Presenting Gospel parables to early adolescents

Abstract

This study delineates the Parables that embody much of Jesus' fundamental teaching especially with regard to his preaching about the Kingdom of God. They are quite simple, single message, easy to remember stories designed to provoke a moral or religious lesson, often with humble, everyday life imagery. Jesus' parables depended on contextual knowledge, so that the hearer would be able to make sense of the illustration and, with a little work by the listener to decode and eventually apply their message to themselves. When Jesus taught by using parables he assumed that not all would be motivated and that the true meaning of his teaching by means of parables ,would remain hidden for those who were unwilling to search for it. (Green, E. H. 2009. "Speaking in Parables: The Responses of Students to a Bible-Based Ethos in a Christian City Technology College." Cambridge Journal of Education 39 (4): 443). Chapter 1 explains in great detail the meaning of the word parable, which implies a comparison, or a similarity, by which one thing is used to illustrate another. Chapter 2 delves into the dynamics and message contained in the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. Chapter 3 deals with the methodology of Action Research in the presentation process of both parables. It delves deeply into the meaning of pedagogy and catechesis as presented to early adolescents and presents the key elements that are needed to develop a biblical-catechetical programme. Chapter 4 goes deeper into the theory of the pedagogy as described in chapter 3. Then a programme was designed. This programme was delivered with a group of early adolescents. Chapter 5 presents the evaluation of the process that was adopted in designing the programme and an evaluation of the delivery and response to the programme.