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:
- Explain your understanding of God in a sentence?
- 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!