Welcome

This all about issues to do with morality, ethics, spirituality, belief and faith.

Faiths and Beliefs

The College welcomes students from all faiths and none. It will support you, both as an individual and in groups, to enable you to think through the links between your life, beliefs and study. You may want to start or join one of the faith groups meeting on campus. The College can also put you in contact with faith groups, such as churches, meeting in Grantham and district. Talk to your Personal Tutor in the first instance.

Big question: Body

When does life begin?
Why do I hate / like my body? Is it OK to change my body?
Is the body everything or is there a separate soul?
Does religion say my body is sinful?
Can we do what we want with our bodies?

Big question about Practices: Church / community

Aren't churches, mosques, temples etc irrelevant to real life?
Aren't worship and prayer out-of-date in the modern world?
Do I need to go to church / mosque to follow my faith?
Is church a building or group of people?

Big question: Citizenship and patriotism

Is there a conflict between my religion and my citizenship?
Should I be nationalistic / patriotic?
What should I do when country and faith conflict?
Should I be loyal whatever the circumstances ("my country, right or wrong")?
Are my loyalties split if I adhere to a world religion?
Is it right or appropriate to get involved in politics and government?

Resources that may aid discussion of citizenship.

Big question: Creation or evolution?

Was the universe created or did it evolve?
Is the human species special in some way, and different from other animals?
Is evolution a valid theory?
Is creationism a valid theory?
What is intelligent design theory?
Can creationism and evolution be reconciled or are they contradictory?

Big question about Belief: Death

What's going to happen to me after I die?
Is death a bad thing?
Is death the end of me?
Should I be scared of dying?
Is it OK to end my life?
Can death be overcome?
Can we communicate with those who have already died?

Big question about Practices: Doing good and social action

They say love your neighbour but don't I only need to look after myself?
Who cares about the whales, Burma etc?
Can one person make a difference to the world?
There are so many charity collections wanting my money: how can I choose?
Isn't life all about earning money and everyone for themselves?
Do we need religion now we've go social services?
Is believing or having faith more important than doing?

Big question about Values: Environment: care for the earth

Who is responsible? Am I?
Who does the earth belong to?
Is it OK to kill animals for meat or fur?
Who should be responsible for tackling pollution?
Doesn't science have all the answers?

This section relates to issues around the natural environment, climate change etc.

Below are resources that may inform this issue.

Big question about Belief: Freedom and authority

Who do I have to obey rules?
Who's in charge?
Who should set the rules?
Who should I listen to?
Am I free?
Should I always obey the rules?
Can I do what I want? Why can't I do what I want?

More questions about freedom ...

Frans Kafka said, “It’s often better to be in chains than to be free.” Do you agree?
Do you get more or less freedom as you get older?
“Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control.” Albert Einstein. True?
If someone chose to be in prison would they be free?
Would you rather be hopelessly gullible or always know when someone is lying?
“I am condemned to be free.”   Jean Paul Sartre. Discuss.
Would you rather live in a democracy or under a dictatorship led by Father Christmas?
Is anything worth giving up your freedom for?

Big question about Belief: God

Is there anyone up there?
Is God the right word to describe what I believe in?
Why doesn't God intervene to stop all the pain?
Is God male or female?
Where is God - inside me, all around me?
Does religion cause more trouble than it's worth?

Big issue: HIV / AIDS

Resources for thinking about HIV / AIDS.

Big question: Hope or despair?

What makes you mad - really mad?
Would you rather be furious or in despair?
Can hope change the world for the better?
Does despair drag you down?
Does God get depressed?
Why are some people full of fury, others full of ennui?
Is "Cool don't care" an OK view of life?
Are you more cross about global poverty or school dress?
What is the "philosophy of existentialism"?
Would you give your right arm to stop abuse, or would you keep the arm and have abuse continue?
What is rage against the machine? What machine?
What is the psychology of anger, hope and despair?
If someone you love died, would you do hope or despair?
If you're always chilled, are you even alive?

Questions based on the dare2engage programme, Hope or Despair?

Big question: Judgement and salvation

Is there a hell?
Will I be judged when and by whom?
Will my actions in life be rewarded or punished?
Do I get another chance?

Big question: Love

What is love?
What does love mean in practice?
Are there limits to love? Can you really love your enemy?
Can any kinds of love be wrong?
Why do we sometimes love and hate the same people?

Big question: Poverty and social justice

Should I care if there are both rich and poor?
What is the cause of injustice in the world?
Are natural disasters man-made?
What are the greatest needs of humanity?
What are the Millenium Development Goals and are they achievable?

