| Year Levels Focus: | Jesus is the Son of God, who offers hope to the world. (TCREK026) |
| Aims: |
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| Content Statement: |
Students will study the sociocultural and religious contexts of some of the terms now used for Jesus: the Christ, Messiah, Son of God. They will explore the meaning of the name, Jesus (“God saves”), and of the titles, “Christ” (Greek), “Messiah” (Hebrew)— “anointed one”. They will consider how these express his identity and mission. They will investigate that Jesus is sent by the Father as a sign of hope for the world, as revealed in his life, death and resurrection. They will examine Jesus’ special concern for the poor, sick, lonely and outcast, and will consider how the Holy Spirit inspires us to act as people of hope. |
Jesus Christ
The Christian claim is simply this: if God is, then God is love; and if God is love, then God is what Jesus is: total self-giving. Or, to put it even more starkly: if God isn’t what Jesus is, there is no God …
In Jesus we, as it were, encounter the impossible in the flesh: we encounter the victim of our hatred returning to us not as our just punishment, or even as our conditional pardon, but as our peace-bestowing mercy and reconciliation, our “salvation” (which actually means “healing”, from the Latin salve).
Jesus is what God looks like “in person”, in “human flesh”. Why? Because this is what absolute love actually looks like in a world marked by hatred, violence, resentment, fear and vengeance—in a word, sin and death. If this is not so, then there is no God.
In GNFL this understanding of Jesus is developed with these theological emphases:
- The doctrine of the incarnation is principally about us becoming one with God because God becomes one of us. As one of the earliest and strongest defenders of the doctrine of the incarnation, St Athanasius, put it: “God became human so that humanity might become God”. This is the point of the incarnation: human transformation, human divinisation.
- So, to say that “Jesus is Lord” is to say that if God is not what Jesus is, there is no God; and if God is what Jesus is, then God is love; and we are becoming what Jesus is by the power of that love, who is the Holy Spirit.
- The fact that Jesus is utterly human is of the very greatest importance to a properly Christian understanding of what it means that he is God incarnate.
- The fact that he was a Jew is crucial: he was steeped in the Hebrew Revelation, its liturgy and poetry and ethics, its bonds of community and covenant love.
- The fact that he suffered, worked, prayed, cared, healed, and ate with “sinners” and “righteous” alike; the fact that he befriended men and women, and called them into discipleship; the fact that he was a teacher, healer, worker—a “simple poor peasant” (as opposed to a priest, noble, imperial citizen, etc.)—all this is vital to who Jesus was, and therefore to the Revelation of who God is among us.
- For it is in and through his humanity—in all its particularity and “scandalous contingency”—that Jesus reveals what God is really like: self-emptying love.
- Jesus reveals love for what it really is: self-giving for the sake of the one who is loved. Love is not a feeling so much as a desire that the one who is loved should flourish: to love is to want what is good and best for another.
- Jesus is absolute love made real, made “flesh and blood”, revealing that absolute love is who God really is. How?
- By giving himself absolutely for those he loved—namely everyone, even those who hated him so much that they tortured him to death, betrayed him to his torturers (like the apostle Judas), denied they knew him (like St Peter, the first pope), abandoned him (like all the other apostles and most of his disciples) or simply ignored him (like the vast majority of people throughout history).
- His love for all of them was equal because it was absolute: he died for love of us all, and indeed, for each one of us personally. That is how he reveals and embodies the love that is God.
URL link to Theological Conversation chapter (PDF).
- Christians believe that God the Father sent Jesus Christ, the One who saves.
- Jesus offers hope to the world.
- Jesus identifies with the poor, the lonely, sick and the outcast.
- Through his Spirit, Jesus empowers us to act as people of hope.
