A PLAN FOR BETTER CHRISTIAN EDUCATION THROUGH THE

SUNDAY SCHOOLS IN THE DIOCESE OF SIALKOT,

CHURCH OF PAKISTAN

BY

EMMANUEL BAHADUR

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of

Master of Theology

In Ministry Department of Christian Ethics and Practical Theology

New College, Faculty of Divinity

University of Edinburgh

September, 1997

Supervisor

Dr. J. Ian H. McDonald.

ACHNOWLEDGEMENTS

I thank the almighty God for his grace, which enables me to complete my studies in the
University of Edinburgh. My thanks to all my prayer supporters in Pakistan, at Wardie Parish
Church and elsewhere who kept on praying for me, this was a source of encouragement for me.

I am grateful to the Rt.Rev.Samuel Paraiz, the Bishop of Sialkot for granting me one year’s study
leave and his constant love and care for my family while I was engaged in my studies.

I am grateful to the Rev. Prof. Arthur James, principal, Gujranwala Theological Seminary, and
my colleagues at the seminary for their prayer and moral support.

My thanks to Church of Scotland, World Mission Board for the provision of scholarship and for
the comfortable accommodation. I am also grateful to my flat mates, Rev.Wilson. Emmanuel
Ashigie and Rev. Jacob J. Ponniah for their fellowship which provided me with a sense of
homely atmosphere.

I am grateful to my Course Supervisor, Dr. David Lyall for his constant guidance and
encouragement. I am especially grateful to Dr. J.I.H. McDonald for guiding my research and
providing encouragement. His deep insight on Christian education and his practical approach
were my guiding light of my research.

I am also grateful to my placement supervisors, Rev.Brian C. Hilsley, minister of Church of

Scotland, Wardie Parish Church, and Rev. T. Stewart Mcgregor, Chaplain, Royal Infirmary,
Edinburgh, for prayers and encouragement.

I owe much to my mother in law, Nasim Wazir; my beloved wife, Saiqa Lall and my Children –
Aleem, Umbreen, and Accad for their affection, sacrifice, and prayers without which this
research would not have been possible.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCATION

CHAPTER ONE: THE IMMEDIATE NEED FOR A SYSTEMATIC CHRISTIAN EDUCATIO IN PAKISTAN

A. THE STATUS OF MINORITIES IN PAKISTAN AND THE ONSLAUGHT OF ISLAMISATION

B. THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL CUSTOMS
C. POLITICAL DISERIMINATION
D. PRESURE OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION SYSTEM
E. LACK OF RELIGIOUS ATMOSPHERE IN CHRISTIAN HOMES
F. LETHARGY OG THE CHURCH

CHAPTER TWO: THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

A. IDENTITY OF Gods people

B. Gods people in Christ
C. John chrysostum
D. Horace bushnells view
E. John westerhoff

THE IMPORTANCE OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN

1. CHRISTIAN NURTURE OF CHILDREN

2. FELLOWSHIP OF CHURCH
3. UNDERSTANDING OF THE FAIRTH
4. DISCIPLESHIP

CHAPTER THREE: THE CONTENT OF THE CURRICULUM

A. CATECHISM
B. BIBLE STORIES

CHAPTER FOUR: SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND TEACHING METHODS.

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS: THEIR CALL

TEACHERS ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHILDREN

 TEACHERS RESPONSIBILITY

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS TRAINING

THE METHODS OF TEACHING IN THE SUNDAY SCHOOL

WORSHIP

SINGING

BIBLE STORIES

CONCULSION

BIBLOGRAPHY
INTRODUCATION

Christian Education is one of the most important areas of the Church’s ministry. It is the
responsibility of every Christian home and Church to bring up the young in the love, knowledge
and care of the Lord. As a plant without water, light and air can die, so a child’s faith without
Christian education can also be in danger. Christian education cannot be practiced without the
help of a systematic curriculum with will cover different aspects of Christian faith and practice.

This research focuses on the need for a viable plan for Christian education in the diocese of
Sialkot, church of Pakistan. Christian education deserves a special importance in the social,
political and religious climate of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Here, the Church exists in an
unfriendly environment. The Church has to reckon with the active religious propaganda and
legislation of Islam. Children grow up in an environment where their faith and religious outlook
are constantly put to test.

There the church in Pakistan has to develop an effective and selective scheme for Christian
children who will enable the children and young people to be rooted in the life of the church,
and quip them to lead an exemplary Christian life in the larger society.

So, today, the Church I Pakistan is challenged to take up Christian education as one of its
priorities. A comprehensive and relevant curriculum, well organized Sunday school, and
properly trained Sunday school teachers are primary needs to make Christian education and
effective tool for Christian ministry. Ministers and Parish committees as well as parents and
children have to be encouraged to make Christian education program in all parishes.

This research looks at different aspects of Christian education program to be implemented in

the Sialkot Diocese, church of Pakistan.

The first chapter enumerates a need for Christian education in a context of Muslim culture and
identifies the factor concerning our children.

The second Chapter discusses the aim and objectives of Christian education, drawing from a
brief summary of history of Christian education, looking at the Christian nurture, fellowship of
the Church, understanding of the faith, and discipleship.

The third chapter discusses critically the content of the curriculum in our present situation
through catechism, Bible stories and considers possible changes and improvements.

The fourth Chapter discusses the call, duties, and training of Sunday school teachers. It also
discusses the existing methods of teaching in the Sunday school and suggests improvements.
CHAPTER ONE:

THE IMMEDIATE NEED FOR A SYSTEMATIC CHRISTIN EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN

The chapter discusses the need for an efficient program of Christian education in the face of
National Policy of Islamisation. In the Christian community, children and parents are finding
themselves helpless in the flood of religious propaganda. Only an enlightened Christian
community can resist such psychological and social pressure.

There are several factors that call for an urgent program of Christian education. These may be
summarized as follows:

A. The status of Minorities in Pakistan and the Onslaught of Islamisation

Pakistan got its independence on August 14, 1947, demanding that in the sub-continent Hindus
and Muslims cannot live together. After a long struggle the areas were Muslims were in the
majority were given a separate homeland. But, minorities like Sikhs, Christians and even Hindus
in Pakistan continued to stay wherever they were because this was their birth place.

Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the Founder of Pakistan was quite certain that one of the
most urgent and important tasks that lay before him and his people would be the
establishment of communal harmony and mutual trust. Pakistan was to be one nation, to which
all citizens might be proud to owe loyalty. Mr. Jinnah in his speech said “Now, I think we should
keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in the course of time Hindus would
cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in a religious sense, because
that is personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the state. 1

Keith Callard, Commenting on Jinnah’s speech says;

Mr. Jinnah’s words have been repeated on numerous occasions. But it must be
remembered that they were delivered to the first session of the constituent Assembly, four
days before Independence, at a time when Sind and Punjab depended heavily upon non-
Muslims for commercial and Technical services and before pain and death had left their
deepest scars.2

But Contrary to Callard, Mr. Jinnah’s speech it is very clear that this was his pledge with the
minorities that they would be given a freedom of religious observances in their homeland and
their religious and political rights would be safeguarded .
The Pakistan Resolution 1948, followed by the Constitution in 1956, 1962 and 1973 all say that
the minorities would have the freedom to speak, worship and even propagate their religion.
The 1973 constitution was passed with the majority of the house. All opposition parties also
favored the Constitution. This happened in Bhutto’s time.

Quotations from the Constitution which show the religious freedom of every citizen regardless
their faith and denomination are given below;

Article 20 ‘Subject to Law Public Order and Morality,

(a) Every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice and propagate his religion;
(b) Every religious denomination shall have the right to establish, maintain and manage its
religious institutions.

Article 22 (1) No person attending any educational institution shall be required to receive
instruction to take part in any religious ceremony, or attend religious worship , If such
instruction, ceremony or worship relates to a religion other than his own.

But, with the fall of Bhutto on 5th July 1977, Islamic forces have been working very actively for
the Islamisation of all facets of life. This has brought many changes in the country. Islamic
Banking system, The strict observance of the month of Ramadan, implementation of Shariat
Bill, the Islamisation of School Curriculum, Aazan- A call to Namaz (prayer) on television and
Blasphemy Act are all the main features.

All these reforms are good for the devout Muslim or Muslim Community (Ummah) at large but
are influencing other religions in the country- Christianity among them.

In Islam, Namaz is the Muslim Prayer ritual involving different Physical Postures, More over a
Muslim says hid prayer five times a day with all his postures with a covered head. In Christianity
prayer and worship need not be based o rituals. It is an attitude and Communion with God. So
when Pakistani Christian children see a Muslim ‘Namazi’ ( the one who says his prayers) saying
this Namaz with different Postures everyday on the television and elsewhere they ay begin to
think that Christian Prayer is not that right way of worship. The disciplined life of a Namazi can
influence the children of nominal Christians who have no regular personal devotions or family
prayer.
B. THE INFLUENCE OF Social Customs.

Islamic customs have their strengths and weaknesses. For example the practice of
divorce OR polygamy. It can either break a family unit or cause tension in the family.
Although the Church discourages divorce, there are divorces among Christians.

Muslims terminology for example ‘INSHA ALLAH’ (God willing), MASHA ALLAH (it is
God’s will), or ASLAMUALUIKUM (peace be with you) are not being owned or used by
Christians. Whereas the term ‘INSHA ALLAH’ IS THE SAME AS IT IS SUGGESTED BY St.
James (14; 13) which says ‘if the Lord is willing’. The way Muslims greet in Arabic carries
the same meaning which Jesus used saying, Peace be upon you (John20:19).

Regarding the Muslim way of Greetings- ASLAMULAIKUM, there is a Hadith (the body of
tradition about Mohammed, supplementary to Koran), in Islam, the Prophet advised his
followers not to greet each other like a gentile, who would say good morning or good
evening but should greet like Jews or Christians, who say “Peace be with you’ .Among
Christians children there is a confusion about relative merits of these social customs. For
example, they cannot decide how to greet their Muslim teachers whether to greet in a
western way or in a Pakistani Christian way which is Salam Ji. (Salam means Peace and Ji
is a word for respect) which would not be acceptable to the teacher. If the children
know the meaning and origin of these terms then they could use them and not feel
embarrassed.