In July 2008 The Salvation Army produced The Seeds of Exclusion. Download this major report and analysis of the reasons for social exclusion at w ww.salvationarmy.org.uk/seeds

Big question: Prayer

What is prayer?
Does it work?
Does it matter who I pray to?
Does it matter what words I use?
Why should I pray?

Big question: Public or private?

Is spirituality / religion a public or private practice?
Should people be allowed to wear religious clothes or symbols in public?
What is a secular state?
Should schools and colleges have chaplains?
What influence does the Church have over the UK State and vice versa?
Should we allow faith schools?
Should the Bishops of the Church of England sit in parliament?
Should religious insitutions be allowed to benefit from state funding?
Should we have blasphemy laws? For whom?

Big question about Practices: Rituals and celebration

Does praying do any good?
What is ritual in religion? Is brushing your teeth a ritual?
Why do I need to go to church / mosque every week?
Why bother fasting? Isn't it bad for your health?
Do you need religion to license a birth or marriage?
Aren't all these festivals based on pagan festivals?
Do you need rituals to be spiritual?

Big question about Values: Sex

Can you have sex for fun?
Is our society obsessed with sex?
Is contraception right?
Is it OK to be gay?
Is sex outside marriage acceptable?

Resources:
Susan, by Alan Bennett, part of his Talking Heads series

Big question: Spirituality v. Religion

What is the difference between spirituality and religion?
Can I be a Christian / Muslim / ... without being religious?

"The spiritual can be distinguised from the religious and understood as something wider than religiosity; on the other hand, it can be understood as the deepest and most central element of religion."
Nicola Slee, Faith and Feminism: an introduction to Christian Feminist Theology, quoted in Lynne Sedgmore, 'Leadership in a Pluraist Society: supporting sector leaders' in Journal of Chaplaincy in Further Education , Vol. 2 No. 1, Spring 2006, p37.

Big question about Values: Violence

Does religion promote peace or violence?
Is violence ever justified?
How do I handle my own anger?
Do we need an army?
Does violence solve anything?
How should I respond to violence against me?

Method: AFAN

AFAN = All Faiths And None
The AFAN methodology is to pose big questions and to discuss them openly.

"The aim of the AFAN Methodology is to support students both in engaging with a plural society, through better understanding of the main religious and non-religious traditions in British Society, and in developing a sense of meaning and purpose, and a set of values which enable them to function positively in such a society. In other words, the aim is about transferring a methodology of participants engaging with each others’ faiths and beliefs, not about developing specific courses. Support materials are designed to help teachers to put the methodology into practice."

Various printed resources are available out of the AFAN Staff Development Day, June 2008 e.g. "Having the Courageous Conversation: Some Guidelines" by The Life Project. The main resource is the AFAN website.

Method: Contemplative practice

Also known as mindfulness.
It means moment-by-moment present awareness, which is available to everyone, regardless of religious or spiritual orientation.

For more information, see the factsheet "Contemplative Practice" from AFAN.

Method: Reading about religion

A reading list for thinking through religions.

Includes:
- history
- the sociology of religion
- the role of faith in public life, politics
- pluralism, secularism, capitalism, globalisation, post-modernism
- social ethics
- public and practical theology

Resource: Journal of Chaplaincy in Further Education

Available from the Learning Resources Centre

Winter 2009 (Volume 5, Number 2)
LRC catalogue no. tba
includes: Values in Further Education,
Mediation for intra-religious disputes: an analysis of the Christian approach; and
All Faiths and None: passing fashion or tectonic shift?

Autumn2008 (Volume 4, Number 2)
LRC catalogue no. tba
includes: Towards the identification of components of spirituality;
and A short history of FE chaplaincy.
Also: FE chaplaincy in Finland

Spring 2008 (Volume 4, Number 1)
LRC catalogue no. J10536
includes: Chaplaincy for All: the government perspective by Bill Rammell MP; and Chaplaincy for All: the churches' perspective by the Bishop of Portsmouth.
Also: Nietzsche, Religion, Science and Lebenswelt: some thoughts on volition

Autumn 2007 (Volume 3, Number 2)
LRC catalogue no. J10547
includes: Spirituality in Further Education: A literature review. Part Two: Research papers

Spring 2007 (Volume 3, Number 1)
LRC catalogue no. J10561
includes: Spirituality in Further Education: A literature review. Part One: Discussion paper

Spring 2006 (Volume 2, Number 1)
LRC catalogue no. J10617
includes: Seventeen year olds: more spiritual than religious, less atheistic than you may have thought

Resource: Multi-faith calendars

Below are links to multi-faith calendars.

