Good and Bad, Right and Wrong: How Do We Decide? Buddhists, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Atheists 13-14 Year Olds

Home , Evil, Good and evil, Nimrata

Unit 3.12 Year 8 or 9 Good and bad, right and wrong: How do we decide? Buddhists, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Atheists 13-14 Year Olds

Sandwell SACRE, 2019

What is good and right? What is wrong and evil? Buddhists, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Atheists Age Group: 13-14

About this unit: This non-statutory unit is offered to teachers as an exemplar for guidance in planning and delivering RE for 13-14s using the Agreed Syllabus. The unit explores questions such as ‘how do we know what is good and evil or right and wrong?’ and ‘Does religion do any good?’ ‘How do Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Atheists and Christians decide what is right and wrong? The unit is about the theme of goodness and evil, and examines issues about right and wrong, religious and other kinds of authority and the values and commitments by which each person chooses to live. It can be taught alongside PSHE / Citizenship or enrichment and general studies programmes with mutual concerns – though it is important for RE objectives to be carefully planned and realised if this is attempted. The investigation sets challenging standards for students: the higher order thinking the unit requires would not be out of place for gifted and talented students. Some elements of this enquiry could be fully integrated with GCSE RS (which many schools teach from Year 9). As well as being a legal requirement, it is important that schools plan quality in RE for all pupils. This unit is a model for such planning.

The unit will provide these opportunities. • Students have opportunities to consider a diverse range of views about questions of evil and goodness, right and wrong. • From the study of sources of wisdom and authority within religions students will be able to examine and develop reasoned viewpoints and thoughtful evaluations of these questions. They will encounter some diverse views about goodness and evil. • In this example, viewpoints from Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhi, Islam and non-religious life will be considered. Any school may plan to address the questions of the unit with reference to another religious tradition, or to refer to just three of the perspectives we mention here, taking account of the overall need for a balanced curriculum in RE KS3. • Students will be able to think about their own views, the influences upon them, and the reasons why they hold them in relation to questions about good and evil. • Experiences and opportunities provided by this unit include engaging with a range of views about human well being, goodness and evil, discussion, debate and controversy, and the opportunity to reflect in depth on the links between motives, actions and consequences.

Significant background ideas from the religions and worldviews: ❑ In Christian traditions, belief in God as the source of goodness is a key to understanding the role of scripture, law and guidance. Christianity’s Jewish roots mark the significance of the Ten Commandments and the relationship between God and the people of God which they imply, but the main sources of Christian ethics come from the teaching of Jesus in the New Testament Gospels. Students need to get to grips with this in an authentic way. Sacred text, story and theological ideas contribute to Christian understanding of what it means to be human in relation to good and evil. Jesus’ use of the ‘Golden Rule’ and his teaching and example about love should be studied here. Matthew 5-7 and I Corinthians 13 are good Biblical starting points. Jesus is seen in the gospels as the ‘strong one’ and

one account of his purpose in life is to confront evil / the devil, and win a victory of love over evil and hatred. ❑ Islamic understanding of goodness and evil is tied to the understanding of Allah as the source of all goodness drawn from the Qur’an. The Sunnah (sayings and practice approved by the Prophet) contributes exemplars and illustrations of goodness and evil in action. The Islamic vision of life for the well being of all emphasizes the Ummah (the global community of Muslims), the importance of submission to Allah and the role of Shariah law (Islam affects social and political life and describes what is good for human communities through Shariah). Some of the Names of Allah (e.g. The Judge, the Guide, He who Sees, The Reckoner, He who Pardons) are connected to the moral life. Islamic ritual always encourages the believer to do right, and to seek forgiveness for wrong (e.g. ‘stoning the devil’ on Hajj, Salah and Du’a prayers for mercy and forgiveness). ❑ Sikh teaching: God does not inflict suffering on human beings directly. Suffering is allowed by God as a test of courage and faith. God gave humans free will. Therefore, evil cannot be removed from the world by God, as otherwise God would not be allowing humans true free will. Sikhs are encouraged to work to do good and relieve the consequences of evil. Those who do evil will be punished: “...in the Court of God everyone will be judged. Those who have betrayed the trust of the people will be shamed and punished.” (Guru Granth Sahib page 1288). Suffering is valued for the good that it often brings out in humans, e.g. compassion and empathy. Sikhs believe that suffering can draw a person closer to God as people tend to forget God when times are good and turn to God in bad times. ❑ Sikhs, Muslims and Christians may agree that the ultimate source of goodness is divine, and that humanity’s flawed attempts to seek what is good need the strength that comes from the practice of faith to flourish. This is the basis of their critique of non-religious morality. ❑ Buddhist ideas: as a non-theistic tradition, Buddhism is very much concerned with the reduction and ending of suffering: the Buddha prioritises this over any philosophical argument or doctrinal idea. The end of suffering – to which we are all subject – is approached through understanding and accepting the Four Nobel Truths and through the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path. Buddhists practice Five Precepts (voluntarily adopted – not laws) to bring them closer to goodness. Rather than talking of rules, Buddhists often speak of ‘skilful means’ to approach enlightenment. ❑ Among non-religious people questions of good and evil may be answered with reference to reason, experience or the principle of utility (‘the greatest happiness for the greatest number’). Atheists and agnostics may see God-talk as an unnecessary confusion of the debate about ethics. Some non-religious critiques of faith suggest that religion itself is evil, or promotes evils such as over-confident assertion of truth, bigotry and intolerance. The debate continues – and it is good for RE to engage it. Humanists use the slogan ‘good without God’ to describe their ethical commitments to truthfulness, rationality, skepticism, integrity and altruism. It is important that RE teaching should never give the impression that religions have some kind of monopoly on ethics. Atheism or agnosticism may offer purely human accounts of how we decide what is good and what is evil. At the same time, there are powerful non- religious critiques of religion which also have their place in the enquiry.

