Church History and the new Religion Curriculum

REAP Elective Workshop 2013

A New Sub-Strand

• Church history is part of the “Church” Strand• Meant to be integrated- with other strands

and sub-strands and/or the History Curriculum• Aligned (mostly) with the eras of the History

curriculum• No Church history for early years- P-2, but

personal and family stories to incorporate “religious” story/ history.

P-1• No specific Knowledge and Deep Understanding or Skills specified.• History Curriculum: P-1

– What is my history and how do I know?– What stories do other people tell about the past?– How can stories of the past be told and shared?

– How has family life changed or remained the same over time?– How can we show that the present is different from or similar to the past?– How do we describe the sequence of time?

– What aspects of the past can you see today? What do they tell us?– What remains of the past are important to the local community? Why?– How have changes in technology shaped our daily life?

Yr 2

• History curriculum provides possible links with Mission and Justice;

• Prayer and Spirituality; • Liturgy and Sacraments; • People of God; • Sacred Texts (veneration of Bible)

Yr 3 Church History

• Focus on Parish Community and its past history- people, buildings, sites

• Significant building/s; patron saint, significant people and events.

• Possible school history as well, for above things.

4-6 Church History

• Yr 4-6: Australian Church History – Yr 4: Settlement and Era of Laity– Yr 5: 19th century– Yr 6: 1900- present.

• Strong links with History Curriculum eras.

SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS AND EVENTS

IMPACTS ON SOCIETY AND IDENTITY AS AUSTRALIANS

Yr 7 Church History

• Possibility of links with ancient world (OT, Early Church)

• But- focus is from time of Jesus until 650CE.• Strong links with Beliefs (Creeds) People of God

(Church Structure) and New Testament (Church of 1st century CE)

• Good Resources available• Multiple avenues of Inquiry for students• Construction, Deconstruction, Reconstruction

Years 8-10

• Align with the eras of History syllabus• Covers universal Church History• Opportunity at Yr 9 and 10 to revisit Australian

History• Large Tracts of time and many areas for

Inquiry• “Church” history, not just Catholic history

Yrs 11-12• Religious Knowledge and Deep Understanding• Awareness of history is an essential dimension of any study about religion. Historical

knowledge is fundamental to understanding and appreciating the purpose, meaning and significance of religion in the lives of individuals and communities.

• Skills• Investigate patterns of belief and religious traditions and the ways in which these

contribute to shaping and interpreting people’s lives and experiences, past and present.

• Examine and account for significant continuity and change in religions in a variety of historical and cultural contexts.

• SoR: Religion-State Relationships; Ritual; Ultimate Questions• R&E: The Australian Scene; Religions of the World; • Certificate III in Christian Ministry and Theology: Module 2: The Story; Module 3:

Choices

Resources

• ResourceLink- DVD’s and Worksheets on Universal Church History

• You-Tube• Websites• Australian Church History: limited resources as

yet. Websites helpful.• BCE produced materials.

Websites• http://vimeo.com/44360719 (Ambrose Treacy)• http://maps.bonzle.com/c/a?a=stories (Bonzle Stories of Australia)• http://pioneersites.wordpress.com/journey-with-us-to-the-pioneer-sites/ (Early

Australia: Sisters of Charity)• http://www.historyservices.com.au/ (History Services NSW)• http://australiancatholichistoricalsociety.com.au/ (Aust Catholic Historical Society)• http://www.catholicaustralia.com.au/page.php?pg=austchurch-history (Catholic

Australia)• http://members.optushome.com.au/spainter/Catholics.html (Catholics and Labor Party)• http://

www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/religion/catholics/index.html (Catholics in the Colony- State Library of NSW)

• http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/37009504?q=subject%3A%22Catholics+-+Australia+-+History.%22&c=article&versionId=48063460 (Catholics in Australian Life since 1788)

• http://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/irish_in_australia/irish_in_australia (Irish in Australia)

Websites• http://www.historyservices.com.au/resource_material_Roman_Catholic_Church_I

ntroduction.htm (History of catholic Church to 1836)

• http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/12714835?q=subject%3A%22Catholics+-+Australia+-+History.%22&c=music (Rockchoppers)

• http://www.catholicenquiry.com/about-cec-items/the-journey-of-the-catholic-church-in-australia.html (Catholic Inquiry Centre- Journey of Catholic Church in Australia)

• http://www.aushistorytimeline.com/ (Aust History Timeline)• http://www.sydneycatholic.org/about/key_dates_in_our_history.shtml (Key dates

in Aust Church History)• http://www.catholic.org.au/ (The Catholic Church in Australia)