Jesus is the Son of God, who offers hope to the world. (TCREK026)
Students will study the sociocultural and religious contexts of some of the terms now used for Jesus: the Christ, Messiah, Son of God. They will explore the meaning of the name, Jesus (“God saves”), and of the titles, “Christ” (Greek), “Messiah” (Hebrew)— “anointed one”. They will consider how these express his identity and mission. They will investigate that Jesus is sent by the Father as a sign of hope for the world, as revealed in his life, death and resurrection. They will examine Jesus’ special concern for the poor, sick, lonely and outcast, and will consider how the Holy Spirit inspires us to act as people of hope.
TCREI010
With guidance, identifying questions about religious ideas, events or rituals, and considering our theories, thoughts and feelings in relation to the Christian worldview (TCREI010)
- developing probing questions about the limits of our understanding of God’s infinite and absolute goodness, truth and beauty
- reflecting on why and how we should respect others and care for our planet
- exploring how the Holy Spirit inspires us to act in our families, society, Church and world
- wondering about the mysterious ways in which God constantly surprises and challenges us
TCREI011
Being familiar with stories of the Old and New Testaments and the many ways they and other media tell stories and use words and symbols to help us discover meaning (TCREI011)
- identifying and defining terms used in Scripture and the Catechism to make a graffiti wall
- comparing and contrasting parallel Gospel narratives (in Matthew, Mark and Luke) to identify how and why they are alike and how and why they are different
- developing glossaries of terms and definitions used when understanding the sacraments
- interpreting Scripture passages (using commentaries) where Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray (i.e., as models of how to pray rather than as formula prayers)
TCREI012
Communicating religious or spiritual ideas and information in a variety of ways: oral, graphic, written, multi-modal (TCREI012)
- discussing issues of social justice, human rights, and personal ethics, and their implications for Christians today
- using critical commentaries, analysing the message and meaning of the Beatitudes, and their implications for our own lives
- creating a Beatitude Calendar for the season of Lent or Advent: for every day, one positive action of wholehearted love for God and neighbour, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, peacemaking, honesty, fairness, nonviolence, justice
- expressing something of the invisible/unknowable mystery of God through one of the arts (musical, visual, performative, etc.)
TCRED010
Making personal or group observations, naming ideas and questions that are important for living as persons and/or communities in a local or global context (TCRED010)
- presenting contrasting views on a global issue, e.g., poverty in the world today, slavery, climate change
- investigating and writing reflectively about the implications of trading fairly for rich countries like Australia and for poor countries like East Timor
- using reputable media, chronicling stories of good news where people demonstrate human kindness and compassion for others
- identifying impoverished communities that need prayerful solidarity, advocacy and material support, e.g., after a natural disaster or war
- exploring how the Exodus story reveals God’s love as something very concrete, practical and even political
TCRED011
Weighing up competing values and choices and making a contribution to dialogue about worthwhile principles for living responsibly locally or globally (TCRED011)
- examining competing values in the classroom, the community or the nation, and dialoguing and naming core principles for a just society
- listening to Scripture, and identifying an imperative to act with compassion towards others
- considering alternative views about the rights of the child, and identifying what it would mean to treat all children (including the unborn) justly and compassionately
TCRED012
Personally and collectively exploring options and commitments that could gain improved outcomes in local or global contexts and, where possible, taking some form of action (TCRED012)
- setting goals and making commitments, personally and collectively (as a class or school)
- addressing bullying in the classroom or the school and implementing strategies to deal with it
- drawing up an agreement (“covenant”) with each other as a class or school by identifying actions, attitudes and beliefs (i.e., “rules”) that give direction, security and protection for everyone
- faithfully observing some simple and helpful spiritual practices, e.g., daily meditation and prayer, periods of silence and stillness, deep and active listening to each other
By the end of Year 6, students can acknowledge the constant goodness of God, reflect on and identify God’s action in their lives in the light of Scripture, and identify ways to respond to his love for all of life. They can explain how Jesus Christ, Son of God, sent by the Father, offers hope to the world and describe how the Church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is to be a sign of life, hope, reconciliation and service. They can recognise the movement of the Holy Spirit in various forms of Christian prayer and worship, in the seven Sacraments and in the lives of those who witness to the Reign of God. They can identify the Sacrament of Confirmation and describe its symbols and Rite as an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that empowers Christians to witness through ministry and service. They can recognise that the Catholic Church shares in their search for knowledge and understanding about God with other faiths.