Estimated teaching time for this unit: 10 -12 hours. Teach less, in depth, if you have less time – it’s not recommended to skate o ver the surface, but to engage with two workdviews in depth.

Where this unit fits in: This unit develops the role of philosophical thinking in RE by attending to ethics. It provides opportunities to build upon work from earlier in key stage three by looking more deeply at the meanings of terms and the influences of religion and other ideas. The unit intends to give students the chance to develop their own sense of morality and their own awareness of the impact of their choices about right and wrong.

KEY THEMES ADDRESSED BY THIS UNIT ▪ Beliefs and concepts: what do Muslims, Christians and non-religious people believe about good and evil? What can be learned from differing concepts of right and wrong? ▪ Inter faith dialogue: what can Muslims, Christians and non-religious people learn from sharing their ideas and visions? What similarities and differences can be explored? Can we learn about good and evil from Muslims, Christians and non-religious people?

ATTITUDES FOCUS: Students will explore attitudes of: ▪ Self awareness by becoming more sensitive to the impact of behaviour and ideas about good and evil on themselves and others; ▪ Open mindedness by distinguishing between opinions, viewpoints and beliefs with reference to right and wrong, good and evil.

KEY STRANDS ADDRESSED BY THIS UNIT • Beliefs, Values and Teaching • Questions of Identity, Diversity and Belonging • Questions of Values and Commitments

CONCEPTS: The core concepts from RE that this unit addresses are beliefs, values, commitments and diversity. Teachers should plan to enable learners to see the significance of these core ideas at every point.

Prior learning Vocabulary Resources It is helpful if In this unit, Key Religious Texts: (Online searchable sacred texts: www.ishwar.com) students have: students will have ▪ Qur’an, 6: 151-154 • Studied an opportunity to ▪ Bible: Exodus 20, Matthew 5-7, I Corinthians 13 some use words and ▪ Other examples from other faith traditions. examples of phrases related to: Games: religious ▪ ‘The Values Game’ (in ‘Looking inwards, Looking outwards’ teachers’ pack, moral • Specific J. Mackley, RE Today 1997) ▪ 'The Worst Thing in the World' (in ‘Evil and Goodness, Developing teaching in religions: Secondary RE’ RE Today 2001) Y8’s theme Christianity: ▪ ‘Dilemmas and Decisions: 48 scenarios for moral thinking’, RE Today of sacred Jewish roots, Web: texts and Ten ▪ www.humanism.org.uk makes some atheist and agnostic materials revered Commandments, available easily, and has a shop. literature. Golden Rule, ▪ www.muslimdirectory.co.uk Directory of UK Muslim organisations • Awareness gospels, Sermon ▪ www.islamic-foundation.com The Islamic Foundation. of the on the Mount ▪ www.muslim-ed-trust.org.uk The Muslim Educational Trust language of • Specific ▪ The Philosophers’ Magazine www.philosophers.co.uk good and religions: Islam: ▪ Dialogue (a journal of religion and philosophy for post 16 students). evil, and the Allah, Qur’an, www.dialogue.org.uk fact that Sunnah, ▪ ‘Think’ (subscription journal from Royal Institute of Philosophy) - these words Ummah, Shariah, www.royalinstitutephilosophy.org can carry Hajj, Salah, Du’a, ▪ Ethics Updates http://ethics.acusd.edu/index.html various • Religious ▪ Ethics for Schools www.ethicsforschools.org meanings. studies: religion, Books: • Text-step humanism, ▪ Religion in Focus: Christianity in today’s world: activity ‘The Moral Ocean’ Published by Hodder Murray skills from atheist, agnostic, ▪ Religion in Focus Series, Islam in today’s World [Hodder Murray] the National ethics, morality. ▪ ‘Codes for Living’ Developing secondary RE, ed. Rosemary Rivett, RE Literacy • The language of Today Strategy in shared human ▪ Developing secondary RE: Relationships (p24-25) RE Today publications. working with experience: Activity exploring dilemmas and decisions in the workplace different good, evil, right, ▪ Active resources for Christianity Phil Grice. Pub Heinemann genres or wrong, motives, ▪ 101 Great Ideas for Spiritual and Moral Development (RE Today text. actions, publications) consequences. ▪ Movement and Change: Dimensions in Religion; Wood, Logan and Rose Chapter 4. ▪ Resources from the Muslim Educational Trust Visual media ▪ Why Atheism? Package of materials & DVD from Team Video ▪ Tackling Tough Questions by Russell Stannard DVD and book from RE Today, £35 (2008) Is belief in God reconcilable with this world of suffering? ▪ BBC Curriculum Bites RE: Series 1 (2003) : A short history of good and evil; The Moral Minefield ▪ BBC Curriculum Bites RE: Series 2 (2005): What would Jesus do? Caught in the Middle.

