The big picture
THE BIG PICTURE: THE PRODIGAL SON
Can artwork promote enquiry-based RE learning? Claire Parkin wanted to encourage her pupils to think more widely and generate their own questions during RE lessons. She found that artwork can aid deeper thinking. This...
How is the Jewish faith defended?
Liora is eight. She is a member of the Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue. This is her dad’s prayer shawl, which she is trying out: ‘This is my Dad’s tallit. He wears it when he is praying. I can’t wait until...
This article is for paying subscribers ‘And that is how the universe was made! Or maybe it wasn’t In fact, God alone knows. Or maybe not.’
The modern picturing of ancient narratives in this Hindu example is powerful because it suggests that the Hindu communities continue to find meaning and points of reflection through the new forms of expression in...
THE BIG PICTURE An interactive Muslim pilgrimage?
Amanda Goodey wanted her (mostly white) pupils to learn about Islamic pilgrimage in memorable and interactive ways. Here’s how she went about it. I work at the Hall Primary School in Glenfield near Leicester as an RE...
THE BIG PICTURE A Diwali story in the Ramayana from the British Library
The Ramayana is an epic Indian poem telling of the divine prince Rama and his struggle to rescue his wife Sita from a demon king, Ravana. Involving almost 24,000 verses, this ancient text is divided into seven books....
THE BIG PICTURE ‘Man gave names to all the animals’
Stephen Guyon Bird is an artist and former teacher. His exhibition ‘Genesis: a visual exploration’ was created in partnership with the Farmington Institute, and opened in Durham Cathedral in 2016. More than 30...
This article is for paying subscribers A Hindu creation story
Activity 1: What’s the meaning?Ask pupils to begin by looking carefully at the image and trying to work out what the story told by the picture might be. Feed them some information after they have had a chance to think...
This article is for paying subscribers A miracle painting by Eularia Clarke: ‘No More Wine’
Eularia Clarke (1914–1970) painted in ways compared to well-known great artists including Stanley Spencer, Giotto and Fra Angelico. Her style is direct, even primitive, and tackles a mysterious narrative like the sign...