Understanding Covenants vs Contracts

Assessment Vocabulary Reminders

• Analyze – break down a concept into smaller parts and examine each part
• Apply – put an idea or concept to practical use (in a new or different context)
• Assess – weigh out and judge based on criteria
• Compare – determine the similarities and differences between 2+ things
• Connect – establish a link (or relationship) between 2 or more ideas or concepts
• Create – bring something into existence; originate or cause
• Critique – judge something objectively, based on strengths and weaknesses
• Evaluate – judge something based on its value in a given area
• Examine – inspect a concept or idea with precision and detail
• Explain – make an idea or concept clear or more precise
• Identify – establish what something (or someone) is
• Infer – read between the lines to determine an indirectly suggested meaning
• Interpret – explain the meaning of something that is complex or non-linear
• Justify – provide a logical reason or proof to support an idea, belief, etc.
• Reflect – think purposefully or deeply about a process or past action; often includes a personal element
• Summarize – retell an idea or event in your own shortened words
• Think Critically – think in light of criteria, context, and background knowledge, often for problem-solving, reasoning, or creating

Scripture

• The Bible is the most popular selling book worldwide, but is mostly given away for free.
• Scripture means "sacred text".
• The Bible reveals humanity's origin, mission, and destiny.
• The Bible is a collection of stories, miracles, laws, and commandments.
• It's a written record of Jewish people's history, of which Jesus was descended.
• God gradually reveals himself in the BIble.

Learning Goals

• Explain Sacred Scripture as God's Self-Revelation
• Recognize that the Bible is divinely inspired
• Identify the Bible as a series of books, not one book
• Identify the canon of Sacred Scripture (27 books in the New Testament and 46 in the Old Testament)
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between Scripture and Divine Revelation

Going into This Lesson

• Review the lesson's goals/topics and your knowledge inventory
• Identify background knowledge you already have
• Look for connections to broader themes in the unit
• Connect to unit problems or assessments

The Bible

• The Bible is the most popular-selling book in the world, but is mostly given away free.
• Scripture means sacred text.
• The Bible reveals humanity's origin, mission, and destiny.

Bible Overview

• The Bible isn't just a collection of stories, miracles, laws, and commandments.
• The Bible is a written record of religious interpretation of the history of the Jewish people, of which Jesus was a descendent.
• God gradually reveals himself in the Bible.

The Bible by the Numbers

• The Bible consists of 73 books.
• It has 2 sections: the Old Testament (46 books) and the New Testament (27 books)

Far-Reaching Impact of the Bible

• Many laws and moral beliefs have roots in the Bible (directly or indirectly)
• The importance of forgiveness and unconditional love comes from the Bible
• Ideas in the Bible influenced society, especially in Christianity

Bible Basics: Q&A

• The word "Bible" comes from the Greek word "ta biblia," meaning "the books." It refers to both the Christian holy book and the Jewish holy book.
• There are significant differences between the Jewish and Christian versions of the Bible.
• Many different people, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote various books in the Bible, writing at different times, for different audiences in different places, in various languages.
• The Bible is divinely inspired, meaning the human writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
• Divine revelation is God revealing himself to humans.

How to Look Up a Bible Passage

• Identify the steps to locating a biblical passage.

Post-Lesson Questions

• Use question-asking strategies from a previous research and inquiry unit to shape your questions.
• Clarifying questions are asked when you're unsure about a concept.
• Connecting/application questions are asked to connect concepts or themes with others or in the bigger unit.
• Curiosity questions are asked when you are confident and ready to look into broader connections of the concept to something else or to a unit.

Unit Task - Analyze Scripture

• Complete the related task on the groups' board or chart paper after the corresponding lesson.
• The task requires looking up a Bible passage and determining whether it is from the New Testament or the Old Testament
• Determining the role of divine revelation in the passage
• Explaining how the passage is either literal or contextual.

Interpreting the Bible: Literal vs. Contextual

• Identify the different ways to interpret the Bible: contextual vs. literal
• Recognize different denominational approaches to Bible interpretation
• Explain literal interpretations of the Bible
• Explain contextual interpretations of the Bible
• Explain how Catholics interpret the Bible literally and contextually

Setting the Stage

• Imagine the future and how people might interpret our media and resources today.
• Assess how confusing it might be to interpret current social media given different norms in the future.

Identifying the Intended Meaning

• Evaluate the potential meanings behind certain biblical sentences in their correct context.

Literal vs. Contextual

• Differentiate between literalist and contextualist approaches to understanding the Bible
• Assess which approach best describes different interpretations of the Bible.

Literary Forms in the Bible

• Identify the various literary forms in Scripture (myth, list, prophecy, laws, sermon, history, letter, psalms, parable)
• Explain how these different literary forms contribute to the overall meaning of Scripture.

Significance of Literary Forms and Styles

• Evaluate how well understanding biblical literary forms helps us understand the passage.

Applying Truth to Biblical Scriptures

• Identify two possible meanings for the passage, noting which type/s of truth relate to the passage in the 4 Truths Model.

Covenants and the Chosen Ones

• God establishes covenants with His chosen people (Hebrews/Israelites/Jews), and Christians, who are descended from the Jewish lineage through Jesus.

