Here is a copy of an e-mail that I've just sent to my fellow Sunday School teachers. I'm new to the role:
I hope that this question doesn't leave you doubting whether I should be teaching at Sunday School (!) but I've been pondering what approach I should take with the little ones and would welcome your thoughts. If a child asks me "did Jesus really die and come back to life?" should I reply:
a) yes, or
b) that's what we believe as Christians, or
c) neither of the above (!)
How dogmatic should we be? Are we revealing the Christian faith to the children so that in future they can decide where their beliefs lie or are we (so certain in our beliefs that we are) assuring them that this is the one and only true path to follow....?
The question that I used above (did Jesus really die and come back to life) is just one example of the type of question that we will face from the children where we will need to choose which approach to take in response. But it's an interesting question to pick by way of an example because the very young ones will have such a light grasp of the concept of death as it is.
And then I went on in my e-mail to request that they did not summarily dismiss me from my new post for being too agnostic and to wish everyone a Happy Sunday.
I'd welcome all thoughts...
4 comments:
Hi Ruth
At the moment I'm having a lot of doubts about my faith and everything, so when I talk about God I often preface my comments with "if he exists". Which can get a bit tedious.
I personally think it is good to try to help children understand that they are allowed to have their own opinion on these things. I know people who don't believe that God is all-powerful - they don't think it is possible to reconcile him being all-loving with him being all-powerful. In the church I grew up in, the idea of God being all-powerful was a fact - there wasn't room for questioning it. Now I'm part of a church which questions pretty much everything, I'm much happier and healthier.
I suppose it depends partly on how old the children are - I think their cognitive skills and ability to understand things develop, but I don;'t know much about it.
It also depends on the line parents are going to take on such things - if the children go home saying "Ruth told us..." and the parents don't like it, how will your church react.
See, a succinct and definite answer!
Ooh - this is such a big question with me at the moment, albeit only on a personal level (actually you have discovered the real reason why I shy away from teaching Sunday School - I couldn't deal with those questions.)
Arrrggghh - two stroppy children and a husband trying to make bread - I will be back...
Ah ha! Knew you couldn't really stay away! Like I said, it's an addiction.
As to the question.
It's a good one!
I think you are pretty much aware of my religious upbringing, but also, as a parent, my view would be to furnish young minds with information/views/opinions to eventually make up their own minds. As they grow older, as you will discover, they will not appreciate being told what to think or believe, they want to feel they have the freedom to do as they think right and will probably prefer guidance rather than pressure.
But then, I am ever so 'umble, my opinion counts for very little!
(Ooooh - I think maybe your egg is going to hatch - it's rocking - I must go and check mine!)
OK, I'm back. (And I've sent John upstairs to do the "bedtime prayer" slot lol).
...
(I've realised that if I put everything I've thought of into this comment, then it'll end up being longer than your original posting, so I'll try to cut to the chase, and put the extended version on my own blog - that'll scare the knitters out there!)
After quite a lot of chewing on this one, I think I'd go for b) in a Sunday school environment - depending on the child, esp the age. Adam knows a), but then he's only 4. He's getting to know that other people don't believe the same things as his Muslim friends celebrate Eid etc.
John grew up in a church where he learnt the right answer to every question. So by his teens he knew exactly what he should believe - except that knowing the answers to the questions before he even thought of the questions seemed to get in the way.
I grew up as a Quaker, and wasn't given any firm dogmatic line. It was all of the "some people believe this, some people don't" variety. We've both ended up in similar places, except that John can express it all much better than I can!
So maybe it doesn't matter too much in the long run - I would go with an answer that feels honest in the context.
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