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Galileo Affair

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How do you teach the Galileo Affair to students? The article below is the method I used to examine and explain the issue. Stick with the facts from Copernicus’s book. It is the key to unlocking all understanding of the issue.

Pope John Paul II once said the following: “In the spirit of Vatican II, I hope that theologians, scholars and historians will thoroughly examine the Galileo Affair, and make the suspicion disappear, that this affair still stands in the way of fruitful concord between science and Faith, between the Church and the world.”

To get an in-depth understanding of this issue, we very highly recommend Mr Frits Albers booklet “Galileo Galilei – The Case for the Church”, which is a very useful baseline account examining the affair from a Catholic Church perspective.

For decades, Catholics have been subjected to ridicule, abuse and denigration on the Galileo Affair, and more often than not by ignorant Catholics in Western countries who were robbed of a Catholic Apologetics 101 course in High School. The accusation made is that the Catholic Church scientifically erred in condemning Galileo’s Copernican teaching about the sun being the centre of the world and that the earth moved around it.

In answering this accusation, we merely point out the scientific facts of the case.

Scientific Facts

Galileo Galilei

Galileo proposed that the Catholic Church must re-interpret Holy Scripture and place the Sun at the centre of the world. Galileo, who was an avowed Copernican, submitted Nicolaus Copernicus’s work as proof positive that the Earth moved around the Sun. The Copernican work submitted was a book called: “The Book of Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres“

The simple scientific fact is that the Copernican system and the book are scientifically flawed. It could only ever represent a set of hypothetical scientific writings, which in fact Copernicus himself acknowledged. Some have speculated based on correspondence, that it is quite possible Galileo may not have ever read the book entirely? But even if he did, he could have no possible scientific proof to absolutely back up its astronomical claims.

Johann Kepler certainly later read it and saw the errors. His annotations and copies have been found. See Owen Gingerich’s efforts and conclusions which are recounted in “The Book Nobody Read“, 2004 by Walker & Co.

Copernican Errors

A simple illustration of these errors can be seen by the following pages. Please read the two page extract from Mr Frits Alber’s booklet below. Then look at the page extracts out of the “The Book of the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres“.

We have used a scanned translation of this work with the copyright permission of Encyclopaedia Britannia. This is to be sure that no Catholic bias can be assigned to the translation. It has always been there for everyone to see. Gingerich may have proved Koestler wrong about Copernican book sales, but many people today have obviously still not read/seen the errors.

Two pages extract from Frits Alber’s booklet –
“Galileo Galilei – The Case for the Church”

Revolution of Heavenly Spheres

Page extracts below with copyright permission taken from the translation of Copernicus’s work.
On the Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres (1543)
published in Britannia’s – Great Books of the Western World (1952)

Copernicus Book of Heavenly Revolutions Introduction Extract

In Book 3 – Section 15 Copernicus says the Sun and earth move around a point in space between each. This contradicts the Introduction.

Copernicus Book of Heavenly Revolutions Book III Section 15
Copernicus Book of Heavenly Revolutions Extract

The example above is not the only scientific flaw in Galileo’s proposal, as there are many more. For example, his failure to account for Stellar Parallax. Frits Albers and Koestler do a great job in highlighting these flaws. One comes away with tremendous admiration for the intellect of Saint Robert Bellarmine, instrumental in the Holy Office’s work. A bishop, saint and Doctor of the Catholic Church for other reasons.

Cardinal Saint Robert Bellamine

The Degree

The Catholic Church published its degree on the Galileo Affair on March 5th 1616.

The key text of this Decree which relates to the matter of Galileo is following:

“….And whereas it has also come to the knowledge of the said Congregation that the Pythagorean doctrine – which is false and altogether opposed to Holy Scripture – of the motion of the Earth, and the immobility of the Sun, which is also taught by Nicolaus Copernicus in ‘On the Motion of Heavenly Bodies’…is now being spread abroad and accepted by many – as may be seen from a certain letter of a Carmelite Father, Paolo Foscarini…wherein he attempts to show the aforesaid doctrine of the immobility of the sun in the centre of the world, and the Earth’s motion, is consonant with truth and is not opposed to Holy Scripture”.

Therefore, in order that this opinion may not insinuate itself any further to the prejudice of Catholic Truth, the Holy Congregation has decreed that Nicolaus Copernicus’ ‘On the motion of bodies’….be suspended until corrected, but that the book of the Carmelite Father Foscarini by altogether prohibited and condemned, and that all other works likewise, in which the same is taught, be prohibited, as by this present Degree it prohibits, condemns and suspends them all respectively. In witness whereof etc…”

Conclusion

Whatever the intentions of the Holy Office on the Galileo Affair. Irrespective of some who may have held private Ptolemaic geo-centric scientific beliefs. The Catholic Church officially proclaimed with deadly accuracy that Copernican ideas about Earth movements and immobility of the Sun are false. That it was not consonant with truth, was to the prejudice of Catholic Truth, and altogether opposed to Holy Scripture.

No amount of jawboning, whitewashing or nay saying can get around the scientific facts. The fact is we all need to do more homework on the Copernican system, and on the Galileo case. We use Kepler’s elliptical planetary laws today in which there is no true centre of the solar system. That is there are no centres in elliptical orbits, only in circular ones. We also believe the whole solar system, including the Sun, moves through space as part of the Milky Way Galaxy. The Copernican system is a hypothetical scientific idea in history, which the Catholic Church rightly asked to be corrected. It could not be used to re-interpret Holy Scripture in absolute fashion. End of Story.

The Galileo Affair is a perfect example of the unitive interaction between Faith and Reason. Both go hand in hand. It’s a pity many still do not recognise this fact.

We better be sure that we have a scientific truth before forcing the Church to re-interpret Holy Scripture. That is the moral of the story.

