A deep dive into the Bible and translation – questions and activities

Lower Primary – What is the Bible?
1. Play Gaming the Gospels - Listening to the Word. Play ‘where is God’s voice?’. Then play ‘What’s in the box – phone call edition’ and place a printed Bible in the box. 
2. Class discussion:
·      Do you like to read books?
·      What is your favourite book?
·      Where do you get your books?
·      Have you ever been to the library?
·      What is a library?
·      Have you ever heard of the Bible? What is it? 

3. Watch one of the following videos and help students take notes (if they are able). One way to approach this is to watch the video completely. Then, on the second viewing, pause at intervals and write notes on the board that students copy into their books. Early learners may like to create a y-chart to describe the Bible (looks like, sounds like, feels like) and then complete a Bible scavenger hunt.
·      Early learners: God's Story: The Bible
·      Young students: What is the Bible? Resource | Kids on the Move
·      Older students: What is the Bible? | All About the Bible for Kids | Twinkl USA
Ask students to explain what the Bible is in their own words. Consider the think/write-pair-share format.
4. Play Gaming the Gospels – parts of the Bible scavenger hunt (Younger students may like to stick to questions 1-9, 13 and 17).
5. Introducing the Gospels: Go to the Together at One Altar website 'Introducing the Gospels' page and explore the visual learning objects. There is one for each Gospel. Read the introductions to the class before you share the visual objects. Complete the following questions for reflection and discussion: 4, 6, 8, 10, 9, 13 and 12 (in that order). The other questions can be used for extension. 
6. Praying with Scripture (Lectio Divina) 
·      What is Lectio Divina? 
·      Describe sacred reading.
·      What is the cyclical pattern that sacred reading tends to follow?
·      How should we prepare to pray?
Complete the exercise in sacred reading from MACS. 

 

Upper Primary – Bible revision, St Jerome and the Vulgate Bible, praying with the Bible
1. Play Gaming the Gospels - Listening to the Word. Play ‘Odd one out’. 
2. Play Gaming the Gospels – Bible scavenger hunt. Complete the 'Parts of the Bible Scavenger hunt' and/or the 'Bible trivia'.
3. Read ‘Saints for all seasons: St Jerome’. Peter Fleming writes about how the purpose of St Jerome, who created the Vulgate Bible, was to bring the whole world to the truth of Jesus.
Answer the following questions:
·      Define the following terms: transformation, ascetic, scholar, miracle, ephemeral, Mediterranean, escapade, devoted, promulgating, sacred, scriptures, asceticism, repugnance, ideal, hierarchical, imperial, authoritative, Latin, Gospels, circulation, literary, revelation, translated, millennium, authentic, merge, echelon, remonstrative, consistency, renunciation, affectation, pervasive. (Suggested approach – give one word to each student in the class and have them present their meaning to the class, with the sentence where it appears in the text and an explanation in their own words. Consider presenting it in a class wiki). 
·      How did Jerome begin his life?
·      How did he change as he grew older? 
·      Why did Jerome change?
·      Research: Who was Marcus Tullius Cicero?
·      What does ‘Ciceronian’ mean?
·      What does Christian mean?
·      Why would Jerome be worried about being more Ciceronian than Christian? 
·      How was the Church changing in St Jerome’ time? 
·      What did Pope Damascus I ask Jerome to do?
·      Did he do as the Pope asked? 
·      What is the Vulgate Bible? 
·      When was the Vulgate Bible used? 
·      Did Jerome have followers? Why?
·      Who was St Paula of Rome? 
·      Describe her relationship with Jerome. 
·      What was both admirable and sincere about Jerome? What did he achieve because of this?
·      Did St Jerome achieve his aims in life? Explain. 
·      What is Jerome the patron Saint of? Do any of these relate to you? What can you learn from St Jerome?
4. Praying with Scripture (Lectio Divina) 
·      What is Lectio Divina? 
·      Describe sacred reading. How is it different from regular reading?
·      What is the cyclical pattern that sacred reading tends to follow?
·      How should we prepare to pray?
Complete the process described in the ‘In the classroom’ section, letting children choose their favourite story from the Bible to complete an individual or group prayer. 
5. Reflection: Read ‘The beauty of the Bible' by young writer Sophie Thompson and write your own reflection on your relationship with the Bible, explaining why you feel that way and using descriptive language to paint pictures as you go. If you don’t know much about the Bible, write about what you think it could offer you and what you would like to know more about. Consider how you might find out more about the Bible. 
Then, choose a book of the Bible other than Psalms and write your own article about it for Australian Catholics magazine, using Sophie’s as a model. 

 