Feudal system is in existence in Pakistan. In rural areas Christians are either bond
servants or field laborers. In urban areas Christians earn their living as factory laborers,
teachers, nurses, doctors or high officials [which are very few] but people living in the
slums (Shanty town) of urban areas are mostly sanitation workers. They are poor and
face Muslim prejudices. Illiteracy in these areas is very high, so the Churches through
the Sunday school or church School has to task of encouraging them that they are God’s
people, Gods household and that they have to play an active role in the Community and
Society.
C. POLITICAL DISCRIMINATION.

In Islam state and religion have tight regulations. Islamic laws differ from one Muslim
country to another because of differences in their schools of thought but in all these
countries minorities are usually treated as second class citizens.

Minorities in Pakistan elect their MNA [Member of National Assembly] & MPA [Member
of Parliament] on the basis of separate electorate system and hence have been deprived
of the mainline Politics.
With the resurgence of Islam, Blasphemy Act has always been like a sword of Damocles
over the minorities head. The Blasphemy Law in Pakistan has been a matter of concern
for minority community, especially Christians living in Pakistan. The Law categorically
states:
295-C use of derogatory remarks etc. in respect of the Holy Prophet:

Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations or by

imputation, innuendo or insinuation directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the
Holy Prophet [Peace be upon him ], shall be punished with death or imprisonment for
life and shall also be liable to fine.” In Pakistan there have been killings of Christians like
Naimat Ahmar,Tahir Iqbal, Mansoor Masih, Bunto Bibi and others under the excuse of
Blasphemy Law. Although the fundamentalists and extremists are misusing the Law but
contrary to them there have been Muslims in Pakistan who have raised their voices
against this Law especially when two years ago Salamat Masih a Christian boy of 14
years was sentenced to death for Blasphemy in Lahore but was acquitted on appeal.
Condemning the decision, which was then taken by the Court to his death sentence, the
“Aman Committee”, a citizen action forum of Pakistani Muslim against intolerance and
bigotry released a statement saying:

….The decision not only sets another bad precedence in favor of the forces of bigotry
and terror in this country but it is in violation of the Constitution of Pakistan, the
Pakistan Panel Code and in contravention of the Punjab Youthful Offenders Ordinance
all of which forbid the death sentence to a minor. This is also in violation of the
convention of the rights of the child to which Pakistan is a signatory….. If anything this
judgment has shown once and for all the Blasphemy Laws must go. We, the Aman
Committee, thus demand the outright repeal of the Blasphemy Laws. These Laws are
against the Spirit of Islam and Shariah itself has no place for such violation of justice.
 Although there may be more Muslims against violence and intolerance. Moreover, the
international media has also condemned to misuse of the Law but the Fundamentalists
are still misusing it. The recent persecution on 13 Feb. 1997 is one example of their
atrocity. So, the minorities- Christian community though has the right to speech but is
afraid because of the incidents which have happened previously. So, Christian children
are condemned to only listen or memorize what is being taught in school about Islam
and other religious- Christianity. They take care not have debates with other Muslim
classmates or teachers.

D. Pressure of Islamic Education System.

Generally speaking education system in Pakistan is divided into two channels. Private
schools following European system and Government (state) schools following Urdu
medium system. In rural areas children in state school mostly sit on the ground and
classes are held in the open air because there are not enough rooms in the school.
Teachers are often untrained. Usually two or three teachers teach all five classes. Each
class can sometimes have more than sixty pupils. Senior students are often asked to
help in teaching junior classes.

Teaching is mostly done from top to bottom and children have to memorize the lessons
and learn them by heart. Since his resurgence of Islam in Pakistan, schools have become
a channel of Islamization.

G.H Jansen, a journalist writing on the role of militant Islam argues that:
For Islam the real field of struggle is the classroom. Having regained lands and freedom,
the Muslim people are now faced with the task of reclaiming brain and soul from foreign
influence. This is to the accomplished by switching to the national language as medium
of instruction and by Islamiyat, deeniyat and Quran.

It is not only Islmiyat (Islamic religious studies) which is being taught in schools. It
becomes even worse when Christian students have to study misrepresentations of
Christianity taught from the Islamic point of view.

Once a Muslim MPA spoke to the congregational meeting at Lala Musa. Following the
meeting, the congregation brought to his notice a text book which was being taught to
class three which carried a misunderstanding about Christian belief, that Christians
believe in three Gods and they are KAAFAR (not having monotheistic view, Muslims
believe that it is a sin against God).

Christian children who lack proper Christian nurture from the family or the Church are
confused and many tend to believe what they are being taught at school by their
teachers.

R.F Tebbe who was a professor at Forman Christian College, Lahore, while commenting
on this situation writes that: “A Committee of one Church’s Parish found text book
material contained misrepresentations and misunderstandings of the Christian faith
when the latter was alluded to. Such things only produce confusion for the young and
not yet mature mind functioning mainly in a rote memorization learning pattern.”

The Christian children in Pakistan are in the same situation as the early Church children
were. William Barclay while commenting on the school system of the early Church says:

They were educated in the ordinary and normal Secular Schools. Let us recall the
curriculum of any Greek or Roman School. Its curriculum was the Poets and especially
Homer. These Poets and especially Homer told of the Gods, of their loves and wars and
hates and exploits- a strange curriculum indeed for a Christian child. The whole
organization was tied to heathen religion….. The school spent most of its time learning
about the Gods and yet it was to these schools that Christian children went.

Here, we may ask how did the early Church deal with this problem? How did the Church
provide a Christian education for their children? Barclays argues:

The New Testament lays down no kind of curriculum of Training for the child.
The
New Testament knows nothing about religious education and nothing about
School: for the New Testament is certain that the only training which really
Matters is given within the home and that there are no teachers so effective
For good or evil as parents are.

From Barclays’ statement we assume that though children were studding Paganism at
school they were getting their Christian nurturing at home.

In the New Testament it was not only the home that was a centre of Christian nurture
for children. Apostles and the Christian community were also actively involved in this
 ministry Jesus said “let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for the
Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14) and at another occasion
he told to Peter “Feed my lambs” (John 21:15).

In the book of Acts (12:13) a girl names Rhoda is present with the Praying Church.
Apostle Paul also included children when he wrote a letter to the church at…..

So, the present Church should make a note of this and uphold the program of Christian
education in Christian families and churches.

E. Lack of Religious Atmosphere in Christian Homes.

Most of the Christian homes in Pakistan do not have a family devotion. M.A Qayyum
Daskawie, a research scholar at Christian Study Centre, Rawalpindi in Pakistan, while
observing the Pathetic Conditions of Pakistani Christian comments: “First of all, I believe
there is very little or no religious education at home. The family altar has virtually
disappeared or has been dismantled. Parents are no longer praying for their children
and with their children; so how can we expect our children to pray for us?”

Daskawie has rightly painted the picture of a Christian home without family altars. But
Tim Green, who is working with the open Theological Seminary, Pakistan has recently
prepared Sunday School Teachers Training Course (July 1997). He goes down to the root
cause of this problem and acknowledges the fact by saying that:”often other things
make us so busy that we do not find tie to teach our children the bible. We have to earn
money, do the housework, and deal with guests. Somehow or other we make time for
such tasks but it is hard to find even ten minutes a day to teach our children from the
word of God.

What a pitiable condition it is! What are the reasons for this apathy? It is not only the
job but the love of television as well that keeps Christian parents away from family
altars. Parents love for television also encourages children to watch it for hour’s us how
to change this trend is a difficult question. Interested parents can purchase or borrow
Christian video films that are available in Christian stores. Another way is to state
literacy programs in rural areas and in slums. In this programme the Bible can be used as
a book to learn the language. Parents, adults and children can learn bible stories
through this programme. This has been proved successful in some areas. For example,
Rev Dr. G.M Naman is running this programme in Narowal district and each year many
 Christian students are being nurture in the Lord. Still another way to address this
problem is for congregation to be divided into different areas for weekly Bible study.
Member of the Kirk Session or some Lay Persons can lead this group.

F. Lethargy of the Church.

Before the nationalization of our schools and colleges in 1972, our children were not only
attending Sunday school but Christian Mission Schools were also providing Christian education
to them. After nationalization Christian education programme through these education
institutions was banned. Sunday schools also suffered because Christian teachers who used to
take Bible classes in school or Sunday school were no longer mission employees [only few were
volunteers] and hence they were not keen to take this extra load.

From 1972 until 1977 when Nawas Sharif became Prime Minister, Sunday was no longer a
Public holiday, children had to go to school on Sundays. Mostly they Churches in Pakistan were
not interested to have Bible School on Friday. In the Diocese of Sialkot there were a few places
in urban areas where Church schools have been active. For example the Sunday Schools at
Hunter memorial Church, Sialkot, David Nagar, Sialkot, St. Andrew;s, Gujrat, Jalal Pur Jatlan,
Rajoke and few other places have been regularly providing Christian education to the children.
But in other congregations they lack of interest in Christian education continues to prevail.
Ministers/Pastors most come with their sermon which only speaks to mature Christians and the
Bible story for children in almost ignored. There is no Christian’s participation in the Church
worship and the Christian education programme for children through Sunday school in most of
the Churches does not exist.

Bu in some areas if a child goes to a Sunday school each week and spends a devotional time
with his parents, then it means that he/she is getting Christian education at the most four –five
hours a week over against 168 hours in a week. So what influence can these few hours of
Christian education have on the children when most to his/her time is being spend either in
school where he has a hostile atmosphere or watching television for hours?

It is a fact that the onslaught of Islamisation and the influence of Islamic Culture are constantly
threatening the Christian witness and identify in Pakistan. Political discrimination and the
Islamic education system are creating an atmosphere of prejudice and confusion within the
Christian community especially for children. The lack of religious atmosphere in Christian homes
and the lethargy of the Church have also been root causes for the spiritual decline of the
children mostly in a religiously hostile society.
Keeping in view of the context, the church and the Christian parents have to plan for better
Christian education through Sunday Schools. The bible says “where there is no vision people
perish” (Proverbs 19; 18). Therefore, the Church and the parents must have this vision and
must urgently launch an efficient Christian education programme so that the body of Christ may
be built up. Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and
become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4; 12-13)
CHAPTER TWO: THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVE OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.

