MATERO BOYS’ SECONDARY SCHOOL

DEEDS NOT WORDS

GRADE 8 AND 9 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NOTES

PREPARED BY BRO. G. MUKANSHI, SM

PRODUCED FOR
THE SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
MATERO BOYS’ SECONDARY SCHOOL

2021

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 TABLE OF CONTENT
GRADE 8

Morality and Values……………………………………………………………….3

Growing Up………………………………………………………………………...7
Learning about Religion…………………………………………………………...14
The Bible…………………………………………………………………………..20
Choice and Talents………………………………………………………………..24
Competition, Cooperation and Trust……………………………………………...29
Division, Sin and Forgiveness…………………………………………………….33
Learning and Truth...……………………………………………………………...39

GRADE 9

Freedom and Community…………………………………………………………44

Authority and Leadership…………………………………………………………47
Ambitions and Hope………………………………………………………………52
Friendship, Love and Marriage…………………………………………………....57
Suffering and Death……………………………………………………………….67
Prayer……………………………………………………………………………...75
References………………………………………………………………………...80

Note that: Material marked with ** and in red colour is for the teacher or for emphasis or is simply
repeated in another topic.

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 GRADE 8
TOPIC 1. MORALITY AND VALUES

- Morality is the way people behave in the society.

- It deals with the way people should behave towards each other, towards animals and
towards the environment.
- It is a collection of rules and beliefs which help people to lead decent lives.
- It involves behaviour regarding to what is right or wrong.

The differences between:

A Moral Person An Immoral Person
1. Does what is right and good Does things that are bad and wrong
2. Has a strong sense of what is Choose what is wrong instead of what is
wrong and right right e.g. swindling people, extramarital
relationships, insulting, fighting,
cheating etc.

3. Knows the difference between what Ignores what is right

is right and wrong
4. Accepts the moral standards of Behaves in a way that is not morally
society acceptable. Thus, his/her behaviour is
disapproved in the society

An Amoral Person is not concerned with behaving in a morally acceptable way. He is neither
moral nor immoral

- The best known example of a moral principle is the Golden Rule or the Ethic of
Reciprocity: Do unto others what you would like them do unto you.

The Purpose of Moral Education Is:

1. To nurture virtues and values in children that make them good people.
2. To enable learners to make informed and responsible decisions about difficult matters of
moral importance.
3. To help leaners reflect on contemporary moral issues e.g. abortion, pornography, drug
abuse.
4. To enable learners develop a positive self-image.
5. For personal maturity and awareness of moral choices and skills.
6. To have respect for other people’s faiths.

Assignment
1. Explain the meaning of the word morality.
2. Gives three (3) purposes of learning spiritual and moral education.
3. Class discussion
Discuss the difference between a moral and an immoral person.

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 4. Home work
i. Carry out a research in your community and find out if there is a lot of immorality or
morality.
ii. Write down examples of each.
iii. What is your personal response to the issues raised in (i) and (ii)?

SOURCES OF MORAL CODES

- There are two (2) sources of moral codes:

(a) The Secular (non–religious) moral code that include -

(1) family (2) friends (3) parents (4) schools (5) the community and (6) the constitution
(b) Religious moral code
- Many morals originate from religious sources. The sources of religious moral codes
include Holy scriptures and sacred writings

1. Christianity
- The whole Bible message is a moral code for all Christians.
- The early Christians had the Ten Commandments that directed them to abide by specific
laws
- The moral code for Christians can be summed up in the law of love - Love your God
and love your friends.
2. Islam
- Muslims have the Quran, the holy scripture revealed by God to Muhammad as the moral
code.
- The Hadith is also the moral code for Muslims. The hadith is a record of the deeds and
sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.
- The Quran guides Muslims in all issues of morality.

- The Five (5) Pillars of Islam guide Muslims’ behaviour.

- They are written in the famous Hadith of Gabriel.
- The following are the Five Pillars of Islam:
1. There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Prophet (messenger) of God.
2. Praying five (5) times a day.
3. Alms giving (giving money and material goods to the poor (Charity)
4. Fasting during the month of Ramadan. Twenty- eight (28) days when Muhammad
wrote down the Quran.

5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (at least once in a life time), the home of Mohammad in
Arabia and also the home of the Kaaba, a building containing the Black Stone given to
Abraham by the Angel Gabriel is found in Arabia.

3. Hinduism
- The Hindu moral code is made up of the following Hindu religious texts:
(i) the Vedas
(ii) the Bhagavad Gita

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 - The Hindu morality also focuses on the concepts of:
(i) Dharma – doing duties according to ones’ status in the society
(ii) Karma – One’s actions e.g. good actions produce good results.

4. African (Zambia) Traditional Religion

- The sources of the moral codes include the ancestors, family, elders and the community.

Moral Dilemmas
- A moral dilemma is a situation that requires a choice between two equal alternatives.
- It is a difficult situation for a person to decide the morally right thing to do e.g. pre-marital
relationships, teenage pregnancy and abortion, use of condoms, smoking, beer drinking,
making choices about friends, music, movies, pornography etc.
- Therefore, a moral dilemma is a situation where you have to choose between two
conflicting morals or behaviours.

Assignment
1. Discuss how the family, the school and the community are sources of moral codes.
2. Find the sources of moral codes in the following religions.
(a) Christianity
(b) Islam
(c) Hinduism
(d) African (Zambian) Traditional religion

Values
- A value is a belief, or a mission that is meaningful.
- Values are ideas people believe to be important.
- Examples of values include: justice, hospitality, compassion, sharing, cleanliness,
orderliness, hard work, harmony, commitment, gentleness, smartness, punctuality, etc.
- Values are guiding principles, standards or behaviour that are regarded as desirable or held
in high esteem in our society.
- Famous people have personal values that guided them and propel them to the top of their
field.
- When we take our values such as social justice, to heart and implement them in our lives,
there is a great accomplishment and success which follow.
- Values help people to make decision and take responsibility for their action.
- Values also help to define who we are by influencing our behaviour and choice.

Personal Values in Relation to Sexuality

- Personal values are beliefs, principles or ideas that are important to you in life.
- Our personal values play an important role in relationships and decision making.
- Personal values guide your life choices, whether big or small.
- Personal values are important because they provide us with the roadmap for the kind of life
we aspire to lead.

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 - It is important to identify and understand the personal values in order to prioritize what is
most important and spend our time and energy on it to influence our goals.
- It is easier to achieve goals aligned with our personal values and be happy.
- Young people should respect their bodies and that of other people.
- They should develop healthy relationships with other people based on trust, love and
understanding.
- They should not engage in sexual activities before marriages in order to avoid contracting
sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies and emotional stress when
relationships end.
- Sex before marriage and extra marital affairs are morally wrong and disapproved in the
society.
- In fact, it is sin in all the religions.
- Instead the value of virginity should be upheld and promoted among young people to avoid
being unfaithful in future, and avoid telling lies to parents about what you are doing.

Positive Values
- Your values determine your priorities; you will be happy, satisfied and contented with your
life.
- Positive values include cheerfulness, self-discipline, gratitude, freedom, honesty and
creativity.

Importance of Maintaining Positive Personal Values

1. You will gain respect for yourself and other people.
2. Other people will respect you for your integrity.
3. Your personal relationship will thrive
4. You will have a good relationship with other people
5. You will be able to identify priorities in your life
6. You will be happy and satisfied with your life
7. You will be able to achieve your goals

Assignment
1. What are values?
2. What are your personal values?
3. Explain the importance of maintaining positive personal values.
4. What are the benefits of keeping your virginity till marriage?

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TOPIC 2. GROWING UP

- Every person and living thing that God has created grows e.g. Plants grow from being seeds
to into big trees.
- A baby undergoes stages of development to become a mature and responsible adult.
- Growing up does not necessarily mean just getting bigger and taller.
- Growing up enacts altering maturity in relation to the age of a person.

Types of Growth
- There are different types of growth that take place in people.
- All people grow
- The types of human growth are illustrated in the diagram below.

Body
Heart

GROWTH

Spirit Mind

1. Physical Growth: This is when the body gets bigger and taller.
2. Intellectual Growth: This is when the mind gets to learn more about people and the
environment. This could be in a classroom or outside the classroom. The person becomes
wiser and more intelligent.
3. Emotional Growth: This deals with how a person controls his/her feelings. Feelings such
as love, anger, sadness, jealous, envy etc. the person also thinks about the feelings of other
people.
4. Spiritual Growth: This deals with how a person gets to know and love God. God is our
creator, and we should serve him well. To be good people, we have to live close to God.

Influences Family Members Experience at Home

- There are two (2) types of influences that children experience at home. These include:
1. Good influence: If the children are respected, trained well, and taught to respect others
and to work hard, the children have positive or good influences.

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 The parents are a good example of good behaviour in the family. They have influence on
the growing children.
2. Bad influence: Children at home learn bad or negative behaviour such as insults, violence,
laziness etc. from the parents, family members/ and from community around.

Ways in Which People Develop

- People develop in three (3) ways - through their relationship/interactions with people,
proper use of resources and being with God.

1. People Develop by Being with Other People

- People develop by being in good relationship with others through giving and receiving.
- We do receive and give good things to/ from others.
- It is important to share what we have with others.
- In our communities, we do not possess everything. What we lack we receive from others
and what we have we give (share with) to others who do not have.
- As we grow up giving should increase and receiving should decrease.
- For example, a baby should give less than it receives.
- An adult should receive less but give more.
- Giving should be done in good faith and not for bad reasons.

Exercise
1. List down the types of growth.
2. Explain what is meant by
(a) Spiritual growth
(b) Emotional growth
3. How do people develop by being with others? Through…………….and ……………
4. Make a list of:
(a) What a baby receives from its mother
(b) What a baby gives to its mother
(c) What you receive from parents
(d) What you give to your parents
(e) What you receive from your friends
(f) What you give to your friends

2. People Develop by Using Resources Properly

- On earth there is a great variety of life and God has placed man at the head of it.
- The natural resources like water, soil, minerals, air, forest, animals etc. are given to us to
be used properly and to help us live a good life.
- Therefore, these natural resources should be protected to avoid causing problems.
- Such problems include: pollution, deforestation, soil erosion, animal extinction.
- Water is life since it is a precious commodity. No one can live without water.
- Water has been used to make hydroelectricity such as at Kariba Dam.
- Unfortunately, some people and industries dump chemical waste from factories into rivers,
lakes and water bodies.
- This makes water undrinkable and dangerous for people, fish and other aqua life.

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 - Indiscriminating cutting down of trees for firewood, charcoal, constitution, farming etc.
destroys the environment.
- Soil is used to produce the food which we eat. This is good use of soil.
- Some bad uses of soil are:
(a) Causing soil erosion
(b) Overusing the same soil
(c) Using too much chemical such as fertilizer
- The soil must be properly used today so that it can be passed on to our children who in turn
will confidently pass it on in good state to the future generations.
- The proper use of the environment (natural resources) leads to development of both an
individual and the community.
- The proper uses or misuse of resources will affect people who have not yet been born.

3. People Develop by Being with God

- A person’s relationship with God grows as he/ she becomes mature.
- It is important that people develop a loving relationship with God as a creator.

(i) A Christian looks on God as his father.

- He looks to him for help when in need, for protection, for love, for forgivingness, for
deliverance from evil.
St Augustine’s Prayer
“You have made us for yourself O God and our hearts are restless
until they rest in you.”

(ii) A Hindu using the Bhagavad Gita refers to God as:

“I am the path, the comforter, the creator, the witness, the resting place, the hiding
place, the in ‘end of all.”

(iii) A Muslim using the Quran describes God in this way:

“Praise be to God, the Lord of world the one who has mercy, the one who has pity,
the ruler of the Day of Judgment.”

(iv) In Traditional Religion, the ideas about God and his relationship to people can be
found in: the names of God, proverbs and stories about God.

Names and Proverbs that describe God.

(i) Names of God

Language Name of God Meaning

Tumbuka Ciuta The great rainbearer
Mphoski Saviour
Nyamalenga Creator
Lunda Nzambi
Bemba Kabuumba Creator
Lesa
Kapekape Giver

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 Kaonde Shakapanga Maker of all things
Mbuumbi Creator
Kalama wethu Protector
Lozi Nyambe He who does not speak
Nyanja Mulengi Creator
Mulungu
Tonga Leza

(ii) Proverbs about God

Bemba: Lesa talombwa nama alombwa umweo (from God you do not ask for meat but life
or one should approach God for very important things).
Lozi: Nyambe muna bupilo (God is the master of life).
Lunda: Nzambi Chinyawezhi (God the only one)
Nyanja: Ndife ana inu, ciuta mutipatse nyama (we are your children, O God give us meat).
Tonga: Leza ngutateesu; taakwe umwi uyinda Leza pe. (God is our father; there is no one
else to compare with him).
Tumbuka: Pala ciuta wasula nthowa kulyewyu winga jalo cala (When God opens a door,
nobody can close it)

Assignment
1. State three (3) uses and three (3) misuses of trees.
2. State three (3) ways through which people develop.
3. Write down three (3) things that teachers receive from learners.
4. Explain three (3) differences between non-living things and living things.
5. Write down three (3) names of God their meanings.
6. Mention four (4) ways of misusing natural resources.
7. How can people develop by being with God?
8. How have you developed your life with the help of
(a) nature? (b) other people? (c) God?
9. Discuss how people can use natural resources to develop the country.

