Five Faiths Project
CHRISTIANITY
Voices of Faith
I. Jesus and the Blind Man (transcript)
Summary
In this story, Jesus heals a man who was born blind. The storyteller describes the blind man’s first sights and the response of his community to his healing.
Research Option
This story appears in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, ask students to find the story and compare the original text with the story on the CD.
Discussion Questions
In this story, what is the message that Jesus is teaching to his followers? Some branches of Christianity strongly emphasize individual faith. How does this story reinforce this notion?
II. The Story of St. Lucy (transcript)
Summary
In this story, students are introduced to the life of St. Lucy.
Research Option
Historically, women in the time of St. Lucy were expected to marry. Lucy wants to make another choice, to be single and follow God. Had she lived, she might have become a nun. Students may wish to gather information about Christian monasticism, both as an historical tradition and in contemporary society. Many monastic communities have web sites on the Internet.
There are many stories of saints. Students may wish to find other stories. St. Francis is a saint for whom there are many recorded stories. Using the slide enclosed in these materials, assign students the task of finding stories and other images of St. Francis.
Discussion Questions
How might St. Lucy’s death have hastened the growth of Christianity in her community? Locate St. Lucy on the poster for Christianity. Find the attributes (symbols) that identify St. Lucy. Sometimes it is difficult to imagine anything worth dying for. Why might St. Lucy have been willing to die for her faith? Are there other things worth dying for?
III. Remembering an Italian Grandmother (transcript)
Summary
This is a contemporary story, remembering the influence of the storyteller’s Italian grandmother.
Research Option
Students may wish to find copies of the prayers mentioned in the story. The “Our Father” is sometimes called “The Lord’s Prayer. The “Hail Mary” is a prayer often spoken by Catholic Christians as they touch a rosary. The Apostle’s Creed is not a prayer, but a statement of core beliefs in Christianity. These three are often taught to young children as introductions to the liturgies of the church. Refer to the Ewald catalogue for images of children learning or reenacting faith stories.
Discussion Questions
How does the storyteller paint a verbal picture of her grandmother? What details does she provide? How does the storyteller encourage the listener to have the same affection for the grandmother that she herself has? How does this story reinforce the notion that religious sensibilities are handed down within families? Students may wish to explore religious traditions handed down within their families and share examples with classmates.
IV. The Story of Guadalupe (transcript)
Summary
This story tells of a young man named Juan Diego who witnesses the appearance of Our Lady of Guadelupe. The story is told in Spanish, with English translation.
Research Option
The storyteller makes reference to “indigenous people.” What does this term mean? This story takes place within an historical context. When did the Spanish discover America? When did Spanish missionaries arrive in Mexico?
This story contains many terms and ideas worthy of exploration. For example: how far is a league? What is the literal meaning of “Guadelupe?” There is a church erected at the site mentioned in the story, images may be found in libraries and on the Internet.
Discussion Questions
What strengths does Juan Diego show in his attempts to convince the bishop of his visions? How does the storyteller encourage the listener to believe Juan Diego? What miracles make it possible for the people to believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus has appeared to the Jan Diego? There are many stories of Mary appearing to individuals throughout history. Students may wish to find other stories and compare them with this story. In every case, the stories inspire devotion among believers.