This chapter discusses the aims and objectives of Christian education but what is Christian
education? It is given in a faith confessing community causing an Identity in the community’s
life. It is Church based. The concise dictionary defines “Education as “educating, being
educated, systematic instruction... Development of character or mental power... The verb “to
educate” means to bring up (young people) to give intellectual or moral training to, to provide
schooling for “11

This definition is short of what Christian education is, as this is only a general description of the
term. The qualifier needs to be considered to provide a fuller definition because education and
Christian are related. Christian education means educating, bringing up someone according to
Christian systematic instruction. It is the development of Christian character and Identity
according to Biblical principles. Christian education conveys as idea of educating, training and
bringing up a young person in a Christian way or in Christ’s way so that the recipient has
distinctiveness in their lives from the rest of the world.

Christian education has its roots in the lives of God’s people in the Old Testament and the New
Testament. It has a strong tradition in the history of the Church and in Pastoral Theology. First
the story of the development of Christian education will be presented and then the aims and
objectives of Christian education will be drawn upon out of it in order to have a plan for better
Christian education through the Sunday Schools in the Diocese of Sialkot, Church of Pakistan.

A. Identity of God’s People.

There are many Hebrew words in the Old Testament that have to do with religious education.
They illustrate various concepts of the learning process of God’s people.

The Lutterworth Dictionary describes them as:

The word Yada, a form of which is found in Ezra 7:25 is translated “know”. To know in
the sense means an involvement in the life of the person. Various Hebrew words for “teach”
are: Yada (Micah 3:11), which carries the idea of pointing things out; Zahar (Exodus 18:20),
which communicates the need for admonishment or warning; Lamad (Deuteronomy 4:10),
meaning literally to “goad”; Sana, meaning to “teach diligently” literally to “sharpen” or
“pierce” (Deuteronomy 6:7)12

It is important to note the meanings of different words that will tell us the aims and objectives
of religious education in the lives of God’s people, for example the Hebrew word Yara (to teach)
gives us an idea of pointing out things to the recipient (Micah 3:11) and the Hebrew word Sana,
gives us an idea that the educator has to teach it diligently [sharpen or pierce its listener]. This
idea puts an emphasis on the educator that the teaching has to be done carefully and
constantly [Deuteronomy 6:7]. It means to teach something to someone in order to have a
pierce, a hole in someone’s life. The teaching should be done in such a way that it should leave
a mark on the listener. It should have a hole [more literally] in the heart of the listener. A
circumcision of hearts of God’s people [Ezekiel 36:26]. So, the teaching should not only
teach/instruct, admonish and warn (Zahar) but should result in distinctive marks on the lives of
the People of God.

It is clear from various texts [Deuteronomy 6; 4-7]; Exodus 12:24-27] that God is the originator
of religious education in the History of Israel. God’s intention was not only that the Israelites
should now God’s commandments but should have an identity and for that purpose they have
to pass it onto their children (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). This instruction and identity process was to
be passed on from generation to generation.

Merril C Tenney argues: “The instruction was limited but it was thorough. Before the child went
to school at all he would have learned at home the Shema, or the Jewish Creed (Deuteronomy
6:4-9) 13 which says: “Hear, O Israel…””

The Hebrew word ‘Shema’ [in English , listen] in the bible has been used as an idiom and
conveys the idea of obedience, so it demanded not only the memorization of the Creed but the
obedience to the Commandments was also included..”He said to them: take to heart all the
words I have solemnly declared to you this day so that you may command your children to obey
carefully all the words of this Law (Deuteronomy 32-46)” the teaching had to be followed by
obedience or otherwise the instruction would lose its purpose. Apart from the Creed, “The
early memories of Exodus and the fear of the Lord are to be retold in the presence of the
children (Exodus 10:2; 12:26-27).14
The religious instruction of the children began at a very early age apparently soon after they
were weaned (Isaiah 28:9). There is a saying somewhat uncertain date in Pirke Aboth 5:27
which indicates a Jewish view of the importance of education in the life of a young one that “a
child is ready to being in study of Scripture at five, the Mishna at ten, the Commandments at
thirteen, the Talmud at fifteen….”15

From the foregoing arguments it may be assumed that form the age of weaning till the age of
fifteen, there was a systematic religious patter for there is a saying that the Jewish teaching
starts from the cradle and continues till the grave, but why it is so?

Because it is God’s will that his people have distinctiveness in their life.

It was not only parents but the priests were also involved in imparting religious education to
the children because apart from homes the festival ritual had to be carried out in the
tabernacle and then later on in the temple. “Therefore, the education of Hebrew children
included the priests as well as the parents.” 16 And above all the Jewish Community was also
actively participating in this programme: “The Jewish Community usually provided some sort of
instructions for children that they might learn to read the Torah, write and to do some
arithmetic.”17

Jewish synagogue: Apart from home or temple, the Jewish Synagogue played a significant role
in the Jewish educational system. “This institution grew up in response to the needs of Jews far
from their homeland, for a means of maintaining their culture and faith.”18

It was first of all a place of assembly in all matters of interest to the Jewish Community. It also
served as a place of worship, but above all it was a place of study. The school was conducted
either in synagogue proper or in a room adjacent to it.

J Sidlaw Baxter says: “It was here that the Law was publicly read, the explanations of it were
given, discourses delivered and the minds of the people stirred.”19

So, by imparting religious education to the children and Jewish Community the Synagogue was
playing an important role to maintain the identity of God’s people.
B. God’s People in Christ.

In the Old Testament God instructed his people to obey his commandments and pass it on to
their children? God’s intention was that his people should love and obey their God and have
distinctiveness in the course of their life. On the other hand, Gods people in Christ received a
more developed form of teaching, in a sermon, on the mount, Mathew 5-8, which could give
them a Christian identity.

Jesus throughout his ministry trained his disciples to follow his example. Acts 4:13 testifies that
“ when people saw Peter and John’s boldness and noted that they were untrained lay men,
they began to wonder, then recognized them as formal companions of Jesus.

Jesus expected marks of identity from the mature followers like Peter and John. He expected
Zacchaeus to exhibit the character of a follower of Jesus. He expected children also to be an
example of faith. Jesus’ attitude towards children shows that his intention was that right from
the person’s childhood she/he should be brought to God. This idea has its root in Deuteronomy
6:4-9. Jesus endorsed this idea by saying; “let the children come to me and do not hinder
them”. Mathew 19:14. He further enlarged it and said “who so ever receive one such child in
my name receives me”. But if a man is a cause of stumbling to one of these little ones who have
faith in me, it would be better for him to have a mile stone hung around his neck and be
drowned in the depths of the sea”. Mathew 18:5-6. This text clearly shows that Jesus was
expecting the little ones who had faith in him should not be lead to sin but be encouraged to
have distinctiveness in their lives. To achieve that purpose he charged his audience to accept
them. [Mathew 18:5], as you would accept Jesus and bring them up in such way that they may
not fall into sin. In other words, the nurture that the little ones receive must be the same as of
Samuel [1 Samuel 1:2; 3:1-10], John the Baptist [Luke 1:80] and of Jesus [Luke 2:40].

After his resurrection Jesus again shows his concern for children and asked Peter: “Simon son of
John, do u truly love me? feed my lambs” [John 21:15]. Then, before his ascension he gathered
together his disciples and said; “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me
therefore and go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them …. And teaching them to
obey everything I have command you [Mathew 28:18-20].
Jesus charges the apostles to make disciples. This process of discipleship involved teaching and
obedience. Tim Green argues; “Jesus did not say, teach them everything I have commanded
you but rather teach them to obey everything I have commanded you” so, the teaching had to
followed by obedience, only then could a person be a disciple and have the marks of Christ in
his/her life.

The early church took Jesus’ words seriously and Acts 242 says; “They devoted themselves to
apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” This text
clearly shows that the believers were being nurtured in a community life through teaching,
fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.

J. Donald Butler, while writing his conclusion on the nurture in the early Church says;

… “There are two main forms of nurture in the early Church. The first was strictly within the life
and fellowship of the Church. Preparing people for baptism and for full membership in the
Christian fellowship. The second, a liberal or general education following baptism and entrance
into the full membership, sought to enable Christians more adequately to cope with the worlds
culture and their by it prepared a new generation of leaders for the Church.”

According to Butler the later notion behind the Christian nurture was to enable the Church to
cope with the world’s culture. In other words, they were being equipped to stand against a
difficult culture so that the culture might not influence them. The book of Acts show that the
early Church was more engaged in witnessing to the Lord Jesus and the paganism and its
culture which was in decline could not influence them. In the books of Acts, people remarked
about Paul and Silas that “they have turned the rest of the world upside down” why did it
happen? Because the Church was being engrafted [Romans 11:17] in the Lord through the seal
of baptism and Holy Spirit and also because it was getting Christian training and fellowship.

Apart from the community, the Christian home was another place of education, training and
nurturing especially for children [Ephesians 5:21, 6:9].

Forrester et al says: “it is clear from Haustaflen in particular that the household community
considered having a particular role in Christian nurture.” 22 Here, Christian ethos plays an
important part. The text clearly shows that certain duties are expected and inculcated at home.
For example, children were expected to obey and honor their parents. The Christian
atmosphere of the family also imposed responsibilities on the parents. But it is clear that Paul
was writing to Christian parents and their children and says: “Fathers must not goad their
children to resentment but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
[Ephesians 6:4]. While commenting on Christian formation in the culture of the Lord Forrester
et al says:

Two key words are Nouthesia [discipline] and Paideia [upbringing] the former undoubtedly
carries overtones of warning but it also contains the notion of ‘reminding’. It suggests Christian
Paraenisis: the kind of instruction which reminds the Catechumen of his/her identity as a
Christian and warns against corruption of the world as well as commanding Christian virtue.

Forrester at el, continues to say that “the word Paideia has a much wider connotation. It
denotes simply the rearing or upbringing of the child. It uses the phrase ‘the nurture of the
Lord’, which refers to training: education in the Christian way … brings them up in the culture of
the Lord.”