Diversity, Equality and Cohesion

from the Urban Forum Policy Round-Up February 2009; www.urbanforum.org.uk

Equalities and Human Rights Commission Strategic Plan open to consultation The Equalities and Human Rights Commission is developing its three year strategic plan, equality scheme and grants programme. They are holding consultation events and an online consultation will be open for submissions until 15th March 2009. http://tinyurl.com/6nb8nc

Citizenship survey shows mixed results around cohesion and empowerment The latest results from the Citizenship Survey have been published. Amongst the responses 81% were satisfied with their neighbourhood, 66% felt they belonged strongly to it and 83% saw it as cohesive. On the down side fewer than 40% felt able to influence decisions in their local area. http://tinyurl.com/dhfys2

New report compares community revitalization in the UK and the USA The Institute of Community Cohesion (iCoCo) and the Urban Institute in the USA has carried out research comparing approaches to ‘community revitalization’, cohesion and sustainability in the two countries. Whilst many concerns were shared there were major differences around such things as the priority given to local policy and practice. http://tinyurl.com/b35ab4

Are the white working class Britain's forgotten race victims? The Runnymede Trust report 'Who cares about the white working class?' concludes that whilst the white working class face discrimination, this is not based on the fact that they are white. The report rejects the claims that they are losing out to minority ethnic groups and suggests ways of discussing class to build solidarity rather than division. http://tinyurl.com/c5oo83

New report paints a picture of a more diverse Britain The Equality and Human Rights Commission has published the report ‘Ethnicity and Family: Relationships Within and Between Ethnic Groups’ which shows there is a new and growing diversity among young people that makes the very concept of black and white harder to define. http://tinyurl.com/7ub3ba

New poll shows British institutions need to ‘keep up with Obama generation’ Ten years on from the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry a new Ipsos MORI survey for the Equalities and Human Rights Commission shows British people are increasingly at ease with racial diversity but lack faith in our institutions to represent all groups or treat them fairly. http://tinyurl.com/8zh9hj

Valuing the BME Third Sector? Voice4Change England has launched a campaign to increase recognition of the vital contribution made by BME Third Sector organisations and wants support in promoting this to MPs. An Early Day Motion has been tabled in Parliament and you can write to your MP to ask them to support it. http://tinyurl.com/b4r6cg

New map shows patchy services for women who experience violence The EHRC and End Violence Against Women have launched an interactive map which shows that over a quarter of local authorities have no specialised service for women who experience violence. The map is part of a campaign to ensure equal access to support services no matter where the victims live. http://tinyurl.com/ddld2e

Government commits to disabled people's human rights Disabled people will soon have the opportunity to take their case to the United Nations if they feel their rights have been breached. The Government has committed to signing the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on Rights of Disabled People. http://tinyurl.com/df4kuq ( UN Convention on Rights of Disabled People) Or http://tinyurl.com/cw3poc (DWP press release)

Migrant and refugee community organisations influencing policy The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published a report entitled 'Change from Experience' on a partnership which explored how migrant and refugee community organisations influence policies and practices crucial to the lives of their communities. http://tinyurl.com/c9zoa3

Resource: Noisy Planet

"Noisy Planet's mission is to bring the world's best documentary films to UK schools. We search the planet for top quality films that will facilitate classroom learning in our specialist curriculum areas. We look for material that is both educational and inspirational. Please cast your eye over our range of educational video both in DVD format and as Films for School Networks."

Resources: faith and belief in FE

Below are resources which relate to faith and belief in Further Education.

Resources: Other agencies

Interfaith dialogue

This lesson contains items that compare religions or encourage interfaith dialogue.

"The most important question to ask in a discussion of beliefs is: Is there a possibility that what you know is wrong?"
Guidelines for learners in AFAN session

• Celebrating Diversity, Stoke on Trent College
  This helpful small booklet describes Christianity, Sikhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
• Mankind's Search for God, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
  This small but thick book looks at religion in general and considers specific faiths and beliefs including: Mythology, Magic, Spiritism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Atheism before majoring on Jehovah's Witnesses.

Faith Group: Grantham College Christian Union

We are here to support Christians in Grantham College.

Enquirers and Christians of all denominations are welcome.

Both staff and students are welcome.

For venues and dates of meeting, contact David Ferguson, Personal Tutor.

Faith group: Christianity in Grantham

Churches and Christian groups in Grantham and district
Harrowby Lane Methodist Church: http://www.harrowbylane.org.uk/

Faith Group: Islamic Society

If you would like to meet with other Muslim students and staff, please contact your Personal Tutor or the Grantham College Student Union to make this happen.

