Do We Need to Upgrade Our Religion Courses?
After taking religion last year, I realize that religion class in high school is different than what I thought it would be. I noticed that some people think religion is very easy, either believe it is based on facts or on opinions, and some think it is not interesting. It might sometimes seem easy, but it is rarely one kind of thinking. Yes, you will learn a lot about Jesus, catholic beliefs, morals and values. However, if you pay close attention, you will come to realize that religion can be applied to many different aspects of our lives. This is why we need to find ways to make religion more interesting and to get more students engaged in our faith.
Religion has become a very sensitive and controversial topic. People are afraid to discuss religion at the dinner table for fear of starting arguments over others’ religious beliefs. Part of the issue may be some people having difficulty grasping the concept of a higher power, among others, or simply might not understand the idea of religion altogether. People have to be respectful and open-minded when hearing about different religious beliefs, whether they personally agree with them or not.
Contrary to some individuals’ beliefs, religion is not strict. For example, God’s unconditional love is at the core of Christianity. It is deeply rooted in Jesus’ messages of bettering oneself, forgiving others and helping others become better people. God’s love allows us to flexibly interpret and act upon His messages.
However, there are certain rules outlined in the Bible when discussing sins. Sin is a complex topic because making mistakes in life is inevitable, yet the fine lines between what is and is not considered as mortal sin are sometimes thinner than the lines of my crammed-in math homework.
Yet, some people still think religion is strict and complex. Some students might even view it as a chore since you have to take religion as a course for all four years of high school. This is unfortunate because by viewing religion as a chore, they ignore the wonders, philosophies, and interesting stories of history that religion has to offer.
So, what can we do to upgrade our religion courses to get students to realise that religion is not something of the past but is actually quite interesting? Obviously, the teachers do their best to get their students involved. There are also split options in Grades 11 and 12 between open or mixed religion courses. Perhaps an adjustment needs to be made to the curriculum, or maybe more active hands-on activities are needed to get the students involved. From field trips to online trivia games, there are tons of fun and educating ways to learn. Two levels of religion for Grades 9 and 10 could also be very helpful to students who find themselves struggling with religious concepts because they maybe were not raised with a religious mindset. The point of the matter is that religion is interesting and important because it educates us on how to happily co-exist with others, and perhaps our religion courses should be upgraded to get more students interested and engaged in our faith.