Different Kinds of Life

- God created living things such as plants, animals and human beings. He also created non-
living things such rivers, mountains, stones and deserts.
- There are three (3) kinds of life on earth.
- These include: Plant life, Animal life and Human life.
- All living things breathe, grow and reproduce.
- The diagram below shows the differences between plants, animals and human beings.

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 Human
Breathe, grow physically,
intellectually, emotionally, spiritually.
Reproduce, have complex feelings, have
morals and values, can have a relationship
with God

Breathe
Grow
Reproduce
Animals Plants
Breathe, grow in Breathe, grow in
size and intellect, size, reproduce
reproduce, have basic
feelings

Life is valuable and sacred. It should be protected in all its forms.

GROWING UP IN THE FOUR RELIGIONS

1. Growing up in the Christian Faith.

- The Bible in Proverbs 22:6 states “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when
he is old he will not depart from it.”
- Christian parents have the following responsibilities towards their children.
(a) Parents should share their faith with children
(b) parents should live by example according to Gods’ teaching
(c) Children should be taught to trust Jesus and that Gods’ love is all-forgiving.
(d) Children should be taught to put God first at all times.
(e) Children should be taught to love others.
(f) Children should be taught to treat others with kindness, respect and love.
2. Growing up in the Muslim Faith
- Muslim parents are accountable for the way their children grow in Islam.
- Their children have a right to grow up into good Muslim adults.
(a) Children should be given good Islamic names.
(b) Children in the family should be treated fairly.
(c) Children should be treated with love, understanding and forgiveness.
(d) Children have the right to education.
(e) Children should be taught to have faith in Allah as a creator.
(f) Children should be taught to respect the rights of others

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 (g) Children should be taught to recite the Quran and uphold Islamic morals and values.

3. Growing Up in The Hindu Faith

- Hindu parents have the following responsibilities towards their children.
(a) Children should believe in God as the creator and protector of the world.
(b) Children should believe in heaven where God and other gods live.
(c) Children should believe that they have a soul that links them to God.
(d) Children should do good.
(e) Children should pray to God.
(f) Children should respect parents and pray for them.
(g) Children should not be cruel to animals.
(h) Children should respect the beliefs (faiths) of other people.

Growing up in African (Zambian) Traditional Religion

- Children learn how to behave from elders.
- The elders will teach children their cultural traditions through stories, myths and folktales.
- Children are taught that God is a supreme being, the creator
- Children should be taught to pray to God through the ancestors.
- Children should learn to please the ancestors.

Self-Concept and Self-Esteem

(1) Self-Concept is a collection of beliefs about oneself. It answers the question who am I?
- Self –concept is the way somebody sees himself/herself. The image or picture one has
about himself.

Importance of Self-Concept
1. Influences how one thinks, feels and acts in everyday life.
2. It affects a person’s choices and moods.
3. It affects one’s psychological well-being and his relationship with people, God and the
environment.
4. Provides self–analysis
5. Positive self-concept creates high self-esteem (confidence).

Self-esteem is the confidence the person has about his worthiness

Importance of Self-Esteem
1. Influences peoples’ choices and decisions.
2. High self-esteem make people strive towards fulfilment of personal goals and aspirations.
3. Boosts one’s confidence.
4. Makes people see themselves as capable of achieving goals.
5. Make people love themselves as worth.
6. Make people love themselves and others.

- Poor self – concept and low self-esteem make one judge himself harshly and see himself
inadequate of achieving goals.

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 - This may lead to bad behaviour like smoking, drinking alcohol, indiscipline, immorality
etc.
- Low self-esteem can cause feelings of inadequacy, unhappiness or depression.

The story of St Augustine of Hippo in North Africa (354 AD – 430 AD)

- St. Augustine was born in North Africa to a Christian lady, Monica and a pagan man
Patricius Aurelius in Algeria.
- He bore a child Adeodatus with an unmarried woman.
- He studied grammar and rhetoric
- His mother prayed continuously for his conversion to Christianity for he lived a sinful life.
- He believed in the Bible although he was living an unrighteous life.
- One day, he read Romans 13:13–14 which required him to live like Jesus.
- He was baptized and changed his sinful life.
- He became a Priest, Bishop and Christian intellectual and writer.
- He was a great philosopher and theologian.
- He is remembered for (his)
(a) exceptional service to the poor and needy
(b) Conversion from sinful life to a holy life
(c) Most famous African Saint and one of the famous Bishops the world has ever produced
(d) Development of Western Christianity
(e) Being a great philosopher and theologian
(f) Teaching of Christian faith

Practical Ways Young People Hope to Develop

1. At home
- Offer help to people
- Gardening to raise school fees

2. At School
- Study hard
- Develop interest e.g. Co-curricular activities such as sports, debate, drama, chess etc.

3. In the community
- Protect government property
- Care about obeying the law
- Champion proper use of natural resources.

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TOPIC 3. LEARNING ABOUT RELIGION
What is Religion?

- Religion is the belief in the existence of God and the activities connected to the worship of
God.
- It is about God and people
- Religion determines how people behave and how they decide what to do.
- Religion gives a sense of hope and a belief in the purpose of life.
- Proverbs, holy songs, sacred stories were told to people to make them think about trying to
discover their deeper meaning.
- Every person has a right to worship and his religion and beliefs must be respected.
- People in Zambia enjoy religious freedom and can choose to follow any religious faith.

The Four Major Religions in Zambia

1. CHRISTIANITY
- Christianity is the religion of the followers of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
- Some Christians believe in the Trinity of God – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
- They believe that God created good people but later they sinned against God.
- God sent Jesus to save them because God is loving and forgiving.
- Jesus died on the cross.
- After Jesus died the apostles wrote a number of letters to the early church.
- Later on the Gospels were written down to the early Christians to deepen their faith.
- The letters and the gospels form the New Testament.
- The New Testament and the Old Testament form the Bible which Christians accept as
Gods’ Word and message.
- “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for encouraging and strengthening our faith.”
(2 Tim 3:16)

2. HINDUISM
- Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world.
- Hindus believe in one absolute God, Brahman, who takes many forms.
- The souls of people are reincarnated in many forms until the soul is pure enough to unite
with Brahman – the greatest soul.
- The actions of a person in life and towards others (Karma) determines what happens to
his life after death and what he is to be reborn into.
- Sacred songs in Hinduism were sung by priests during religious ceremonies.
- The Sacred songs are called Vedas which means knowledge.
- Vedas is the holy scripture of Hindus.
- Hindu values include truth, honesty and non-violence.

3. ISLAM
- Muslims are followers of Muhammad.
- Muslims believe that Allah is the one and only God.

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 - Allah has 99 names that show him as the creator, provider and Lord of the universe.
- Muslims should follow the five pillars (Duties of Islam).
- Muslims believe that Allah revealed the holy books such as the Torah, Bible (Indeel) and
the final word of God, the Quran.
- The Quran was revealed to Muhammad by Allah over 23 years.
- The Quran is the holy book of Muslims.
- Muslims must believe and obey the Quran.
- They should learn it by heart in its original language Arabic.
- It should not be criticised or questioned but should only be obeyed.
- Observe the following before touching the Quran:
 Wash your hands before taking the Quran.
 Don’t place any book on top of the Quran.
 Listen in silence,
 No eating, drinking or smoking when the Quran is being read.

4. ZAMBIAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION

- In Zambian traditional religion, people look at God as a creator, a provider, a protector and
a father.
- God is the owner of the world.
- Ideas about God and his relationship with people are expressed in the names people use
for God, through proverbs, stories and prayers.
- Stories and famous people and proverbs are told as an example to teach people to live a
moral life and to organize their societies.
- Certain dances and songs were performed on occasions such as praying for the rain.
- Zambian traditional religion has no written holy scripture.
- People were expected to learn traditions and pass them to their children orally.
- However, today some of these materials are being written down to preserve it.
- Followers of Zambian traditional religion must:
(a) Respect their elders and people in authority
(b) Honour their ancestors
(c) Look after the well-being of the community
(d) Provide for their families

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Important Dates and Events in The History of the Religions in Zambia

TIME CHART
YEAR EVENTS
BC 1500 First Vedas are written
1300 Bantu begin to move southwards from Cameroon into new areas
escaping from hostile tribes and searching for land.
1000 First Old Testament books are written
6 Birth of Jesus Christ
AD 30 Death of Jesus Christ
50 First New Testament books are written
200-400 Bantu people arrived in Zambia
379 List of New Testament books is decided
570 Birth of the Prophet Muhammad
610 First entries of the Quran are written
641 Muslim conquest of North Africa
1054 Christian Church splits- Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic
Church
1517 Protestants revolution creates the protestant church which separated
from the Roman Church
1873 David Livingstone dies in Zambia
1883 London Missionary Society enters Zambia
1895 White Father Missionary Society enters Zambia
1964 Zambia becomes independent
1966 Christianity is declared the national religion of Zambia

Map of Zambia showing the entries of the missionaries in the country

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 1833 London Missionary Society (LMS)
1895 White Fathers (WF)
1894 Free Church of Scotland Mission (FCSM)
1899 Dutch Reformed Church Mission(DRCM)
1893 Primitive Methodist Missionary Society (PMMS)
1905 Jesuit Fathers (society of Jesus) (SJ)
1905 Seventh Day Adventist (SDA)
1906 Brethren in Christ (BC)
1885 Paris Evangelical Mission(PEM)
1906 Christian Missions to Many Lands (CMML)

How People Learn About Religion

- People learn about religion in three different ways:
1. Seeing and Imitating
- Children see and imitate the behaviour of adults during worship.
- Parents and other adults can teach children about their religion by practicing what they
preach and by being good role models.
2. Hearing (listening) and Repeating
- Children listen to what their parents and elders say, and will then repeat it.
- Children learn religious beliefs and traditions by listening to stories, songs and proverbs
- Worshipping together gives children a chance to hear and repeat religious teachings.
3. Reading Sacred (Holy) Scriptures
- Young children learn about their religion when their parents, priests, teachers etc. read to
them or tell them religious stories.
- As they grow older, they can read the Religious Scriptures by themselves.

Religious Scriptures
- The holy scriptures of a religion are a guide to its followers.

The Bible
- The bible is the Christian Scripture
- It is a collection of books written by different people who were guided by God.
- It is the word of God
- The Bible has two main parts: The Old Testament and the New Testament
- Testament means agreement or covenant
- The Old Testament is an agreement between God and the Israelites based on laws.
- God promised to take care of the Israelites if they obey his laws.
- This covenant is found in Deuteronomy 7:11 – 13
- The Israelites were sometimes faithful to the covenant and at other times they were
unfaithful.
- The New Testament was written 400 years after the Old Testament.
- It talks about the messages the apostles wrote to the early Christians to guide them on how
to live a Christian life.

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 - The New Testament is an agreement between God and all people based on love between
God and people. (John 3:16, John 14:23)
- It says that God will give life and love to every person who loves God and Jesus.
- All Christians accept the Bible as the word of God written by people he inspired.
- The Bible was written to show Christian how they can come to know God through Jesus
Christ:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
- The place of worship for Christians is called a Church.

The Quran
- The Quran is the sacred book of Muslims.
- Muslims believe that the Quran comes from God (Allah)
- Muslims believe that in the year 610AD the Angel Gabriel appeared to the Prophet
Muhammad.
- Muhammad was born in 570 AD.
- Muslims believe that Muhammad received the revelation (Gods’ message) from God
through the Angel Gabriel.
- He learned the message by heart as he was not able to write.
- He dictated what he learned to his people (tribesmen) who wrote it down and kept it
carefully.
- After his death, everything he learned was collected and written down into one book called
the Quran.
- The Quran reveals the lives of the prophets and the creation of heaven and earth.
- It guides Muslims on how to live a good life and receive rewards in heaven.

The Hadith
- The Hadith is a record of the sayings and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad.
- It is the second most important book in Islam.
- People learn about religious laws from the Hadith.
- The Hadith gives Muslims guidance on moral issues.
- The place of worship for Muslims is called a Mosque.

Hindu Scriptures
- The Vedas is the Hindu holy book
- it means knowledge
- Hindus believe that the four Vedas are the truth of the universe as they were understood
by ancient Hindu saints.
- The Vedas comprised sacred songs sung by the priests.

The Upanishads
- This is another Hindu Scripture
- There are 108 Upanishads

The Bhagavad Gita

- Means the song of the Lord

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 - It is the best known Hindu Scripture and was written around 200 BC
- It contains part of long stories about how God appeared to people of different tribes in
India.
- It is about the nature of God and life
The Mahabharata
- This is an epic poem that tells the story of a great war that took place in India.
- It consists of original stories, religious laws, and tales of traditions.
- It was first written more than 3000 years ago.

