Scripture

Teaching Scripture

Studying scripture in a classroom context

The study of scripture in a classroom context takes the reader into the world of Jewish and Christian believers. Teachers need to develop reading and interpretation skills to appreciate the understandings of God and religious experience that are presented in Biblical texts.

In order to discover the sacred author’s 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 and speaking.

The Bible is firmly grounded in history:

• the history of the Jewish people,
• the historical events surrounding Jesus of Nazareth, and
• the history of the early Christian communities.

However, at no time do Biblical authors claim to present ‘objective history’, writing from the bias of faith. The Biblical authors made extensive use of symbol, metaphor and imagery. Therefore, for the teacher and student of scripture the question is not, ‘Did this (event) really happen?’ but rather, ‘What does this text mean?’

There is no text without context

For the teacher, engaging students in a critical study of scriptural texts involves:

• research into historical issues raised in the text,
• identification of the text type and textual features,
• exploration of the setting, characters, structure, plot, and
• attention to the context and function of the text, within the specific book in which it is located, as well as the Bible as a whole.

Catholics do not read scripture from a fundamentalist understanding and literal interpretation. This is not the approach taken in the Catholic Church or in the religion classroom. Rather, the Catholic Church’s understanding of scripture accepts the Bible as the inspired Word of God and as the work of human authors who were conditioned by their time, place, culture and worldview.

Students need to be taught how to apply the same skills they are developing in critical literacy to their interpretation of scriptural texts.

A student’s prior experience and familiarity with scripture generally will significantly influence their capacity to effectively engage with scriptural texts. It is vital therefore that students engage with scripture in a wide range of settings, both within the classroom teaching of religion and in the religious life of the school.

Scripture topics for educational engagement

The following collection of scripture topics provides a comprehensive foundation for engaging with the Bible in educational settings.

Church teachings and the role of scripture

The following collection of scripture topics relate to Church teachings and the role of scripture.