Contributions to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students • Opportunities for spiritual development come from engaging with profound questions about goodness and evil in relation to human nature, reflecting on diverse moral ideas from different religious and secular sources and expressing their own views • Opportunities for moral development come from asking and answering moral questions: what is good or right? How do we know? What is evil or wrong? How can we tell? Considering questions of community cohesion enables better understanding of moral complexity. • Opportunities for social development come from taking increasing account of the need to balance different visions of good and evil. • Opportunities for cultural development come from taking increasing account of the varied accounts of goodness and evil found in a plural society.

Expectations: the work described in this unit intends to enable most 14 year olds to achieve these outcomes. Make sense of belief: Understand the impact: Make connections: • Explain the differences • Show how some religious • Offer a coherent account of the between absolute and and non-religious ideas, impact of beliefs on how people relative morality and what beliefs and teachings guide decide what is right and wrong, difference they make for people in making moral comparing two views (e.g. one how people decide what is decisions religious and one non-religious; right and wrong • Give reasons and examples or contrasting religious views, • Explain how and why to explain why people come within or between faith people use and make to different views on moral traditions) sense of different sources issues. • Evaluate how far the beliefs and of authority in deciding principles studied help students how to live to make sense of the world, offering reasons and justifications for their responses.

Students do not need to achieve with reference to all the points above: teachers should look for the ‘best fit’ in describing students’ steps of achievement. Assessment for learning in RE is best when integrated into the activities of teaching and learning rather than set as separate assessment tasks.

ASSESSMENT SUGGESTIONS Teachers can assess this work by setting a learning task towards the end of the unit. The task aims to elicit engaged and reflective responses to the material studied throughout the unit across the ability range. Evidence of achievement with regard to these objectives can be gathered from tasks like these:

Example Task A: Create a moral code Students refer closely to the sacred texts they have studied. They could make a ‘Room 101’ list – what are the things they hold to be evil? What would Guru Nanak, the Buddha, Jesus or the Prophet say about their lists? They suggest and justify ‘10 rules for our school’ or ‘5 principles for our town’ or ‘8 Precepts for a better Britain’ that they formulate themselves, or select from the codes they have studied. The intention of the activity is to select and justify moral rules or principles for today’s society for themselves. They write a paragraph to say what they learned from the viewpoints they studied. Success criteria: Remember to include your responses to these questions: ▪ What moral codes do Sikhs, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and non-religious people follow? ▪ How does following a moral code make a difference to life? ▪ What similarities and differences are there between the different moral codes you studied? ▪ Why is your moral code well suited to make life better for people in the UK in the 21st Century? ▪ What is your analysis of the reasons why moral codes vary from time to time and place to place?

Example Task B: Evaluate the Consequences. Students take examples of moral codes from Humanist, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh or Muslim sources and explain what impact they would have if everyone in the class / school / town / country followed them. They could create images of heaven and hell, showing how their values would envisage the perfect and the opposite of the perfect and writing descriptive and analytical prose to explain their understanding. They can explain what would happen if everyone disobeyed or did the opposite as well. This provides opportunities to show understanding, account for similarities and differences and interpret insightfully. The students’ ability to explain the consequences of following moral guidance are a significant indicator of learning. Success criteria (these also relate to typical GCSE RS question approaches): Remember to include your responses to these questions: ▪ How do Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Muslims and non-religious people decide what is good and evil? ▪ What difference would it make if everyone followed the rules of a religion? Would it make a good society? ▪ Why do people not always live up to the moral codes they claim to follow? ▪ Is there a challenge for you in living up to the ideals you believe in? ▪ How do you evaluate the impact of moral codes? How do the disciplines of philosophy, sociology or psychology help with this evaluation?

Good, bad; right, wrong: how do I decide? What do we know about good and evil? Ideas and some content for learning: Learning outcomes (applying this content Teachers can select content from these examples, and add more of their own to enable students to achieve the outcomes. to the RE end of key stage outcomes): • Introduce key terms through questions, such as; what makes financial transactions immoral? Can Teachers will enable students to there be ‘ethical fashion’? Is anything always wrong in all circumstances? If something is wrong to me achieve these outcomes, as but not to you, does it mean it isn’t really wrong? Can moral guides from the past be of relevance appropriate to their age and stage, today? Etc. so that they can: • Getting started: Provide students with a list of statements and ask them to decide whether they think Make sense of belief: they are always wrong, sometimes wrong or never. The statements could include such statements as: • Explain the differences between Killing is always wrong; smoking / lying etc is always wrong; cheating is bad; do no harm to living absolute and relative morality creatures; love other people as you love yourself; forgiveness is vital; honesty is the best policy; charity and what difference they make begins at home. Encourage students to justify their answers. Make links between their responses and for how people decide what is deeper questions e.g. if killing is wrong, what about the death penalty? Encourage students to right and wrong consider whether there are such things as agreed moral beliefs that are accepted as ‘moral truths’. Understand the impact: • Key Concepts: Introduce students to key terminology used in ethical discussion: ethics; morality; • Give reasons and examples to absolute morality, relative morality; Teachers might use ethical stories from the press in the current explain why people come to week, from the soaps or from the movies and ask students to apply the ideas of happiness different views on moral issues. (utilitarianism), the well being of all (altruism), serving your own interests (egotism) and so on to the Make connections: stories asking ‘what if...? questions. • Evaluate how far the beliefs and • Compelling learning: case studies. Take some examples that have been in the news which raise principles studied help students questions about evil – there are always some. Cruelty, war and genocide are never far from headlines. to make sense of the world, Teachers might use stories from recent history as well – the case of Jamie Bulger, or of the Rwandan offering reasons and genocide, or the everyday sexism revealed by the #metoo movement.* justifications for their responses.

