Thursday 20 August 2015

FOLLOWING THE ARTICLE ON "POPE FRANCIS SAYING IT IS TIME TO MERGE OUR FAITHS" - HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR GCSE RI EXAMS IN 2016.

Dear Friends

RE: “Pope Francis: Time to merge our faiths” 

Here are some suggestions for GCSE RI exams in 2016:


Read the following report of a speech by Pope Francis on 27 July 2015 and answer the questions that follow:
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British Church Nespaper 07 August 2015
Under the heading

“Pope Francis: Time to merge our faiths” the short report reads

The Washington Post reports that Pope Francis told a Roman Catholic audience on 27 July 

“Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Jehovah, Allah.  These are all names employed to describe an entity that is distinctly the same across the world. For centuries blood has been needlessly shed because of their desire to segregate our faiths.

This, however, should be the very concept which unites us as people, as nations, and as a world bound by faith.  Together, we can bring about an unprecedented age of peace, all we need to achieve such a state is respect each others beliefs, for we are all children of God regardless of the name we choose to address him by.

We can accomplish miraculous things in the world by merging our faiths, and the time for such a movement is now.  No longer shall we slaughter our neighbours over differences in reference to their God.

There has been much discussion as to the implication of these words.  They seem to point, once again, to Rome’s desire to lead a global alliance of religions, called ‘faiths’

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Questions:
1.  Are Francis' goals in line with your understanding of scripture as expressed in (a) The King James Bible, (b) "The Message"? 

OR
Pope Francis has suggested that if his ideas were to be implemented, an unprecedented age of peace would follow.  Consider this view in relation to the Pauline prophecies in the Epistle to Timothy and the  Epistle to the Thessalonians, in particular in relation to 1 Thessalonians 5:3.  


2. Compare and contrast the views of Pope Francis, as expressed in the article above, with those of Rick Warren and Brian McLaren.

3. Pope Francis frequently uses the word "faith", as though the Moslem "faith" and the Christian "faith" are the same.  Discuss.  

4. Give examples of how (a) Baptist preachers (b) C of E preachers (c) Roman Catholic preachers are helping Pope Francis attain his ecumenical goals.

5. Pope Francis believes that an unprecedented age of peace will come when his ideas are implemented.  When a Pope is inaugurated he is greeted with the words "Tu vicarius filii Dei es."  Translate these words and then answer the following question. Jesus Christ, whom some refer to as the Son of God,  is also referred to as "The Prince of Peace"  Can one draw conclusions from this regarding the Pope's desire for Peace and his "divinity" as expressed in the Latin acclamation?

6.  Some commentators have remarked that Pope Francis' current activities are very much in line with those of the False Prophet of Revelation.  Discuss.

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