Postscript

In recent times some have speculated on why Galileo was brought to trial himself 17 years later in 1633. They pronounce some secret political conspiracy, but with no evidence. They maintain Galileo: had “done everything right, he’d followed the rules and suddenly out of nowhere he’s called to trial”. This was after publishing another book “Dialogue on the Great World Systems” with the new Pope’s [i.e. Urban VIII] personal censor’s permission. But the answer seems very straight forward. We quote extracts from Frits Alber’s book directly:

Extract 1

“According to an entry in the Inquisition file of February 25th 1616. His Holiness has directed the Lord Cardinal Bellarmine to summon before him Galileo and admonish him to abandon the said opinion. In case of his refusal to obey, that the Commissary is to enjoin on him, before a notary and witnesses, a command to abstain altogether from teaching or defending this opinion and doctrine, and even from discussing it”.

Extract 2

“There are two entries extant, both from Cardinal Bellarmine, which seem to indicate that Galileo acquiesced which means the obligation placed on him could be interpreted elastically. The question: “Exactly what injunction had been placed on him?” and “Did he break his undertaking?” became of great importance later on during his trial in 1633. It appears, then, that no greater obligation had been placed on him than to abandon the faulty opinions of Copernicus as true.”

Extract 3

“The thing that brought matters to a head this time after a 17-year period of peaceful coexistence was the fraudulent way in which Galileo obtained an Imprimatur for his latest book: Dialogue on the Great World Systems, in which Galileo boldly advocates the Copernican system as the only true one!”


Clearly the new pope’s censor had perhaps not read Copernicus either? We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Really though, Galileo broke his obligation of 1616 in some form or another. Even if he retracted his words, finally realising his scientific mistakes, the damage had already been done. Whatever the final story, it appears he got off lightly by even today’s standards of court trial and punishment. The Catholic Church’s official scientific, moral and theological position does not suffer one bit. The Truth it seems always wins out in the end, even 17 years later.

Nothing New?

As an aside, to prove a point that the issue about sun centred verses earth centred was nothing new to Catholic Church thinking witness the following two quotes:

“There was, as well, the perception that the Scholastics were in stern disagreement with the natural sciences, especially the development of astronomy and mathematics, an image of intolerance that has persisted right up into the twentieth century. The case that exemplified such views was the so called Galileo Affair in which Galileo faced condemnation for his views on the solar system.[1]” and

“Most legitimate Scholastic adherents never flinched in the face of scientific reality. St Thomas Aquinas himself epitomised such intellectual courage by flaunting current or conventional wisdom with such deductions as the earth’s roundness, arguing through applied physics it should be easy to prove. He also suggested that one day the geocentric theories of Ptolmey (that the sun orbits the earth) would be replaced by a more enlightened view. This came some three hundred years before the Galileo controversy, an episode blamed on hateful medieval thinking that opposed scientific progress.[2]”

We await secular writers currently trying in vain to lionise Copernicus’s mighty efforts as being that of some kind of secret secular hero, after having back peddled somewhat on Galileo, da Vinci, and the like, to start glorifying Saint Thomas Aquinas as the greatest secular thinker of history. We will not hold our breath. The fact is there is no division between Faith and Reason.

Copernicus Dedication

Incidentally, Copernicus who was a Catholic Canon, dedicated his book to Pope Paul III, who welcomed the work, and other Catholic clergy actually encouraged him to release it. This was long before Galileo came on the scene. Read the translated dedication here Copernicus’s Dedication of Heavenly Spheres to Pope Paul III 

How you can therefore propose that Copernicus was a secret secularist is ridiculous, and so is the toothless secular portrayal of the Catholic Church as anti-scientific. Copernicus is merely the philosophical precursor to Kepler’s insights. He was trying to work it out. It’s the Protestant and secular pressures of the time which lead to clouding of the issue. Remember, Luther was a Ptolemaic advocate, condemning Copernicus.

Owen Gingerich did a service in highlighting the personal, scientific and Holy Office annotations within existing copies of Copernicus’s printed books, but in doing so, he merely confirmed the above thinking, no matter what personal bias you may possess.

[1],[2] The Angelic Doctor – The Life and World of St Thomas Aquinas, Matthew Bunson, p118, OSV, 1994

Apologetics V2.00

Catholic Church Timeline

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Catholic Church Timeline
Catholic Church History – Saint Timeline V2.00

Looking for the ultimate PowerPoint Catholic Church Timeline which you can customize yourself for greater impact, and keep up to date with future events?

 Amazing base detail with 21 centuries, and room to grow

Many months in the making!

Gorgeous base template for teachers and students.

Chief focus on the major Saints in the Catholic Church.

Fantastic for Hagiography Saint Studies within Religion Classes and URL event linking.

Edit the Timeline PowerPoint to your heart’s content and/or print it out in A3 or AO format for an Amazing Wall Reference for students.

Music is cycled across all slides. Alter first slide if needed to restrict usage

Slide transitions animate from left to right in harmony for scrolling effect on each century

Fantastic when click scrolling on a big projector screen. Impress your school audiences.

Chill with Relaxing Calligraphy Lesson

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Calligraphy Writing
Chill with Relaxing Calligraphy Lesson using “soothing” music

Need chilling out…

Chill with Relaxing Calligraphy Lesson, without any stress, and build student relationships. Even Medieval Calligraphy selections can focus your lessons.

Darken your room just a little, and have windows open if possible, for good oxygen.

Pick any of music below, and just let it play fairly loud, with projector screen on.

The music and pictures simply create the mood required for the lesson.

Tell students they can study, or just chill out drawing/writing using calligraphy pens and ink with you towards the front of the class. Arrange some desks close together.

You then focus on some Calligraphy with students in quiet whisper/talk like silence.

Many will take up the Calligraphy offer with you. Others will prefer study.

You will find out who your actual fans and real friends in the class!

It is generally just bliss, trust me! You will be surprised how students relax with calligraphy and focus quietly on the job at hand, Let them roam is the best approach.

Beautiful Relaxing Music • Peaceful Piano Music & Guitar Music – Sunny Mornings à Real Nice!

Beautiful Piano Music, Vol. 1 ~ Relaxing Music for Studying, Relaxation or Sleeping

Oxygene – The Ocean

Abortion as Pre-emptive Genocide

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Abortion and Pre-emptive Genocide
Abortion and Pre-emptive Genocide are linked by choice

One day I was conducting a senior class in Religion and having to explain the moral issue of Abortion from a Catholic perspective. There are lots of very strong scriptural and moral arguments against abortion, but I wanted to highlight how every single Abortion as Pre-emptive Genocide reeks unbelievable consequences into the future.