From the foregoing argument it is assumed that during the nurturing and training process, the
Christian parents have to warn their children about the corruption of the world by instructing
them to maintain the Christian identity and the distinctiveness of the character. And the
parents have to see that the children are given the education in a Christian way, which is the
way of the Lord. So, Jesus and the early Church were emphasizing the fact that there should be
distinctiveness in the lives of the believers and for that purpose Christian education and
nurturing were given.

Commenting on the same text John A Allen says: “the discipline and instruction are to be in the
spirit of Christ’s tender regard of children, as if Christ were the real agent and the parents
instruments.”25
 C. John Chrysostum (early Church Father)

John Chrysostum was one of the early Church fathers. He was also a famous preacher. The
Church, in his time either in Antioch or Constantinople was living in a Pagan culture.

M.L.W Laistner, writing an introduction on his homilies says: “the Preacher recurs again and
again and at different periods of his life to the same broad topics. One of these is the education
or rather moral training, of the young; others are the dangers of riches and vanity ad their
resultant evils, the immorality of the times as shown in the circus and theatre, and the
prevalence of Pederasty.” 26

In his homilies, he is trying to promote the ways about the upbringing of a child in a house and
community. It is assumed that his aim was that Christian children should have distinctive way of
living in a Pagan culture.

Chrysostum, in his general exhortation to parents argues against the ostentation and vain glory
of the culture, for example, the decoration of boys with clothes and gold and says:

“The man-child has hastily been born. His father things of every means, not whereby he may
direct the child’s life wisely but whereby he may adorn it and clothe it in fine raiment and
golden ornaments. Why dost thou this, O Man? Granted that thou dost thyself wear these, why
dost thou rear in this luxury thy son who is as yet still ignorant of this folly?... there is a need for
a strict tutor to direct the boy, no need for gold”.

Chrysostum’s argument clearly shows that he loves to see distinctiveness in the lives of
Christian children that they may not be cared for a luxurious way but should be brought up
under a strict discipline.

It is not only that he laid down general exhortation but the religious principle as will and thus
argues: “in our own day every man takes the greatest pain to train his boy in the arts and in
literature and speech, but to exercise this child’s soul in virtue, so that no man any longer pays
heed.”

Chrysosum’s audiences were Christian parents. Although all were caring for their children’s
secular education, nobody was caring for the religious aspect of a child’s life. It was a pitiable
and pathetic situation in the church.

To have a Christian identity Chrysostum continues to argue and says:”if thou dost care for thy
son, show it thus, and in other ways too thou wild have they reward. Hearken to the words of
Paul, “if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety” (1 Timothy 2:13)…. Raise
up an athlete for Christ! And teach him tough he is living in the world to be reverent from his
earliest youth.”

It is assumed from the foregoing and former arguments that Chrysostum was looking for a
Christian identity in this life of the Church so he was emphasizing the Christian nurturing of the
children mainly through parents.

D. Horace Bushnell’s View

Horace Bushnell who is “a man of great foresight and vision, is a forerunner of modern theorists
who recommended a socialization approach to Christian formation.”

His book on Chrisian nurture is in reaction to the revivalism of his time. Thomas H Grome
argues that:

“The attitude of the revivalists towards formation was that, because of the human depravity,
Children could not grow up as Christian but could only come to faith by being “born again”. It
was on this specific point says Grome that Bushnell began his criticism of the revival movement
and the whole conversion syndrome. From the beginning Bushnell was of the view that rather
than waiting for conversion at a later age, a child is to nurtured as a Christian from his or her
earliest years.
The central point of Horace Bushnell’s work entitled Christian Nurture is his famous statement
regarding the upbringing of a child: “That the child is to grow up as a Christian and never know
himself as being otherwise.

He further enlarges upon this by saying:

In other words, the aim, effort and expectation should be, not, as is commonly assumed that
the child is to grow up in sin to be converted after he comes to a mature age; but that he is to
open on the world as one that is spiritually renewed not remembering the time when he went
through a technical experience but seeming rather to have loved what is food from his earliest
years.

J Donald Butler argues that: “By technical experience it is clear that he means conversion as the
revivalist conceived it. It is equally clear that Bushnell did believe in conversion but not
according to a particular form”.

Bushnell argues that the child should not grow up in sin and the parents should provide him
Christian nurture from his Childhood. He even goes to the extent of saying that the nurture
should start from the time a child is conceived. He calls this ‘Ante-Natal’ nurture. Bushnell
further enlarges this notion by saying that : “ The most important age of Christian nurture is the
point that which we have called age of impression, just that age in which the duties and cares of
a really Christian nurture are so commonly postponed, or assumed to have not yet arrived.”

In the early training of a child which Bushnell calls ‘he age of impression’ , the more is done or
lost by neglect of doing on a child’s immortality, in the first three years of his life than in all his
years of discipline afterwards. So, he instructs the Christian parents regarding the early training
by arguing: “Let every Christian fathers and mothers understand when their child is three years
old, that they have done more than half or all they will ever do for his character.”

From this foregoing argument it is very important for the parents to nurture their
Children in the first three years and the children should not be left to sin till conversion for no-
one knows when it would happen. The nurture process has to be continued in a context of
organism conception.

Luther A Weigle while writing an introduction on Bushnell’s Christian Nurture argues that : “
The chief criticism now raised is that he expects too much of parents, who in these days at
least, have not the intellect, competence nor the religious devotion nor the available time to
carry out the programme”.

Bushnell’s module of nurturing in the family is criticized because he expects too much from the
parents. The assumption is that the parents are Christian or religious like Hannah the mother of
Samuel. He also proposed the Church to give birth to Christians.

E. John Westerhoff
John Westerhoff takes up the world of Christian education from where Bushnell left off and
develops it to a broader form. Although Bushnell emphasizes that Christian nurture should be
given from the early stage he also favors the interaction in the family. He proposes that the
Church should take up the programme. (Bushnell as mentioned earlier is called the forerunner
of socialization.) John Westerhoff

“Continues to recommend the socialization/enculturation approach to religious

Education and is its leading spokesman today.”

Contrary to Bushnell, in his word, ‘will our children have faith ‘he attacked the very foundation
on which Christian education was built as being inadequate. He says: “Historically, Christian
education has vacillated between a concern for conversion and a concern for nurture…. The
Church can no longer surrender to the illusion that child nurture, in and of itself, can or will
rekindle the fire of Christian faith in persons or in the Church”.

Westerhoff also attacked the Church “Schooling instructional” paradigm and argues: “The
Church is still caught in a “Schooling instructional “paradigm for its ministry of education and
“the school instructional paradigm is bankrupt” we must shift instead to a community of faith
enculturation paradigm”.

But, what Westerhoff means by faith enculturation paradigm is important to note: “Our new
paradigm must broaden the context of Christian education to include every aspect of our
individual and corporate lives within an intentional, covenanting, pilgrim, radical, counter-
cultural, traditional bearing faith community. A viable paradigm, where person are actors…..
Are nurtured and converted to radical faith.”

Westerhoff’s notion about the context of Christian education is extended to every aspect of our
individual or corporate lives. It shows the concern for the liberation of humankind. But to have
a counter-cultural approach or radical faith [extremist way of life] is difficult where the majority
have a militant sprit and the Christian community is small and practically has no political voice.
In such a case a traditional faith with an interaction within the faith community would be
practicable, for the former might take to chaos and the latter into a Christian identity in the
lives of people of God where faith given become faith owned and people say “I believe”.
THE IMPORTANCE OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN

Based upon the above historical summary of Christian education, the following aims and
objectives of Christian education in Pakistan can be derived:

1. Christian nurture of children

2. Fellowship of the church
3. Understanding of the faith
4. Discipleship

1. Christian nurture of children

In the Old Testament religious education of a child takes place not only in the family but in the
Temple and Synagogue as well. Parents, Priests, teachers (Rabbi) and the Jewish Community
are all involved in the nurturing of their children. This was/is done to maintain their culture and
faith. Jesus, Apostle Paul, the early church fathers like John Chrysostum and modern scholar
Horace Bushnell all put their emphasis on the nurturing of the children: Jesus addressed the
community and said: “Do not cause them to sin”. Paul in his family table said: ‘Bring them up in
the culture of the Lord’. John Chrysostum in his homilies has said: “train them as an athlete in
Christ”. Horace Bushnell says: “A child has to grow up as a Christian and never know himself
otherwise”. All these statements show that: “Parents have a vital role to play in the Christian
nurture of the children”.

If parents in Pakistan are busy then they mush spare their time for the nurturing of their
children and their love for television should not become an obstacle or hindrance in it. If they
are not well trained they can learn from others and if illiterate they can learn though literacy
programmes and can then start teaching their children. According to the teacher resource
book, growing up in the Church: “Parents and home have the responsibility of conveying the
gospel to the young child in his first three years. During this period the relationships established
and the atmosphere created in the home are of prime importance”.
In this programme, grandmother or an adult child in the family can also be of great help. They
can begin with the bedtime prayer, telling a Bible story for it is said: “The child meets the
Church first in his home, the Christian family, then in the local congregation which is the family
of God”.

But, the pitiful thing is that the grandmothers or parents have given up the power of
storytelling to television and the parents do need to have a genuine Christian atmosphere in
the family. It is not only the teaching but family worship that helps the nurturing of children and
shape them as Christians.

But, the exemplary lives of parents that would help children to grow in the Lord. Parents should
give care and love to their children especially in the early years. According to a resource book
for teachers, ‘Learning in the Church’.

The main contributor to his development in these early years is the home. If parents surround
him with love and care, if they provide a stable and secure world for him to explore, then his
growth as a person is greatly helped. But if this environment is lacking in love and stability, if
the parents are unpredictable and self-contradictory in their attitude to him, then for the whole
of his life he is liable to bear this marks of this deprivation, perhaps in aggressiveness,
malevolence, resentment or in some other disturbed way.

Therefore, parents should provide love and care to their children and have religious activities
like bedtime prayer or story. But doing so the children will find the roots of their personality
and character and in return they will start loving and caring for one another resulting in
distinctiveness in their lifestyle. It will be a witness in a hostile world. Jesus said: “You are the
light of the world… let your light shine before men, they may see your good deeds and praise
your father in heaven”. [Matthew 5:14-15]
 2. Fellowship of the Church.