Faith / belief: Agnosticism

Faith / belief: Atheism

Faith / belief: Baha'i

Faith / belief: Buddhism

Buddhism n. a widespread Asian religion or philosophy, founded by Siddartha Gautama (Buddha; c. 563 – c. 460 bc ) in NE India in the 5th century BC, which teaches that enlightenment may be reached by elimination of earthly desires and of the idea of the self.

Hinayana n. a name given by the followers of Mahayana Buddhism to the more orthodox schools of early Buddhism, which survived in Sri Lanka as the Theravada school.

Theravada n. the more conservative of the two major traditions of Buddhism (the other being Mahayana), practised mainly in Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. 

Mahayana n. one of the two major traditions of Buddhism (the other being Theravada), practised especially in China, Tibet, Japan, and Korea.

Nichiren n. a Japanese Buddhist sect founded by the religious teacher Nichiren ( 1222 – 82 ).

From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

Faith / belief: Christianity

Christianity n. the religion based on the person and teachings of Christ. From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

Tutorial: 'The meaning of Christianity': see the lesson plan and powerpoint presentation below.

How do we know there is a god? David Ferguson (Personal Tutor at Grantham College) discusses different types of knowing, glances at how various thinkers have understood these and then looks at how they have been applied to the question of god. For his talk on 23 February 2009, see the PowerPoint presentation and Word document below.

Not ashamed of the gospel: Are you embarrased or ashamed when it comes to discussing personal beliefs? Jeremy Bellamy (Grantham College student) looks at attitudes to God in British society. For his session on 24 February 2009, see the PowerPoint presentation below.

How probable is god? The atheist bus campaign states "There is probably no God. So stop worrying and enjoy life". Chris Knight (scientist) exams these 3 statements in the light of the evidence and reason behind Christian beliefs. He includes some of the key reasons people ignore or reject Christianity – such as science and suffering – and discusses the rational basis and evidence for Christianity. For his session on 25 February 2009, see the PowerPoint presentation below.

Be thinking: www.bethinking.org brings together some of the best possible resources to help you to understand, defend and communicate the Christian faith.

UCCF: the christian unions: www.uccf.org.uk Students, staff and supporters working together through Christian Unions in Colleges and Universities to make disciples of Jesus Christ in the student world.

Damaris: www.damaris.org Damaris is an educational charity with a Christian foundation - but working with people of all faiths and none. It is committed to rigorous study and effective communication as it seeks to relate biblical Christian faith and contemporary popular culture. This is the website with the culture watch, so that even "Mamma Mia" can stimulate a conversation about Christ.

The Evangelical Alliance: www.eauk.org The Alliance works to present Christ credibly as good news for spiritual and social transformation. This is the organisation that produces FNT - Friday Night Theology - which comments on an event of the week to help us engage with the world each weekend. It provides insight behind the news, helping us bring Jesus into conversations. To sign up, go to www.eauk.org/about/getinvolved/signup-form.cfm

Lee Strobel has written a series of books which form a good introduction to apologetics. Student and children’s versions of some of these are also available.
The Case for Christ
The Case for Faith
The Case for a Creator
The Case for the Real Jesus Christ
The Case for Easter
The Case for Christmas

Faith / belief: Hinduism

Hinduism n. a major religious and cultural tradition of the Indian subcontinent, including belief in reincarnation and the worship of a large pantheon of deities. From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

September - October
Diwali
Diwali is enthusiastically celebrated by people of all nationalities, races and religions, but especially by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. It is the festival of lights, and creates a magical world of joy and festivity. It celebrates the triumphant victory of good over evil – and the glory of light over darkness, a beam of hope over despair. The word Diwali or Deepavali (in its full form), means ‘a row of lamps’. Diwali marks a new beginning, a renewal of commitment to family values, and represents all the good virtues we seek such as love, reflection, forgiveness and knowledge.

Events related to Diwali run over September and October with local variations. For example, in Leicester, the Diwali switch-on ceremony is on Sunday 12 October; in London, the main event is Sunday 19 October. Diwali itself varies with the Hindu calendar and this year falls on 28 October. For more go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/holydays/diwali.shtml.
For details of celebrations in Leicester go to
http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/lc/events/major-events-2008/diwali.

28 October
Diwali – the Festival of Lights
Diwali, the festival of lights, is the most popular of all the festivals from South Asia. It is an occasion for celebrations by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs. This day is the most important date in the Hindu calendar, on which the story of Rama and Sita is retold and people spend time with their families. For more, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/holydays/diwali.shtml

Faith / belief: Humanism

humanism n. a rationalistic outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

"It is my view that chaplaincy is an unwarranted intrusion on society at large but is particularly reprehensible when instituted in schools and colleges even when it is extended to include Humanists. ...

