An Introduction to Shared Christian Praxisleadingmission.weebly.com/uploads/3/0/8/6/30869643/...An Introduction to Shared Christian Praxis ‘I have been convinced for some time that

An Introduction to Shared Christ ian Praxis










The Movements of Shared Christian Praxis




‘The Catholic teacher...cannot be content simply to present Christian values asa set of abstract objectives to be admired, even if this is done positively andwith imagination; they must be presented as values which generate humanattitudes, and these attitudes must be encouraged in the students.’








Activities that help FOCUSING Activities that help NAMING

Activities that help REFLECTING Activities that help CHRISTIANSTORY/VISION

Activities that help INTEGRATING Activities that help RESPONDING



‘I have been convinced for some time that the “learning outcome” of Christianreligious education should be more than what the western world typicallymeans by “knowledge”; that is to engage the whole “being” of people, theirheads, hearts and life-styles, and is to inform, form and trsnform their identityand agency in the world.’

Thomas H. Groome, Sharing Faith, p.2



‘The process (of shared Christian praxis) is for the people, not the people forthe process.’

Thomas H. Groome, ‘The Shared Praxis Approach to Religious Education’



DRAFT

FOCUSING ACTIVITY (01–5)• Students view a video clip from ‘The Emerald Forest’, specifically the

following scenes - a white boy is kidnapped by a tribe of indigenouspeople in South America known as ‘the Invisible People’. He is theninitiated into this tribe and undergoes rituals linked to initiation, tribalmanhood, and marriage. This film also includes references to shamanicpractices. Discussion questions include:

-What initiation rites did the boy undergo during the time he lived with the tribe?-How were these similar to and different from Christian sacramental

rites of initiation?• Students’ understanding of the meaning of the ‘initiation’ and ‘initiation

rites’ is developed by reference to other examples of initiation ritesmarking the passage from childhood to adulthood.

• The teacher outlines and discusses aspects of the major assessment taskwhich involves a choice between the design of an explanatory pamphletpack for the R.C.I.A. or a portfolio on a range of initiation rites.

REFLECT CRITICALLY UPON THEIR INITIATION INTO THE SCHOOLAS A CATHOLIC COMMUNITY WITH A SPECIAL TRADITION, NATURE

AND MISSION (O2)• Students read A big change and discuss in small groups the nature of

primary and secondary school, and the transition period between the two.• Students describe how those new to the school are initiated; ‘How are they

introduced to the school community; its various members, its vision,mission, traditions and customs, laws, routines etc?’ Students identify thepurpose of such initiation for both the new students and the schoolcommunity.

• The teacher facilitates class discussion comparing and contrasting theirinitiation into the secondary Catholic school with initiation ritesexperienced by the boy in ‘The Emerald Forest’. Students compare andcontrast their initiation into the school community with prior experiencesand knowledge of the initiation of children and young people into a rangeof other social groups (e.g. youth groups, Scouts/Girl Guides).

CONTEXT

This unit is designed for students who come from a variety of feeder schoolsand faith backgrounds. It assumes that students have a basic understanding ofCatholic practices and beliefs.

This unit was plannedto both contribute toand draw upon students’experience of a primaryto secondary transitionprogram, whichincluded an orientationcamp.

N (Naming) and RF(Reflecting).

All movements ofshared Christian praxis(SCP) with an emphasison CSV and I(Integrating).‘Initiation rituals’ areunderstood as‘processes of inductioninto an age group, asecret society, or areligious office orcommunity. Theserituals center on anindividual’s change ofstatus and are usuallyperformed only once ina lifetime’ (Smith et al,Dictionary ofReligion, p.490).

NOTES

A sample pathway of teaching,learning and assessment strategies

U n i t 4 7 C 1 • I n i t i a t i o n a n d B e l o n g i n g

• Students develop their own definition of the nature and purpose of‘initiation rituals’. The teacher identifies key elements in variousdefinitions of initiation. Students review and edit their own definition.

THE TRADITION, NATURE AND MISSION OF THE SCHOOL(O2 CONTINUED)

• Students complete a worksheet which includes research and reflectionquestions relating to:– school patron– school mission statement– the school crest and its meaning– the school motto.

• Worksheets are corrected by peers with reference to a given summary. Thishas been developed by the teacher on the white board or overheadsummarising student responses to the above questions.

• Students are invited to compose an appropriate prayer which relatesresearch and reflection upon initiation into a Catholic secondary schooland the school patron, mission, crest and motto to their experience, hopesand concerns as students new to the school.

DISCUSS RESPONSES TO THE EXPERIENCE, CHALLENGES ANDOPPORTUNITIES ASSOCIATED WITH ADOLESCENCE AS A STAGE OF

DEVELOPMENT (O5)• Teacher invites the Principal, the Year 7 co-ordinator, counsellor or school

captain(s) to speak to the class briefly about the transition from Primary toSecondary school as marking a period of transition from childhood toadolescence marked by new challenges and opportunities and increasingfreedom and responsibilities.

• Students then use co-operative learning processes to develop descriptionsof adolescence in response to questions such as, ‘What does adolesencelook and sound like?’ ‘What sort of activities do adolescents typicallyengage in?’, ‘What are some of the challenges and possible opportunitiesof adolescence?’

