Since 1999 we've taken over 1,000 lessons in schools...that's quite a few hours sharing in depth what it means to be a Christian in the 21st Century. Most recently we've had the privilege of taking a number of RE Lessons to a Secondary School in Braintree...
And, it has also served as a huge opportunity for us to question what makes up our own belief. Take this morning for example: A pretty normal RE Lesson, which served as an opportunity for students to develop their knowledge in GCSE RPE (Religion, Philosophy & Ethics). It was a super experience and, as ever, challenged us to consider what we believe in terms of the questions fired at us over the hour.
This time, we thought we would make a note of the questions we were asked, to give you an idea of the ways we are challenged each time we step into a classroom. So here goes:
If God is real, why does He allow suffering?
Did you REALLY wait until you were married before having sex?
How do Christians still believe in Creation when Evolution has been proven?
Do you believe ouija boards work?
Why are Christians homophobic?
If we all come from Adam & Eve, does that mean God allows incest?
Do all religions lead to the same God?
If you weren't a Christian, what religion would you follow?
How will you react if your children choose not to become Christians when they're older?
Are Christians allowed to gamble?
If Christians only believe in one God, How does the Trinity work?
The Bible appears to approve slavery - does God like slavery, then?
So, there you have it. An hour's opportunity to share how real Jesus is for Christians, for the students to have a greater understanding of what 'makes' a Christian....and a chance for us to re-evaluate what WE believe too. Our faith doesn't change, you understand! It just means we have the chance to not take our faith at face value, not just speak what we believe because "that's what Christians believe". Rather, we have the opportunity to go back to the beginning, seek God and ask Him what the score is.
As the title asks, then: who's teaching who...?