Students can develop appropriate questions and, using a range of communication forms, present their ideas and understandings. They can reflect on, discern about, develop and enact courses of action in response to issues that they identify to be important locally or globally.
Pre-unit assessment
Seek indication of students’ ideas/views about hope and rescue.
View on YouTube: Heal the World, by Michael Jackson.
- Discuss the most powerful images, words that caught attention; signs or symbols of hope and rescue.
- Discuss the atmosphere of the video and students feelings, reactions, views about hope and rescue.
Learning Hook
Current news media clips or other, for example, CNN, Amazing Rescue Moments (YouTube) or the rescue of the Thai children from caves, could invite engagement and give rise to discussion points.
Surface
(Giving language, facts, and basic concepts structure to lead into deeper learning)
How can “being rescued/saved” bring a new meaning to life?
Support students to explore examples of being saved and rescued.
- Share and discuss stories about being rescued, being saved.
Refer back to the media clip used above to expand discussion points. - List times when rescue/saving is needed. What qualities are needed in those hoping for rescue?—and in those offering rescue?
- Consider the feelings experienced by individuals and the feelings shared across humanity: relief, wonder, gratitude that strangers risk their own lives to save others.
- Focus on what it means to be saved, the connections made with the rescuer (view Penguin Bloom: The Bird that Saved a Family, YouTube).
- Reflect on reactions, new chances, changed outlook, changed life. “Saving from becomes saved for …”
- Summarise … people in danger brought to safety; people in darkness brought to the light; people in fear brought to security; people needing nourishment, provided with food, warmth.
- Share thoughts about when this might happen for a whole family, for example, a family trapped together, a refugee family.
- Sequence experiences, needs, feelings, attitudes, actions, outcomes, reactions for a whole people. For example: What was Nelson Mandela’s plan for a unified nation? What did he do to bring it about? What were his key qualities?
- Consider his title of great honour, Madiba, which expresses the people’s relationship with and love for him.
- Recall the Genesis story and its account of the broken relationship with God.
- Recall God’s loving plan of salvation through his Son, Jesus.
- Introduce God’s promise of a Saviour (on YouTube: Isaiah 9:6-7; Micah 5:2, by Saddleback Kids). Focus on the name … Jesus: Saviour.
- See Understanding Faith (UF), Unit 27, Part 5, p. 2, interactive task, “God’s Plan of Salvation”. The name Jesus itself means the rescuer, the one who saves.
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)
How is Jesus the one who saves and brings hope and rescue?
Explore Jesus’ actions and words in Scripture to identify how he saves and brings hope and rescue.
- Analyse Scripture references, examining actions and characters. Compare and contrast with one’s own life experiences.
- Link with “Jesus, Saviour” above and explore the Scriptures for references to the coming of the Saviour—Isaiah 7:14; 9:1, 6; 40:3-5; Jeremiah 29:11—and of his birth (view on YouTube: The Christ Child, A Nativity Story, or A Saviour Is Born).
- Use the Scripture texts Matthew 8:23-27 or Mark 4:35-41 to identify the actions of all involved and of Jesus, who provided hope and rescue.
- Support students to examine some of their own life experiences to identify the factors contributing to hope and rescue.
Jesus offering hope and rescue to those he met
- Use the story of Jesus Calms the Storm: he gave hope and he saved—Matthew 8:23-27 or Mark 4:35-41 (view on YouTube: Calming the Tempest, by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Explore how Jesus gave hope and how he saved.
- Consider the Gospel account and support students to enter into the scene. Discuss characters, reactions and share ideas about what is shown about Jesus.
- Discuss the ways we experience “storms” in life. Provide opportunity for students to identify, reflect on these experiences. Recognise God’s presence and love.