- Hindu Scripture is not believed to come directly from God but are taken as holy
teachings and practices of wise men of long ago.
- The place of worship for Hindus is called a Temple.

Zambian Traditional Religion

- Zambia Tradition Religion has no founder or any sacred scripture.
- Because there was no writing then, and
- (Oral) literature was in the custody of priests and elders
- It is passed on orally from the older people to the young generation.
- This is called oral tradition
- Stories, myths, proverbs, liturgies and songs are used to teach people the values of life,
culture and environment.
- The elders are the absolute authority within Zambian religion and their words are
believed.
- The place of worship in Zambian Tradition are called the shrines, sometimes, located near
waterfalls, mountains, rivers, in forests, under big trees etc.

Assignment
1. Write down the four major religions found in Zambia.
2. The holy book of Muslims is called_____________
3. Write down three ways through which people learn about religion.
4. What are the two major parts of the Bible?
5. What does the word Gospel mean?
6. List down the gospels found in the New Testament.
7. To whom do Christians look for help?
8. Bhagavad Gita is a book of long stories about how God appeared to people of different
tribes in India. To which religion does this book belong?
9. When did the White Fathers enter Zambia?
10. What happened in the year 1000 BC?
11. What do the following letters stand for?
(a) FCSM (b) DRCM
(c) PEM (d) BC
(e) SDA

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TOPIC 4. THE BIBLE

Meaning of the Bible

- The Bible is a collection of books. It was written by 40 different authors.
- It was divided into chapters by Bishop Steven Langton. Later a printer in France
divided the chapter into verses to make it easy to find books to read.
- The books of the Bible were written over a period of 1400 years.
- The books are named from their themes, topics or after their authors.

Parts of the Bible

1. THE OLD TESTAMENT

- The books of the Old Testament were written down about 1000BC
- They started as Oral traditional – passed on by the word of the mouth.
- Gradually they were written and arranged into the books we have today after additions and
changes were done.
- The Jewish leaders convened a Council of Jamnia in 90AD to decide which books to
include in the Jewish scripture.
- 39 books were selected and these form the Old Testament.
- Later on another group of Jewish religious leaders included 7 extra books to the Jewish
scriptures.
- These books are called Deuterocanonical or Apocrypha
- Deuterocanonical (literally) list number two means books of the Bible which were later
added to the Canon
- Apocrypha (hidden) are books of the Old Testament not originally written in Hebrew
- Thus some Bibles have 45 books in the Old Testament.

Types of Old Testament Books

- The Bible books are arranged according to the type of books they are.
- The Old Testament has five (5) types of books:

(1) Books of Bible Law: Genesis; Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

(2) Books of Bible History: Joshua, Samuel, Kings
(3) Books of Bible Poetry: Job, Psalms
(4) Books of Bible Wisdom: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes
(5) Books of Bible Prophecy: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Micah, Hosea.

2. THE NEW TESTAMENT

- The books of the New Testament were written within a period of hundred years between
50AD and 150AD.
- They are the earliest writings by Christians written in a short time compared to the Old
Testament books. The difference of 400 years.

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Two kinds of books in the New Testament
(a) Books of stories about Jesus and the beginning of the Christian church (first 5 books)
(b) Letters of advice, teaching and encouragement written to Christian churches (22
books).

Types of Books in the New Testament

- The New Testament Bible has Four Types of Books:
(1) Gospels: Mathew, Mark, Luke, John
(2) Church History: Acts of the Apostles
(3) Letters: from Paul, John, Peter, Jude, James
(4) Prophecy: Revelation

Purpose of the New Testament

Gospels
- Gospel means books of good news.
- They are the first four (4) books of the New Testament
- The gospels were written to tell people the good news about Jesus. Christ who had lived
and died and risen to bring a new agreement/ covenant between God and all people.
- The Gospels were written to show what the Christians believed about Jesus and to tell
how he brought God’s Kingdom.
- Before the gospels were written down, they were passed on as oral tradition.

Mathew: was written to the Jews to show Jesus as the long awaited Messiah, the new Moses.
Mark: was written to the Romans to show Jesus as the Son of God by providing the truth of his
teaching by what he did.
Luke: was written to the Greeks to show Jesus with a warm concern for people
John: was written to everyone using signs to show that Jesus is the way to God and everlasting
life.
- Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God and through faith in him people may have life (John
20:31)
Acts of Apostles: was written to give the history of the early Christian Church
Letters: were written to give advice and encouragement to the Christian Churches and individuals
Revelation (Prophecy): was written by John using signs to encourage and strengthen Christians
who were persecuted by the Roman emperor and that with God they will triumph.

Choosing The Christian Scripture (New Testament)

- It took more than 300 years to decide exactly which books should be included in the New
Testament and which books should not be included/accepted as Christian’s scriptures.
- The list of 27 books was finally decided at the Council of Carthage.
- The meeting was attended by church leaders in North Africa in 397AD.
- The list of the books that were accepted by the Christian Church is called a Canon.

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ORIGINS OF THE JEWISH SCRIPTURE

- The Jewish Holy Scripture has two parts.

1. The written Torah which is the Old Testament.
- It is also known as Tanakh divided into
(a) the law (Torah)
(b) the prophets (Nev’im)
(c) the writings (ketuvim)
2. Oral Torah which explains the meaning of the scriptures of the written Torah and how the
laws should be followed.
- God taught Moses the Oral Torah on Mount Sinai and it was passed on verbally to the
Jews.
- The Oral Torah and the Written Torah have been around for 3300 years.
- The oral Torah was written down about 1500 years ago and is called the Talmud.

** THE JEWS
- Jews had stories about their ancestors such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
- They had sacred songs called Psalms.
- They had accounts of laws which were written down in separate books or scrolls and kept
in the Temple.
- Ordinary people were not able to read or write so they learned these traditions by heart.
- The priests read loud for people on certain feasts.
- They believed the collection was holy because it really came from God.
This is called the Old Testament.

** HEBREWS, ISRAELITES AND JEWS

Abraham (Hebrew)

Ishmael Isaac
(Islam)

Esau Jacob (Israelites)

12 sons
(Twelve Tribes of Israel)

Judah (Jews)

- The main theme of the Old Testament book is that God would look after the Israelites if
they obeyed his laws.

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 - The Israelites were called by God but often times they were unfaithful to Him.
- God called Abraham the ancestor of the people called Hebrews.
- He had two sons – Ishmael and Isaac.
- Isaac was chosen by God and had two sons Esau and Jacob.
- Jacob was later called Israel, the ancestor of the people called Israelites.
- The Israelites lived in Palestine and were a group of different tribes.
- King David who ruled the Israelites united them into one nation.
- King David belonged to the Israelites tribe called Judah.
- His capital city was Jerusalem.
- After King Solomon’s (Son of David) rule, most of the Israelites refused to be ruled by
David’s’ descendants.
- Only a small group, including the t tribe of Judah remained under this rule in Jerusalem.
- The people who lived in Judah or Judea, southern part of Palestine are called the Jews.

Translations of the Bible

- The Old Testament books were originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic, the languages
of the Jews (and Assyrians)
- The New Testament books were originally written in Greek, the common language at the
time of Jesus around the Mediterranean Sea.
- The Bible has been translated into many languages (over 2000 languages) to make many
people hear and read the books of the Bible.
- To keep up with the development and changes of language, the Bible has to be
translated, revised and rewritten.

Assignment
1. ……………………….is the collection of different books
2. List down the books of laws
3. What does the gospel mean?
4. What type of books is found in both the New and the Old Testaments?
5. Who is the ancestor of the Israelites?
6. What tribe was King David?
7. Who divided the Bible into chapters?
8. Why is the Bible translated into many languages?
9. Explain why the gospels were written?

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TOPIC 5. CHOICES AND TALENTS
HOW PEOPLE MAKE CHOICES

Chosen circumstances
- Marriages, career, friends, hobbies, clothes to wear, the book to read etc.

Unchosen circumstances
- Gender, parents, race, family, age, colour of the skin, nationality etc.

Different Levels of Choice

1. Individual Choice: This is made by one person e.g a woman choosing the man to marry.
2. Family Choice: This involves the parents and children to make choices that affect them
e.g deciding when and where to go for family outing.
3. Community Choice: This is made up by individuals who make group choices that affect
people e.g building a school or hospital

- Factors like age, gender, culture and position of power affects the choices that a group of
people make.

Three steps people take when making good choices

1. SEE: seeing different things from which you can choose.
2. JUDGE: Deciding which choice is best to your interest, belief and time available.
3. ACT: Taking action – doing what you have decided is best.

CENTRAL TEACHINGS IN FOUR RELIGIONS ON MAKING CHOICES

- Religion gives people a standard by which they can judge when making choices.
Religious beliefs affect peoples’ choices such as what to eat, who to marry or vote for etc.

Christianity
The central teaching is to love God and love neighbour.

Hinduism
The central (aim) teaching for Hindus is to be free from all selfishness and all evil desires.

- The Bhagavad Gita says. “The person who gives up all desires and moves without
thinking mine or ‘I’ is the one who gains peace.

Islam
The central teaching for Muslims is to show complete obedience to God and to live as brothers
with every Muslim.

Zambian Traditional Religion

The central teaching for the followers of this religion is to show respect to all people and to be
at peace with people and the spirits of the dead.

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Choices Shows One’s Aim in Life
- The choices a person makes show his aim in life e.g.
- Who you choose as friends, how you use money, the training, how you treat others. etc.
- If you study hard at school, your aim is to get a good education.

The Choices Jesus Made in The Bible

A Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45–46)

1. What choices did the man make?

2. What was his main aim in life?

The Rich Young Man (Matthew 19:16–22)

1. What choices did the man make?

2. What was his main aim in life?

Jesus in The Temple (Luke 2: 41–49)

- Jesus was a Jew
- Jerusalem was a capital city of the Jews
- They had one temple in Jerusalem where they prayed and sacrificed animals to God.
- The family of Jesus lived in Nazareth.
- Jesus went to Jerusalem with his parents to celebrate the Passover when he was 12 years
old.
- They travelled in groups to avoid being attacked and robbed by bandits on the journey.
- Jesus chose to stay in the Temple in Jerusalem listening to the Jewish religious teachers
and not to go back to Nazareth with his parents.
- When making his choice.
(a) What did Jesus see?
(b) How did Jesus judge?
(c) How did Jesus act?
- The most important thing for Jesus was doing his fathers’ will.
- He prayed to God to help him choose wisely.
- He decided to spend his life preaching to people about the kingdom of his father.
- He chose the 12 Apostles to help him to teach people about God for he could not go
everywhere to teach every day.

**The Passover
- This is the Jewish festival celebration to remember how God gave the Israelites freedom
from slavery in Egypt.
- The king of the Egyptians refused to let the Israelites go even after God had sent many
diseases/ plagues on the Egyptian land.

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 - However, King Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to leave after God sent an angel of Death to
kill the first born male off-spring (children and animals) of the Egyptians.
- Sparing the children and animals of the Israelites.
- That night was called the Passover.
- It is celebrated every year by Jews all over the world.
- The Passover festival is held in Jerusalem, the Jewish Holy City

The Baptism of Jesus (Luke 3:21 – 22)

- Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the river Jordan for two reasons.
(a) to show people that He (Jesus) had accepted the work that his father gave him.
(b) He (Jesus) wanted his life to be an example for people to follow.
- The baptism of Jesus was important because God confirmed that Jesus was the Son of God.
- God approved Jesus decision of being baptized by giving a sign of a dove.
- After all the people had been baptized, Jesus was also baptized.
- The following happened:
(a) the heavens opened
(b) the Holy Spirit came upon him in a bodily form of a dove.
(c) a voice came from Heaven, “You are my own dear Son, I am well pleased with you.”

The Temptations of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11)

- After his baptism, the sprit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the Devil.
- Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights without food and was hungry.
- The Devil came and tempted him saying “If you are Gods’ Son, order these stones to turn
into bread.
- Jesus answered, “The scripture says, Man cannot live on bread alone, but on every word
that God speaks.”
- Jesus was ready to make right decisions, even in difficult circumstances as can be seen in
the three temptations of Jesus.

** A prayer for wisdom in making choices

Give us the patience to accept what cannot be changed, the courage to change what should
be changed and the wisdom to know one from the other (J.H Newman).

TALENTS
- A talent is a special ability to do something well.
- It is chosen by you and developed by regular practice.

How can you find out what your talents are?

Discovering Talents
- We discover our talents by trying to do new things.

Losing Talents
- Each person has many talents and they must use them to help themselves and others.
- No one can develop and use all the talents that she has.

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 - People must choose which of their talents to develop.
- Lack of practicing what we are good at makes people lose their talents.

Developing talents
- To choose which talents to develop, you must:
1. Know yourself
- Know what talents you have.
- Try to discover what you like doing and you can do well
- Know what job opportunities are available
- Choose talents to develop that will give you empowerment or earn money after leaving
school.
- Pray to God to help you make the right choice.

2. know what people need

- Know what jobs are needed to be done - develop talents that are beneficial to the society.
- Consider the market and the cost of training.
- The government offers training for jobs that are needed for the development of the country.