Inspiration

You can call it an inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but this teaching approach hit me like a light bulb switching on, as I began to speak.

Not even mentioning the topic of Abortion at the start of the lesson, I began this way:

Class Dialogue

Teacher: You see young Johnny here, looking all fit, eager and ready to learn.

Students: Mild laughter

Teacher: Have you ever wondered about the total astounding reality of how Johnny could be present in this classroom today? Think for a moment, an incredible amount of ancestral decision-making has been made in order for Johnny, in fact all of us, to be here today. Johnny’s Father and Mother found love, married, and conceived Johnny in a statistical lottery of immense proportions. Every one of his ancestors for countless generations, had to be born, live, eat, learn, work, fight, suffer, marry and have children. All of this had to occur so that Johnny could be with us today. Every personal decision of Johnny himself, also brought him to our classroom today, not mention every decision made around him during his lifetime.

We all live within this same incredible reality, and countless backstories to our own personal existence and presence here today. I mean the statistical odds are unreal!

Students:  General response, very thoughtful and empathic without too much verbal response. Today’s students really connect to this personal human approach.

Let it hang briefly in silence, and then throw in the big punchline.

Teacher: And yet, one single abortion in that ancestral chain, could have prevented it all. No more Johnny!

Students: Dead silence and shocked looks are generally thrown around the classroom. Believe you me, you could hear a pin drop the first time I did this in a class. This stunned silence happens most of the time when you present the topic in this manner. Sadly, being mostly utilitarian in their thinking, this quantity argument has the desired effect in making people think about the topic in a more serious manner.

Hit the Genocide Decision Punchline

Teacher: You know every single Abortion is a form of pre-emptive Genocide. A branch of the human family tree is extinguished by the personal whim of an individual. All that possible descendant genetic DNA potential is lost forever.

Would you rather that decisional power being in your hands, or Gods’? Human life is that serious. Are you competent enough to guide, control, and predict human futures? Which Tree in the Garden of Eden have you chosen to pick from?

Middle Ages Indulgence Indiscretions

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Middle Ages Indulgence Indiscretions
Middles Ages Indulgence Indiscretions

So, you’re in religion class, and the “old hoary” topic of how to handle Middle Ages Indulgence Indiscretions comes up yet again. Oh the joy! Where do you begin? How do you pitch to classes with mixed Catholic, Protestant and Atheist students?

Well, here is my strong piece of advice. It’s a tried-and-true method passed on to me by an old Catholic priest who taught me some real Middle Ages Indulgence Indiscretions history and proper doctrinal context, and how to best counter the propaganda. God rest Father’s soul. He was a titan. May he rest in peace.

I have tinkered and improved elements, but the core remains the same. The dialogue generally goes like this. Just memorise it!

Teacher: First, I am going to define the word “Indulgences” as understood by the Catholic Church. This understanding was held before the time of Martin Luther, at the time of Luther, and after the time of Luther, until this present day. Does anyone know what is this general definition?

Students: No-one will usually be game to have a stab at this one and look like an idiot. Silence mostly.

Teacher: Well, an Indulgence is defined as the following: Write the definition slowly and clearly on your whiteboard – and have every student write it out in their notebooks for maximum retention. Make this definition stick !

An indulgence is either a Plenary [Full], or Partial [Part] remission of the temporal punishment due from already forgiven sin.

Read it out slowly, as you write it out, and verbally repeat remission and already, and clearly underline them. You can impart the Catholic Catechism reference if you wish.

Teacher: Note! Indulgences do NOT forgive sin. They never ever could. Only the Sacraments freely do that. Martin Luther was asked to correct his teaching that Indulgences forgave sins and he never did so. That’s heresy. Millions of people have been misled since, and have been taught errant understanding of Catholic Church doctrine.

Just remember if you are in Purgatory, you are already going to Heaven. It is just a question of when. The real question is the penance outstanding. You are going to confront an Infinite Almighty all-pure and all-holy God remember. Think your ready?

Students: Stunned looks generally speaking, and then you will see happy smiles on the faces of the Catholic children. Watching who similes at these moments, can be a pretty big tell for the future, for either good or ill. Look carefully around.

Teacher: So, what are Indulgences. Well, they are just a form of Penance. They are Penances. An indulgence can constitute a prayer, physical activity, say fasting, or a charitable work, and yes, even donating money is a charitable act. You donate money all the time to others in society. We still do this today in the Church as well. I give a donation of say $10-20 to a priest, so a Mass can be said for the deceased souls of my Mum and Dad, so they are not suffering in Purgatory; and the priest can eat and pay his bills as well. Why wouldn’t I do this as a charitable act? I donate for Church buildings. My donations helped build schools, hospitals and churches, so what! We all still do that but never think of them as Indulgences, when they are in fact exactly that.

Teacher: So, the problem in the Middle Ages is not the doctrine of Indulgences. The problem was the abuse of that doctrine. It’s a question of justice. People abuse Catholic doctrine all the time. They still do so today. Indulgences are all about Justice. In fact, Indulgences form the basis of our Modern Legal System. Remember the phrase “temporal punishment”.

Teacher: Pick a tough-skinned boy or girl who likes cars. Look at little Johnny over there, for example. Johnny just bought himself a “hot” supercar and is burning down the highway at 200km hour, [class sometimes laughs] and police give chase. What happens to Johnny? He does the crime, so he pays a …. Let it hang. They might answer it. “He pays a fine”. What about if Johnny is also held in the jailhouse, and someone has to pay his bail and take his punishment on themselves. They buy his freedom from incarceration in other words. Sound familiar for purgatory?

The issue is though, you do not pay a million dollars for a speeding ticket, and you do not pay one dollar to release a known murderer on bail. That would be unjust! Was that happening in the Middle Ages for Indulgences? Perhaps, but that does not make the doctrine of Indulgences wrong, as Martin Luther said it did.

In fact, what happened on the Crucifix? Jesus gave us a Divine Indulgence by taking the infinite punishment of all mankind’s sin upon Himself in order to allow us the opportunity to reach Heaven if we wanted. Getting rid of the doctrine of indulgences would undermine the very act of redemption itself. How Satanic is that!

Trust me, you generally will not get many questions after you finish this explanation.

Awesome Pontius Pilate Coins

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Awesome Pontius Pilate Coins
Pontius Pilate Coin 26 – 36 AD

Roman coins are a little “old school” and now somewhat “old hat” for usage and impact in a religion classroom. Useful for some, but anachronistic for others, and potentially too far away from Israel, depending on the type of coin. However, Pontius Pilate Coins are awesome.

You want to create some real impact in a religion or adult education class? Something with a bit of awesome “Wow” factor. Inquire about and purchase a legitimate Pontius Pilate Coin from the actual time of Jesus and show that to your students.

How to find them?

Just like the one above from a licenced Israeli archaeology dealer, who resides next to the Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Why is it even more special? Well, this one has the Lituus on it (i.e., curved Shepherd’s Staff). Greenish from the copper still within it.

This Lituus pattern from this type of minted bronze coin was reputedly found in the analysis of one of the eyes of the Shroud of Turin.

This type of coin has more impact in a religious class. It brings authentic reality to any discussions about Jesus’s life and Gospel historical times, not to mention the Turin Shroud.

https://zaksantiquities.com/product-category/ancient-coins/biblical-coins-jesus-time/pontius-pilate-coins/

Zak’s Certificate of Authenticity

Counteract the Cortez Conundrum

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Counteract the Cortez Conundrum
Counteract the Cortez Conundrum

You were taught it as a child perhaps? You know, the propaganda narrative of how the South American Indians of Mexico were forcibly converted to Catholicism by Cortez and his superhuman band of 500 “Ubermen”. Men whose superior weapons consisted of a few single shot muskets and some single shot cannon. They then overwhelmed a civilisation of several million Aztecs. How do you Counteract the Cortez Conundrum?

At least that was the narrative back then. Even some children’s Disney films still reinforce this propaganda picture of history today. Indeed so do documentaries.

How do you best present this in a classroom with at least some semblance of actual historical and religious reality. How do you avoid the class controversy in the process?

Well, sometimes you just have to hit students between the eyes! Usually there is only a lesson or two to study South American history, and this is how you might do it. It certainly worked well for me on many occasions.

Class Conversation

Step 1

Teacher: Do you really think Cortez and his 500 odd conquistadors converted and conquered all those millions of Aztecs?

Just think for a moment. Muskets and cannon of that time were single shot only, and took a very long time to load.

Five hundred men also had to sleep at night. So perhaps half would have had to sleep at night whilst others were on duty. They were facing an opponent skilled and in their own jungle land, with hundreds of thousands of warriors. Also, the Conquistadors were not representatives of the Church, nor were they Saints, and they had their own private monetary and profit motives. But is this all really true? Did they manage to pull it off?

Students: You will see in their eyes serious doubts creep in, as the truth of historical and military reality dawns on them. The boys are mostly Call of Duty, Fortnite or first-person shooter experts after all. So you know they’re doing the weapon calculations, whilst the girls of course, just see the logical reality of sheer numbers straight away.

Step 2

Teacher: The fact is many Indian tribes were wholeheartedly on the side of the Spanish and Cortez against the Aztecs. He had an army of some 90,000 – 100,000 Indians supporting him for rather obvious reasons, such as mass human sacrifice, ripping out human hearts, and uhm…. well…. cannibalism. You should look this up yourself.

You will also find very few Indians initially converted to Christianity. What really converted the Indians was Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Saint Juan Diego. This was the greatest mass conversion event in history occurring over 10 years, with an estimated 9 million being baptised. You never hear about that in the mass media, do you? Anyway, you do not have to believe me. Go and study it all yourselves now.

Students: Dumbfounded looks. I can practically guarantee none of them will have heard the real Spanish Catholic side of the story. They will go hammer and tong into their Internet research trying to verify all you have just said. Believe you me!

It does not take them long to realise there are real truths out there, which they never possessed before. In fact, many teachers still sadly believe this narrative, and never do their own research.

Once you complete that little hook, just leave them a prepared study task to figure out what really happened themselves. Yes, Inquiry Learning has some place. A written essay summary of Spanish History and the Aztecs is a good start, with pictures of course.

You just have to load that musket first, before they can learn to load it themselves.

Reflection

Whilst they’re studying, you might reflect on how you were conned as a child. Its such a outrageously ridiculous historical narrative. What else have you missed?

God and twofold Jealousy!

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God and twofold Jealousy
God and twofold Jealousy!

It was lunchtime in a café on a hot summer’s day. I reached for the national newspaper after a nice lunch. Browsing to the editorial pages I came across an article from a prominent atheist columnist who devoted an entire piece of text as to why God cannot be all powerful and all good, when the Old Testament Bible says He was a jealous God. This is the God and twofold Jealousy problem in Hebrew language.

My jaw dropped, knowing this biblical quote was not entirely correct. It was amazing that the writer, who was a well known hardcore atheist, seemed to base his entire belief system on this particular eye-opening notion.

I decided to write a letter to him about it in the very near future, but the writer unbelievably passed away beforehand. There was some regret on my part, having not got to that letter sooner, but I have since made it a stock part of my teaching career.

What is the answer to this problem, you may ask?

Two Jealousy Word Hebrew and God Problem

Firstly, you must know what Biblical Concordances are and actually use them!

Secondly, there are two separate words for Jealous in Biblical Hebrew. There is the evil “green-eyed” jealousy we know and there is also a Hebrew word for a Jealousy reserved for God alone. The second is better translated as God is desiring of a loving relationship with you to the exclusion of all others. There is no evil intent ascribed to God’s form of jealously in Hebrew, only to the former human orientated jealousy.

However, we unfortunately translate both words into English as jealousy, causing endless confusion. The Bible is packed full of these translation problems and scholars even debate the base translated meanings.