- Consider where help comes from in those times. Recognise that God acts in us and through others to help and support. Offer opportunities for prayerful response. Possible reflection: Footprints.
- Identify and memorise a brief Scripture prayer of hope and trust.
- Listen to the YouTube song, Never Let Go of Me (an action version is available for students who would respond to that presentation or to get ideas for their own actions). Another possible song: Praise You in This Storm, by Counting Crowns.
Continue to explore the question:
How is Jesus the one who saves and brings hope and rescue?
Jesus offering hope and rescue to all of humankind (cf. UF, Unit 27, Part 5, pp. 3–7)
- Explore salvation through Jesus; death and resurrection, the fulfilment of God’s saving plan. See UF, Unit 27, Part 5, p. 8, “Mind Map” activity; on YouTube: Where Would We Be without Your Love?, by Matt Redman.
Where can we see examples of people bringing hope to others around them or across the world?
Analyse stories of people of today living in need and in hope and of those who respond like Jesus.
Jesus’ work of bringing hope and rescue continues through people today
- Research local or global issues in which people are holding onto hope / looking for support in need.
- Interview individuals who support the sick, the injured, families newly arrived in Australia etc. Identify similarities in their stories about ways of bringing life and hope.
- Explore the experience of both those giving and those receiving help. Link back to initial discussions about those saved and their rescuers.
- Consider how those who have been helped have later shared with others (“Saving from becomes saved for”). Read the picture storybook, The Little Refugee, by Anh Doh.
- Share examples of / stories about an inspirational person or movement that brought or brings hope to others.
- Investigate the relationship between Jesus’ own example and their stories.
- Research the lives of individuals and/or the work of organisations that serve and support others and bring a sense of salvation and new life, for example, Frederic Ozanam and the St Vincent de Paul Society; Lorenz Werthmann and Caritas; Charles de Forbin-Jansen and Children’s Mission; Catholic Mission; Sister Anne Gardner and her work on Bathurst Island; Jesuit Social Services; Orange Sky Laundry, Foodbank Hobart, SecondBite, Canteen.
Transfer
(Learning experiences that help students engage with deeper understandings that can be applied in their own lives)
How can we support those who hope for a better world?—a better today and tomorrow?
Challenge students to clarify their understandings about hope, to examine situations of need and exemplars of hope, and to reflect on their own role as people of hope.
- Encourage reflection and creative response through the use of hope-based texts and/or art works (YouTube: Easter Church Video Easter Hope, Jacob Joy)
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Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul,
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- Consider the examples of people today living in need and in hope. (Consider media reports, Caritas website, etc.) Describe the work of those working to bring hope.
- Support students to identify examples from daily life in which they themselves can be people of hope and in which they can respond to others’ deep hopes. Record and illustrate possible responses.
Resources
CNN. Amazing Rescue Moments. YouTube.
ComeUntoChrist.Org. The Christ Child: a Nativity Story. Youtube
Counting Crowns. Praise You in This Storm. YouTube.
Doh, Anh. The Little Refugee.
“God’s Plan of Salvation”. Interactive Task. In Understanding Faith. Unit 27, Part 5, p. 2. Online Subscription.
Jackson, Michael. Heal the World. YouTube.
Joy, Jacob. Easter Church Video Easter Hope. YouTube.
Lifetree Kids. Never Let Go of Me. YouTube.
“Mind Map”. Activity. In Understanding Faith. Unit 27, Part 5, p. 8. Online Subscription.
Penguin Bloom: The Bird that Saved a Family. YouTube.
Redman, Matt. Where Would We Be without Your Love? YouTube.
Saddleback Kids. Isaiah 9:6-7, Micah 5:2. YouTube.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Calming the Tempest. YouTube.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A Saviour Is Born. YouTube.
Understanding Faith. Unit 27, Part 5, pp. 3–7. Online Subscription.
* Unless otherwise noted, items listed under “Resources” are books.