3. Match your talents with the things that people need.

- Our families give us good suggestions about the talents to develop.
- Teachers are very helpful and have good ideas about their pupils.
- Our friends praise us for the things we can do well.
- Therefore, career teachers, family members, friends, religious people etc. can help you to
know your talents and match them with the needs of people in the community.

The Parable of the Talents (Matthew: 25:14–30)

- The master who was on a journey offered sums of money to three of his servants so that
they could trade with it and make profit while he was away.
- Each servant was bound to use the money in a gainfully manner.
- Jesus told the parable of the talents as a lesson about how people can develop or lose their
talents.

Exercise
1. Why did the master give money to his servants?
2. What were the servants expected to do with the money?
3. What did each servant agree to do?
4. Why were the first and second servant praised?
5. Why was the third servant blamed?
6. What two (2) lessons does the parable of the talents teach people?

Assignment
1. Write three steps to follow when making choices.
2. Was Jesus a Jew or Roman?

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 3. What was the capital city of the Jews?
4. The Jews celebrated ___________to remember how God freed them from slavery in Egypt.
5. At what age does a Jewish boy become an adult?
6. Where was Jesus when his parents were searching for him?
7. Who baptized Jesus?
8. Where was he baptized?
9. Mention one thing that happened at the baptism of Jesus.
10. What was the first temptation of Jesus?
11. What is the central teaching of Christianity?
12. What is a talent?
13. How many servants where given talents by the master?
14. Who tempted Jesus?
15. How can a person lose their talents?

BIBLE PASSAGES
1. ‘Why did you have to look for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my father’s
house’? Luke 2:49
a. With whom was he?
b. What was he doing?
c. What was Jesus’ aim in life?

2. ‘But Jesus answered, the scripture says: Do not take the Lord your God to the test’
Mathew 4:7
a. On what occasion were these words said?
b. Who was Jesus talking to on this occasion?
c. What happened to Jesus before this occasion?
d. In all the temptations, Jesus showed his main aim in life. What was it?

3. ‘After a long time the Lord of those servants settled accounts with them’ Matthew
25:19
a. What did the second servant do with his talents?
b. What did the master say to the second servant?
c. Why was the third servant thrown out into the darkness?
d. What did the master do with the talent of the third servant?
e. From this story, what do Christians learn about what they should do with their talents’’

4. ‘You are my own dear son; I am pleased with you’

a. Who said these words?
b. To whom were these words said?
c. What had just happened?
d. What two other things happened on this occasion?

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TOPIC 6. COMPETITION, CO-OPERATION AND TRUST
Competition
- Is trying or striving hard to do better than others
- People compete in schools, politics, business, sports, jobs and so on.
- When the competitors are similar in more ways than they are different, then the
competition is fair.
- Healthy competition allows everyone to compete fairly.
- Healthy competition has many advantages such as:
(a) Makes people work hard as they try to do better than others
(b) encourages people to do their best
(c) leads to the development of a society or country as people work hard.
(d) Makes people win prizes or money or other rewards.
(e) Makes other people to recognize your achievements.
(f) Helps people to fulfil their ambitions

– Unhealthy competition is bad as it makes:

(i) People dishonest to win the competition e.g. elections
(ii) Makes people jealous of others
(iii)Leads to fighting and killing of other competitors

Competition can be
(i) Formal competition where there are rules to direct the event e.g.
English Olympiad.
(ii) Informal competition e.g. one pupil trying hard to get higher
marks than the other in a classroom.

- You can compete as an individual or as part of a group which has a common goal /purpose
to achieve.

CO-OPERATION
- Means people working together for the common good.
- Co-operation binds people together.
- Through co-operation people help each other as the Bible teaches that God help those who
help other people.
- When people work together the result is remarkable and greater than when they work as
individuals.
- Co-operation means that what is good for the group is more important than what is good
for the individual people who make up the group.

Levels of Co-operation
People co-operate:
1. Economically: When they have common good of earning or saving money.
2. Nationally: when their common goal is to achieve something for the country.
3. Ecumenically: When they work together to spread religious teachings. e.g. Church bodies

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 4. Internationally: When they work together as humans worldwide to conserve and protect
the Earth and its natural resources.
Benefits of Co-operation
i. Work is done very fast and in good time
ii. The result of people working together is much greater than when
people work on their own. This brings development.
iii. There are better chances of meeting targets of a group
iv. There is unity that foster harmony in a group.

- Co-operation and competition are both important:

- They are needed in any community to stimulate development

Religious Teachings On Co-operation

Christianity
- Christian teachings place importance on love for one another
- Christians believe that people should be of great service to others through:
 feeding the hungry
 clothing the naked
 sheltering the homeless
 welcoming strangers
 visiting people in hospitals and prisons
 weddings and funerals
 building church projects

** The parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Mt 25:31-45

The Parable of the Rich Ruler Lk 12:16-21
The 2 parables teach Christians to cooperate by helping and by sharing their wealth with the needy
in society.

Islam
- Muslims co-operate with other people by alms giving (sharing their wealth)
- Muslims must give out extra wealth to the people in need in the community.
- Muslims must co-operate to help others so that everyone benefits from what God has
created.
- The purpose of giving alms to the poor is to improve their lives and in return receive divine
blessings.
- The Quran teaches Muslims to “show kindness to the orphans and the needy, to your near
and distant neighbour and to the travellers.” God does not love proud and selfish people
who do not share.
- E.g Contributing money to send one person in the Muslim community to go on the
Pilgrimage to Mecca is one way through which Muslims put co-operation into actual
practice.

Hinduism

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 - Hindus believe that each person has a duty or a way of life that they are supposed to follow.
- This is called Dharma (the law of the world) which states that all people should do their
duty according to the position in which they find themselves in life.
- The Bhagavad Gita says “There is more joy in doing one’s duty, but doing another
persons’ duty brings fear.”
- Isha Upanishad says “work is worship always do something for the benefit of others
without any selfish motives.”

Zambian Traditional Life

- Co-operation was encouraged and competition was discouraged.
- Competition brings hatred and jealous between people. It makes some people use
witchcraft against those who were successful.
- Competition must always go hand in hand with responsibility.
- Co-operation was encouraged in proverbs such as:
(a) Umunwe umo tausala nda (Bemba)
One finger cannot crush a louse
(b) Abali babili na mano yabili (Bemba)
Where there are two people, there is double wisdom.
(c) Ciswa cimodzi siciumba culu (Chewa)
One ant does not build an anthill
(d) Munwe omwe taupwayi ndina (Tonga)
One finger cannot crush a louse
(e) Kukala amwi mbu (Tonga)
Staying together is sisterhood/brotherhood
(f) Kwatoku na mukwenu ukamove mulemana (Luvale) Hold there with another person
alone it will hurt

- Co-operation was also encouraged through songs and dances and many activities were
done co-operatively such as:
 Building houses
 growing and harvesting food crops
 herding animals
 fishing and hunting
 dances and singing
 funerals
Trust
- Trust means believing that a person is honest and is working to do what you expect
- It means that a person will keep the promise(s)
- Trust is needed for both competition and co-operation.
- There can never be co-operation without trust.
- In order for a team of footballers to win a game, there is need for trust.

Relationships of Trust
- Trust is an important part of all relationships

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 - For example, in marriage, friendship, business, sports team, employment etc. the partners
need to trust each other for a relationship to grow and achieve its common goal.

- Trust is created by
(a) Returning what was borrowed
(b) being honest in the relationship
(c) keeping secrets
(d) telling the truth
(e) helping others

Stories That Show Trust in the Bible

 Mark 6:1–6, The people did not have trust in Jesus being the Messiah- Son of God.
 Acts 9:26–29, Paul was not immediately trusted by others.

Assignment
1. Define (a) competition (b) co-operation (c) trust
2. Write down three traditional proverbs that encourage co-operation in your community.
3. In one paragraph show how teachers and pupils can co-operate to achieve good results at
your school.
4. Give two reasons why co-operation is better than competition.
5. In one paragraph, explain how people in your country can trust one another to achieve the
common goal.

BIBLE PASSAGES
1. ‘Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother to James’? Mark 6:3
a. To whom were the people referring when they said these words?
b. In which town was this?
c. Why did people not trust the person being referred to?
d. What did the person referred to in the quotation say to the people at the end?

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TOPIC 7. DIVISION, SIN AND FORGIVENESS
CAUSES OF HATRED AND DIVISION BETWEEN PEOPLE
- selfishness - greed
- jealousy - theft
- pride - deceit
- explanation - favouritism
- tribalism - corruption
- discrimination - bad leadership

Countries fight over:

 Resources such as land, oil and minerals
 Suspicion and mistrust
 Religious beliefs, ideology and economical systems
 Poor leadership

Division and Separation in The Early Christian Church

- The New Testament tells us a lot about division and separation between Christians because:
(a) Others did not believe in God and Jesus Christ (2Cor 6:14–17)
(b) Some Christians did not behave appropriately (1Cor 5:1–2, 9–11)
(c) Different Christians followed different leaders (1 Cor 1:11–13)
(d) Christians had different teachings about God and Jesus (2John 1:7-11)

Division at the time of Jesus

- At the time of Jesus, there were many causes of division and hatred in Palestine between
the people. For example,
1. Jews and Gentiles – A Gentile is a non-Jew. Jews were a special
race chosen by God. They separated themselves from Gentiles.
2. Jews and Samaritans – The Jews hatred the Samaritans because
they did not accept some of the Jewish customs and beliefs. The
Samaritans did not worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. They
had their own place of worship and did not accept the Jewish
scripture.
3. Jews and Romans – Jews hated the Romans who had made them slaves and forced them
to obey and practice the Romans religion and to pay tax to the Romans.
- The Jews wanted to be free and independent of colonial rule
4. Jews and Tax-Collectors – The tax collectors were hated because they collected taxes on
behalf of the Romans. They enriched themselves by overcharging tax payers.
5. Jews and lepers – The Jews did not want to live near or touch a leper because he/she was
unclean.
- Lepers were isolated and forced to live far away from healthy Jews.
6. Jesus and Sinners – sinners such as prostitutes, were looked down upon by the Jews who
obeyed and followed Gods law strictly. Sinners were considered to be unclean (Gentiles)
and so they were avoided.

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Jesus overcomes division
- Jesus as a holy Jewish man was expected to keep himself away from sinners and tax –
collectors.
- He was supposed to avoid the Romans and Gentiles.
- He was not expected to touch the lepers.
- He was expected to treat the Samaritans as enemies.
- Instead Jesus did the opposite:
- Mathew 8:5-13, Jesus cures the Romans servant
- Luke 5:27–30, Jesus calls the tax collector
- Luke 5:12–13, Jesus cures a leper
- John 4:6-9, Jesus talks to the Samaritan

- Jesus overcomes division in his society because:

1. He was open to any person. He loved every person.

2. He was brave. He did not care about what people said about him.

Religious Teachings about Overcoming Divisions and Hatred

Christianity
- Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

Hinduism
- The Vedas states:
“Do not repay a blow or an insult by an insult; do not cheat a person who has cheated you.
Give blessings in return for blows or quarrels.”
Mahatma Gandhi said;
“A religion can be defended only by the holiness and good deeds of the followers, never
by quarrels.”

Islam
- The Quran says;
“Repay evil deeds with good deeds and the person who is your enemy will become your
dearest friend.”

Zambian Traditional life

- Be at peace with every person
- Reconcile with your enemy

SIN AND FORGIVENESS

- Sin means the wrong things people do and the failure of people to show love to God and
each other.
- That’s refusal to show love, the breaking of friendship, being unfaithful to what we know
is good.

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Religious Teachings on Sin

Christianity
- Sin is the natural selfishness that we are born with
- Sin is caring more about oneself than God and others
- Sin is disobedience of Gods’ Commandments

Hinduism
- Sin is greed, selfishness and caring more about material things and other people than God.
- Sin is a result of peoples’ failure to understand that all things and people will pass away
because they are temporary.
- The Vedas says:
“Evil is always found where there is no knowledge of God.”

Islam
- Sin means disobeying God and Gods’ word, the Quran.
- The worst sin is to stop believing in God and the Quran, to stop being a Muslim.

Zambian Traditional Life

- The three sins are;
- Neglecting the spirits
- Offending the spirits
- Hatred and engaging in witchcraft.

Religious Teachings On Forgiveness and Reconciliation

Christianity
- The Parable of the lost son and the Forgiving father: Luke 15:11–32
(a) What wrong has the younger son done?
(b) Why does the father forgive the younger son?
(c) Why does the elder brother refuse to forgive his young brother?
(d) How does the younger son show that he is sorry?
(e) How does the father show that he has forgiven the son?
- The story teaches that God is always willing to forgive sinners who come back to him.

- Luke 17:3–4
“If your brother sins, rebuke him and if he repents forgive him. If he sins against you seven
times in one day, and each time he comes to you saying ‘I repent: you must forgive him?

- Prayer from the Bible:

“Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”

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Islam
- The Quran states:
“One who is forgiven by the person he has offended must still be persecuted according to
the custom and must pay the offended person.”
“People who control their anger and who forgive others are rewarded with forgiveness
from God.”

“A kind word with forgiveness is better than kindness followed by insult. God is
forgiving.”

- Prayer from the Quran:

“Lord do not be angry with us if we forget and commit sins. Lord, do not charge us
with more than we can bear. Pardon us, forgive us our sins and have mercy upon
us. You alone are our protector.”

Hinduism
- The Vedas teaches that, “when a sin is confessed, it becomes less, because it becomes the
truth.”

Mahatma Gandhi: taught that, “Confession of sin is like a broom that sweeps away the dirt
and leaves the surface cleaner than before…. A clean confession, combined with a promise
never to sin again, is true repentance.”

- Prayer from the Vedas:

“If we have sinned a person who loves us, we have wronged a brother, a dear friend
or a comrade, if we have sinned against a neighbour or a stranger, remove this stain
from us O God.”

Zambian Traditional Religion

- People that are in disagreement are encouraged to reconcile with each other with the
guidance of elders and spirits. Often money is paid by the offender to bring justice.
- Revenge is highly discouraged.

Steps Needed for Forgiveness and Reconciliation Between People and God
- Religions teach that sin needs forgiveness.
- A person who has offended God or a friend needs to be forgiven so that there can be
friendship again.
- Forgiveness takes the following steps:
1. Repentance: being sorry for the wrong things you did.
2. Confession: admitting that what you did was wrong.
3. Penance: doing something to show you are sorry, accepting a punishment, paying back
what you took or spoiled.
4. Forgiveness: Receiving forgiveness from the offended person. Showing that there is no
bitterness between the offended and the offender.

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Assignment
1. Write down two causes of division among people in society.
2. Give reasons why there was division and separation (at the time of Jesus) in the early
church.
3. Explain why the Jews hated the Romans. Give two reasons.
4. How did Jesus overcome division? Give two reasons.
5. “A religion can be defended only by the holiness and good deeds of the followers; never
by quarrels.”
(a) Who said these words?
(b) Under which title was the above statement discussed.
6. What is sin in
(a) Islam
(b) Zambian Traditional life
7. List down four steps necessary for reconciliation to take place between people and God.

BIBLE PASSAGES
1. Father, give me my share of the property now…… (Luke 15:12)
(a) Who said these words?
(b) How did he spend his money?
(c) What kind of a job he was given to do after he finished his money?
(d) Mention two things that the father did to show that he had forgiven his son.
(e) What is the title given to this parable?
(f) What lesson do you learn from the parable?
(g) What did the younger son say to his father on his return?

3. ‘After a few days the younger son sold his part of property and left home with
the money’ Luke 15:13.
a. How did the younger son spend his money?
b. When the money finished, what kind of work did he get?
d. How does the father show that he has forgiven the younger son?
e. What lesson does Christian learn from this story?

3. Jesus sat down by the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw
some water. John 4: 4-7
a. What did Jesus first say to the Samaritan woman?
b. What did the woman repay to Jesus?
c. Mention two things which caused division between the Jews and the Samaritan.
d. What happened when Jesus wanted to stay in a village in Samaria?
e. What did Jesus’ disciples, James and John, went to do to that Samaritan village?

4. Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘I do want to’ he answered ‘‘Be
clean’’ Luke 5:13
a. Who was Jesus talking to?
b. What had the person said to Jesus?

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c. Mention two groups of people that were divided in Palestine at the time of
Jesus.

5. ‘Oh no Sir.’ Answered the officer. ‘‘I do not deserve you to come into my house
just give the order….’’ Matthew 8: 8
a. Who said these words to Jesus?
b. What did the man want Jesus to do for him?

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TOPIC 8. LEARNING AND TRUTH
TWO WAYS OF LEARNING
- People learn ideas behaviours and other things, through
1. Guided (formal) learning: Learning were a person deliberately teaches someone e.g.
in a classroom.
- Generally, we do not choose what we learn by guided learning.
2. Unguided (informal) learning: Learning were a person learns knowledge, attitude
and behaviour through discovery or experience e.g. talking, walking, dancing etc.
- There is no teacher involved.
- We can often choose what we learn by unguided learning.

Learning in The Four Religions

Christianity
- Christianity favours both guided and unguided learning
In the gospel, Jesus gave guided learning to his followers through
 direct teaching
 preaching and
 giving instructions to his followers
 the way he lived and acted Mathews 5:1–2, 10:5–15, 18:1–9, Psalm 119:105
- Jesus gave his followers unguided learning by
 Living with him
 seeing what he did and
 how he treated other people
- For example, he welcomed sinners, feed the hungry and blessed the children, ate with the
tax-collectors, rebuked religious leaders.

How Jesus Taught His Disciples

1. By preaching and telling stories (Luke 6:20–26, 8:4–8, 14:25–33)
2. By giving them special teaching not given to the crowds (Luke 8:9–15, 9:18–21)
3. By living and travelling with them. (Luke 8:1, 9:10, 18:31)
4. By sending them out to experience his work of preaching and healing (Luke 9: 1–6, 10:1)
5. By giving them an example to follow: (John 13:12–15, 15:12).
- Churches give guided learning through Bible lessons, sermons, catechism classes and
Christian books.
- Every good Christian gives unguided learning by what he does and says, by how he looks
after and treats others.

Islam
- Islam favours guided learning by studying Gods word in the Quran.
- Learning from people is not necessary; Muslims must obey God through the authoritative
teaching of the Quran.

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Hinduism
- Hinduism favours unguided learning (more than guided learning) as the path to true
knowledge.
- A Hindu who wants to learn the right path will go to stay with a Guru, a holy man.
- The Guru teaches by what he is, by how he lives more than by what he says (riddles and
parables).

African (Zambian) Traditional Life.

- In this religion guided learning was taught to the youth before initiation ceremonies or
marriages.
- This was done by the elders who give counsel to the young
- Unguided learning is given through observing elders in the community

Ways through which a statement can be true

- There are different ways in which a statement can be true.
1. It may be historically, factually or mathematically true: accurately describing
something which happened.
2. It may be true to life, not factually true but showing what life is really like e.g. some
novels, stories, and parables
3. It may be emotionally true: accurately describing people’s feelings.
4. Through experience with senses
5. through seeing things
6. through reading books

Facts, Opinions and Beliefs

- When we are trying to find out the truth of a statement, we must know whether it is a matter
of fact or of opinion or of belief.
 FACT: A statement which is true or real e.g. Zambia is a country in Africa.
 OPINION: A conclusion (statement) held with confidence but not proven to be true e.g.
Zambia’s’ game parks are the best in Africa. Bupe is more handsome than Banda.
 BELIEF: A statement accepted as true. E.g. The Bible is the Word of God.
- God created the world in six days.

Standard of Truth
- People have different standards of truth
- Some people only believe to be true what they experience with the five senses
- Or some people trust to be true only what they read in books or what they watch on
television.
- Others believe everything written in the Bible is true.

1. Christianity
- Christianity believes that God shows people the truth through his creation and through
things (events) that happen in the world.
- Most importantly God shows people the truth through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

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 - For Christians, living truthfully means being faithful to Gods Commandments and
believing in the way shown by Jesus.
- Christians believe that God is true because he is faithful and keeps his promises and does
not change his loving attitude towards people.
- God was faithful to the Israelites, even though they were unfaithful to him.

2. Zambian Traditional Life

- Truth was known by experience
- The truth was also known by the elders of the community.
- They have gained experience and wisdom of what is true during their long lives.
- This can be seen through the proverbs.
 Akanwa ka mwefu takabepa (Bemba) The bearded mouth does not lie)
 Mau a akulu akoma akagonera (Chewe)
The words of the elders become sweet the day after)

3. Islam
- The standard of truthful for Muslims is the word of God in the Quran.
- Anything that contradicts the Quran cannot be true.
- In matters, that are not find in the Quran, Islam encourages scientific research to find out
the truth about Gods’ world.
- Muslims have been pioneers in mathematics, science and technology.

4. Hinduism
- Hinduism teaches that Brahman is the only reality and the only truth.
- Other things change and pass away, thus they are not real.
- Only the soul is real because it is part of Brahman, the Great Soul.
- The most important truth and the only real truth is that each persons’ soul (Atman) is part
of the Great Soul, (Brahman)
- Brahman is greater than anyone can understand or know.
- The truth of Brahman cannot be fully known, only a small part of each can be understood
as illustrated by the story of the six blind men and the elephant.

5. Modern scientific world finding out the truth

- Modern scientific education teaches us to find out the truth by observation and
experiment.
- Scientific methods are used to find out the truth of ‘factual’ statements about how nature
works.
- Social and spiritual truths cannot be measured scientifically.

Ways people use to find out the truth

- By asking Important Questions
- To find out the truth of what we read or hear, we need to ask these five questions about it.
1. Who said it?
2. What did he say?
3. What did he mean?

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 4. How does he know it?
5. What value does it have for my life?

Prejudice
- Prejudice means judging a person or thing in advance.
- Meaning a decision before you know the truth.
- Making up your mind before you know the truth.
- Making up your mind before listening to or looking at the facts
- For example
 Men are selfish
 all marketers overcharge
 politicians are corrupt
 women like money
- Prejudice is bad because it negatively judges people and paints a bad picture about them.
- To overcome prejudice, find out the truth by asking the 5 questions above.

Assignment
1. (a) Mention two ways of learning. [2 marks]
(b) Define one way of learning mentioned in a (a). [1 mark]
(c) We can often choose what we learn by ______ [1 mark]
2. What are the three steps that you consider when making a choice e.g. friends. [3 marks]
3. Jesus gave ________to his disciples through teaching, preaching and giving
instructions. [1 mark]
4. Give three ways through which Jesus taught his disciples. [3marks]
5. Which religion prefers learning from the Quran to learning from people? [1 mark]
6. What is the name given to the Hindu Holy Man from whom other Hindus
learn the right path? [1 mark]
7. State whether the following statements are fact, opinion or belief. [3 marks]
(a) Zambia has the most beautiful women in the world.
(b) God created the world in six days.
(c) Zambia celebrated the Golden Jubilee on 24th October, 2014.
8. (a) Who are the custodians of truth in African Traditional Society?
(b) Why are the people mentioned in 8(a) the custodians of truth? [1 mark]
9. Which Prophet of God married the unfaithful wife, Gomer? [1 mark]
10. (a) Who is Brahman? [1 mark]
(b) In which religion do you find Brahman? [1 mark]
11. How does modern science find out the truth about something? [2 marks]
12. Write down the five questions necessary to find out the truth. [5 marks]
13.(a) What is prejudice? [1 mark]
(b) Give an example of prejudice. [1 mark]
(c) Why is prejudice bad /wrong? [1 mark]
(d) How do you overcome prejudice? [1 mark]

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BIBLE PASSAGES

1. ‘Take nothing with you for your journey…….’ Luke 9:3

a. How many disciples did Jesus send out?
b. What did he send them out to do?
c. Mention two things which they were not to carry?
d. Mention two tasks they were to carry out.

2. ‘Once there was a man who went out to sow grain…… As he scattered the seed in the
field, some of it fell along the path……’ Luke 8:5
a. What happened to the seed that fell along the path?
b. What happened to the seed that fell on rocky ground?
c. What happened to the seed that fell among thorny bushes?
d. What happened to the seed that fell in good soil?
e. What is the name of this parable?
f. Was this parable guided or unguided learning?

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 GRADE 9

TOPIC 1. FREEDOM AND COMMUNITY

- Freedom means being able to decide for yourself what you will do
- Freedom means being able to do what you want instead of being told what to do by another
person.
- Freedom is the power, or right to act, speak or think as one wants.
- As we grow up we have more freedom than when we were young/children.
- For example, we can decide what to wear and were to go for an outing.
- People want freedom from some things that make them not to enjoy full life, such as
poverty, school rules, ill-health, disease, lack of qualifications, no opportunities in life,
dictatorship.
- This allows people to become free to do other things like getting a job, getting married,
buy a house or go to a secondary school.
- Freedom from control of different kinds and lack of certain things gives freedom to do
more things and freedom for new activities and choices.
- Freedom and responsibility go hand in hand.
- Adolescents in Zambia are restricted from some freedom in order to protect them from
making bad choices that will affect their lives.
- However, at age of 18, they can vote, drive, marry, drink alcohol or enrol in the army.

Freedom in Conflict
- The freedom of individuals in any given society – nation, family, school, may often clash.
- We have to balance the freedom of one person against the freedom of another person. In
order to enjoy freedom, we need to set boundaries.
- For example
(1) Musonda’s freedom to shout at Bwalya clashes with Chanda’s freedom to study
quietly
(2) Mr. Bandas’ freedom to spend his salary on beer clashes with his children’s’
freedom from hunger.

The Four Factors That Make Greater Freedom Possible in the World Today.
(i) Peoples ability to communicate e.g. phones
(ii) Peoples’ success in solving problems of time, distance and space
(e.g. modern vehicles, air craft etc.)
(iii) Peoples’ ability to organize societies as they want them to be (e.g. political parties, union’s,
co-operatives)
(iv) The development of science and technology (Better health equipment)

More Freedom, More Problems

More freedom for many people brings problems as well as advantages. For example,
(a) Freedom from parental guidance, entails that you will fully support yourself.