Sandwell SACRE / RE Today © 2019 What are the sources from which we can find out about good and evil? What can we learn from exploring ideas about right and wrong in different religions and views of the world? Ideas and some content for learning: Learning outcomes (applying this content Teachers can select content from these examples, and add more of their own to enable students to achieve the outcomes. to the RE end of key stage outcomes): • Suggest that we all have to make lots of moral decisions pretty well every day. Allow students to Teachers will enable students to reflect upon their own process of moral decision-making; think about three recent ethical dilemmas, achieve these outcomes, as then think about how students addressed them; by asking friends, teachers or parents, by following a appropriate to their age and stage, role model or religious teaching, by thinking practically as well as morally, etc. so that they can: ▪ Reflect upon questions about the meaning of ‘good’ ‘evil ‘ ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. Make sense of belief: ▪ What does it mean? Consider the meanings of the terms ‘good’ and ‘evil’: Ask students to write six • Explain how and why people use strips of paper each: good and evil people, good and evil actions, good and evil thoughts. The class and make sense of different can compare the ideas that emerge: are any people wholly good, or completely evil? Cases like Hitler, sources of authority in deciding Ted Bundy and Osama Bin Laden are often cited as people who were evil, but does every person have how to live some good within too? Could the action of hitting, hurting or even killing ever be good? Are some Understand the impact: thoughts (jealousy, hatred of another person, racism, sexism) ever good? Which are worst – evil • Show how some religious and thoughts, words or actions? Why? non-religious ideas, beliefs and ▪ How can we tell? Look at some codes of good and evil – the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule, I teachings guide people in Corinthians 13, the teachings of the Qur’an (e.g. Surah 6:151-154), the 5 Precepts in the Dialogues of the making moral decisions buddha (search at www.ishwar.com/buddhism). For believers’ such codes may have authority. But for Make connections: all humans the experience of deciding what we think is good or evil is important. This is related to • Offer a coherent account of the questions of values: what really matters? Students can sort and prioritise different values – e.g. by impact of beliefs on how people playing ‘The Values Game’ or ‘The Worst Thing in the World’ (games from RE Today) or in some other decide what is right and wrong, way. In games like these, learners engage is structured discussion and debate about the different comparing two views (e.g. one ways people use words like ‘good’ evil’ right’ and ‘wrong’ religious and one non-religious; ▪ ‘Values Clarification’ is an important step in the process of moral development, and often it is or contrasting religious views, prompted by dialogue. Our values are often unarticulated, so bringing them into the open, focusing within or between faith on clashes of valuer and discussing what matters most is close to the heart of this unit of RE. traditions) (Teachers will find useful reading here: https://positivepsychology.com/values-clarification/) ▪ Information points: It’s important that the work enables students to see that the language of good and evil, right and wrong, is disputed and is complicated in some ways, but some things are agreed to be right and wrong by nearly everyone.

How do Muslims understand good and evil? How do they try to build up goodness and fight evil? Ideas and some content for learning: Learning outcomes (applying this content Teachers can select content from these examples, and add more of their own to enable students to achieve the outcomes. to the RE end of key stage outcomes): • Islam: open up some Muslim teachings in the Qur’an e.g. righteousness comes from iman, assenting Teachers will enable students to to the seven key beliefs (2:177); some things forbidden by Allah (7:33); fasting and zakat in the five achieve these outcomes, as appropriate pillars; ihsan (excellence, doing what is good; from the Hadith of Gabriel). Consider the importance of to their age and stage, so that they can: submission in Islam and how this affects moral decision-making. Consider why Ibrahim’s willingness to Make sense of belief: • sacrifice his Ismail made him the perfect Muslim. For Muslims, what is the necessity and benefit of Explain the differences between absolute morality based upon the submission to Allah? will of Allah and the revelation of ▪ Encounter: if at all possible, it is good to enable learners to meet Muslims who are active in areas of the Qur’an and relative morality. social justice, compassion or aid and development. Set up an interview if you can. Parents or older • Explain how and why people use Muslim students may be able to help. and make sense of different Islamic ▪ What does Islam teach? Students examine and discuss the Muslim teachings on values, what is to be sources of authority in deciding held dear / worshipped and honoured in Islam? God is most great. Humanity takes its value from the how to live Creator. Submission to Allah is the duty of all people. Modesty, faith, community, family are valued in Understand the impact: Islamic teaching. Shariah law expresses ideals for society. The Pillars of faith are valuable in bringing • Show how some Muslim ideas, strength and structure to life. Muslims work against poverty and injustice, e.g. through Zakah, Islamic beliefs and teachings guide people Relief or Muslim Aid. Virtues include submission, generosity, faithfulness, learning and scholarship, in making moral decisions Make connections: community, forgiveness / mercy. • Offer a coherent account of the ▪ What do Muslims do? Students think about the practices of stoning the devil on Hajj, of following the impact of beliefs on how Muslims example of the Prophet, of learning the Holy Qur’an by heart, of giving Zakat to those in need, or of decide what is right and wrong, preserving family roles and values in a society where they are not always held dear. How do Muslims comparing different views. put their understanding of good and evil into action? What sort of society would we have if we all lived • Evaluate how far the Muslim beliefs by the Islamic vision? and principles studied help ▪ Muslim charities: it may be valuable to use case studies from Islamic Relief, Muslim Aid or Muslim students to make sense of the Hands to show hoe Muslim ethics are put into practice. Many mosques run foodbanks, for example, or world, offering reasons and offer hospitality to refugees and migrants. justifications for their responses. • What is challenging here? Students identify and respond to the challenges of Islamic ethics. What would they find hard if they chose to live like this? What are the consequences if people follow the teaching and vision of the Prophet and the Holy Qur’an?

