Core And Complementary Scripture Texts Appendix B

Overview

The Scriptures, as given to the church, are the communal treasure of the entire body of believers (The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, n.3).

Religious Education is often the sole opportunity available for students to encounter the message of faith. In the teaching of religion, emphasis should be laid on knowledge of sacred Scripture, as a means of overcoming prejudices old and new, and enabling its truth to be better known (Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini of the Holy Father Benedict XVI, p.178).

The following overview provides an outline of what Scripture texts need to be explicitly taught (core texts) in each year level, and other possible texts (complementary texts) that could be used to support the teaching of particular concepts.

Core texts

Core texts are prescribed Scripture texts that need to be taught at each year level. There are three different ways that the core texts can be presented:

To conduct an in-depth study of the text (this is expected whenever there are only one or two texts identified to support the teaching of the curriculum);
To study particular biblical themes / motifs (this is appropriate whenever there are three or more texts identified as core texts, enabling students to recognise that biblical themes can be found in multiple places and contexts in the Bible);
As a source for personal and community prayer (this is appropriate whenever a statement is included in the Core Texts for some year levels; eg. Select some texts that are treasured by the Church community for prayer).

Core texts are taught in religion but may be utilised for the religious life of the school at other times.

Teaching the core texts requires teachers to:

a. Deepen their own knowledge and understanding of the text to obtain meaning at an adult level.

b. Dialogue with colleagues about possible interpretations of the text, recognising that while each person can potentially bring new insights to the text, interpretation also needs to reflect a contemporary Catholic worldview and theology.

c. Deepen student ability to interpret the text in a multiplicity of ways by beginning planning and teaching with the core text, allowing the insights from the text to enrich understanding of the curriculum.

d. Design pedagogically appropriate ways to engage students in learning about the text and articulating their own insights into the text, leading to quality dialogue that further informs interpretation of the text and enables students to obtain appropriate meaning from the text. The processes for dialogue also assist to identify student learning achievements and needs.

e. Develop opportunities for students to be challenged and transformed by the text, enabling students to identify actions / attitudes they wish to embody, cognisant that they are called to leadership in creating a future inspired by Scriptural insights.

In order to discover the sacred authors’ intention, the reader must take into account the conditions of their time and culture, the literary genres in use at that time, and the modes of feeling, speaking and narrating then current (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n.110).

Three worlds of the text

Students are invited to enter into and engage with the core and complementary texts by exploring the three worlds of the text.

Students critically and creatively engage in:

A study of the world of the text

In what book and what section of the Biblical canon is this text placed? Are there any parallel passages for this text? Does this text quote another book in the Bible? What is the text saying? What type of text is this? What is the purpose of the text? What are the text structure and features? What are the characters, settings and events? How can we examine the text for speakers and viewpoints? What is the explicit and implied meaning? How does the author use the text to challenge our thinking?

A study of the world behind the text

What was going on when the text was written? What was life like at that time? What can we learn about the culture, religion, history and geography of the text? Who wrote this text? Why was the text created? What roles and relationships did people have at that time? What does Church tradition tell us about the author of the text?

An exploration of the world in front of the text

What does this text mean today? How might a reader understand this story differently from people in the past? What do you think is the message of this text? Who might be interested in reading or using this text today? How might this text challenge our everyday experiences? What does the Church say about the meaning of this text? How might we think and learn more deeply about this text?

Explicit teaching of core and complementary texts in the classroom is not a ‘pre-programmed activity’ with easily predictable results that imposes an absolute meaning on a text. The Three Worlds of the Text is a heuristic tool which provides students with the opportunity to engage in critical and creative dialogue with biblical texts; to learn from within the Bible and discover their own informed interpretation. The Three Worlds of the Text needs to function as a dynamic, holistic and interactive process.

Please refer to the following sections of the Archdiocesan RE Curriculum P-12 - Teaching Scripture in the Classroom and Sacred Texts- to learn more about important principles teachers need to keep in mind when engaging students with scriptural texts.

Complementary texts

Complementary texts do not need to be taught in the same depth as the core texts; nor do they all need to be taught. Providing complementary texts for each year level enables teachers to confidently make choices about biblical texts that would be most appropriate for their students. In some cases, complementary texts are provided because they are parallel or related passages that may supply additional information to enrich the engagement with the core text.