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 (b) Zambians worked hard for independence, political freedom but later they were divided
between political parties, tribes etc.
- No one is completely free because the freedom of different people in a community is in
conflict.

Groups and Individuals

- In some instances, the freedom of the group as a whole is more important than the freedom
of the individual members.
- In the Army, individual soldiers have no freedom, it is important that everyone in the Army
works together. Group freedom is therefore more important.
- In a school situation at break, each pupil is free to do whatever he likes in order to relax
and enjoy himself.

Freedom and Laws

- It is very common to see freedom of individuals clashing in a group.
- we need rules and laws to show us the proper priorities.
- Good laws help us to live more fully and freely. The constitutions and laws safeguard the
rights.
- It is impossible to live our lives without laws like the Ten Commandments.
- Unlike the rules of the game like football that can be easily changed by the interested
parties, the Ten Commandments cannot be changed because they are not thought of by a
group of people. They express the deep human values, they come from inside ourselves.

Freedom in the Bible

1. God Gives People Laws So That They Can Respect Each Other’s Freedom. There are
many laws in the Bible than the Ten Commandments.
 Do not cheat a poor and needy hired servant; pay him before sunset.
 Parents are not to be put to death for crimes of their children or vice versa.
 The Sabbath law was meant to give people freedom from working every day and
freedom to rest and relax.
- The Ten Commandments and other laws restrained the Israelites from exploiting each other
but to give special help to the poor (foreigners, orphans and widows).

2. Jesus sums up all the laws of the Old Testament into two laws
(a) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul and your mind.
(b) Love your neighbour as yourself.

FREEDOM IN ISLAM
- God created the law and sent the Prophets to show man the correct way to live.
- That’s (1) the five pillars of Islam.
(2) The Sharia Law
- Islam believes that God has given human beings a divine gift called freedom.
- Because of this gift man can use correctly or use badly all of God’s other gifts.
- Muslims emphasized that no one’s freedom should violate the freedom of another.

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FREEDOM IN ZAMBIAN TRADITIONAL LIFE
- Laws of the community meant to make people free with one another.
- Therefore, the freedom of an individual does not count, freedom is only possible within the
context of the community life.
- People were advised to help each other, to share what they had and to give special help to
the people in need.
- Songs, proverbs, dances and other activities were used to encourage people to be free and
live together.

The differences between REAL and IDEAL community

The Ideal Community

- In 1 Corinthians 12:14 – 26, Paul tells the Christians in Corinth that they should be a
community like a human body.
- This teaches the Christians the three characteristics of an ideal community.
(a) Each member must contribute what he can to the whole community.
(b) Each member must be respected and cared for by other members
(c) More care and respect must be shown to the weaker member.

A Real Community
- A real community is a group of people where the freedoms of each member and of all
the members are respected.
- There are Three Characteristics /Signs of a Real Community.
(i) Each member cares for all other members.
(ii) Each member receives what he needs.
(iii) Each member contributes what he can

Assignment
1. What is freedom? [1]
2. State three (3) things that hinder freedom of people. [3]
3. Why do people need freedom? [1]
4. State four (4) things from which people are trying to get more freedom. [4]
5. Explain why freedom of different individuals clash in the community. [2]
6. Write down four (4) factors that make greater freedom possible in the world today? [4]
7. What are the differences between the rules of football and the Ten Commandments? [2]
8. Why does God give people the laws? Give the reasons. [2]
9. Write down any four (4) universal human rights (freedoms) of every Person. [4]
10. What are the three (3) signs of a real community of people? [3]

BIBLE PASSAGES
1. If the foot were to say, because I am not the hand, I do not belong to the body that would
keep it from part of the body 1 Corinthians 12:15
a) What did St. Paul say Christians in Corinth should be like to the community?
b) Describe two things that St. Paul teaches about a community
c) Write down two characteristics of a real community

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TOPIC 2. AUTHORITY AND LEADERSHIP

- Authority means having power or right to give orders, make decisions and enforce
obedience.
- Leaders have authority vested in them.
- Laws and rules have authority that makes people to obey them.
- Equally leaders have authority or power that enable them to do their duties effectively
- Authority is always accompanied by an equal responsibility for one’s decisions, actions or
failure to act.
- Individuals who do not respect authority are called anti-social

- Three Types of Authority

(a) Legal Authority – people obey
(b) Charismatic Authority – based on exception and qualities of an individual
(c) Traditional Authority – based on traditions that have been in place for many
years e.g. chiefs

- Power is the ability of a person or a group to influence the beliefs and actions of other
people by leading and controlling.
- Authority is a form of power based on the right to give orders.
- Good leaders lead by authority and not by power
- Personal power come from one’s personality, experience or knowledge.
- Legitimate or official power comes from higher authority
- Power is also connected to people who hold a particular office of position.

Factors that Hinder the Proper use of Authority

1. Lack of power by the leader.
2. Lack of skills by the leader
3. Corruption – a leader dishonestly using his position to enrich himself.

- The anti- corruption (ACC) was established in 1988 to guard against corruption.

Leadership
- Leadership is the action of leading people or an organisation
- That’s having ability to lead or influence people to the goals

Leadership in four religions

- Religious leaders help make the world a better place.
- They can persuade or inspire their followers to act in good ways that help others.
- They provide spiritual leadership to people and give proper interpretations of the Bible and
other religious teachings or guide their followers about how to live better.

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1. Christianity

Leadership in the Old Testament

- For more than 400 years the leaders of Israel were the kings Deuteronomy 17:15–20
 The king should be chosen by God.
 Not have many wives least he turns away from God.
 Not make himself rich with gold and silver.
 Keep a copy of the book of Gods laws and teachings so as to honour and obey the Lord.
- The king/leader must protect the weak and the poor from the powerful, the rich and the
strong who oppress and exploit them Psalms 72:12–14.

- In Ezekiel 34:2–4, God condemn the kings who made themselves rich and did not care
about the poor and the weak.
- Such kings are doomed. They take care of themselves, eat well, dress smartly, drink milk
but never tend the sheep.
- They have neglected the weak, the sick, the injured and the lost.

Leadership in the New Testament

- Jesus was sent to help the weak, the poor and the oppressed, Mathew 12:17–20
- He was gentle to the weak and kind to the helpless.
- He brought justice to all the people.
- The disciples of Jesus, as leaders were supposed to be servants of the people,
Mark 10:42–45 or Luke 22:24–27
- Jesus washed of the feet of disciples as a servant and not master, John 13:3–15

2. Hinduism
- A Hindu Priest or religious leader is called a Swami, meaning master.
- Swamis serve others and support life in every way without accepting anything in return.
- A Swami leaves his old life behind and focuses on the future of his new simple life.

3. Islam
- A leader must obey Allah and the instructions of the Prophet Muhammad.
- Muslims must appoint a leader and follow him
- leadership in Islam is considered as a trust and responsibility
- A leader must fulfil his obligation to God and discharge his duties to the people faithfully.

4. Zambian Tradition Religion

- Chiefs and village heads have authority over people in a chiefdoms and villages.
- It is the duty of the leaders such chiefs, village heads and elders to maintain peace within
their communities.
- They are the guardians of traditional norms, values and practices in communities from
generation to generation.

Some Bemba Traditional Proverbs About Leadership

(a) Ubufumu bukashisha amenso (Chieftainship makes the eyes red).

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 (b) Wanya Wanya tateka calo (Threats and insults never rule a country).
(c) Kashi kalapya nomwene apilemo (The village was burnt and the village headman was
burnt in it)
(d) Icikete ingoma nolwimbo cileshiba (The one who plays the drum must lead in the
signing)
- The proverbs tell us that:
- Leadership brings a lot of work and worries to the leader.
- A leader must be faithful to the people to the point of dying for them
- A good leader must lead by example without threatening the people with punishments.
- A good leader must know the needs of his people

** Political Leadership
- Zambia is organized and governed democratically to ensure that power is shared between
political leaders and people.
- The leaders like the president and parliamentarians are elected every five years in making
decisions through referendums, conventions and national commissions.

- Leadership code is in place to ensure that

(a) Leaders serve the people well
(b) Leaders do not exploit the people
(c) Leaders do not enrich themselves

Types of Leadership
1. Autocratic leader makes decisions alone without consulting others.
- Such leaders possess total authority and impose their will on their followers (Dictator)
2. Laissez-faire Leader does not directly supervise his followers and allows them to make
many of their own decisions.
3. Participative (democratic) leader values the input of team members and followers, but
he is responsible for final decision.
- He absorbs the morale of his members who contribute to decision making.
4. Transactional leader negotiates tasks for followers to perform and provide feedback to
team members based on their performance.
- Leader and team members set goals together.
5. Transformational leaders motivate team members by communication and high visibility.
- A leader focuses on the big picture of the organization.
- He delegates smaller tasks to the team to accomplish goals

Purpose of leadership
- It is to achieve the goals and plans of the group
- A leader must lead and motivate the members to achieve the goals.
- He must focus on a better and big picture of the organization.

Characteristics of a Good Leader

1. A leader must have integrity. He must be honesty and trustworthy.
2. A leader must be able to communicate effectively with his members.

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 3. A leader must be intelligent. He must be rational and have good judgment when making
decisions
4. A leader must be devoted and committed to the goal of the group.
5. A leader must match his actions with his words and lead others by example
6. A leader must be willingly acceptable by his followers
7. A leader must be well balanced, neither too harsh nor too soft
8. A leader must be a good listener
9. A leader must be one who understands his people and explain reasons for decisions and
actions.

Laws and Rules

Laws and rules
Laws are – a system of rules used to control the actions of members in a community or
country.
- Laws and rules act as guideline to acceptable behaviour in a community.
- They help keep the community running smoothly.

The importance of laws and rules

The importance of laws and rules is the reason why communities and groups of people have laws,
rule and leaders: This includes:
1. To control the selfishness and greed of the people.
2. To protect the freedom of each member.
3. To co-ordinate the members to achieve the aim of the group
4. To provide boundaries so that people act with their freedom.
5. To safeguard the rights of citizens
6. To protect (weaker) citizens from exploitation by stronger members
7. To eliminate wrongdoing
8. To encourage the members to achieve their aims.

The differences between laws and rules

1. The penalties of breaking laws are much heavier than the (weight) penalties of breaking
rules.
2. In some cases, laws govern at higher levels of society like a country while in some cases
rules apply to a small group of people.

Sources of laws and rules

- The constitution, the Bible (Holy scriptures), the Highway Code, school rules, club rules
etc.

Assignment
1. What is authority?
2. (i) What are the 3 types of authority?
(ii) What kind of authority do chiefs possess?
3. What are the two factors that hinder the proper use of authority?
4. Who are the leaders in Hinduism?

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 5. According to Ezekiel 34:2–4, how are the leaders supposed to treat people? Give three
answers.
6. What is a leadership code?
7. Mention 3 types of leadership and explain them.
8. What is the purpose of leadership?
9. List down 4 qualities of a good leader.
10. What is the importance of laws and rules?
11. Mention 3 sources of laws and rules.

BIBLE PASSAGES

1. Jesus rose from the table, took off his outer garment and tied a towel around his waist.
‘Are you going to wash my feet lord’? John 13:4-12
a) Who said these words, are you going to wash my feet lord?
b) Explain what Jesus was about to do?
c) On what occasion were these words said?
d) What did Simon Peter say to Jesus when he came to him?
e) What did Jesus answer?
F) Mention the question Jesus asked his disciples when he returned to his place at the table.
g) Show the lesson Jesus taught his disciples by washing their feet?

2. ‘You are doomed, you shepherds of Israel! You take care of yourselves but never tend the
sheep…….’ Ezekiel 34:2-4
a) Who said these words?
b) Who was he talking to?
c) Why were the shepherds of Israel doomed?
d) Show two things they were doing to them.

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TOPIC 3. AMBITIONS AND HOPE
The Meaning of Ambition
- Ambition is a strong desire to achieve something great.
- We strive to do the best and accomplish the goal.
- Having ambitions can be a positive quality because ambition drives us to stretch ourselves and
achieve goals.
- Ambition helps us to have control over our destiny.
- It makes people work hard and be disciplined, and makes communities to grow.
- Negatively, ambition can blind us to the needs of others and make us selfish and self-centred,
wanting to get ahead at any cost.
- It can cause rivalry
- Ambitious people may achieve their goals of wealth, fame and power through corruption.
- Our ambitions change because of various Circumstances in our lives
- For example, Bwalya wanted to be a priest. When he failed his exams, he became a successful
farmer in Kawambwa.
- Our behaviour is based on our ambitions and our hope e.g if you study hard, you hope to be
selected to Grade 10.
- We can know what a person’s real ambitions are by observing his or her behaviour.