Sandwell SACRE / RE Today © 2019 How do Christians understand good and evil? How do they try to build up goodness and fight evil? Ideas and some content for learning: Learning outcomes (applying this content Teachers can select content from these examples, and add more of their own to enable students to achieve the outcomes. to the RE end of key stage outcomes): • Christianity, good and evil: Explore how Christians decide what is right and wrong, through looking at Teachers will enable students to teachings and codes for living in Christianity; how these are applied to everyday living and social achieve these outcomes, as appropriate issues; reflect on the practice of virtue as well as the application of laws. to their age and stage, so that they can: • Christianity: Teachings of Jesus: Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7); Two Great Commandments Make sense of belief: • Explain what difference Christian (Matthew 22 v36-39);The Golden Rule (Matthew 7 v12); Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25 v31-46). belief and teaching makes to how Consider humanity from a Christian perspective of being at once ‘fallen’ and ‘in the image of God’. Christian people decide what is How do they affect Christian ideas about how to be good? Connect to the ideas of redemption and right and wrong grace, through which Christianity teaches humans can be reconciled to God. • Explain how and why Christian • What does Christianity teach? Students examine and discuss the teachings of Jesus about good and people use and make sense of evil, for example about money, divorce, avoiding hypocrisy or forgiveness (Examples from Matthew 5- different sources of authority such 7). They develop their understanding of what is held dear in Christianity, including the worship of as the teaching of Jesus and St Paul Jesus as God, the practice of forgiveness, the intention to live a life of love as a follower of Jesus. They in deciding how to live consider how Christian values are expressed in scripture, story or music, and in ethics, campaigning, Understand the impact: action for justice and global connections. • Show how some religious ideas, beliefs and teachings guide people • What do Christians do? Students think about the practices of remembering Jesus in bread and wine, in making moral decisions asking forgiveness of God, taking action for justice (e.g. through Christian Aid, CAFOD) and seeking to • Give reasons and examples to live by Jesus’ teaching and example. How do Christians put their understanding of good and evil into explain why people come to action? What sort of society would we have if we all lived by the Christian vision? What about ways in different views on moral issues. which Christianity fails to put its values into action? All religions include examples of these kinds of Make connections: hypocritical moral failure – what can we learn from these? Is it true that we are all a mixture of good • Evaluate how far the beliefs and ideals and not-so-good actions? principles studied help students to • What is challenging here? Students identify and respond to the challenges of Christian ethics. What make sense of the world, offering would they find hard if they chose to live like this? What are the consequences if people follow the reasons and justifications for their responses. Christian’s teaching and vision?

Good, bad; right, wrong: how do I decide? What can be learned from Sikh ethics and texts? Ideas and some content for learning: Learning outcomes (applying this content Teachers can select content from these examples, and add more of their own to enable students to achieve the outcomes. to the RE end of key stage outcomes): • Sikhi: Meditation on God’s name (nam japna); honest work (kirt karna); sharing (vand chakna); service Teachers will enable students to to others (sewa) regardless of caste, class or creed; obeying God’s will. The power of spiritual practice achieve these outcomes, as appropriate to enable people to live well, and for others. to their age and stage, so that they can: • Develop learning activities that enable pupils to understand, apply and reflect upon the 5 Sikh Make sense of belief: • Explain how and why Sikh people Virtues: use and make sense of the teaching