It has been discussed how the children were given religious nurture in the Jewish Community.
From the life of the early Church it is learnt that the children were included in the Christian
fellowship [Acts 2:42-47]. But when does a child receive the hand of fellowship in the Church?
People may argue that a child’s fellowship in the Church begins when he is baptized, but if
home is a Church and a child is a Christian when he is born because his parents are Christian
then the fellowship of a child in the Church begins when he is born. Although the formal
fellowship will bring when he or she is baptized, it might take days or months and in a few cases
years.

According to growing up in the Church, a resource book for primary teachers:

“The infant at this stage understands nothing of the significance of baptism. He cannot repent
of his sins, for he is not yet conscious of what sin is. But God had acted first. Under his
providence the child has been born into a Christian home and into the Christian Church.
Baptism is his right, for it is the band of his membership of the Church when he was been
brought by the grace of God!”

In the Church of Pakistan, children are usually baptized when they are infants so it is obligatory
for the Church to provide fellowship the day he enters into the fellowship of the Church though
baptism. This can be done by guiding or helping parents how to nurture their children in the 1-3
years. The formal responsibility of the Church begins when a child starts coming to the Sunday
school or attending Church worship. From now on the child will receive an extended fellowship.
Here, he will have new friends, love, care and security. This fellowship will also provide a new
experience, in sights and intellectual skills.

According to the teacher’s resource book, growing up in the Church: “if the process of Christian
nurture is to be complete, children and young people must be introduced to and participate in,
the church public worship. They also need to worship in ways appropriate to their age and
stage of development”.
This statement highlights the need for Christian nurture in the Church through worship and of
Christian programme designed according to the age of the children.

In Pakistan, there is no participation of children and adults in the worship services.

Ministers/Pastors mostly preach sermons for mature people and a separate story of the Bible
for children is completely ignored and the Sunday School work is not active. Therefore the
Church should take up this ministry because if the Christian education at home or at Church is
equally weak, then there is a danger that the testimony and the identity of the Church will fade
away.

It is a fact that no single Christian can be an effective witness; it is through the fellowship of the
family and above all the Church that the children receive love and care. This is done through
Worship, Prayer, Bible study and Holy Communion.

3. Understanding of the Faith

It has been discussed that in the Old Testament children were given the understanding of faith
and so was in the early Church. An understanding of faith has its roots in one’s own thinking.
There is a thinking process is each individual. Paul Butler argues: “Paul when writing to the
Christians at Corinth acknowledges that his own thinking has developed. In particular he writes
of his childhood and says: “I thought like a child, reasoned like a child” (1 Corinthians 13:11). So,
he was aware that our thinking and reasoning processes do develop from childhood into
adulthood”.

The way a child thinks is different from a mature person. There are limitations in the way
children think. Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist proposed: ‘thinking process for children’ can
help parents and Christian educators to do the work of Christian education in a better way. A
lengthy quotation is given here from Harold Locus to grasp the understanding of this process:

There are three ‘stages’ of thinking process described as ‘intuitive’, ‘concrete’ and ‘abstract’.
The first, intuitive stage is that stage in which a child may be said to jump to conclusion without
looking very carefully where he is jumping... he is therefore illogical and irrelevant in his
interference: he will offer an explanation that is, to the adult, amusingly absurd.
The concrete stage is that which the child begins to be rational and logical but in this
explanations and interference he is tied to the concrete situation which he is dealing with. He
has not yet achieved the power of thinking with abstract ideas and general principle. He may
still be absurd…

Finally, in the ‘abstract’ stage, he breaks through to the level of intelligence in which he can
escape from the situation before him and see the general principle at work in it and begin to
deal with the principle itself. He can now think in words and other symbolic terms, in handling
generalizations he can forget the details on which they rest and grasp the idea itself.

Paul Butler has very beautifully explained the concrete stage of the child and thus argues:

As an example we may consider the teaching patterns typical of children between six or seven
and ten or twelve as suggested by Piaget during these years children think in ‘concrete’ rather
that ‘abstract’ terms. In other words they think in sold facts rather than in the realm of
concepts and ideas…. Concrete thinking will also mean that children will tend to understand our
words in a literal form; so some at least will find talk of ‘inviting Jesus into your heart’ as rather
strange because they know that their heart is and that it pumps the blood around your body. It
certainly does not sound a nice place for someone as special as Jesus to live.

So, in the intuitive stage a child’s thinking is illogical and absurd, in the concrete stage though
logical but still may be absurd and in abstract stage he can grasp the idea. So, the parents and
Sunday School teachers need to take care how they present the story or creed to their children
so that it might not cause confusion to them.

Faith understanding can come through interaction. A child can learn while interacting in the
family or in the Sunday School or Bible Group. This can be done through Bible stories,
confession of faith or different experience. In situation like Pakistan, interaction within faith
confessing communities could be profitable but in intercultural situations it may not be so
because of the present atmosphere.
An understanding of faith can also come through the practical example of parents. Tim Green
says: “without doubt home is the best place for children to learn the Christian faith. There
they can learn from the practical example of their parents as well as their words”. For example,
if a father says “God is our father and he loves us “and if he himself hoes not love his children
then they can say but you don’t love us, and so on. If parents are not good enough it may leave
a bad impression on children and above all, an understanding of faith is given by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus, himself after his resurrection opened the eyes of his disciples. [Luke 24:31]

And lad but not least, it should be considered that: “Our aim is not simple to set out Christian
faith so that the children when reasonable adult, can intelligently “take it or leave it “. They are
our children and our task is to provide a home for their growing sprits through whose influence
they will be helped to find joy and fulfillment in God’s love, making good decisions for them”.

A ‘home and a good decision will bring in the distinctiveness in the lives of children and adults’.

4. Discipleship

Christian education aims to make children and adults Disciples of Christ. The greatest
commandment which Jesus gave to his disciples is to make disciples. [Matthew 28:18-20]

But, the question is who is a disciple? According to a resource book for primary teachers,
growing up in the Church: “the Christian is a “disciple” a “Learner”. He continues to be
instructed in the school of Christ “for”, in the words of Calvin, “Our weakness does not permit
us to leave school until we have spent our whole lives as scholars”.

Discipleship is not automatic. It involves a lot of patience, forbearance, care, training and
submission to each other in the family and community. It has a target o reach to the maturity of
Christ. Although, “In this world the Disciples of Christ never arrive at their goal, which is nothing
less than “the maturity of Christ” [Ephesians 4:16] but like Paul they press towards it”. And a
stage comes when they, like Sadhu Sundar Singh of India, have the marks of Jesus in their lives.
In the process of disciple making the Lord has not only appointed Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist
teachers and Preachers but the parents and community as will. They all work as an instrument
under the hands of God. Tim Green argues; “it is the work of the Holy Spirit first to bring the
children to faith in Jesus and then to build them up in that faith”.

Jesus’ Teaching presents Jesus’ lifestyle and character. If children are shaped in his teaching
[Matthew 5-7] the majority would say that they have been with Jesus. For example Jesus said:
“Love one another just as I loved you”. His love is sacrificial and selfless. In the Christian
community if parents and children start loving each other as Jesus loves, then there will be a
commitment to care, love and heal each other. According to New Bible commentary “the
disciples were to call not for a superficial response but for total commitment to the new
community (symbolized in baptism) and to a life governed by everything I have commanded
you”. This will create in them a distinctiveness of character and life. So, in a process of
discipleship the aim of Christian education is to prepare children, parents and community to a
commitment first to the Lord and then to the community resulting and maintaining a Christian
identity in Pakistan.
 CHAPTER THREE: THE CONTENT OF THE CURRICULUM

This chapter outlines the content of the proposed curriculum for Christian education in the
Diocese of Sialkot, church of Pakistan. This curriculum is intended to provide the necessary
resources for building up the Christian children in their faith and character. But, first the
meaning and definition of planed Christian education programme.

Roger L Shinn defines it: “a planned education programme is called a “curriculum”. The
Romans, who invented the word used it to designate a racecourse, gradually the word came to
mean an education course or a course of study. It is especially appropriate as a term for
Christian education because the New Testament sometimes compares the Christian life with
the running of a racecourse [Acts 20:24; 2 Timothy 4:7].

According to Shin, the curriculum of Christian education is concerned with the broadening and
deepening of the life from a Christian point of view. The aim of the curriculum is to enable
people, through various means of study and worship, to run the race of life properly.

From Shinn’s argument it is clear that the main emphasis is not on the material but a work to
do and a race to run that directs towards a Christian purpose.

J.D Butler has given a broad and a narrow definition of curriculum for Christian education; while
commenting on his broad view he argues:

There is a sense in which the bible and they way in which it functions in the Church is
curriculum. There is also a sense in which the Theology, tacitly or officially accepted in any given
Church is curriculum. Further, there is a sense in which the theologizing which may or may not
go in the Church in curriculum. And finally those who teach are curriculum. And then
commenting on the narrow definition he argues:
According to it, curriculum, especially in Christian education refers to courses of study and,
even more specifically, to study literature. Curriculum commonly refers therefore, to the study
material deliberately designed and prepared as a central agent, it no supposedly the central
agent in the Christian nurture of children, youths and adults.

From Shinn and Butler’s notions on curriculum it may be assumed that although Christian
education curriculum includes a course of study the emphasis is neither on teachers not the
study material. The curriculum, on the other hand, is the course to run, a task to do, a way to
nurture the Christian children so that there may be a distinctiveness and Christian identity in
the life of a recipient.

What are the components of planned programme [curriculum]? William Bedford Williamson
quotes P H Phenix and says he has pointed out that a “complete description of a curriculum has
at least three components:

1. What is studies that is the contents of subject matter of instruction

2. How the study and teaching are done that is the ‘method’ of instruction
3. When the various subjects are presents the order of instruction.