Factors That Determine Ambition

1. Stress – makes it difficult to focus on achieving ambition.

2. Illness – affects the ability to function effectively and achieve goals.
3. Emotional trauma – institutes ability to recognize our talents.
4. Friends and associations – bad company can negatively influence your ambition.
5. Drugs and alcohol will undermine ambition
6. Lack of guidance – interferes with your ambition
- How and why did Bwalyas’ ambitions change?
- How and why have your ambitions changed?

The Meaning of Hope

Hope – to look for something

- to expect something beneficial in the future

- Hope and ambition go hand in hand because if we do not have hope that our ambitions will be
achieved, there would be no point in planning for them.
- Human beings live with hope and perseverance.
- A mother feeds her baby with hope.
- A farmer plants his seeds with hope.

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Our hope is based on reasons. Those reasons are the basis of our hope.

- Mundia hopes to go to Grade 10, because he has been number one in his class from Grade 1.
Mundia’s hope is based on past achievements.
- More examples on page 23 of ‘Old’ pupil’s book (Marrian)

Factors Influencing Hope

1. Lack of support – destroys our hope.

2. Pain due to a long illness – can take away our hope.
3. Fear of rejection by others can have a bearing on hope.

Religious Teachings on Hope

Hope in Christianity

1. The Old Testament

- The Israelites looked upon God as the Creator of the world.

- God sees all what happens and what is in peoples’ heart.
- He always helps the weak against the strong.
- Psalms 62
“I depend on God alone;
I put my hope in him
He alone protects and saves me;
He is my defender,
and I shall never be defeated………”

2. The New Testament

- Christians do not have their hope for a happy life on material things – riches, success, business,
this could be foolish.
- The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16–21)
- The parable teaches us not to put our trust in material things but in God,
- And also to share our wealth with those who do not have.
- We should not be afraid and worried about material things because God is our father
and cares for us. Luke 12:22–34.
- Christians are hopeful because they believe that God loves the world and cares for the people.
- They trust that God will bring a good life for people.
- What makes Christians very sure about this is that God raised Jesus to life after he had suffered
and died for his belief.
- Religious people hope for a better future, not with more money and more comfort but with
better relationships between people, and between people and God.
- Religious people work hard for a better life,

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- They do not give up as their hope is based on God, on past events in which God shows love
for his people, and on God’s help.

Hope in Islam

- Muslims personal interest and wishes must reflect the will of God. They must be faithful
servants of God before everything else.
- Muslims believe that everything that happens is God’s will. God will reward the good and
faithful but will punish the wicked.
- Muslims’ hope is based on God’s complete power and on Gods’ justice and favour towards
good people.
- God will reward the faithful and obedient people in heaven.
- A Muslim expresses his trust and faith in God by accepting all that happens as Gods’ will sent
by God.
- The Quran says:
“If God sends you suffering, no one can remove it except God, If God gives you good luck, no
one can take his blessings from you. God is good to whoever he wishes to bless.”
- Those that repent, serve and praise God, fast, kneel and bow down before, those who show
justice, forbid evil and follow the commandments of God shall be richly rewarded.

Hope in Hinduism

- Samsara is a cycle of life, death and rebirth of each person. It is known also as reincarnation.
- Hindus have hope that by good thoughts and deeds, they will correct past wrongs and achieve
Karmic balance and step off the cycle of reincarnation.
- For Hindus, every relationship and situation is meaningful.

Hope in African (Zambian) Tradition Religion

- Traditional Africans believe that children, wealth and prosperity are blessings from God and
ancestors.
- These blessings come to people who work hard and keep traditional values of the community.
- By doing this, people have hope of achieving the important status of ancestor hood in the
afterlife.

Hope gives Inner Strength.

- Hope helps to walk into the future without fear.

- Hope helps to overcome difficulties and problems and to be responsible for my actions.

Vocation
- Vocation is a calling from God.

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- God has created and called each person to live on earth for a particular purpose.
- This determines the way someone lives and works in obedience to Gods’ call. For such people
their ambition is to be faithful to the will of God.
- Church ministers; priests, brothers, sisters, elders; parents etc. often speak of their daily work
as a vocation e.g. mother Teresa of Calcutta. Some people do charitable and voluntary work
and do not get paid. This is their vocation, an offering to God. Others acknowledge that their
life and possessions have been given to them by God, and must be used in ways pleasing to
God. They believe the whole of life is religious.
- Vocation can also be finding a suitable career or profession in which you reach your full
potential (self-actualization).
- Serving a vocation is having a life purpose.

Types of Vocation
1. Church minister (Religious people) (such as priests, pastors, brothers, sisters, deacons, church
elders etc) called to do God’s work
2. People who do charity and voluntary work
3. people who offer critical service such medical personnel, teachers, etc

Assignment
1. List four ambitions that people have. [4 marks]
2. Write four reasons why ambitions change. [4 marks]
3. What is the basis of hope? [1 mark]
4. State what Muslims’ hope is based on……………. [1 mark]
5. Why do Christians have hope? [2 marks]
6. What is your vocation? [1 mark]
7. What is the difference between vocation and career? [ 1 mark]
8. Why is hope important in life? [2 marks]
9. Write two negative aspects of ambition. [2 marks]
10. (a) Why did God call the rich man a fool? [1 mark]
(b) Why did the rich man break down the small ban and build a big one? [1 mark]
(c) List down 3 things that the rich man said to himself after gathering his wealth. [3 marks
11. In whom did the Israelites in the Old Testament put their hope? [1 mark)
12. We can know someone’s real ambitions by ______ [1 mark]
13. What is Hinduism hope based on? [1 mark]

BIBLE PASSAGES
1. ‘The man said I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones where I will store my corn
and all my goods…...’ Luke 12:16-34
a) What made the man tear down his barns?
b) What did Jesus call this man?
c) What does Jesus tell his followers to do with their goods?
d) Where does Jesus tell his followers to store their riches?
e) Give one reason the man walked away very sad.
2. ‘Look how the flowers grow……even Solomon in his glory was not like one of these’.
Luke 12:27

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a) Whom was Jesus addressing?
b) Provide other examples did Jesus give?
c) What was Jesus teaching?
d) Give two reasons why Christians are hopeful

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TOPIC 4. FRIENDSHIP, LOVE AND MARRIAGE

Meaning of Friendship
- A friend is a person;
- You like very much, trust, share secrets with, enjoy being with and respect.
- Any person who is not your enemy

Conditions of True Friendship.

1. True friendship is based on trust and love.
2. True friends are honest and respect each other.
3. True friends keep secrets
4. True friends spend time together and stay in touch.
5. True friends share resources, secrets and render help to each other.
6. True friends work hard to remain faithful to each other.
7. True friends advise each other positively and inspire each other.
8. A true friend accepts your family and friends.
9. A true friend makes you feel free, complete, helps you know yourself-better, and helps
improve one’s character.

Religious Teachings on Friendship

1. Christianity
(a) Friendship in the Old Testament

Ruth 1:1–17 (Ruth and Naomi)

- Ruth was the daughter–in–law of Naomi. She was from Moab and had been married to
Ruth’s son who later died.
- She became a real friend of Naomi, her mother-in-law and a widow.
- Ruth promised to remain with her till death separated them.
- In Vs. 16,17; but Ruth answered her, don’t ask me to leave you
- Let me go with you. Where you go, I will go; where ever you live, I will live.
- Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die,
and that is where I will be buried.
- May the Lord’s worst punishment come upon me if I let anything but death separate me from
you?

Assignment

1. How did Ruth show that she was a real friend of Naomi?
2. State two ways in which Naomi showed true friendship to Ruth.

David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 18,19 and 20)

- Jonathan was a son of Saul, the king of Israel.

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- Jonathan swore eternal friendship with David because of his deep affection for him.
- Jonathan gave David his robe, his amour, sword, bow and belt.
- David the son of Jesse, was a successful soldier of Saul and was loved by others.
- David met Jonathan in King Saul’s palace where he had gone to serve the king as a musician.
- As a soldier in the army, David killed the giant Goliath who had given the nation of Israel a
hard time
- David was praised by many people and women sung a son for him
- Saul became jealous of him because he feared that David would take over his kingdom. Thus
Saul perceived David as an enemy.
- He planned to kill him.
- But Jonathan acted as a true friend to David and warned him of his father’s plans to kill him.
- After the death of Jonathan, David continued showing friendship to Jonathan family.

Assignment

1. How did Jonathan show that he was a real friend of David?

2. How did David show that he was a real friend to Jonathan?

(b) Friendship in the New Testament

Matthew 16:21–23
- “I must go to Jerusalem and suffer much from the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of
the law. I will be put to death, three days later I will be raised to life.”
- Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “God forbid it lord! That must never happen”
- Jesus turned round and said to Peter, get away from me Satan! You are an obstacle in my way.

Assignment
(a) Why was Jesus going to Jerusalem?
(b) After how many days did He raise to life.
(c) Why did Peter rebuke Jesus?
(d) Why did Jesus call Peter Satan?

Mark 14:18, John 14:13-15 (The betrayal of Jesus)

- While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, I tell you that one of you will betray me- one
who is eating with me.
(a) Who betrayed Jesus?
(b) At what occasion was Jesus betrayed?

Jesus showed that he was a true friend to his disciples in many ways.

(a) He lived and ate with them.

(b) He forgave their sins and healed them.
(c) He welcomed and accepted them.

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 (d) He was frank and open to them and rebuked those who did wrong.
(e) He prayed for them on the cross.
(f) He gave his life for them on the cross
(g) He trusted them to carry on his mission.

- The disciples showed friendship to Jesus by;

(i) Living and travelling with him.
(ii) Going out to preach the good news
(iii) Loving and respecting him.
(iv) Accepting that they could continue Jesus’ work on earth.

2. Friendship in Hinduism
The Rig Veda
- “The one who helps a passer – by when asked makes that passer – by a friend for days to come.
The one who does not share his food with his friends, the comrade at his side is no true friend.
When a man returns from winning a victory, his friends are full of happiness.”
- A Hindu boy is told at his initiation ceremony. “You have become a protector of your friends
against the curse of men.”

* Hindus show true friendship by

(a) Offering practical help such as giving food, clothes, shelter to others.
(b) Rejoicing when others succeed.
(c) Protecting others from danger.

3. Friendship in Islam
The Quran
- A friend is one who should be close to you
“All believers are brothers. Be at peace with all brothers and make
peace among them.”

- Muslims show true friendship by;

(i) Making peace with other people (friends)
(ii) Observing one’s duty to Allah

- Muslims stress good qualities that a friend should have such as trustworthy, honest and loyalty

4. Friendship in Zambian Traditional Life

- Friendship is encouraged as it helps to build the community
- Friendship also promotes sharing with those in need.
- Many proverbs and songs are used to teach young people about the value of friendship.

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1. Umubyo untu wabona pacimbo ca mfwa (Lala) - A friend is the one you see singing at the
funeral.)

2. Chibwenzi ca nkhwangwa cakoma pakwera (chinyanja) - The friendship of an axe is good only
when one is climbing up.

A PERSON’S CHARACTER
- A persons character is made up of different parts:
- Physical needs: Feelings which our bodies have like hunger, pain, heat and thirst etc.
- Social needs: We need friends, to feel we belong to a group. We need to love and to be loved.
- Emotions: Strong feelings we experience at different times, such as anger, happiness, jealousy,
sadness, fear etc.
- Reason: Our ability to think and work out what is really good for ourselves and for others.
- Will: out ability to do what is good for ourselves and other people even when we do not feel
like doing it. It is also our ability not to do what we feel like doing when it is not good for us
or others.

LOVE
- True love involves the following FOUR aspects.

EMOTION PHYSICAL

LOVE

SOCIAL
SPIRITUAL

What is Love?
- Love is a feeling
- Love is a decision
- Love grows and matures
- Love protect the loved one
- Love shares
- True Love is based on responsible friendship

Types of Love
- There are Five types of love
i. Parental – love between Parents and children
ii Filial – love between Children and parents
iii. Civic – love among people not related and based on mutual respect and common interests.

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Iv. Marital – love between husband and wife
v. Creaturely – love between people and God. This love is agape, unconditional love

Differences between Love and Infatuation

S/N Love Infatuation

1. Love takes time Infatuation come suddenly

2. Love comes after seeing a person in Love at first sight

many situations

3. Love is based on knowing the inner Infatuation is based on

person, the qualities and the attitude appearance, social, abilities
etc.

4. Love wants the other person to be truly Infatuation is selfish, wanting

happy in life pleasure now

5. Love gives Infatuation takes

6. Love sees the other person as he or she Infatuation sees only the
really has both the positive and the positive side and ignores the
negative qualities negative side

Factors that promote love

1. Communication – talking to each other

2. Respect for each other
3. Hardworking – working together
4. Honest in all dealings
5. Faithfulness to each other
6. Forgiveness – forgive each other
7. Commitment to the relationship
8. Peace – being peaceful
9. Contentment
10. Generosity
11. Humility

Factors that hinder love

1. Laziness – making no effort to improve the relationship

2. Pride – makes people not to take up responsibilities or to apologize

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 3. Lack of forgiveness
4. Fighting/quarrelling over small issues
5. Suspicion
6. Incompatibility – having no common interest, values or morals
7. Failure to accept the friends/family members of the partner
8. Unfaithfulness
9. Hatred
10. Tribalism and racism
11. Greed/selfishness
12. Jealousy
13. Envy
14. Nepotism

Religious Teachings on Love

Christianity
- In Christianity the two most important commandments are:
Mathew 22: 37–39
(a) To love God with all your heart, with all your soul…
(b) To love your neighbour as yourself.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:27–37)

- The Samaritan gives up his time, transport and money, and risks his life and property for the
sake of the injured man.
- This completely unselfish love is the main teaching of the New Testament.