1. Sat is the virtue of truthful living, which means practising "righteousness, honesty, justice, of the Gurus in deciding how to live impartiality and fair play." “The Lord's humble servants are True — they practice Truth, and Understand the impact: reflect upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad. The True Lord God unites them with Himself, and • Show how some Sikh religious they keep the True Lord enshrined in their hearts.” (Guru Granth Sahib, 600) ideas, beliefs and teachings guide 2. Santokh, or contentment, is freedom "from ambition, envy, greed and jealousy. Without Sikh people in making moral contentment, it is impossible to acquire peace of mind."[1] Practice truth, contentment and decisions kindness; this is the most excellent way of life. One who is so blessed by the Formless Lord Make connections: God renounces selfishness, and becomes the dust of all. (Guru Granth Sahib, 51) • Offer a coherent account of the 3. Daya: The exercise of Daya, or compassion, involves "considering another's difficulty or impact of beliefs on how Sikh sorrow as one's own and helping to relieve it as far as possible. Compassion also includes the people decide what is right and wrong overlooking of imperfections and mistakes of others, for to err is human." “Be kind to all • Evaluate how far the beliefs and beings-this is more meritorious than bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage and principles studied help students to the giving of charity. (Guru Granth Sahib, 136) make sense of the world, offering 4. Nimrata, translated as "humility", "benevolence" or "humbleness", is the fourth virtue. “The reasons and justifications for their God-conscious being is steeped in humility.” (Guru Granth Sahib, 273) responses. 5. Pyaar requires Sikhs to be filled with the love of God: “Let the Fear of God be your feet, and let His Love be your hands; let His Understanding be your eyes.” (Guru Granth Sahib, 139) • Students consider the meaning, application and impact of these 5 virtues: how would their practice change our families, school, town or world? • Reflect upon what students have learned about their own ways of thinking and deciding about moral issues.

Good, bad; right, wrong: how do I decide? What can be learned from Buddhist ethics and texts? Ideas and some content for learning: Learning outcomes (applying this content Teachers can select content from these examples, and add more of their own to enable students to achieve the outcomes. to the RE end of key stage outcomes): • Buddhism: The Noble Eightfold Path and the Five Moral Precepts. Find out what ‘good’ involves in Teachers will enable students to Buddhist communal life. What approach to living do Buddhist principles demand? Buddhists might achieve these outcomes, as appropriate prefer the term ‘wise’ to ‘good’, and ‘unwise’ to ‘bad’ or ‘evil’. Discuss what difference it makes to to their age and stage, so that they can: strive for ‘wisdom’ rather than ‘goodness’. Learn that Buddhist practice is not defined as a rod to Make sense of belief: • Explain how and why Buddhist good ness or away from fixed ideas of evil. Instead, Buddhists seek to find ‘skillful means’ to move people use and make sense of towards enlightenment. Truth is what matters on the path to goodness. Buddhist sources of authority in • The Five Precepts: Ask students to think over their own ideas: if they could suggest 5 precepts (not deciding how to live rules, but voluntary undertakings) to make the world a better place, what would their 5 be? They Understand the impact: might write these individually then share them in groups of four. Can they agree which would work • Show how some Buddhist ideas, best? beliefs and teachings guide people • Introduce the 5 Precepts of in making moral decisions A simple version of the 5 Precepts, in the language of someone Buddhism – here is one simple Make connections: committing themselves to the Buddhist Path: • Offer a coherent account of the textual version, but there are 1. “As all Buddhas refrained from killing until the end of their others. This one emphasizes that impact of Buddhist teaching on lives, so I too will refrain from killing until the end of my life. how people decide what is right the Precepts follow the example of 2. As all Buddhas refrained from stealing until the end of their and wrong the Buddha and all Buddhas. lives, so I too will refrain from stealing until the end of my • Evaluate how far the beliefs and • Note that these are expressed as life. principles studied help students to things to refrain from, but they can 3. As all Buddhas refrained from sexual misconduct until the make sense of the world, offering be flipped into 5 positives – simply, end of their lives, so I too will refrain from sexual reasons and justifications for their respect all life, be honest with misconduct until the end of my life. responses. money and possessions, live with 4. As all Buddhas refrained from false speech until the end of love in your sexual relations, tell the their lives, so I too will refrain from false speech until the truth, be alert and mindful – or end of my life. would the students put these some 5. As all Buddhas refrained from alcohol until the end of their other way? lives, so I too will refrain from alcohol until the end of my • Consider the ways different life.” Buddhist temples / viharas put these into action through their generosity, charitable work and teaching. • Reflect upon what students have learned about their own ways of thinking and deciding about moral issues.