This journalist had lost his entire faith in God over a simple failure to look up a biblical concordance for the word jealousy. A Concordance, by the way, is a book containing all the Bible’s words, and their Hebrew and Greek translations. It tells you what other meanings these words could possess, or indeed if there were multiple words with similar meanings, but with nuanced differences.

Biblical Concordances and Hebrew

Since that time, I bring a Concordance into every religion class and explain epistemology for biblical studies to students. This really does help students grasp the basics, and I point out how not to lose your religious faith over simple ignorance, and to realise we do not have answers to everything. If we did, we would be in Heaven.

Jesus Christ knew the importance of mystery, parables and puzzles to human learning and humility. So should you. We use them in classrooms every day.

Then of course there is the issue of Hebrew “idioms” which complicates biblical studies further. To handle this one, I use a bit of Australian slang terminology in the classroom to introduce the topic. Here is the dialogue:

Class Dialogue on Hebrew Idioms

Teacher: Does anyone know what the old Australian slang idiom phrase “Stone the Crows” means? Its an old saying used in my childhood.

Students: Dead silence. No adult under fifty will probably even have heard of it.

Teacher: Well, it does not mean “drug the crows” [laughter] or even literally “throw stones at the crows”, but it is a metaphor for expressing your feeling of “I am frustrated”. It relates to the feeling you have when a crow is outside squealing with a constant drone of “ARRRK, ARRRK, ARRRK” in a monotonous manner, and you want to stone it. You know when you trying to sleep in a quiet morning, after a long night.

Teacher: An old Catholic priest scholar once explained to me. We know approx. 75%+ of Old Hebrew, but idioms are a problem. If you do not know “Stone the Crows” in one generation, how would we know all the Old Hebrew idioms without a clear verbal tradition. Here you see the importance of Church Fathers, Bishops and the whole edifice of Church capital “T” Tradition which goes hand in hand with Scripture. Remember the Bible was compiled by the Catholic Church, by Bishops in fact.

Reflection

So much for God and twofold Jealousy. If only that Journalist had learnt about Biblical Concordance translations and idioms in High School. His first name sadly was Patrick. Please pray for his soul!

Teaching Saint Paul

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Teaching Saint Paul
Teaching Saint Paul

Teaching Saint Paul can be a drawn-out process. Yet there are pedagogical methods which allow learning about St Paul’s Mission in Christianity, to become interesting and engaging.

Firstly, its vital for you to explain the importance of Salvation History in Christianity. This explanation can be started with a simple quote, and then a reasonable but short introductory overview, about civilizational history, prior to Jesus. My favourite quote is taken from Cardinal Wyszynski of Poland illustrating salvation history:

Teacher: Why was Jesus Christ born and killed in the 1st century? Why did God select this period in history? Why then? Ever thought about that?

Let’s consider this quote by Cardinal Wyszynski, mentor to Saint Pope John Paul II

“Certain historical developments are willed by the Lord of History, and they shall take place. About many other – mostly minor – developments, that same Lord is willing. He allows men the free will to choose between various options, and he will go along with those choices; for, in the end, all human choices will be co-opted as grist into God’s mill, which grinds slowly, but always grinds exceedingly fine”

Teaching Salvation History

After discussion of this quote, highlight the three key civilizational influences at work in Palestine at the time of Jesus Christ. These being Hebrew, Greek and Roman civilisations. Note that these were the three languages used on the Crucifix title board, written by Pontius Pilate which said: “This is the King of the Jews”.

Afterwards, briefly explain the Jewish Diaspora in the Middle East, after the 1st Temple destruction, and how the 2nd Temple had been rebuilt after Cyrus the Great released the Jews, and allowed them back to Israel, yet most Jewish Diaspora communities still remained abroad in Jesus’ time. Alexander the Great and Greek culture dominated, and later Roman culture. A good timeline helps. This overview sets the stage. Explaining the Diadochi and Ptolemaic Egyptian basic foundations can also assist context as well.

Biography of Saint Paul

Using this overview, you can then quickly connect St Paul, who spoke all three of these languages, on the Crucifix title board and who was a noted Pharisee scholar, who learnt under Gamaliel. It’s possible Jesus even spoke to Gamaliel during His lifetime. Perhaps as a young lost boy, when being found in the temple by his parents.

You can then discuss pivotal moments in Salvation History with respect to Diaspora Jews, such as scripture text just before Jesus’ Passion, to that of Pentecost, and during St Paul’s mission when he is prevented by the Holy Spirit from going to Asia. This leads straight into details of St Paul’s life, his conversion, and then missionary journeys with various associates. Be sure to note the “one tough hombre” nature of St Paul. Paul had extraordinary courage and resilience. Students love that.

Mapping Activities

You can also have students do hand mapping of St Paul’s journeys. This works really well in younger high school grades for boys. Provide them with empty map/s of the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Permit mapping of all his four major journeys.

Alternatively, you can create group research work on his key missionary regions and cities. I find this effective as a practise task for the assessment item, if combined with a multimodal report from the group, on their selected region/city topic.

If you structure your lessons, by incorporating these elements, combined with extra Kahoot Quizzes on St Paul you can create some very “meaty” lessons with a lot of variety and revision.

Assessment Options

Students then create short videos for their assessment piece, by incorporating software tools such as online mapping tools, and by analysing the theological and moral messages of one of Saint Paul’s Letters.

This is a solid foundation to teaching Saint Paul.

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Twinning Problem in Your Classroom?

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Twinning Problem in Your Classroom
Twinning Problem in Your Classroom

Several years ago, I discovered something that was never taught in Teacher Training. This is the possible twinning problem in your classroom? We all of course, learn a lot about the tragedy of child abuse and the signs to watch out for in such cases. Nevertheless, we were never informed of all instances in which childhood behaviour can often mimic child abuse, and that you can be seriously caught out and embarrassed.

Fortunately, on this occasion I asked some questions first before reporting anything formally. It was then I discovered the unique phenomenon which I came to know as the “twinning problem”. I found a rare few knew of the problem, because it is not common.

Background to the Twinning Problem

This story begins with being called down to do some urgent supply work in a Home Economics class. This was not my forte at all, but the Vice Principal was confident in my troubleshooting abilities, or perhaps there was just no-one else available.

