At Cyberfaith, a Web site that is a companion to William H. Sadlier's religion books, there are weekly exercises for children that go along with the week's Catholic scriptural readings. For the purposes of this review, I will analyze the activities for the readings of March 8, 2009.
The activity, which is aimed at children in Fourth -- Eighth grades, starts with reading scripture from Mass, and then reading reflections on those passages. Discussion questions are also included. Next are proclaiming faith activities, which allow students to write down answers to open-ended questions regarding the scripture readings. They ask how the students will listen to Jesus in various areas of their lives, and how they will show trust in others.
In Passing on the Faith: Transforming Traditions for the Next Generation of Jews, Christians and Muslims, James L. Heft and contributing authors surmise that today's teenagers believe in God, but that God is there to "do for them," not the other way around. Heft calls this "other religion" that teens believe in a moralistic, therapeutic deism, where God serves more as a counselor who doesn't ask anything of God's believers.
This activity, aimed at children who either already are, or soon will be, teenagers, aims to head off this, "What have you done for me, God?" focus by putting the onus on the readers to create a relationship with God. The children must listen to God, and show their trust in God by showing their trust in the people around them. God is revealed to them through the scripture readings, but it is up to the children on how they will respond.
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