According to Phenix, content, methods and the order of instruction are the components of
curriculum. But, Butler’s broader view of Christian education curriculum includes teachers as
curriculum that has their own positive influence and significant role in the training process. So,
the components of the curriculum discussed would be: the content and when to impart it, the
methods of instruction and teachers. In this chapter the content of the curriculum will only be
discussed and teachers and teaching methods will be discussed in the next chapter. Since there
is a great need for Christian education in Pakistan especially in the Diocese of Sialkot, the
children should be enables to learn and understand the faith. Their behavior should not
contradict the Christian training they receive. For this purpose it is proposed that the two
elements of Catechism and bible stores be included in the curriculum. But, why should
Catechism and bible stores be included in the curriculum?
 A. Catechism
Catechism means “summary of principles of a religion in the form of question and answers”. It
is a way of life set in an instructional form which Christian should know, understand and
practice it.

J. D Butler argues that there were two types of instruction given in the early Church; he calls
this first Catechumenal instruction and says: “the earliest form they assumed was preparation
for Baptism… it was a commitment to him as a person and not commitment to a set of
doctrines, a simple and central Confession of Faith”.

Butler calls the second type: Catechetical instruction. According to him: its intent was to take
the fully convinced Christian and help him to know how to think as well as to act as a Christian,
though living in the midst of clearly non Christian culture.

So, the former instructional purpose was to bring a person to a commitment to the Lord and
prepare him for Baptism where as the later instructional form had intent to take a convinced
Christian help him to think as well as act as a Christian in a non Christian culture. In other
words, it is assumed that the commitment to the Lord and the behavior had its roots in the
instructional training.

It is necessary to know why this kind of instruction was given importance in the Church as it is
relevant to the Church of Pakistan. In this regard Clement of Alexandria’s book ‘The Instructor’
would be of great help. Butler quotes it and says: “the book gives major attention to details of
living and focuses on the pattern of life, apparently seeking to guarantee that all aspects of the
life of the Christian shall reflect Christian character ... there are sections on the following
topics: laughter, filthy speaking, clothes, embellishment of body and behaviors in the bath”.

So, the purpose of the Catechumenal and Catechetical instruction was that the recipient must
have a commitment to the Lord and must identify with him through his character.

Why then, the Catechism be added to the curriculum of Christian education in the Diocese of
Sialkot, Pakistan so that: (A) Christian children and adults after Baptism should have a
commitment to the Lord and not the statement of faith alone and (B) as Christian, they should
know their faith, go through a thinking process, own their faith and maintain Christian identity
in non Christian world.

No the question is the type of material should children be given through the Catechism. While
going back to the history of Catechisms Forrester et al says:

Catechisms were handbooks of instruction, common throughout the middle Ages and the
reformation period. Since they were characteristically contained material to be learned by
heart. for example, the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments and the Creed- they were often
set out in question and answer form and because identified with rote learning method.

Presently, the Common Prayer book of the Church of Pakistan also included the Lord’s Prayer,
Ten Commandments, Creeds and Wetminster Shorter Catechism (1648) but the children and
the communicant class are only asked to learn by heart, the Lord’s Prayer, Ten Commandments,
Beatitudes and Apostles Creed and ignore the other creeds and shorter catechism and there is
no interaction in these classes. Children only learn by rote and hence there is little effect in their
life.

Forrester et al while commenting on this issue says: “Catechisms are unlikely to be effective or
accepted tools of Christian instruction today unless they are completely suited to the context in
which they are used and also much more stimulating and imaginative in content and method,
than has often been the case in the past”.

This argument should be taken serious. Catechism, unless it is completely suited to the situation
and context and are stimulating and imaginative they will not have a deep effect in the lives of
the children in the Sunday School. It is therefore proposed that what is already there in the
Common Prayer book may be taken as instructional material but there is significant issue to
which the Westminster Catechism (1648) does not address. For example, there are only two
question Q2, Q3 concerning the scripture. Question no.3 says what do the Scriptures principally
teach? And the answer is: The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning
God and what duty God requires of man. It does not address the objections which the non
Christian world has about Scriptures. It is strange that the teaching about Jesus as Son of God
has totally been ignored. Question no. 2 only asks how did Christ, being the Son of God,
become man? Instead the Church has to address this question, how is Jesus the Son of God?
And the answer could be: Jesus is no God’s son in the sense as we are the children of our
father. Jesus, although born of Mary, is Son of God because he is same substance with God and
shares in his power and glory. This Catechism has a confusing question (Q6) and the answer
about the trinity. It says: how many persons are there in the Godhead: there are three person
in the Godhead … is confusing in Pakistani context.

Instead it should have been: how many Gods do we believe in? One God- the Father, Son and
the Holy Spirit and then another question can be addressed that how is it possible that God
Father, God son and God Holy Spirit are one? And the answer could be just as my father is my
father, and he is my mother’s husband and my aunt’s brother but he is one. Moreover, there
are questions and answers about the Ten Commandments, sacraments, Lord’s Prayer but
nothing is written about Church or Ministry or the behavior of a Child in the home, school or in
society.

Apart from the Common Book of Prayer, there are other courses for Sunday School or for the
nurture of Christian children, prepared b Scripture Union (SU), National Council of Christian
Churches in Pakistan (NCCP), Board of Christian Education, Diocese of Lahore. Most of them
have ignored ‘Catechism’. But there is only one course prepared by the board of Christian
Education, Diocese of Lahore which has Catechism. This course is especially designed for
Christian education of Christian children studying in class one, aged 6. In all there are ten
question and answers. It is a good attempt but some of the questions and answers may be
confusing for children. For example, question no. 2 – who is your father? My father’s name is
…… And God Father is my heavenly father. This will be confusing to a child because it may be
difficult for her/him to understand “two father theories” at this stage.

Instead it could be who is God? God is our Creator and later on in class three or four it can be
added that God is our creator and father as well to give him a sense of security. The answer to
question no. 3- whom do you believe in? May also be confusing. It says: we believe in one God.
God is love. He sent His Son for our sake. Instead the answer could be Jesus.
 B. Bible Stories.

The second component of the content of the curriculum is the Bible Stories. Why should we
include Bible Stories as content in the curriculum of Christian children, when people argue that
the moment we open the bible there is no unity in us. Some say: it is boring, it is dull, and we
are forced to read it. Moreover, it is argued that “the Bible is not in its true form. Christian
made alterations according to their will and need”.

According to Harold Loukes, a study of ‘Teenage Religion’, there is a confident disbelief that:
“The Bible is just a collection of tales and song and poetry made by some people to explain the
world in my opinion …. “Others are still serious: “The Bible is something that could have been
made up, but I believe parts of it are true, and I reckoned that some is just made up to make it
sound good”.

On the other hand, there are others, who according to this study have an orthodox belief and
say: “I believe the bible is true because I don’t think anyone could be clever enough to make up
the kind of stories that are in the Bible…” I believe whoever wrote the bible was guided by God
to write the truth just as it happened. Although, there are mixed feelings about the Bible and its
content but even then it is acknowledged by the majority as the word of God which is still
relevant to the modern world and its need.

In Pakistan, Churches have an orthodox belief about the Bible and there are perhaps few who
would say that it is a collection of tales or myths or poetry. Since the Church continues to
believe the Bible as the word of God, there is no difficulty to have it in the curriculum of
Christian education and if the Bible is not to be added in the course what else will be Church
have to give to their children for Christian education?

Roger & Gertrude Gobbel say: “Children must have the opportunity to meet the Bible directly,
examining it, asking question of it, thinking and feeling about it, making sense of it, responding
to it as they are able”. This means that children should be given a chance to interact and to
respond to the Bible.
John Gray’s notion about the bible and children is more enlarged and clear. He argues: “The
Bible should be sued, then, not merely to help children ‘know the Bible’, but that they grow
progressively in their thinking about the Christian faith and its application to everyday life”. This
means that the children should not only ‘know’ the Bible but ‘grow’ in their thinking about their
faith and apply it to everyday life. This notion of knowing, growing and applying will help the
Christian children to nurture in the Christian way, resulting in distinctiveness in their behavior
and character.

Now, there is another question to deal with, should we include all the Books [Genesis to
Revelation] in the curriculum for the Sunday School? People may argue that the children must
know what is there in all the Books of the Bible. Firstly, it is not possible to go through the
whole of the Bible in Sunday School even in 8-10 years. Secondly, it is not possible for children
from 4-6 years and 10-12 years or 12-14 years to understand what it is all about. Children of the
age of 6-8 and onwards can read it especially in urban areas where the rate of literacy is better
but have an understanding about all the books of the Bible may not be possible even for a
teenager in a senior Sunday School. So what should be done?

According to the reports of the working parties on the child in the Church and understanding
Christian nurture it is assumed that:

The Bible, when used in Christian nurture, is bound to be used selectively. Christians have
never, in fact, used the bible as if all parts of it were of equal weight and value. Jesus himself
used the Bible selectively, allowing certain parts of it to control the interpretation of others. We
must acknowledge that some parts are more relevant and vital than others to our preset
experience; some parts speak more readily to us than others. It continues to say: we need to be
careful lest we have aside some passages for the wrong reasons. We may be tempted to
neglect them not because they do not speak to us but because they speak too challengingly.

It is, therefore, proposed that while ‘deliberately’ preparing the curriculum of Christian
education in the Diocese of Sialkot, the Bible lessons may be prepared selectively according to
the needs and demands of the context ad it should relate to the lives and surrounding of the
children.

Now, the question is what order or sequence of stories [approach] should be sued in curriculum
and what types of stories, then, are added in the curriculum. In Britain, there are different types
of curriculum, what are these syllabuses like? Harold Loukes quotes: “Religious Education in
Schools made an attempt to classify them by the principles of their approach. Some, it was said,
arranged their material in accordance with the interest of the children, as these have been
made clearer to us by psychological study, others follow the Biblical order of events, others are
based on Biblical doctrine, finally a group of new syllabuses has lately appeared which
progresses towards a ‘synthesis’”. In Pakistan there are mostly two types of curriculum for
Sunday School. For example, Scripture Union (SU) has published a series of courses for children
for daily use in their families. Each course contains thirty stories. Course no 2 starts with New
Testament stories whereas no. 7 of the series has Old Testament stories. It means that children
at the age of 5-6 will first learn Gospel stories followed by the Old Testament stories and there
is no mixing of the stories. Whereas, Lahore Diocese, Board of Education, Christian department
in their Course 1s year [beginner] has started with Genesis. West Pakistan Christian Council
Sunday School lessons for seniors ages 15 and above are based only upon the Gospel stories.
None of these Courses which are mentioned have mixed (synthesis) approach whereas in
Britain it is in practice.