In any case, I found myself taking a “sewing class” for two 45-minute lessons. I had some work already set, but it was not quite enough for that full length of time. Before the students scurried around, I asked if they had learnt to hand sew buttons.

The vast majority in this all-female class had yet to learn how to hand sew a button. All were fairly competent with machinery sewing though. I breathed a big sigh of relief, for this was the one piece of sewing I actually knew. My mother made sure I was capable of sewing my own shirt and trouser buttons, and doing basic patchwork on clothes.

Twinning Problem Surfaces

Whilst I supervised the class, I noticed one small girl by herself, sitting dead still and staring into the distance. She didn’t make a move. The withdrawn, dazed look on her face gave me the chills. The other girls simply ignored her. I tried communicating, but she made no answer nor eye contact, though I knew she was listening, having saw her tense her body, just ever so slightly. Sensing anger was pointless and would do far more damage, I thought I saw a very clear case of possible child abuse. All the signs were present. Deciding to be proactive, I found a jar of coloured buttons and cloth from the back room to sew some practice buttons.

Still getting no eye contact or verbal answer to my questions, I put the coloured jar in front of her and gently asked if she would choose her own coloured buttons to sew, and I would show her how to sew them on. To my utter relief a small hand reached out and picked a button from the jar. She still did not look at me, or respond, maintaining her staring ahead, with head slightly inclined down to avoid eye contact.

I proceeded to demonstrate sewing a button in front of her eyes, and the young girl picked up a needle and followed my instructions and proceeded with her own work. She managed to complete the work pretty well, though it was clearly her first attempt.

Success and Satisfaction

At the end, a very worthy piece of sewing cloth with buttons was produced. Then something wonderful happened, she looked up at me for a brief moment, and gave the most beautiful genuine smile I had ever seen. My heart almost melted. Breakthrough! They tell you in teaching there are small moments which make the vocation worthwhile and leave you on “cloud nine” for a few weeks, which eases all the pain you receive. This was one such moment. That small smile healed a lot of teaching wounds.

Completing the rest of the lesson was somewhat of a triumph with successful buttons finished all around. Years later, I can still remember one student coming up and remarking: “Sir, remember how you taught me to sew my first button?”

So how does this relate to “twinning”. Well, I went to immediately check that child’s background, worried about abuse. After discussions, I found she had a twin sister. Apparently, they both talked like chatterboxes together, but displayed the same behaviour when apart. They had not been socialised properly outside their twin sister relationship. This was the “twinning problem”. A relation of mine who was a Vice Principal at another school, pinpointed it straight away, when I queried this behaviour.

Oh, that’s the “twinning thing”. She knew it instantly from long experience.

Just Remember Twinning!

So, if you ever come across a possible case of possible child abuse, matching all the signs, first check whether the child has a “twin”. It may save you a lot of embarrassment! It is a problem which may be encountered even within high schools.

Masterful Trinity Teaching

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Masterful Trinity Teaching
Masterful Trinity Teaching

Masterful Trinity Teaching can be very difficult unless you have a solid philosophical and theological foundation in the content. Even then, you need to carefully think about what you are doing. Here is a time-tested approach to teaching the Trinity which has been used in dozens of High School classes in many different demographics.

This form of teaching can be done from Grade 8 up to Grade 12, but adults can benefit greatly from it as well, if they have never learnt it. The lack of foundational religious learning in society today is sadly quite common.

The ideal year for deeper concept introduction is in early Grade 10, when abstract thinking is more highly developed in children, particularly in some demographic areas, where delays in childhood development are common, and which may render theological content understanding problematic. However Grades 8 and 9 are possible.

Masterfully Teaching the Trinity Audience

My standard hook involves starting with a prayer using the “Sign of the Cross” visibly and expressly. After which, I then rhetorically ask: “Ever considered why you bless yourself with a Sign of the Cross. It’s the sign of the Trinity”.

Then I say: Ever consider why we say in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit? We do not say in the Names of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Today we will find out the reasons why this is the case.

You call yourself Christian. You at least want to explain something about the God in which you actually believe, and with whom you wish to spend all eternity, don’t you?

Now quietly ask yourself this question: “Is Jesus a Human Person? Yes or No? [Pause briefly]. Don’t call out and don’t tell anyone your answer. There is only one right answer if you do not want to be a Arian heretic from the 4th century, whom St Nicholas of Symna, the original Santa Claus railed against, at the Council of Nicaea.

Today we will learn what the correct doctrinal answer is and why.

If someone asks you to explain the Trinity after today, ask them that question first. Their response will tell you a lot about their intellectual life.

Masterful Trinity Teaching – Building Blocks

Then I say: “How shall we do all this for you today? The secret is in teaching you the building blocks of the Trinity.

You must know the definitions of Person and Nature. They are a philosophical key to a deeper understanding, along with words like Spirit, Intellect and Free Will etc…

One last thing before we start. If anyone says they understand the Trinity at the end of this course, I will fail you outright.

God is Infinite. We are finite. We cannot totally understand God. We see Him very faintly as though a brief vague glimpse through a very foggy window pane. The doctrine of Trinity is a truly brilliant achievement. It gives us a brief glimpse. Know it well!

Use a Trinity PowerPoint and Kahoot Quiz

To help you do all this training, we recommend you shop for our Trinity PowerPoint.

It gives you a very good baseline on which to customise your Trinity presentation. Symballousa Kahoot Quizzes on the Trinity are also one of our most popular quizzes.

Nose Needling Dilemma

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Nose Needling Dilemma
Nose Needling Dilemma

Whaddya, you think Sir?

It was the Nose Needling Dilemma!

You know the drill. I mean both literally and metaphorically.

How many times did this happen to you as a pastoral teacher?

Background Story

You know. There was that young troubled teenage girl who looked like a supermodel. She had lost her father in some form or manner and family and societal life was difficult. Her friendships at school, sometimes had issues as well. But you did the best you could to protect her in pastoral class under the circumstances. Giving regular encouragement, you felt like you had made some solid headway.

