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Christian Studies... through the eyes of students

CHRISTIAN STUDIES IN THE JUNIOR SCHOOL - YEAR 6 STUDENT

“Some of the Old Testament stories I remember doing in Years 3 to 5 are Daniel and the lion's den, Noah's ark and David and Goliath. Our Chaplain and teacher, Mr Taylor, also told us how Jesus healed and forgave the man who was lowered down through the roof. We said a prayer in most of our Christian Studies lessons. It was a ‘Thanks’, ‘Sorry’ and ‘Please’ prayer. Thanks to God for our creation, food, water, shelter and clothes. Sorry that we sin and turn our backs on God. Please forgive us and help us to be more like Jesus. In Year 6 we have learnt about Jesus' death and resurrection. We’ve looked at why Jesus is so special, what he can do, and who he is. Mr Taylor showed us a DVD about Waffle the puppet which encouraged us to read our Bibles more. We wrote an essay about a missionary who inspired us. I chose Corrie Ten Boom. She forgave the men who took her to the concentration camp and in that camp she spread the Good News about Jesus. Sex Education according to God's rules was a very interesting lesson where we learnt about what you shouldn't do and what you should do. Christian Studies in the Junior School has been fun as we’ve learned about God's Word and how Jesus has saved us from our sin.”

CHRISTIAN STUDIES IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL - YEAR 9 STUDENT

“The teachers in Christian Studies really try to get us to think about where we stand with God and what we think about the Bible. During Year 7 our theme was '10 things'. We looked at ten of the most important things about Jesus, the Bible and the Old Testament. One of the highlights was making a Bible board game. Most of the Year 8 course looks at 2000 years of Christian history. We looked at lots of very significant people like Augustine, Martin Luther, William Tyndale and William Wilberforce. During the year, we also read through Mark’s Gospel and looked at some of the important Christian beliefs in the Apostles' Creed. Year 9 has been the busiest and most interesting year. It also has the most reading! We started off looking at the resurrection of Jesus by reading Kel Richard's novel, The Case of the Vanishing Corpse. We also studied the 10 Commandments and tried to figure out how Christians should live today. We have finished off the year by studying Paul’s letter to the Philippians and another book called Going to Church in the First Century.”

CHRISTIAN STUDIES IN THE SENIOR SCHOOL - YEAR 12 STUDENT

“Christian Studies has involved students reflecting on not only the Christian faith, but on other faiths and world views. In Year 10, students answered the question: ‘What does it mean to be a Christian?’ In learning the basis of the Christian faith and how to use the Bible, we were challenged to consider the claims of Christianity. There were a range of varied assessment tasks including a visit to a church or youth group at Easter. The focus in Year 11 was on other religions. We looked at Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism in depth, and were able to compare the foundations of these religions with our understanding of Christianity. We were given a short test on each major religion. In class discussions, we were able to articulate our personal responses to them. In Year 12 we were again able to consider the views of others, through a study of non-Christian philosophies. There was an even greater emphasis on class discussion and on personal reflection. Our journals, which we wrote in each week, provided a way we could share with our teacher any questions or thoughts we had, and they were helpful in forcing us to reflect on different ideas. In Christian Studies in the Senior School, we do not study exactly the same things that I do in my Bible study and youth group. I think this is what makes lessons so valuable. All students, whether Christian or not, can get something out of it. We are all challenged to consider the merits of the other religions and worldviews, to re-examine on our own beliefs, and to articulate these views and beliefs with clarity and respect.”