Therefore, it is proposed that a Diocese of Sialkot in her curriculum for Sunday School use the
mixed (synthesis) approach reasoning that: if the curriculum starts from Genesis and proceeds
to the present age then it means that a child in Junior Sunday School [4-6] or Primary section
[6-10] years, will be learning more about God’s people who kill their enemies. For example,
David killed Goliath or Samson killed his enemies or about God who killed his enemies.
Although children will enjoy these types of stories because they love such stories because in
such a stage, such types of stories will mould their behavior in such a way that there is a danger
that they might adopt a militant spirit at this stage and this might affect their behavior at home
and at school. On the other hand, if the New Testament stories on forgiveness [Matthew 18:21-
35; Luke 15:11-32 and John 8:1-11], helping each other (Luke 10:25-37), be taught at the same
time from Junior Sunday School then they will develop in such a way that there will be a
distinctiveness in their behavior and character.

It is further proposed that faith stories for example, the story of Abraham, of Joshua, of Daniel
from the Old Testament and stories of Jesus’ disciples who left everything Gospel may be
included in the Course.

Moreover, it is proposed that stories which show mans attitude towards God may be included
in the course for example, Abel’s offering to the Lord but in a junior school story like Samuel’s
mother who left her child in the temple may be avoided but if told children might think that
their mother might also leave them somewhere. Stories which show man’s attitude towards
other human beings or moral values may also be included. And above all the story of Jesus the
master builder of Church must not be ignored from childhood till adolescence because the
entire course will have no meaning if we do not introduce Jesus to them. Bring them to Jesus so
that through and in him they have a fellowship which God only then they will have a
distinctiveness in their character.
CHAPTER FOUR: SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND TEACHING
METHODS.

THIS CHAPTER DICUSSES THE Call, the responsibility and the attitude of the Sunday School
teachers. It also discusses the need of teacher training and the methods of teaching which are
prevalent in the Sunday School and proposes different suggestions in this regard.

Sunday School Teachers: Their Call

Paul says Jesus, when he ascended to heaven gave gifts to men which included to gift of being
teachers as well, “so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith
and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of
the fullness of Christ” [Ephesians 4:11-13]. According to this text Christina teachers (including
Sunday School teachers) are gifts from Jesus for this Church. “To Christ”, says Calvin, “ WEowe it
that we have ministers of the Gospel”. They are chosen, called and ordained by God through his
Church to be instruments in His hand for this Service. They ought not to be proud of their call
but be grateful to the one who has called them. For Paul says: “Brothers think of you when you
were called. Not many were un-influential; not many were of noble birth”. [Corinthians 1:26].
This text, suits very well to Christian Community in Pakistan including pastors and teachers. As
Bishop William G. Young, a church historian and the first Bishop of the Diocese of Sialkot,
Church of Pakistan writes, “The Christianity in Pakistan has its roots back to the untouchable
class of Hindus”.

Sunday School teachers, when called by God and given this opportunity may take this Call as
highly esteemed service from Him but on the other hand, there is a warning in the Scriptures to
which James the brother of Jesus indicates. “Not many of you should presume to be teachers
my brother because you now that we who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:11)”. This
text, according to the life application

Bible was written in a context when many Jews who embraced Christianity wanted to become
teachers; for teaching was a highly valued and respected profession in Jewish culture. James
warned that although it is good to aspire to teach, the teacher’s responsibility is great because
their words affect others spiritual lives”. The Interpreters Bible says: “The teachers and
preachers deal with the most precious think in the world, human personality and that any
mishandling or misdirecting of the persons entrusted their care will bring upon the heaviest
condemnation”.

A teacher has to be confident that the Call is from God and motive self respect nor there is an
ignoble motive. Because the concept of the service can be degraded by ignoble motive. A
satirist once coined the slogan “it pays to serve”. Indeed it does, “the Children of the world are
in the generation wiser than the children of the light”, [Luke 16:8]

Teacher’s attitude towards children

Teachers have their own problems. Sometimes they come to Sunday School with preoccupied
mind, but, “A distinctive characteristic of true Christian love in a teacher is that he centres on
the needs and problems of the pupil”. Children are not prices of furniture who are not affected
by the family community or national problems. There may be some who come from good
families other may come from broken families or a very poor background. There may be some
who are careless or have other problems. Her tender love, care and kindness can give them a
sense of security and satisfaction.

Dora Caplin argues that this kindness must be genuine. Pupils of all ages, from careless children
up to hard working graduates, easily and quickly detect the teacher who dislikes them, as easily
as a dog detects someone who is afraid for him. A teacher has to be careful not to show off her
likes and petting or hugging someone and her dislikes to others by not doing so. However, the
utmost detects desire quality has to be love. Tim Green has named this quality as ‘the most
important ingredient’ in the life of a Sunday School teacher. He argues: “Love is the most
important ingredient in your relationship with the Sunday School children. Until you love the
children you cannot be a good teacher. This is a true mark of being Christ’s disciple. From their
teacher the children will learn to love one another and will bear the same mark in their
character resulting in distinctiveness in their character.
Lesson Preparation
In the Diocese of Sialkot, Church of Pakistan [formerly known as Sialkot Church Council] it was
customary in the late fifties and sixties for the Sunday School teacher to have ‘teachers
meeting’ where they could plan and prepare their class lessons. As it has been stated earlier
chapter one there are few Sunday Schools that are active, rarely meeting for ‘Lesson
Preparation’. If a teacher, without lesson preparation tells a story, it would be as if someone
without cooking a meal asks her children to take and eat. They would only take spoon and form
but not the meal.

While commenting on the importance of lesson preparation Dora Chaplin argues that: “We
need to depend on God all the time in our teaching. That does not mean we shall not trouble to
prepare the lesson merely relying on the divine guidance when we reach the class”. The
teachers have to note it if the children are not taught properly. If their soul if not being
nurtured then they will not be strongly rooted in their faith. It is, therefore, proposed that the
teachers should first equip themselves and then they equip their children so that they may have
distinctiveness in their character.

It is not only that the teacher has to prepare his/her lesson for the class but this learning
process may not cease in his/her life. T.T Torrance in his introduction on ‘the School of Faith’
argues that: “The teacher never really ceases to be a learner for his teaching is fulfillment of his
learning, while the learner does not really learn unless he learns also from his learning how to
teach others”.

Sunday School Teachers Training

In the Gospel, Jesus trained his twelve disciples [although it was not according to the Rabbinical
order] for almost three years before they were sent to teach the world. They also trained
others so that the ministry might continue. Paul trained timothy and asked him to train others
as well. Early church fathers also trained people for teaching. G Howie says that in “The preface
to Christian Education Augustine argues that teaching cannot be successfully practiced without
training”. St. Augustine when he began to write his work on Christian Education already had the
rich experience of nine years in North Africa as a teacher and teacher of teachers during which
he had realized the need for educated teachers who would be able to enter into an effective
argument with Cultivated Paganism. His basic philosophy was that “The Christian teacher must
know where he stands and what he believes, because this is the context within which he must
interpret the scripture for himself and teach to others”. It means that the teacher can only
know where he stands and what he believes only after training.

In the Diocese of Sialkot, Church of Pakistan, the purpose of Sunday School Teachers Training
(which is needed) may not be to equip Sunday School Teachers (or children) who could enter
into an effective argument with other religions. But, the fact remains that the teachers have to
be trained so that they may know, understand and practice/demonstrate their faith and share it
with the children through words and actions.

The history of Diocese of Sialkot shows that at the time of Bishop Young, before the New
Sunday Schools were opened in the rural areas. The committee felt the need to train the talents
of those areas who could teach the children in the Sunday School. Bishop Young writes: “A
committee was formed to draft out a course of 13 Sunday School lessons for three months.
Miss Purdy made visual and teaching aids and then met 22 delegates from the villages at the
Centre. They taught the lessons and made their visual aids. New Sunday Schools were opened
with villages”.

As it was in the past that the need was felt to open up the new Sunday School and train
teachers, so it the position now, rather it is worse. It is there, proposed that to meet the urgent
need to Christian education new Sunday Schools in the Diocese may be open. The Teachers
may be trained so that the children get Christian nurture and Christian training in the Lord’s
way and have a Christian identity in the outside the community.

The Methods of Teaching in the Sunday School

In the Diocese of Sialkot, Church of Pakistan, Sunday Schools are working on the Instructional
module. A module, in which the Teacher’s intention is to pass on the knowledge to the children.
This is a Christian tradition and has its roots in Judaism. Forrester et al says: “Instruction ….
Involves methods as well as content”. This method contains content in it; its main purpose is
not only to pass on the information but to mould the Christian children into the teaching.
 Clifford M Jones argues:

Religious instruction is in some ways like every other subject in the school curriculum. In other
respects, however, it is unique. It is similar to other subjects in that information has to be
impacted by the teacher to the people. It is unique in that its aim, much wider that its name
suggests, is the molding of Christian character.

This ‘instructional module’ is being carried out in the few existing Sunday Schools through
different methods. They are listed and discussed below.

Worship

According to the Learning in the church, a Resource Book for Teachers, “The worship of Sunday
School is the children’s worship. Leaders and teachers should pray for their children at home
not in public but this act of worship in Sunday School is the children’s affair”. In worship
children are brought to God in and through Jesus, who himself said, “Let little children come to
me”.

Experiences show that children love to worship God when it is conducted at their level and
understanding but they feel bored when it is held on a routine basis and has difficult words in it
then they show no interest.

Sunday School is a worshipping community. Children not only come to know God as Creator,
Father and Savior but experience Him through worship. In the Diocese of Sialkot, Worship in
the Sunday School is mostly conducted on Church worship module. There are four of five songs,
two or three prayers’, which are mostly let by treacheries and a story is usually told like a
sermon. There are no questions or answers at the end and informal talk and discussions have
been totally ignored.

It is, therefore, proposed that Sunday School may be used as a place for Children’s service with
a lot of variety in it. For example Darana, puppet show, etc. secondly, it must be a place of
fellowship, sharing and informal talk in a pleasant atmosphere. Thirdly, its duration may be
extended to at least thirty minutes so that children may have a time of intellectual and spiritual
drill. For example, children can be asked to write Prayers, Bible stories and if possible some
articles etc.