The long-term effects though were always a little problematic, because of the loss of an affirming father. You would not always be there either. So much for the vocational support of permanency in teaching. The contract teacher educational system where permanence is hardly ever conferred exists, because you might influence the children!

Meanwhile, teenage body self-esteem, particularly with girls suffers with every passing comment and dispatched Instagram or Snapchat picture.

Incident Brewing…

By happenstance, you run into that same child two years later in a supply class, having heard some sad back stories. In this next unexpected encounter you reap a very raucous late class appearance and a questioning face shoved in your face, breaking school rules, with a “Whaddya you think, Sir?”. Actually daring you to get angry and make a scene over the telling new nose needling incision. Just to catch more attention and notoriety.

Well, what do you do? I mean no little sermon was going to help. Well for me, this time was extra hard. I was caught napping after a long six-period day with full lunch duty. I was really tired. I was also really cranky for another reason. I was not at all prepared for the occasion, and yet then again, maybe I was actually fully prepared. However, I didn’t explode, I did not want to make a scene. At least I got that right.

Unfortunate Piercing Conversation?

Looking up quizzically, trying to appear unconcerned, closer inspection led me to react with a totally spontaneous natural reaction. I just could not help it, and so blurted out:

“What’s that on your nose? It looks like a big fat “zit”? My goodness it really did. Kind of creamy coloured if anything. Sometimes the Holy Spirit works wonders.

The whole class burst out laughing, and she was deflated, but she took it on the nose, literally. Not my best moment at all, but what are you to do? Quickly trying to pour oil on troubled waters, I quickly followed up with:

“Why would you do that to such a beautiful face as yours?”

Then a response came which totally stunned me:

“Why does everyone say that about me? I don’t believe it. Maybe I ought to get a few more of them.”

Yes. I did a complete double take with that. There was stunned silence from everyone!

Shaking my head in utter disbelief, I fortunately did not mention getting a “zit cluster” which would have make it so much better. But that did cross my mind later on.

Final Thoughts on Nose Needling Dilemma

Yep. It’s the teenage supermodels that are often the most totally affected by the loss of male fatherhood affirmation.

There is just no easy solution to this one, but fatherhood affirmation is so important to all children throughout their younger years, particularly in both affirming and properly protecting the physical appearance of their daughters.

You do the best you can as a male teacher, but you know we really cannot! Society actively limits us, and yes that’s another reason why male teachers leave in droves. You cannot act as a proper fatherhood role model. That’s not the job actually. Why should we be telling girls how and when to wear ear rings etc.. The nuns were right, ban the lot until they leave school! Female teachers certainly cannot model correctly in most cases.

So ponder the importance of this quote:

1 Corinthians 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, whom you have from God? You are not your own.”

One could have finished the conversation with that quote. Not that it would have any immediate effect, but at least it should be taught, and yes we should “ban the lot!”

Body piercings of whatever type do not promote self worth. Like untucked shirts on boys, they are a give away to deeper problems. In this case, problems with self image. How this effects future marriages is a big issue as well.

Reverse pride is perhaps the key to understanding tattoos/piercings. I am “badder than bad”, “bad to the bone”, and worse looking than anyone else etc… I control my pain by uniquely marking myself somehow. It’s overt pride in a poor self image. Reverse vanity.

These are also useful below:

Ultimate Icebreaker Cartoon Lesson

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Ultimate Icebreaker Cartoon Lesson
Ultimate Icebreaker Cartoon Lesson

The Ultimate Icebreaker Cartoon Lesson. It works with every age group range and class

Lesson Outline

  • Students need at least 4x pieces of A4 blank Paper and a Black Pen or Dark Pencil
  • Have them listen and follow video instructions. Pause/replay video if you need too

Step 1: Watch the video with class and have them participate. Pause/replay if needed.

Why people believe they can’t draw – and how to prove they can – 15min approx. https://youtu.be/7TXEZ4tP06c

Step 2: Once completed initial cartoons from the video, have students draw your portrait. If you’re shy, have them cartoon one or more of the students in the class, or choose their own person. There is usually always one or two willing.

Step 3: Have fun! Make sure you compliment regardless of skill levels. They will love it!

During the lesson, jot down on the whiteboard, the short steps Graham Shaw takes to draw his cartoons. Alternatively have some prepared sheets to hand out after the video has completed and they have completed there first drawings with video assistance.

This list of cartoon drawing key steps will assist students and reinforce the activity for later on. Some might take notes on it as well. You can do this ready and hand it out when they have finished working with the video.

Future Lessons

In future lessons, you can use this skill to have them draw very simple cartoons with a topic theme or with some basic dialogue between two characters. Or a simple meme.

Explain God is Being

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I Am Who Am
Explain I AM WHO AM as Being itself

In today’s classroom, the catechetical duty of explaining Divinity correctly within Christianity is of such vital importance. Its foundational.

Vision of Godhead

Early High School children still see Godhead in concrete mental terms as an old man with white hair who lives in the clouds.

In fact, many adults have still not grown out of this useful, but human limited conception of the Godhead, designed for explicitly for younger children with concrete thinking. They never received apologetics or basic theological training in high school.

First Step

The way you can bring up this limitation in the classroom is via a “Who am I?” Anonymous Survey Quiz, at the start of every new religion class that you take.

Besides gaining information about the state of religious thinking in the class, two questions should included on the survey quiz sheet:

  1. Explain your understanding of God in a sentence?
  2. What is the single most important thing in your life?

Usual Responses

Invariably the answers to the first question will generally vary, and depends on what was taught and what appeals to the child. Powerful King, Supreme Being, Jesus, Loving Father, Old White Bearded Man in the Clouds, Don’t Believe, Peaceful Entity etc..

Answers to the second question in nearly 90+% of cases is usually “Family”, with various sadder and humorous entries sometimes made as well.

Sometimes you might have “God” as a response for the second question. You have a very rare special child in your class in that case. I did occasionally.

Next Dialogue Steps

At the second class, you should have collated all answers and highlighted the answers. Anonymous of course. Do not let them write names. Many would not have anyway.