• Students then complete a worksheet based on a text containing informationon various aspects of adolesence as a stage of human development. Theworksheet incorporates guided reflection questions on their owndeveloping personality and experience of adolescence. Students are theninvited to:- work in pairs to process responses to the worksheets..- create a personal badge, reflecting their own personal traits.

NOTES

Self AssessmentStudents review theirown definition of“initiation rituals”.

There will normally be arange of resourcesavailable on the schoolpatron, crest and motto.It is necessary to ensurethat the language andconcepts areappropriate.

Peer-Assessment.Students use a summarydeveloped by the teacherin order to assess writtenresponses by peers onthe school founder, crestand motto.

Since many studentsmay not know eachother, responses areexpressed and developedthroughout the unit byindividuals throughjournalling, then inprogressively largergroups from pairs to 4-5students using a range ofcooperative learningactivities. Findings arelisted either on OHT orbutchers paper.

N/RF


NOTESDESCRIBE AND EXPLAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROCESS OFINITIATION INTO GROUPS, BY GENERALISING FROM EXPERIENCE AND

THE STUDY OF INITIATION RITES IN OTHER CULTURES ANDRELIGIONS (O1)

• Students view Knee deep the frog. Students answer comprehensionquestions that relate the experience of Knee deep to the experience, processand stages of initiation into a community. Students flow chart the variousstages of Knee deep’s initiation.

• The teacher prepares material for different groups on initiation rituals inancient and modern religious cultures and traditions (e.g. Jewishcircumcision); and life-cycle rituals associated with significant stages in anindividual’s life—birth, puberty, marriage, and death.

• In groups, students design posters containing a summary of responses tothe following questions:

- What initiation rituals are used and what is their meaning for thosewho celebrate them?

- What symbols are used and what is their meaning for those whocelebrate?

• Brief reports are given by each group researching these rituals of initiation.• The teacher links student learning with the FI-FO lateral thinking

strategy—‘What have you discovered about your topic?’ and ‘What do youstill need to find out that is vital for understanding your topic?’

EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE VARIOUS PERIODS OF THECATECHUMENATE WITH REFERENCE TO ITS LITURGICAL RITES (O3)• A specific focus on the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is preceded by

a review and consolidation of learning in relation to the sacraments ofinitiation generally.

• Students select from the following tasks and complete as a group using co-operative learning strategies.– complete a study guide of Dunked in the river and John 13:1–17.– dramatise selected scripture passages related to Baptism,

Confirmation and Eucharist.– interview a parent or family members about their memories of the

celebration of the student’s baptism, confirmation and first Eucharist.Discuss and summarise findings under headings in small groupsbefore designing a personal Sacraments of Initiation Certificate.

– research initiation in the early Christian Church and draw scenes incartoon form on overheads using captions and speech bubbles.

• The group researching initiation in the early Church presents a report usingoverheads.

N/RF.

Peer AssessmentIn pairs, studentsreview the accuracy oftheir own and anotherstudent’s flow charts inthe process ofcompleting an agreedupon flow chart.

Stimulus material andadditional backgroundon initiation rites inother cultures andreligions is taken andparaphrased from theSmith, Green and AARarticles on ‘pubertyrituals’, ‘initiationrituals’ and ‘life-cyclerituals’ (HarperCollinsDictionary of Religion).

N/CSV

Examples:Baptism:Jn 1:32Confirmation:Jn 13:1–17.Lk 24:49and Acts 1:8Eucharist:1 Cor 11:20f, Mk 6:41and Acts 2:42.



• Teacher expands on and develops the student presentation on initiation inthe early Church, explaining the recent renewal of the R.C.I.A. The variousstages and major rituals of the catechumenate are illustrated using theimage of a journey with different stages marked by particular rituals.

• Teacher invites a priest or recently initiated adult parishioner/s to sharetheir experience of initiation with the R.C.I.A and its culmination in thecelebration of the Easter Vigil. Students are encouraged to ask questionsand to take notes.

• A summary is developed by the teacher based on student notes on anoverhead featuring a graphic of a pathway on which are marked thevarious periods and rites of the R.C.I.A.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENTSOF INITIATION IN THE LATIN RITE WITH AT LEAST ONE OTHER RITE

OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (O4)• The teacher provides an introduction to various rites of initiation based on

the series which includes ‘Eastern Catholics in Australia’ (ChristianResearch Association). There is a section in each of these booklets oninitiation. The teacher reorganises this information as a comparative chartfor students.

• Students identify some of the major similarities and differences in thenature and timing of the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation andEucharist. Students are encouraged to suggest reasons for thesedifferences.

• Teacher invites speakers from the Maronite and/or Byzantine Rites tospeak to students about the celebration of the sacraments of initiation intheir respective churches.

CSV

The booklet publishedby the AustralianCatholic Bishops onEastern Catholics is anexcellent resource book.See also ‘Resources’,C.E.O, Melbourne Tobreathe again with twolungs.

Guest speakers may beable to bring symbolsassociated withinitiation into theclassroom such asprayer books, candles,icons, and picturesshowing various ritualsof initiation.

NOTES

Documents

An Introduction to Shared Christian Praxisleadingmission.weebly.com/uploads/3/0/8/6/30869643/...An Introduction to Shared Christian Praxis ‘I have been convinced for some time that