Patricia Hunt who has been a Sunday School teacher all her adult life and has been involved in
training leaders in various parishes in the Chester Diocese writes: “Children remember far more
from what they see that from what they only hear better still they learn best from things they
actually do”.

It is therefore proposed that the Sunday School Christian Education programme must be
introduced in such a way so that children should not only be compelled to listen but to see and
do some creative work which could mould their personality and bring a distinctiveness in their
character.

Singing
Singing is a component of worship. It prepares not only the soul to worship God but it
encourages, comforts and transforms the life of a worshipper. It also serves as a method of
teaching. Tim Green argues that: “ Children love singing to God and God loves to hear children
singing to him”. Jesus testifies this fact by quoting Psalms 8:2 which says: “From the lips of
children and infants you have ordained praise”. [Matthew 21:16]

Some of the songs which are being used in the Sunday School are full of theology. They teach
about God’s attribute and his work. For example this song teaches about the distinctiveness of
Jesus in the face of other religions:

Soon Lo Piray Bachoon Masih Ji Mera Dunya Meen Aaya

Listen children my Christ has come to the world

Dunja Meen Aaya Naja Ko Laya

He came to this world to bring salvation

Logoon Ki Jan Ko Bachaya, Masih Ji Meera Duneya Meen Aaya

My Jesus came to this world and saved the lives of people

This chorus teaches God as Creator and Saviour

Kis Ne Banaya Muchli Ko ?

Who made the Fish?

Khuda Ne Banaya Muchli Ko

God made the fish

And the last verse:

Kis Ne Saleeb Par Jan Aapni Di? Hameen Bachane Ko

Who gave his life on the cross to save us?

Yesu Ne saleeb Par Jan Aapni di, Hameen Bachnay Ko

Jesus gave his life on the cross to save us

There are devotional songs as well for example:

Meray Pitta Ye Meri Duaa Yesu Ki Manad Mugh Ko Bana

My father, I pray make me like Jesus

But on the other hand there are songs which may create fear in the children for example:
Gunah Ke Saza Jahanum x3

The punishment for sin is Hell

Aay Gunhagar Tu Samajh Lay

O Sinner! You must understand

Some songs are difficult to understand [senior and elderly Sunday School teachers may prefer
to sing]. For example:

Fazal Nal Aay Rabb Bukhish Guna Sab Mery

By you grace, forgive my sins

Zoofay Nal Tu Saff Kar

Cleanse me with hyssop [Psalm 51]

Unless the difficult words are not expounded it is not easy to understand the teaching it carries.
Or the verse which create a spirit of fear be corrected it may continue to have an unpleased
atmosphere. It is, therefore, proposed that the songs which are full of theology or have a call
for moral values must be sung. Moreover, children must be encouraged to lead in singing or
they can sing in groups so that through singing they may receive Christian education which will
bring in them a commitment to the Lord resulting in a Christian identity in them.
Bible Stories:
Children love stories and are usually interested in listening to them provided they are told or
read well. In the Diocese of Sialkot, Sunday Schools use Bible Centered approach to teach the
children. The Bible centered approach takes the Bible as the focal point of all Christian
instruction. The Bible is held as God’s revelation to mankind. It gives instruction regarding
Christian faith and the ethos of daily life. But, it is difficult for children to understand it. To make
it understandable to children, Bible stories are used as a method of instruction.

The bible centered approach has been under severe attach for some time. According to Sharing
in the Church, A resource book for Teaches, “the investigation of Goldman and others have
strengthened the impression... That much of this teaching fails to register or even worse, is
completely misunderstood by children”.

In addition to this, the Bible story approach tends to be boring. It deals only with the sacrificial
aspect of the narrative and fails to give any real insight to it. It fits into the category of childish
Sunday school which must be rid of by the child if he is to reach mature religious outlook, and
which may be an obstacle to his religious development if he continues to do so.

This criticism cannot be ignored. However, the Bible has to be understandable for children and
adults as well. The teachers have to make it interesting. In the junior Sunday School ages 4-10,
teachers can use their facial expressions, can hand charts or photos of different characters and
ask question etc. children at age 10-12 may not like to sit with young children and listen to the
story in the same way. Instead, they can be put to another group (which may be difficult to do if
there may be only one teacher in the rural area). These children can be taught stories in
different ways. Children may be asked to read the story from the Bible and Dramatize, narrate,
or write it on the piece of paper. There may be an interaction in this group. Here, teacher can
act as facilitator and an instructor as well. A well trained teacher can explain different issues
arising from the text. The teacher may give an informal talk in this group. She/he can also invite
children to share their experiences but instruction should not be ignored in this case at this
stage. Audio-visual aids like puppet or VCR/DVD if available may be used in both groups. But
the notion in all this process is to impart Christian education to the children so that they have
distinctiveness in their character and that the Christian identity may be maintained in the
Church.
CONCLUSION

This research has focused on the immediate need for effective Christian education in Pakistan.
The process of Islamisation has brought many changes in the county. For example,
implementation of Shariat Bill, the strict observance of Ramada, Political discrimination at all
levels, the introduction of Islamic studies as a compulsory subject, the gross misinterpretation
of Christianity, and above all, the scourge of the Blasphemy Law have been consistently
affecting and influencing Christian children to the extent of leading them to religious confusion.
Sadly enough, the Church has been unable to offer a proper Christian education programme
which may be useful for training children at home and through Sunday Schools. This is
especially true of the Diocese of Sialkot. The church in this situation has not been paying
sufficient attention to nurturing her children. If this situation is allowed to prevail, the faith of
tout present generation and of the future generation will not be firmly rooted. The young
generation may lose their Christian character, witness and identity. So, in order to maintain
Christian identity in Pakistan and in the Diocese of Sialkot, parents and Churches have to play
an important role by making a joint effort of imparting Christian education and Christian
nurturing and training to the children. Sunday school alone cannot do this. Parents have to
cooperate with Christian educators in this task.

It has been shown that in the Jewish tradition, Children were given religious education to
maintain their faith and culture. Parents Priests, and the community were involved in the work.
The history of Christian education shows that in the early Church parents and the community
shared the responsibility to train and nurture children in the Lord. Earl y Church fathers like
John Chrysostum also emphasized the training of Children saying, “Raise them up as athletes
for Christ!”

Bushnell also argues that the child is to grow up as a Christian and never to know himself as
being otherwise. The advocates that the nurture of the child starts when the child is conceived
and that the parents should understand it that by their love, example and instruction at home
they have done more the half or all they will ever do for his character. Although Bushnell is
expecting so much from Christian parents, he has also proposed that the church must give birth
to the Christian. So, in the process of Christian education, it is the Christian parents, Church,
and the Christian community who have to provide Christian nurturing to the children.

In the context of Pakistan, this will become possible only when the Church in Pakistan and the
Diocese of Sialkot will set before them specific aims and objectives of imparting Christian
education to the Christian children in the home, in Churches, and through Sunday Schools. It
has been argued that this can be done in the family context where parents and mature people
are all involved in the nurturing of children. It is further argued that the aim of Christian
education is to provide the fellowship of the Church to the Children. It could start informally
when the child is born because the home is the Church. This fellowship can also start when the
child is baptized or starts attending Sunday school. Here, a child can have friendship love care,
and security. This fellowship will also provide him or her with new insights and intellect. This is
achieved through worship, prayer, bible study, Holy Communion, informal talks, and Pastoral
care of children. It is further argues that a child will grow in faith within the faith confessing
community. This understanding of faith can come through interaction and parents’ examples it
has also been show that the purpose of Christian education is the make disciples of Christ. It is
not easy to become a disciple of Christ. It involves patience, forbearance, care and training
which the families and Church have to provide for their children. The disciples are asked to love
one another and their neighbor. This attribute must be the mark of distinctiveness of Church in
Pakistan.

Christian education in the Diocese of Sialkot requires a well structured curriculum. Here the
existing few Sunday school have no such planned programme which could be carried out with
the objective of maintaining Christian identify. The curriculum must have the components of
catechism and Bible stories. Since catechism is the summary of principles of religion in the form
of question and answers, it is important that children in the Diocese of Sialkot should know,
understand and own their faith and have commitment to the Lord so that they may have the
marks of Jesus in their lives.

It is future argues that the Bible stories must form the backbone of the curriculum. According to
John Gary, “The Bible should be sued, then not merely to help children know the Bible but they
grow progressively in their thinking about the Christina faith and application to daily life”. The
curriculum may contain mixed stories from the Old Testament and New Testament from junior
stage to the senior. It is proposed that the faith stories and the stories which have moral values
may be included but stories which arouse militant spirit may be ignored.

Finally, in the last chapter, the role of Sunday school teachers, and the place of teaching
methods is discussed. Teaches are gifts from God for the Church. Teachers are warned not to
mishandle the souls they are entrusted with for they are liable to be judged. Their training is a
must. Jesus, the master builder of the Church trained his disciples so that his teachings may be
carried throughout the world. St. Augustine also maintained that Christian teachers must be
trained so that they may understand where they stand in their faith and could the others.
Moreover, emphasis is also placed on the activities of worship, singing, and the telling of Bible
stories. It has been proposed that the traditional old worship pattern in the Sunday school
needs to be revamped. It has to be children’s worship, where they can be given active
participation in prayer, singing, and the narration or dramatization of Bible stories. But at the
same time, Sunday School should provide informed fellowship where children can receive love,
security, and Pastoral care. This must be a place of interaction, learning and experience where
the teacher could work as a facilitator and also as n instructor. It is hoped that such a plan of
Christian education will benefit not only the Diocese of Sialkot but the whole of Pakistan.

This research has focused on the Christian education in the Church. In other words, this is a plan
for the nurture of Christian children alone but future researchers may develop an approach to
the moral and religious instruction for children who are outside the Church. Already, in some
parts of Pakistan, non-Christian children have shown interest in the Sunday school programme.
What is needed is a systematic scheme and curriculum for the nurture of such children.
Christians will draw all children, regardless of religious boundaries, to the loving and caring
savior, Jesus Christ.
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