Good, bad; right, wrong: how do I decide? Non-religious worldviews, part 1 Ideas and some content for learning: Learning outcomes (applying this content Teachers can select content from these examples, and add more of their own to enable students to achieve the outcomes. to the RE end of key stage outcomes): • Non-religious: Compare religious moral rules with non-religious moral principles. For example, enquire into non- Teachers will enable students to religious ethicist Peter Singer’s charity ‘The achieve these outcomes, as appropriate Life you can Save’. Singer is not inspired by HUMANIST TEN COMMANDMENTS to their age and stage, so that they can: God to be good; debate how far God or 1) Thou shalt strive to promote the greater good of humanity Make sense of belief: religion encourages and inspires loving before all selfish desires. • Explain how and why Humanists actions. 2) Thou shalt be curious, for asking questions is the only way to decide how to live • Consider Humanist and other non-religious find answers. Understand the impact: visions of goodness and evil. Consider a 3) Harm to your fellow human is harm to humanity. Therefore, • Show how some non-religious text such as the Humanist Manifesto, or thou shalt not kill, rape, rob, or otherwise victimize anyone. ideas, beliefs and teachings guide the Humanist Ten Commandments (in the 4) Thou shall treat all humans as equals, regardless of race, people in making moral decisions box). Obviously written in a slightly parodic gender, age, creed, identity, orientation, physical ability, or Make connections: style that references the ‘Ten status. • Offer a coherent account of the Commandments’ of Exodus as archaic, the 5) Thou shalt use reason as your guide. Science, knowledge, impact of Humanist outlooks on code is full of Humanist perspectives on observation, and rational analysis are the best ways to how people decide what is right ethics and morality. determine any course of action. and wrong • Understanding Humanism: the website can 6) Thou shalt not force your beliefs onto others, nor insist that • Evaluate how far the beliefs and be an excellent source of RE materials for yours be the only and correct way to live happily. principles studied help students to these lessons. 7) If thou dost govern, thou shalt govern with reason, not with make sense of the world, offering • Many Humanists eee their morality as a superstition. Religion should have no place in any government reasons and justifications for their commonsense expansion of the ‘golden which represents all people and beliefs. responses. rule’ – to treat others as you wish to be 8) Thou shalt act for the betterment of your fellow humans, treated. Discuss with students how far this and be, whenever possible, altruistic in your deeds. makes sense of the text of the ‘Humanist 9) Thou shalt be good to the Earth and its bounties, for Ten Commandments’. without it, humankind is lost. • Reflect upon what students have learned 10) Thou shalt impart thy knowledge and wisdom gained in about their own ways of thinking and your lifetime to the next generation, so that with each passing deciding about moral issues. century, humanity will grow wiser and more humane.

Non-religious worldviews, part 2. What do non-religious people think about evil and goodness? Is religion negative or evil? Why do some people argue that it would be a better world with no religion? Ideas and some content for learning: Learning outcomes (applying Teachers can select content from these examples, and add more of their own to enable students to achieve the outcomes. this content to the RE end of key stage outcomes): ▪ Non-religious worldviews and ethics: in these lesson ideas, students will explore non-religious critiques of religious Teachers will enable students ethics. to achieve these outcomes, as ▪ Perspectives: It’s important that students note that religion is one source for ethics, and there are others. Consider with appropriate to their age and them that a Humanist may be a good person, or do evil, as might a Muslim or a Christian. stage, so that they can: ▪ What are non-religious ethics like? Students look at some quotations and statements from humanists or other non- Make sense of belief: religious sources about deciding what is good and evil, right and wrong. They distinguish between the use of sacred • Explain how and why texts and sources of authority in religion and the ways non-religious people make ethical choices and decisions, referring people use and make to reason, experience, consequences and motives. The Humanist critique of religious ethics includes the ideas that these sense of different codes for living falsely claim divine authority, may be repressive or oppressive of those who don’t belief the theology sources of authority in behind them, and lack flexibility to change when circumstances or human knowledge changes and develops. Which of deciding how to live these critiques do students find most powerful (Skill: evaluating arguments. Understand the impact: ▪ Utilitarianism, altruism and egotism: consider the contributions ethical theory can make to our understanding of good • Show how some religious and evil, right and wrong. ▪ Similar or different? Ask students to suggest what similarities and differences there would be between Christians, and non-religious ideas, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and non-religious people on issues like kindness, honesty, truthfulness, sex ethics, generosity, beliefs and teachings guide people in making moral forgiveness, charity, or others suggested by the students. decisions ▪ HumanistsUK offers very useful and challenging material about non-religious Humanist ethics through its website. Pupils • might analyse the humanist ethics in relation to religious ethics. Give reasons and examples ▪ Some non-religious people think that religion is a cause of evil. List some examples of conflict, psychological damage, to explain why people repression or other difficulties that the non-religious claim are caused by faith. Are these examples clear? Is it religion (in come to different views on itself) that causes the harm of is it ‘bad religion’? (religion that has gone wrong somehow). Is religion inherently old moral issues. fashioned – and does this conservatism lead to some religions being sexist or racist or homophobic, long after the Make connections: mainstream of society has moved on from such prejudice? • Offer a coherent account ▪ Some religious people respond to this argument by listing all the good that religion does. List the best examples of of the impact of beliefs on religion in action known to the pupils: sometimes religion or religious leaders or believers can practice self sacrifice, make how people decide what is peace, feed the hungry, tackle injustice, bring people together, support those in trouble or inspire acts of love. Is it the right and wrong, case that this is more likely for religious people? Religious people are (research shows) often happier than non-religious comparing different views people: is that good? Why does it happen? ▪ Do pupils know more about religion as a force for good, or as a force for evil? One approach to this topic is that we are all biased: can pupils see or admit to their own pre-judgements about religion? Can they bring them into question? • How can the argument be moved on? Ask pupils to envisage a debate between a leader from Christianity and Islam and a leader from atheisms. They could look online – there are many such debates. Stage the debate, and get pupils in groups to prepare one of their number for a speech on one side or the other. For a more profound challenge, get them to speak for the side they do not agree with.

