Mrs.

Lauren Teichrob - Available by appointment Monday Thursday from 3-4 pm

WRCA Bible Questions of God

Course Introduction
We all possess a worldview. It is these beliefs that formulate the way we look at the world and how we view life. Our worldview informs our personal, social, and political lives. It influences how we perceive ourselves, how we relate to others, how we adjust to adversity, and what we understand to be our purpose. Our worldview helps determine our values, our ethics, and our capacity for happiness. It helps us understand where we come from, our heritage; who we are, our identity; why we exist on this planet, our purpose; what drives us, our motivation; and where we are going, our destiny (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/questionofgod/why/index.html). The objective of WRCAs Questions of God Bible course is to examine human life from two completely opposite perspectives: from that of a believer and the unbeliever. By examining the lives of two individuals who have dramatically shaped and influenced the very moral fabric of contemporary Western society over the course of the past century, we will be challenged to understand how and why some individuals choose God and why others reject him. Students will compare and contrast the worldviews of both C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud by considering the nine essential questions (see below) that both men wrestled with during their lives. In doing so, students will be provided with opportunities to be encouraged, strengthened and grow deeper roots to anchor them in their personal faith as well as to help provide them with greater empathy, insight and to equip them as to how they might better reach unbelievers.
Questions of God 1. Transcendent Experience How much do our early childhood experiences shape our worldview and our choices?

2. Science or Revelation? Is the scientific method compatible with the Bible and concepts of revelation?

3. The Exalted Father Do our early relationships color the attitudes we develop later in life either toward or away from the concept of an ultimate authority?

4. Why Believe? Does the persistent human longing for God prove His existence?

5. Miracles How would Jesus Christ be received if he lived here and now?

6. Love Thy Neighbor Is it really possible to love our neighbor as ourselves?

7. The Human Condition How can one look at and explain evil in the world?

8. Moral Law Where and how do we get our concept of right and wrong?

9. Suffering and Death How do you equate an omnipotent, all-loving being with what weve come to expect and experience in our lives?

Expectations
1. Come to class on time 2. Come to class prepared 3. Always be respectful to the teacher, your peers and the classroom 4. Check the blog every other day.

Required Supplies
These following supplies are required for every class:

-Bible -Questions of God book -Binder and paper -Pen/pencil

Expected Workload

You can expect homework and/or reading assignments from each class

You will have a term project that will be due towards the end of the term

Homework Submission

Homework is due at the start of each class- no exceptions. This means that your homework is complete and immediately ready to be handed in hardcopy format. Electronic submissions will not be accepted (i.e. memory card, email etc)

Students will be given one hard copy of handouts and worksheets. In the case that they have misplaced their hardcopy or if they were absent from class, the student is responsible for locating the document on the blog and printing off a hardcopy

Assignments/homework is due at the beginning of class. If, for whatever reason a student has not completed their assigned work, they will be required to attend homework support. If students are missing homework was due during morning blocks 1-3, they will be required to attend afternoon homework support during lunchtime. If the missing homework was due

Evaluation
I. Classroom Participation & Discussions II. Questions of God Readings III. Select Question Representation VI. Cumulative Life Application 25% 25% 25% 25%

I. Classroom Participation & Discussions Participation includes bringing necessary supplies (Bible, writing utensils, binder with paper, Questions of God book), doing required readings, contributing to discussion, arriving on time, remaining on task, active listening, and engaging in community building activities within the classroom. Essentially, participation is anything that builds community. Evaluation will include self, peer and teacher. The rubric will be consistent throughout the year. The score from these assessments will comprise your Classroom Participation & Discussions mark.

II. Questions of God Readings Every class will require an assigned portion of reading (ranging from - 1 chapter) to be read in preparation for class. Effective participation requires this to be completed. So, for that reason, I need to ensure that you have read it. So, here is the question: How do I ensure that you have read it at a level that will enable active participation? So, heres what I propose: There will be 2-4 questions at the beginning of each class. If you have read the chapter, you will be able to answer the questions without trouble. The score from these quizzes will go towards your Questions of God Readings mark.

III. Select Question Representation Every chapter contains more information than we can cover in a single Bible period, which means that we wont be able to touch on every aspect of each chapter during class time. However; different aspects of each chapter will resonate with us more than others, so to provide you with the opportunity to explore a topic of your interest in further detail, you will write a short paper on one of the nine topics of your choice. More details will follow, but in the meantime consider which of the nine topics would you like to explore further and resonates with you personally. The score from this written response will go towards your Select Question Representation mark.

VI. Cumulative Life Application Utimately, what do I want to achieve with this course? Bare bones, here it is: What have I learned about the nature of who God is and what implications does this have for how I live my life? How does what youve learned affect our relationships, our decisions, our activities, our understanding of the world, etc. This assignment challenges you to demonstrate what you have learned in the course through the medium of your choice. More details will follow. The score from this written response will go towards your Cumulative Life Application mark.