God's page on FacebookNiccole & Jasmine, both 14“We have created a canvas with a version of a Facebook page for God. It gives information about God, his friends, causes he has joined. What if God was like any ordinary person, and joined Facebook? We have comments from different forms of God, from Jesus, from angels and the devil. We think God is in every person. We all resemble God in some way or form. If you search for God, you will surely find him, just as when you search for a friend on Facebook. Re-establish your links!”

Open Your Eyes by Inayah, 15“The number of people in the world who call themselves atheist or agnostic is around 850 million. These people either do not believe that God exists or are unsure. One of the main reasons that many of these people do not believe in God is because they claim to not be able to see any evidence of the almighty being. However, the girl in my picture represents these people who do not see any evidence of God. Her eyes are closed.It is my belief that people who do not see the evidence of God's work in creation and design of the world need to open their eyes wider to see the sheer beauty of the world and the plain evidence that God does exist. From the beauty of the stars and the sky and nature to the amazing systems such as our own nervous, circulatory and digestive systems, God's remarkable skill is displayed everywhere My painting shows "God" written everywhere and anyone viewing the picture can see this very obviously. It is just as obvious, by looking at nature that God is everywhere, as is the evidence that he exists. The painting shows that there is evidence of God in absolutely everything and all we need to do to see it is to open our eyes wider.”

God – He Lies In YouI believe every one of us

possesses Him. I have titled my design “God: He Lies In You”. I’ve included a mirror:

when anyone looks at this artwork, symbolizing God,

they see their own face. The image will be broken,

because it is hard to see that God is in each of us. 

It very personal. I am sure that not everyone agrees

with my opinions. This design has deep meanings;

everything from the colour to the shapes used symbolizes something. I will not explain what I intend everything to

mean: work it out for yourself. Jennie, 14

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Themes of RE from the Framework / New Secondary Curriculum

• beliefs and concepts: the key ideas and questions of meaning in religions and beliefs, including issues related to God, truth, the world, human life, and life after death

• authority: different sources of authority and how they inform believers’ lives

• religion and science: issues of truth, explanation, meaning and purpose

• expressions of spirituality: how and why human self-understanding and experiences are expressed in a variety of forms

• ethics and relationships: questions and influences that inform ethical and moral choices, including forgiveness and issues of good and evil

• rights and responsibilities: what religions and beliefs say about human rights and responsibilities, social justice and citizenship

• global issues: what religions and beliefs say about health, wealth, war, animal rights and the environment

• interfaith dialogue: a study of relationships, conflicts and collaboration within and between religions and beliefs

Beyond Belief• A thinking skills

game for young people. Based on NS National Framework key stage three themes. Alternative version for KS4 and GCSE themes.

• Truth: where is it found? In your own mind?

How to play ‘beyond belief’• Put your card on the table face up and read it out. • Ask the person to your left ‘Where would you put that?’• Ask for any other comments.• Explain your own response• Place the belief where it belongs for you on the board.• When it’s your turn you can ‘move one, and place one’, • No overlapping allowed

Do you think that George can apply ideas about belief for himself, drawing on the religions he has studied? If so, then he is working here at L4

Do you think Richard can apply ideas about belief to issues of values for himself? If so, then he is showing that he can work at L4

Do you think Christopher is able to raise and understand a range of significant questions about beliefs for himself, showing understanding of the questions and religions he has studied? If so, then he is able to work at L4

Metacognition questions:

• What did you notice as you played? • What did you learn about other people’s beliefs?• What did you learn about your own beliefs?• How do you think beliefs are formed?• “We all have beliefs. The alternative to one set

of beliefs is always another set of beliefs – never no beliefs” Is this true?

• If you played again, what would you do differently?

• How would you advise a player just starting?

5

I can… explain the impact of my beliefs on my behaviour; suggest some thoughtful reasons for diversity in belief

within and between religions express and explain my views on some thoughtful

questions about beliefs, referring to religions I’ve studied use concepts like ‘hypocrite’, ‘evidence’, ‘sceptical’ or

‘justification’ in explaining beliefs.

6

I can also… interpret the beliefs of others myself explain clearly the influences that have led me to my own

beliefs interpret the beliefs of someone from their way of life,

using reasons and examples in my argument express my own insights into the impact of beliefs upon

life in religions and in other systems of belief.

• This presentation from the Hockerill ITE Teacher Conferences, is copyright ©.

• Participants who attended the seminar are welcome to use, but not to distribute, the presentation, for their own teaching. Please respect the gift.

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Lat Blaylock, RE Today editor, NATRE Executive Member