What can the exploration of moral dilemmas and moral theory teach us about our own values? Ideas and some content for learning: Learning outcomes (applying Teachers can select content from these examples, and add more of their own to enable students to achieve the outcomes. this content to the RE end of key stage outcomes): This section of the work collects together the higher order thinking implied by this unit. Teachers will enable students Is moral autonomy valuable? to achieve these outcomes, as ▪ Examine how five or more movies set up their heroes as people who choose and create ‘goodness’ for themselves. Does appropriate to their age and this challenge traditional morality? Read the ‘Ring of Gyges’ (Ancient Greek philosophical parable – simple version here, stage, so that they can: parallels to Lord of the Rings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npc6wAu1ALU) and consider whether it is only the Make sense of belief: threat of shame, discovery or punishment, the social force of our communities, that makes us be moral. Is doing good just something that happens because we can’t get away with being bad? • Explain how and why ▪ Consider what influences lead some people to altruism and love and others to egocentric or selfish ways of life. What people use and make sense kind of society do we have, and how is it shaped by the kind of ‘moral milieu’ of the 21st century? of different sources of Can a person choose to be a global citizen? What might this mean? authority in deciding how ▪ Students consider the aspects of citizenship that are to do with identity, nationality and community and raise issues for to live the whole of humanity about environment, poverty, equality or human rights. The work, conviction and commitment of Understand the impact: relevant charities (eg Greenpeace, Christian Aid, Traidcraft or Amnesty International) could be studied. What might lead • Show how some religious students to adopt a low-salary high-ethics way of life? Who is most likely to live altruistically? Why? and non-religious ideas, Why is hypocrisy such a prevalent phenomenon? beliefs and teachings guide ▪ This question provides the opportunity to consider issues about personal integrity and sincerity, and the moral or ethical people in making moral reactions to hypocrisy. Students might: decisions - identify in film, religion, politics, literature or popular culture examples of hypocrisy: saying one thing, and doing the • Give reasons and examples opposite. to explain why people - discuss what makes these offensive, laughable or dangerous to many people. come to different views on - consider the human propensity to hypocrisy: how does it happen that integrity, sincerity and consistency, almost moral issues. universal aspirations, are also almost universally absent in human behaviour? Make connections: - devise ways of responding to hypocrisy. • Offer a coherent account - consider the teachings of religions about hypocrisy. of the impact of beliefs on - ask themselves about the value of sincerity or integrity in ethics and personal life and reflect on personal learning. how people decide what is What ethics do I want to apply to human relationships: right and wrong, ▪ How can relationships between humans and between the human race and the natural world be understood? What comparing two views. behaviour is good and evil in these relationships? How can engaging in dialogue enable me to become authentically human? Does the environment have rights? • Gifted or talented students research Martin Buber’s philosophy of dialogue (‘I-It’ and ‘I-Thou’ relationships) and a variety of ethical theories such as egoism, altruism, utilitarianism, legalism, situation ethics and religious perspectives (e.g. Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism). Understanding can be explored and evaluated through role play involving the religious, ethical and philosophical positions studied (e.g an official enquiry into whether a dam should be built in a particular location) and by personal reflective expression. • Reflect upon what students have learned about their own ways of thinking and deciding about moral issues.

Sandwell SACRE / RE Today © 2019 Good, bad; right, wrong: how do I decide? What have we learned? Ideas and some content for learning: Learning outcomes (applying this content to Teachers can select content from these examples, and add more of their own to enable students to achieve the outcomes. the RE end of key stage outcomes): • Recap the work of the unit and ask students to identify questions or issues they have enjoyed, or Teachers will enable students to achieve found surprising or challenging. these outcomes, as appropriate to their • Similar or different? What similarities and differences between Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Humanist age and stage, so that they can: and Islamic values can be seen? Students identify shared values and those distinctive to each faith / Make sense of belief: • Explain the differences between worldview. In the light of their learning, they explore for themselves what different values and absolute and relative morality and ideas about evil and goodness they hold (e.g. they play or replay the game ‘The worst thing in the what difference they make for how world’). Students are challenged to explain the differences in human values they observe with people decide what is right and wrong reference to religious, social or political ideas. • Explain how and why people use and • What have I learned about good and evil? Students tackle an assessment challenge that requires make sense of different sources of them to clarify and express their own views about good and evil (See the assessment tasks above, authority in deciding how to live bearing in mind the wide range of abilities and achievements which may be reflected in this unit Understand the impact: across the 13-14 age range). • Show how some religious and non- • What difference can I make? Identify a key current issue of injustice or hardship. Consider the religious ideas, beliefs and teachings probable causes and possible consequences. Discuss how a faith organisation might take action. guide people in making moral decisions Think through any advantages and any difficulties which might be specific to a faith organisation. • Give reasons and examples to explain In pairs, write a letter to a newspaper editor outlining the issue, raising your concerns and why people come to different views on suggesting a way forward. Exchange the letter with another group for proof reading and moral issues. supportive critical comment. Finalise letters. Make connections: • How do religions and beliefs contribute to ethical understanding? Consider and evaluate the ways • Offer a coherent account of the impact in which Humanists, Muslims and Christians would respond to and explain their attitudes to the of beliefs on how people decide what ethical problems and theories addressed in this unit. Issues might include environmental ethics, is right and wrong, comparing two sexual ethics, global ethics and interpersonal ethics. Using tools of social science and philosophy, views (e.g. one religious and one non- account for the diversity of religious ethics. religious; or contrasting religious • Reflect upon what students have learned about their own ways of thinking and deciding about views, within or between faith traditions) moral issues. • Evaluate how far the beliefs and principles studied help students to make sense of the world, offering reasons and justifications for their responses.