The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.
This second session speaks of faith, curiosity, and more. The session begins by asking youth to identify some of the wrongs they frequently encounter in their sixth-grade lives and then offers the story of Pandora's box as one explanation of how and why humans first encountered sins and other troubles. The session offers faith as one antidote to evil and then introduces the seven heavenly virtues and the seven deadly sins as examples of one religion's beliefs about virtue and sin. Temptation and curiosity are considered in connection with "Pandora's Box."
As always in Amazing Grace: Exploring Right and Wrong, a variety of activities keep things lively while also offering opportunity for deep and meaningful thought and introspection.
Some recurring activities, such as Conundrum Corner and Faith in Action, assume familiarity of both leaders and youth from previous use during Session 1. If you and others have not yet experienced these activities, you might wish to review the introductions in Session 1 before trying them.
Ethics Play is an alternate activity in this session. If it was a big hit in Session 1, you might consider reordering things to work it in for this one.
This session will:
- Ask participants to consider how sin and virtue affect their own daily lives
- Offer a story from another faith tradition that explains the origins of sin and other troubles
- Explore religious understandings of what virtues and sins are
- Consider the meaning of faith
- Understand faith as one response to the existence of sin and other troubles.
- Reflect upon wrongdoings that are common and significant for sixth graders
- Discover or rediscover the story of Pandora's box
- Explore the value and nature of curiosity
- Meet one list of major sins, the seven deadly sins
- Meet one list of some virtues, the seven holy virtues
- Consider religion and faith as antidotes and responses to trouble, evil, and sin
- Optional: Play roles in a hypothetical scenario in which ethical decisions are demanded.
For more information contact firstname.lastname@example.org.