Once done, point out that class conceptions of the Godhead are generally partially correct and they usually are but that they limited, because the better definition of God is “BEING itself”. You can then point out this comes from Moses on the Mount with the Burning Bush, when God tells Moses His Name. The great “I AM WHO AM” in Hebrew. I am all existence that exists. God is BEING itself, not just a part of being.

Thus, you can point out, He is not just an Old Man with White Hair in the clouds, (however useful a concept that might be for explaining Him to young children), but it is now time for you to deepen your understanding of Christian doctrine, which has always taught that God is BEING itself. He is Existence, ALL things “visible and invisible” as we say in the Nicene Creed.

You will find many stunned looks. Press on with the advantage of Truth. The penny generally drops at this point.

Thus, if you believe this chair is a chair and it exists, then you already believe in existence, and already believe in God somewhat.

The real question to ponder or then ask: Is this Divine Entity personal? Now is the time to assist the child or even adult with doubts or unbelief. That is your issue isn’t it?

If God is infinite existence, then we must say God is Truth, God is Goodness, God is Beauty, God is Mercy and God is Love etc…

We call these attributes of God. So, you can say Love is God, Truth is God, Goodness is God, and so on. They are interchangeable. You can repeat interchangeably. For example His Justice is Mercy, His Mercy is Justice. His Truth is Justice and His Justice is Truth. His Truth is Good and His Goodness is Truth etc… They all swirl into the Eternal One.

Introduce True Unconditional Love as God

But what is True Love? Tell me what is required for Love? “Hanging Silence”…

Answer: It is an exchange between at least two Persons. Thus, God must also be personal. But this infinite exchange of Love would logically be a third person in the Trinity. The third person always also present from the beginning. Hence Trinity completion, and hence how man, woman and child mirror the Trinity. Being finite our acts of Love result in many children in time and space.

At this point, I usually read a brilliant chapter excerpt from Frank Sheed’s book:

“Theology for Beginners“: Chapter on Three Divine Persons.

Afterwards, highlight how God is Trinitarian and that the Communion of the Human Family is a finite image of the Trinitarian Communion. In other words, Father, Mother and Child are a finite communitive representation of the Trinitarian Communion.

Mankind (and stress the “kind” aspect) is made in the image and likeness of God, as it says in the Book of Genesis. Mankind being finite has to generate more children. However, the Trinitarian Generation or Procession of the Third Person is infinite.

How does Family relate to Divinity?

You can then point out how the vast majority of students answered “Family” for the second question, and that the others might have answered the same way, if their family life was perhaps a bit more stable, or they were a little more focused in answering.

In answering “Family” you are really answering the “Trinity”, which you unconsciously seek in that finite image of unconditional love within Family Life. Something you all appear to treasure most of all, even those with difficult circumstances.

Completing this lesson, you will have laid solid epistemological, philosophical, and theological foundations for many later religion classes. Get it right though!

Mysteries of Untucked Shirts

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Mysteries of Untucked Shirts and the Daughters of Gluttony
Mysteries of Untucked Shirts. Cool, or just addicted ?

Tuck in your shirt! How many times have you said that? More than enough, I am sure. Its the Mysteries of Untucked Shirts that we often do not ponder upon in High School

You’ve seen them often enough. School children, particularly teenage boys, with untucked shirts.

Yes, as a teacher, you have spent much of your time in a pastoral class correcting the curse, or on lunch duties, or perhaps even as a parent for your own child.

You may have heard, or even given, endless speeches about school pride and professional appearance, and yet it still goes on unheeded for the most part, as time drifts on. Ever asked yourself why this happens?

Like a plague bacillus, the untucked shirt returns year after year, after year. Nothing ever really changes. Only if you are are in well behaved student demographic, where study is generally respected and “doing well” at school is expected, is it a lesser problem.

Ever wondered why?

I did, and spent a considerable amount of time getting to the secret heart of the matter.

Daughters of Gluttony

That dirty secret is Gluttony Addiction and today it is mostly Computer Game Addiction for teenage boys.

Study the daughters of the Seven Capital Sins as outlined by Pope St Gregory the Great

Daughters of Gluttony include:

  • Unseemly Joy
  • Scurrility-> Vulgar, Coarse, Abusive, “Potty Mouthed”
  • Uncleanness -> Loose clothing appearance and presentation >> Untucked shirts!
  • Loquaciousness -> Very chatty, talkative
  • Dullness of mind as regards understanding

Sound like the general behaviour of someone you know? How did I confirm this secret?

I personally individually questioned dozens of teenage boys in the schoolyard with untucked shirts, (without correcting them on their untucked shirt in the first instance).

Conversational Approach

I used the following:

Teacher: Hi Son, I am doing a little anonymous survey of students. May I ask you a few short questions?

Student: Sure, Sir

Teacher: Do you like computer games?

Student: [Eyes light up in anticipation]: “Yes Sir!” or “You bet, Sir!” or “They’re Great!” or “I love Fortnite, Call of Duty” etc…

Teacher: Do you think you play a little too much Computer Games? Perhaps a little to addicted?

Student: [Sheepishly] “Yes Sir”. “I reckon I probably do” [or] “I guess so” [or] “Maybe” etc.

Teacher: How many hours do you think?

Student: [Slightly guilty] “Umm…maybe” or “XXX hours a day/week” etc… Usually the figure its fairly shocking by the way. If only they studied this amount of time instead.

Teacher: Do you know there is a massive correlation between untucked shirts and addiction. I have questioned nearly [xxx] students in this school alone. You are virtually telling us you have an addiction problem of some sort, not to mention any potential future girl-friend you might have one day. Many females know this sort of stuff. The Internet is full of advice these days.

Student: [Hurriedly tucking in shirt] or [could ignores you]. It’s real addiction then.

Teacher: Something to think about, I am sure. Then correct if required.

I only found one student who did not admit to computer game addiction, but admitted to hours of basketball hoop practice shooting, as his own form of personal addiction instead. Boys with shirts tucked in never admitted to any form of addiction. Computing gaming was regulated, or played occasionally.

Today, when I see an untucked shirt, I sometimes just say “Addiction”. At least I saved my vocal chords three extra words in the schoolyard. I now only need one.