Humanists ... are atheists who subscribe to the concept that humans can and do develop ethical systems without the need for gods, religions or other forms of superstitution.

Humanism in its modern definition is a philosophical and ethical alternative to religion in all its manifestations. Humanists live their lives without reference to God or gods. "

'Chaplaincy, Spirituality and Further Education: a Humanist view', Ralph Ison, Journal of Chaplaincy in Further Education, Spring 2006, Volume 2, Number 1, pp14-21.

Faith / belief: Islam

Islam n. the religion of the Muslims, a monotheistic faith regarded as revealed through Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah. From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

Faith / belief: Jainism

Jainism n. an ancient non-theistic religion of India characterized by asceticism and avoidance of harm to living creatures. From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary

September - October
Diwali
Diwali is enthusiastically celebrated by people of all nationalities, races and religions, but especially by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. It is the festival of lights, and creates a magical world of joy and festivity. It celebrates the triumphant victory of good over evil – and the glory of light over darkness, a beam of hope over despair. The word Diwali or Deepavali (in its full form), means ‘a row of lamps’. Diwali marks a new beginning, a renewal of commitment to family values, and represents all the good virtues we seek such as love, reflection, forgiveness and knowledge.

Events related to Diwali run over September and October with local variations. For example, in Leicester, the Diwali switch-on ceremony is on Sunday 12 October; in London, the main event is Sunday 19 October. Diwali itself varies with the Hindu calendar and this year falls on 28 October. For more go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/holydays/diwali.shtml.

For details of celebrations in Leicester go to http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/lc/events/major-events-2008/diwali.

28 October
Diwali – the Festival of Lights
Diwali, the festival of lights, is the most popular of all the festivals from South Asia. It is an occasion for celebrations by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs.

Faith / belief: Judaism

Judaism n. the monotheistic religion of the Jews, based on the Old Testament and the Talmud.

Orthodox Judaism n. a major branch within Judaism which teaches strict adherence to rabbinical interpretation of Jewish law and its traditional observances.

Conservative Judaism n. a form of Judaism seeking to preserve Jewish tradition and ritual but with a more flexible approach than Orthodox Judaism.

Reform Judaism n. a form of Judaism which has reformed or abandoned aspects of Orthodox Jewish worship in an attempt to adapt to modern life.

From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

14-20 October
Sukkot
Also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Feast of Booths. This is a harvest festival commemorating the 40 years that the Jews spent in the wilderness on the way from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. For more, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/holydays/sukkot_1.shtml.

21 October
Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret
Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah." This holiday marks the completion of the yearly cycle of weekly Torah readings. Shemini Atzeret can be translated as "the assembly of the eighth (day)." In Israel the festival is combined with Simchat Torah.

Faith / belief: Mormonism
also known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Mormon n. a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a religion founded in the US in 1830 by Joseph Smith Jr. From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

Faith / belief: Sikhism

Sikhism n. a monotheistic religion founded in Punjab in the 15th century by Guru Nanak. From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

September - October
Diwali
Diwali is enthusiastically celebrated by people of all nationalities, races and religions, but especially by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. It is the festival of lights, and creates a magical world of joy and festivity. It celebrates the triumphant victory of good over evil – and the glory of light over darkness, a beam of hope over despair. The word Diwali or Deepavali (in its full form), means ‘a row of lamps’. Diwali marks a new beginning, a renewal of commitment to family values, and represents all the good virtues we seek such as love, reflection, forgiveness and knowledge.

Events related to Diwali run over September and October with local variations. For example, in Leicester, the Diwali switch-on ceremony is on Sunday 12 October; in London, the main event is Sunday 19 October. Diwali itself varies with the Hindu calendar and this year falls on 28 October. For more go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/holydays/diwali.shtml.

For details of celebrations in Leicester go to http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/lc/events/major-events-2008/diwali.

28 October
Diwali – the Festival of Lights
Diwali, the festival of lights, is the most popular of all the festivals from South Asia. It is an occasion for celebrations by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs. For Sikhs, Diwali is particularly important because it celebrates the release from prison of the sixth guru, Hargobind Singh, and 52 other princes with him, in 1619. For more, go to
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/holydays/diwali.shtml.

Faith / belief: Taoism

Taoism n. a Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao-Tzu (including the Tao-te-Ching), advocating humility and religious piety. From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

Faith / belief: Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism n. a monotheistic pre-Islamic religion of ancient Persia founded by the prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra) in the 6th century BC.From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary

Faith / belief: Shintoism

Shinto n. a Japanese religion incorporating the worship of ancestors and nature spirits. From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary.