23 The Religion of Ordinary Life (Parts 4-
INTRODUCTION
How essential is the idea of ‘God’ to living a good / moral life?
Show students the Noachide Code, e.g. from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Laws_of_Noah or http://asknoah.org
Explain that, according to Judaism, Jews should keep the 613 commandments of the Torah [the first five books of the Bible], but for non-
ACTIVITY
Show students the trailer for the film ‘Noah’ explaining that the director, Darren Aronofsky, was inspired but not limited by the account of the Great Flood in the Bible (Genesis 6-
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Osaje2rqxu
Explain that the Code is known as ‘Noachide’ because the final version, with the addition of the 7th law was said to have come into being after the Flood.
Ask the students to respond to such questions as:
- Why do you think the commandment about law courts came in after the Great Flood?
- What do you think is meant by ‘God’?
- What is ‘idolatry’ and why do you think the Noachide Code (as well as other religions such as Christianity and Islam) placed such importance on acknowledging One God?
- According to the biblical account, God destroyed the world because of people’s wickedness. How far do you think belief in one God is needed to prevent the disasters that can arise from human selfishness?
- What do you think of the seven laws as a whole?
Show students parts 4 and 5 of Don Cupitt’s ‘The Religion of Ordinary Life’ [www.doncupitt.com/ordinary-
ACTIVITY
Provide some time for reading and reflection.
Ask the students to respond to such questions as:
- Suppose that, as Cupitt says, ‘Life is now as God to us’ and that even ‘The Supreme Good’ is transient, i.e., will pass away in time. How important do you think it is to believe that there may be an eternal ‘God’?
- What, according to Cupitt, is ‘solar living’?
- In what ways do the students ‘express’ their lives?
- Don Cupitt says that ‘We should never complain’. Why do you think he says this? Do you agree?
CONCLUSION
Encourage the students to sum up their reflections on how essential they think the idea of ‘God’ is to living a good / moral life.
- Are the Noachide Code and Cupitt’s ‘Religion of Life’ trying to do some of the same things?
- In what ways are they similar / different?
A printable (pdf) version of this text can be found here.
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