DNA • What do each of

these symbols mean?

The Muslim and Christian idea of God

Learning intentions

• To identify the key concepts of God in Christianity and Islam

• To examine the use of symbolism

Success criteria

• To be able to explain the different concepts of God in tworeligions

• To be able to explain how symbols can be used.

Recap/Recall...

1. Make a list of some of the ideas of God we looked at last lesson.

2. Make sure to include what you think as well.

3. You now have 1:30 minutes to move around the room to find out any other ideas from you classmates and add their idea to your list.

Key words

Trinity

Omniscient

Omni-benevolent

Tawhid(unity)

Omnipotent

Allah is one and cannot be divided into any thing else

There are three aspects or parts to God’s nature, the father the Son and the Holy spirit

God is all knowing

God is all loving

God is all powerful

The nature of God

• Read through the information about what God is like on page 72

• Fill in the Christianity section of your mind map with summaries of each part of God’s nature.

Extension:1. Explain what each part of the trinity represents. Why

might the idea of the trinity be important to Christians?

2. Why is Free will such an important idea? Make sure to give reasons for your answer.

Understanding God

• One quick way of getting complicated ideas across is though the use of symbols (symbolism). This is when you use an image or representation to help visualise an idea.

• Religions use a lot symbolism.

Activity:

• Read through the information on page 73

• Briefly explain why a Christian might use a religious symbol.

The importance of Symbols

What to include:

• What happened to Naida

• Comment on the public reaction

• Your own opinion with reasons to support this.

Sentence starters

• Naida was stopped from wearing....

• This was because...

• Some people said that....

• I think that.....

• My reasons for this are....

Make sure you have read Nadia's story on page 73.•Write a letter to a newspaper comments page about what happened to Nadia

Allah

• Read the information on page 74 and use it to fill in the Islam and Allah section of you mind map.

Extension: 1. Create a Venn diagram comparing

the Christian and Islamic ideas about God.

2. Explain how the Muslim concept of tawhid different to that of the Christian concept trinity

Symbolism in Islam

• In Islam there can be no images of Allah/Prophet Muhammad. This is because Allah is outside of space and time and so far beyond our understanding that to create any images is seen as disrespectful.

• Muslim do though use symbolism to help present certain ideas the most well know is probably the star and crescent moon

Use page 75 to explain what this symbol means and why it is important.

99 names of Allah

• Another method that Muslims often use to help with understanding Allah are the 99 names

• These are supposed to state different qualities of Allah: the creator, the mighty, the judge

1. Why do you think these names are important to Muslims?

2. How do you think a Muslim might use these in worship?

Question time

• Use what we have studied this lesson and answer this question

4 marks

Point Point

Evidence Evidence

Explanation Explanation

“Images and symbols of God only mislead people.”Give two reasons why a religious believer might

agree or disagree with this statement.

Plenary

1 question from today’s lesson

2 things I learnt

3 key words.