Covenants vs. Contracts

• Covenants and contracts have distinct characteristics
• Covenants are rooted in trust and self-sacrifice, often with symbolic elements
• Contracts are based on specific agreements and conditions and often have legally binding signatures
• Comparing covenant to contract to highlight the distinctions

Distinguishing Between Covenant and Contract

• Define and differentiate between covenant and contract
• Identify words from selected passages that highlight the difference between a covenant and a contract

Covenant or Contract?

• Distinguish between a covenant and a contract
• Identify words that would highlight that the given example is a covenant and which words would highlight that the given example is a contract

4 Characteristics of Covenant

• Covenants are similar to treaties and alliances
• They usually have specific conditions and requirements
• Covenants are often sealed with a ceremony, ritual, or symbol
• Covenants are typically meant to be permanent and involve both parties

Covenants and the Chosen Ones

• God establishes covenants with His chosen people (Hebrews/Israelites/Jews)
• Christians/Catholics are descendants of the chosen people, also Jewish, through Jesus.

On a Scale of 1 to 10

• Assess whether covenants are accurately described as groups of people who trust each other.

Revisiting the Image

• Examine given images and explain how they could be considered covenants, noting relevant criteria.

Covenants: Past and Present

• Explore the existence of covenants in biblical history, and their presence in contemporary life (ex. in the 7 Sacraments)

Post-Lesson Questions

• Determine the next steps to take after the lesson, based on the material taught about covenants, contracts, or other relevant topics

Unit Task – Analyze Scripture

• Review the passages that specifically pertain to covenants
• Determine which covenantal concepts directly apply to the text
• Be able to explain how the given ideas relate to the biblical reference

Learning Goals

• Summarize duties and obligations of the Sinai Covenant
• Examine the impact of the covenant on contemporary Christian life
• Explain the importance of freedom in the relationship with God, other people, and creation
• Analyze examples of slavery throughout history, in current culture, and within the context of the biblical narratives
• Identify elements in the Exodus story that demonstrate God’s covenantal faithfulness and desire for freedom

Changed by the Covenant

• Summarize how the Israelites were changed by the covenant
• Explain how being the chosen people, receiving the 10 Commandments, having prophets, and celebrating religious actions/events made them a distinct people.

The Story of Moses

• Analyze the three parts of the story of Moses: the Call, The Covenant, and the Test.

Rapid Draw

• Generate responses, ideas, or images to the word "Freedom' in a short timeframe, usually 60 seconds.

Freedom vs. Sin

• Clarify the link between freedom and sin

Relationship Between Freedom and Sin

• Express the notion that sin is the abuse of freedom.
• Outline how freedom is essential for a relationship with God, others, and creation.

Importance of Freedom/Free Will

• Explore why freedom is important in relationship to God, other people and all of Creation.

Freedom and Responsibility

• Show that freedom is closely tied to responsibility
• Use the image of a balance scale to show how freedom and responsibility are intertwined.

Consider This

• Analyze given scenarios to consider how loving and caring parents would act.
• Interpret the significance of each parent's actions.

What Does This Scenario Tell Us About Our Parents/Guardians?

• Evaluate the impact of the given scenarios involving parents or guardians through the lens of responsible actions.
• Highlight aspects of how loving, caring parents would respond in given scenarios, and what conclusions can be drawn form that scenario about those characteristics

How Do I Fight Modern Enslavement?

• Discuss strategies to fight modern forms of enslavement using actions both in your immediate daily routine and in a broader social context.

Take Off Your Shoes...

• Examine how the physical act of removing one's shoes can represent certain ways we respond to human injustice or slavery.
• Analyze different experiences and scenarios relating to the origin of the shoes, and the country of origin.
• Question what you see.
• Note different societal trends between different countries to show how cultures contribute to modern forms of enslavement

Modern Freedom

• Analyze how freedom has evolved since the time of Moses
• Evaluate the increased freedoms or modern advantages compared to those in biblical times.

Modern Enslavement

• Assess present-day forms of slavery, like forced labor, human trafficking, and sex trafficking.
• Identify how people today are enslaved (ex. lack of economic or social opportunities, discrimination, or personal vulnerabilities.)
• Identify how modern forms of slavery may be similar or different from forms of slavery in ancient times.

Applying Truth to Biblical Scriptures

• Use the biblical concept of covenant and the 4 Truths Model to apply to a particular passage
• Consider different meanings of the passage using identified truth types
• Apply the 4 Truths Model to the given example passage.

Covenant Questions

• Interpret the concept of covenants
• Relate it to specific biblical themes.

Biblical Figures and Events

• Analyze, explore or discuss important figures and events within the Bible.
• Create a comparison or contrast of different forms or ideas or figures that appear repeatedly within the biblical text.

Edenic Covenant

• Discuss, explain, or analyze the content from the Edenic Covenant.

Noahic Covenant

• Discuss, explain, or analyze the content from the Noahic Covenant.

Abrahamic Covenant

• Discuss, explain, or analyze the content from the Abrahamic Covenant.

Mosaic Covenant

• Discuss, explain, or analyze the content from the Mosaic Covenant.

This quiz explores the differences between covenants and contracts, including their definitions, purposes, and historical contexts. Participants will match questions to their answers, analyze passages, and discuss biblical concepts related to covenants. Expand your knowledge of these important legal and theological terms.