Religious upbringing Objectives: To describe ways in which Christian families encourage children to believe in God To evaluate the importance of a

Religious upbringingReligious upbringing

Objectives: To describe ways in which Christian

families encourage children to believe in God

To evaluate the importance of a religious upbringing in coming to believe in God

Tuesday 18 April 2023

Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies Religious upbringing Section 1: Believing in God

Key word recap


Starter

What are the influences on your life?


The role of parents

How you are brought up shapes the person you become. The way adults around you treat you, your experience of the world you encounter, and the things you are told and introduced to all contribute to the person you become. This is known as your ‘culture’. Think about your own childhood. Compare it to that of a young person growing up in America, Africa or India.What makes these young people different from you?


Many people come to believe in God through the way they are brought up. For Christians, one of the purposes of marriage is to have children and to bring them up in a secure Christian home. Christian parents introduce their children to belief in God and encourage their children to develop a relationship with God because they believe that this is the way God intended us to live and that it gives meaning and purpose to life.Activity1. Make a list of the different ways in which parents can

encourage their children to believe in God. What in your opinion, are the most effective ways?

2. Describe some of the problems that being raised in their parents’ religion could bring as children grow older.


Sometimes, as they grow up, it is difficult for children to continue to accept their family’s religious beliefs.The children will learn about other beliefs and ways of life and, at some point, will need to work out for themselves if what they have learned while growing up will be right for them in the future. This can be difficult for parents to understand. For other children, the comfort of growing up in a religious home can help them through difficulties and give them a secure basis for adulthood.


ActivityRead the sheet ‘Why does Craig believe in God?’

3. List four features of Craig’s Christian upbringing that have strengthened his belief in God.

Against each feature, write the reason why this is.

4. List the things Craig says he gains from belonging to a Christian community.

5. Prepare three further questions the interviewer could ask Craig to find out about his religious beliefs.


Features of a Christian upbringing

BaptismDuring baptism, the child is welcomed into the Church, the family of God. Godparents, friends and the congregation promise to bring up the infant in the Christian faith and to be a good Christian example to the developing child.



WorshipThe young child is taken to church on a regular basis. They are taught stories in Sunday School about Jesus, God and the Church. The majority of the people the young child meets believe in God and they all encourage the developing faith. The most memorable events in the young person’s life will be the special occasions celebrated; these will usually be Christian festivals such as Christmas or Easter.



SchoolChristian parents will often choose a Church school as this continues to surround their child with a strong sense of a community that all believe the same thing.



ConfirmationChristian parents, the Church and Church schools will all encourage children to make a commitment to their faith. This is known as confirmation and is when children confirm for themselves the vows their parents made for them when they were baptised.



Being part of the communityChurches often provide social services that bring the community and the family together. These may be prayer meetings, Bible study groups or purely social events such as youth clubs and parties to celebrate festivals. This sense of belonging helps the young person to express their faith and build friendships with other people of their own age who believe in the same things.



AdulthoodAs the child grows into an adult, their Christian beliefs stay with them and are an integral part of their memories of happy secure times. Should difficulties arise, the Christian community will be supportive through actions and prayer. It is from within the community in which they are established that they are likely to meet and marry someone who shares their beliefs. Once married, they have children and believe that a Christian upbringing offers children stability. They repeat the process and pass on their faith and beliefs. In the Bible it says, ‘Bring a child up in the way he should go and he will not depart from it’.


Activity

6. Cut out the six features of a Christian upbringing.

7. Stick in the features over a double page.

8. Next to each feature explain how that particular feature of a Christian upbringing might lead to or support belief in God.


Activity6. Outline the features of a Christian upbringing in

your own words.

7. Explain how a Christian upbringing might lead to or support belief in God.

8. How might Christian parents who attend church and believe in God avoid bringing up their children to believe in the same things as themselves? Is this possible?


Exam question

d) ‘Parents should not force their religion on to their children.’In your answer you should refer to at least one religion.i. Do you agree? Give reasons for

your opinion.(3 marks)

i. Give reasons why some people may disagree with you.

(3 marks)


Homework

xx


Plenary

What other things might influence a person as they get older?

Would these affect their belief in God?

Handouts and worksheets

BaptismDuring baptism, the child is welcomed into the Church, the family of God. Godparents, friends and the congregation promise to bring up the infant in the Christian faith and to be a good Christian example to the developing child.

WorshipThe young child is taken to church on a regular basis. They are taught stories in Sunday School about Jesus, God and the Church. The majority of the people the young child meets believe in God and they all encourage the developing faith. The most memorable events in the young person’s life will be the special occasions celebrated; these will usually be Christian festivals such as Christmas or Easter.Adulthood

As the child grows into an adult, their Christian beliefs stay with them and are an integral part of their memories of happy secure times. Should difficulties arise, the Christian community will be supportive through actions and prayer. It is from within the community in which they are established that they are likely to meet and marry someone who shares their beliefs. Once married, they have children and believe that a Christian upbringing offers children stability. They repeat the process and pass on their faith and beliefs. In the Bible it says, ‘Bring a child up in the way he should go and he will not depart from it’.

Being part of the communityChurches often provide social services that bring the community and the family together. These may be prayer meetings, Bible study groups or purely social events such as youth clubs and parties to celebrate festivals. This sense of belonging helps the young person to express their faith and build friendships with other people of their own age who believe in the same things.

ConfirmationChristian parents, the Church and Church schools will all encourage children to make a commitment to their faith. This is known as confirmation and is when children confirm for themselves the vows their parents made for them when they were baptised.

SchoolChristian parents will often choose a Church school as this continues to surround their child with a strong sense of a community that all believe the same thing.

Documents

Religious upbringing Objectives: To describe ways in which Christian families encourage children to believe in God To evaluate the importance of a