Lower secondary – Bible Translation and engaging with the Bible
1. Play Gaming the Gospels – Hear I am Lord. 
2. Play Gaming the Gospels – Bible scavenger hunt.
3. Read 'God’s Word for today’s audiences' by Peter Fleming. He explains that the principles of Bible translation are the same as they have always been – to make God’s perpetual love known in words that folk of the translator’s era can understand.
Answer the following questions and complete the activities.
·      Define the following terms: translate, awesome, reverence, exhilarating, idiosyncratic, static, imperial, translator, Hebrew, Aramaic, Hellenistic, Gentile, Latin, Greek, Roman empire, commissioned, definitive, diverse, contemporary, tongue, influential, vernacular, allegiance, condemned, sacred, unifier, universal, parochial, divisive, denomination, ecumenical, manuscript, scholar, evolution, perpetual, critical theory, archaeology, salvation. 
(Suggested approach – give one word to each student in the class and have them present their meaning to the class, with the sentence where it appears in the text and an explanation in their own words. Consider presenting it in a class wiki). 
·      What does the author reveal about how the Bible was written? Was it all written at the same time by the same person? 
·      What is the challenge for Bible translators?
·      How many languages was the Bible written in?
·      What were these languages?
·      Why was the Bible written in different languages?
·      What role did St Jerome play in the history of the Bible and why? 
·      What language did St Jerome translate the Bible into and why?
·      What was William Tyndale’s contribution to the history of the Bible? 
·      Why was William Tyndale’s work controversial? 
·      What did both Jerome and Tyndale believe?
·      In your own words, but using information from the article, describe how modern Bible translation is carried out today.
·      What is the role of the Dead Sea Scrolls in Bible translation?
·      Has your understanding of the Bible changed or stayed the same after reading this article? 
4. Read 'A letter to a Bible smuggler' - William Tyndale's translation of the Bible has had a profound influence on our everyday language.
Use the 3-2-1 strategy to identify some of the main ideas in this text 
First, record three of the most impportant ideas in the text. Then, record two supporting details for each of these ideas and one question you have about each of these ideas. 
Then, use the 3-2-1 strategy to reflect on this text:
Three things you have learned from this text.
Two questions you still have.
One aspect of the text that you enjoyed.
5. Read ‘Praying with the Bible’, a personal reflection on using the Gospel readings and different techniques to inform daily prayer. 
Answer the following questions and complete the activities. 
•    What is Lectio Divina? 
•    Describe sacred reading. How is it different to regular reading?
•    What is the cyclical pattern that sacred reading tends to follow?
•    How should we prepare to pray? 
•    How does the author of ‘Praying with the Bible’ describe ‘meditation’?
•    How can you use meditation when praying with the Bible?
•    How does the author of ‘Praying with the Bible’ describe ‘imaginative contemplation’?
•    How can you use imaginative contemplation when praying with the Bible?
•    Describe how the author relates the way he prays back to Lectio Divina.
•    How do these ways of praying relate to monastic living?
•    Can you see any ways that you could incorporate praying with the Bible into your life? 
6. Read ‘Where I belong’ by Ann Rennie. Anne writes that a life-long devotion to the Church has been built by a lifetime of domestic Church moments.
Create a 3-column table comparing yourself to Anne Rennie. In the first column put the questions below, in the and find answers to the questions about Anne Rennie from the article and in the third, answer the questions about yourself.
·      Have your grandparents had an influence on your life? In what way?
·      How do your parents influence your faith and beliefs?
·      Where do you find community?
·      Are there any feasts or festivals that have had importance in your life?
·      Have there been special journeys that have influenced you?
·      How about special places?
·      Are there special rituals and rites that you perform? Who performs them with you?
·      How do you maintain your relationships with people? Do rituals or rites form a part?
·      Are there any mindful, spiritual, devotional or reflective practices that are part of you daily life?
·      Do any of these questions bring to mind things you would like to learn more about?
·      What frameworks, like the language of Catholicism that Anne Rennie, shape your outlook and your thinking?
·      Create a Venn diagram comparing yourself to Anne Rennie, using the information from the table.
Write a reflection on your experiences as a Catholic, with other forms of spirituality or experiences that give you a sense of belonging. Pretend that you are writing an article for Australian Catholics magazine on the theme ‘spirituality and belonging’. Use Anne Rennie’s article as a model. 

 

Upper secondary – The Bible and Jewish thought 
1. Play Gaming the Gospels – Bible scavenger hunt.
2. Play Gaming the Gospels – Hear I am Lord. Make sure you consider the reflection question at the end. 
3. Read ‘The Bible and Jewish thought’. Laurie Woods writes that Jewish thought, and naturally Jewish spirituality, has been shaped by Hebrew traditions and culture and it is the Hebrew language that mediates the essence of Jewish thinking.
Answer the following questions about the article and complete the activities.
·      Define the following words: Torah, Judaism, mystical, theology, scripture, manifestation, 
·      What is the ‘holy tongue’ the rabbis referred to, according to the article?
·      What is the Zohar, according to the article?
·      What is the proper name for Jewish mystical theology, according to the article?
·      Research: What is Jewish mystical theology all about?
·      According to the article, what does the ‘holy tongue’ manifest?
·      What is the dominant influence on Western thought? 
·      Explain the Greek way of thinking and name one philosopher who played a dominant role.
·      How does the Hebrew, Middle Eastern way of thinking differ to the Greek?
·      How does this Hebrew, Middle Eastern way of thinking impact the way they use language?
·      Name one central characteristic of the Hebrew language.
·      How are words with sensory connotations used in the Hebrew language?
·      Why does Laurie Woods suggest that literal readings of scripture can be misleading? Explain in your own words. 
·      How does this relate to the ‘World behind the text’? 
Further reading
Questions around the Three Worlds of the Text
Brisbane Catholic Identity Three Worlds of the Text
Brisbane Catholic Identity Worlds of the Text senior poster
4. Choose one book of the Old Testament and examine the World behind the text using the following framework from Brisbane Catholic Identity. 
5. Choose one story or verse from that text a pray in the style of Lectio Divina (Sacred Reading), using that text. 
6. Write an essay explaining why the translation of the Bible matters and why it is important for people to understand the process. Consider the representation of vulnerable people and groups, the Golden rule, the Greatest commandment and Catholic social teaching in your response.

See also:
Translating and studying the Bible - questions and activities
Bible Mega Quiz