctrine that knowledge depends on faith or revelation relativism: the doctrine that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute agnostic: a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God. humanism: a philosophical and ethical stance that emphasizes the value and agency of human beings, individually and collectively, and generally prefers critical thinking and evidence (rationalism, empiricism) over established doctrine or faith (fideism ) secular: not connected with religious or spiritual matters atheist: a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods antitheism: active opposition to theism. The term has had a range of applications; in secular contexts, it typically refers to direct opposition to organized religion or to the belief in any deity, while in a theistic context, it sometimes refers to opposition to a specific god or gods

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Using the whole scheme You can follow the cycle as it is set out through the four books.

Or you can create your own units around topic themes.

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Philosophy to Catechism ŠMartin Clephane 2016

A full colour, staple bound text book for each volume, gives a step by step guide to deliver the entire scheme.

Each accompanying CD contains the PDF version of the materials along with the all essential power points to deliver the three units per volume.

Buy the whole scheme and get this free bonus CD containing all the training materials including: research paper, training presentation and video of one of the units being taught.

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ŠMartin Clephane 2016

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