- Love of God comes first before love of oneself and others (Marks 8:34-35)

- The Attributes of Love (1 Corinthians 13:4–8)

“Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous, or conceited or proud. Love is not ill mannered or
selfish or irritable…”

- Religions teach that loving God is more important than loving people.

Islam
- The Hadith states that:

“All human beings are sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. God loves the person who
loves the human beings God has created…None of you is a believer until he loves for
his brother what he loves for himself.”

- The Quran says: “Apart from God you have not friend or helper…”

Love in Hinduism

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 Mahabharata
“Do nothing to others which, if done to you, would cause you pain…True righteousness is to
treat other people as you wish to be treated. Do nothing to your neighbour which you would
not like your neighbour to do to you.”

- The Bhagavid Gita

“God says I have the same attitude to all human beings; I hate none of them and love none of
them, but those who worship me sincerely are in me, and I am in them.”

“The person dear to God behaves the same way to an enemy and a friend, sees no difference
between praise and blame, between cold and hot, between pleasure and pain…is full of love
for God.”

Love in Zambian Tradition

- People were encouraged to promote harmony, peace, unity, sharing and love among the
community members.
- Abana bankashi ba akene ulubalala lumo (Bemba) - Children of the same mother shared one
groundnut.
- People would share and participate in the joy and sorrows of every community member.

MARRIAGE
Meaning of Marriage

- Marriage is a formal or legal union of a man and a woman, by which they become husband
and wife.
- When two people get married they make a person to share their lives together.
- Marriage provides a way for people to live together in love, trust and intimacy and it provides
a stable basis for bringing up children.
- A legal marriage legitimizes a social status and creates a set of legally recognized rights and
duties.

Types of marriages

1. Statutory Law Marriages

- Marriages contracted under the marriage Act and are registered.
- Such marriages are monogamous and
- The partner enjoys full protection of the Zambian Law. A Marriage certificate is given to the
couple.
2. Customary Law Marriages
- Marriages contracted under customary law.
- These are not registered but recognized by the courts of law.

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- Such marriages leave room for polygamy.

- Christian weddings take place in church and are registered. They are monogamous.
- Other marriages such as gay marriages are not allowed in Zambia. Cohabiting marriages
maybe recognized by the courts but not encouraged in the country.

Qualities of a good wife

1. Kind and loving
2. Obedient and understanding
3. Clean
4. Patient
5. Keep secrets
6. Humble and peaceful
7. Social
8. Hardworking
9. A good leader
10. Caring

Qualities of a good husband

1. Respect
2. Social
3. Kind
4. Loving and caring
5. Generous
6. Faithful
7. A good leader

NB: The qualities above may apply to both wife and husband.

Religious Teachings on Marriage

Religions teach that marriage is a way of expressing true love and real friendship between a
man and a woman.
- Love is the condition for the happiness in marriage.

1. Christianity
- God created the man and the woman and blessed them and asked them to subdue the earth
- “A man should fulfil his duty as a husband and a woman should fulfil her duty as a wife….”
(1 Corinthians 7: 3–4)
- The husband and wife are responsible to raise children, help each other, and love each other
and to offer friendship.

2. Marriage in Hinduism
- In Hinduism marriage is a sacrament and a life commitment to each other.

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- The couple work together to express true friendship, loving through service and create and live
a spiritual family life.
- The woman and her family pay dowry to the family of a man.
- “Let me reach your friendship; let me not be separated from your friendship, let your friendship
not to go away from me; I hold your heart in service and friendship.” A man says these words
to a woman in Hindu marriage ceremony.
- The wife and husband are responsible to build a new family and to produce children.

3. Marriage in Islam
- The purpose of marriage is to preserve the religion through the creation of a family.
- Muhammad said;
“A man who has been blessed with a chaste wife has been helped by God to achieve half his
Islam, then he should observe piety so as to achieve the other half.”
The wife and the husband are responsible to build a new family
- Avoid immorality
- Produce children and more followers of Islam
- Bring two families together

4. Marriage in Zambian Tradition Religion

- The purpose of marriage was to bear children
- In the past parents could choose marriage partners for their sons.
- Agreements between the families of a man and woman made marriage strong.
- Dowry or lobola was/is given to the woman’s family. The husband must be steady.
- The following were the responsibilities of a man and a woman in marriage:
(a) Produce children
(b) Strengthen the clan
(c) Build family relationships within the community

Causes of marital differences

1. Money: Couples argue over bills, spending and other financial issues.
2. Children: Discipline, diet and similar parenting issues can be source of disagreement.
3. Sex: frequency, quality, infidelity can bring disharmony
4. Lack of time together and time apart.
5. Unfair distribution of household work.
6. Friends: Not all friends are helpful.
7. Irritating habits
8. Expectations: Unmet expectations
9. Infertility
10. Lack of love

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The effects of unfaithfulness in marriage

- Just like prostitution or sex before marriage, sex outside marriage also called unfaithfulness
is wrong and has negative effect such as:
(a) Divorce
(b) Broken families
(c) Unwanted children
(d) Children brought up by one parent
(e) Leads to fighting and killing
(f) Families heated by children due to death of parents.
(g) Families heated by children due to death of parents.
(h) Love of trust in a cheating partner.
(i) Disrespect the other partner as the image of God.
(j) Exploit others sexually
(k) Affect children’s’ performance at school
(l) Results in children’s’ behaviour problems
(m) The cheating partner feels gait that affect his self-confidence and self – worth.

Assignment

1. Describe the four different aspects of a person involved in love.

2. Mention three reasons why sex outside marriage and prostitution is wrong.
3. Explain the purpose of marriage in most traditions.
4. State four differences between love and infatuation.
5. State four types of love.
6. What is reason?
7. What strengthened marriages in African Traditional religion?
8. In Hindu tradition, who pays dowry?
9. In the New Testament, which parable teaches unselfish love?

BIBLE PASSAGES

1. Jesus said,’’ I have set an example for you, so that you will do just what I have done for
you’’. John 13: 15
a. On what occasion did Jesus say these words?
b. To whom did Jesus say these words?
c. What had Jesus done for them?
d. This was one way Jesus taught his disciples. What why is this?

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TOPIC 5. SUFFERING AND DEATH
The meaning of suffering

- Human beings experience pain and suffering including death.

- Suffering is experiencing pain or sadness
- Suffering is also a state of undergoing pain, distress or hardship.
- Suffering takes many forms or types such as: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual pain
and suffering.
- People suffer from sickness, injury, accidents, hunger, robbery, death of relatives, and loss of
jobs, fail to achieve goals.

The meaning death

- All living things die

- Death means the end of life.
- It is important to find meaning in life since we don’t know when death will come our way.

Reactions to suffering

- People react to pain and suffering in different ways.

 Getting angry, crying, blaming God, blaming others, trying harder, complaining,
blaming themselves, giving up getting depressed etc.

Effects of death

- The death of a loved one can be overwhelming, frightening and painful experience.
- The effects of death can be psychological, social and physical expressed through grief.
- Grief include denial, anger and guilt
- Other effects of death, include confusion, social withdrew, loss of income, questioning of faith
etc.
- Financial problems, withdraw from school, lack of sleep, feelings of powerlessness.

Ways of comforting people

- When a person is disappointed or suffers the loss of a loved one, other people may give help,
support and comfort in many ways. These may include:
1. Encouraging a person not to give up.
2. Give money, shelter, medicine or advice
3. Gather to mourn and give comfort at a funeral
4. Listen to the person without judging and give advice.
5. Provide support and information needed
6. Help with daily tasks, making phone calls, babysitting children or caring for pets.

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Religious Teachings on Suffering, Death and Life After Death

Suffering in Christianity

The Bible teaches that sufferings and disappointments are sent by God. Here are the reasons:

(a) To punish people for their sins and for disobeying God, (Deuteronomy 8:15–24)
(b) To discipline people and teach them, (Hebrews 12:5–11)
(c) To test and purify people’s faith in God, (1 Peter 1:6–7)
(d) Because suffering is the way of entering the kingdom of God,
(e) To teach people that they depend completely on God for everything

Suffering in Hinduism

- Hinduism teaches that suffering and disappointment come to people because of

(a) Caring about things and our bodies
- People are attached to things
- People can avoid suffering and disappointment by abandoning the desires and ambitions
(Bhagavad Gita)
(b) People suffer because of Karma – results of our actions.
- Good actions have good results and bad actions have bad results.
- Bad action or bad karma can lead people to be reborn in a life of suffering and pain
- Bad karma can be removed by doing good deeds.

Suffering in Islam

- Sufferings come from God who has all powers.

- A Muslim must accept the suffering from God and will be rewarded in the end.
- God will test your faithfulness with fear and famine, with loss of life, prosperity and crops.
- We belong to God and to him we shall return.
- God does not put a burden on a soul greater than it can support (Quran)

Suffering in Zambia Traditional Life

- Traditionally in Zambia, troubles and suffering come to people because

(a) They have displeased or neglected the spirits
- If the spirits are respected, they can protect against diseases and bad lack
(b) They are hated by a witch
- Sometimes death, sickness or bad luck is blamed on a witch.
- A witch is a person who hates other people and uses special power to hurt or kill them
(c) They have not been fair to others or handles their affairs properly e.g. neglecting
parents or disappointing their spouses.

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Lunda Proverbs

1. Maditu anpwampu mwinungu (The tears of an orphan fall on his own knees).
2. Kubabala kufuma hakuchimonahu (A person is wiser after misfortunes).

Bemba Proverbs

1. Umupashi ushipalwa mupokwa nama (If the spirit is not respected he will take away the
animals during hunting.
2. Umupashi uwaishibikwa taulya muntu. (If the spirit is respected he will prevent bad things
from happening.

 Kauzyanga m’fwiti cala kwem’futi mtilinga nenge (Tumbuka)

An adviser is not a witch, the witch is the one who wants to be equal to you.
 Wakalowa tonaa kasya mucelo (Tonga) The one who bewitched did not need to dig
roots.
 Ukwauka usamgwira nyanyhhga (Chinyanja (When you are poor do not take hold of
the horn.

Modern Science opposes traditional answers to suffering

- It looks for natural causes for events based on past experiences, experiments, tests and accepted
laws of nature.

The suffering of Jesus

- Jesus was disappointed because many people rejected his teaching and help.
- His family and neighbours and his followers failed to understand Him at times, Mark 3:20–
22, 6:1 – 6, 8:31 – 33.
- Jesus also suffered physically. The story of his sufferings and death by crucifixion is found in
Mark 14:22– 15:37.
- The last days of his life Jesus suffered in many ways:
 His friend Judas betrayed him.
 All his disciples left him and beat him.
 People insulted him and beat him.
 Peter disowned him.
 He was whipped and mocked
 He was nailed to a cross and insulted until he died

Jesus’ Reaction to Suffering

- Jesus did not complain or protest

- He offered his suffering, life, body and blood to God for the sake of other people Mark 14:22–
24

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- Jesus accepted that suffering was necessary for him to fulfil his fathers’ will.
- Jesus prayed to God to forgive those who caused him pain or suffering.
Pain can be useful, as it can warn us of injury or disease and helps us take action.
- To win the game, medals, to pass the exams and to bring up children, people have to suffer a
lot of pain; sleeping less hours, giving up comfort, time and spending money etc.
- Some people even sacrifice their lives for their goals.

Preparing for Death

- People who die of old age or illness are often aware of death.
- They request their religious leaders and family members to be present while they die, to pray
for them or to conduct the funeral.
- When preparing for death, people try to resolve old quarrels and ask for forgiveness from
people they have wronged.
- People who die suddenly or in accidents have no time to prepare for death.
- Some people try to live a good life so as to inherit heaven.
- Some pray to God for help, strength, and forgiveness before they die.
- Some buy burial places in advance
- Others write a will and invest for the children.

Respect for the Dead

- To show respect to the dead, people do the following:

1. They attend the burial
2. They stand still or stop their cars as the body is taken past them.
3. They praise the dead person and say nothing bad about that person
4. The government declares a period of national mourning for some people; solemn music is
played and flags fly at half – mast.
5. They wear black clothes.
6. They put flowers at the grave.
7. They observe a moment of silence
8. They view the body
9. They name their children after the dead person
10. They visit the grave
11. They hold memorial service or death anniversary of death
12. They conduct prayers for the deceased.

Religious Teachings on Death

- Why do people die?

- Different religions have different explanations about death and life after death.

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Zambian Traditional Life

- Death came into the world because of man’s bad behaviour. God left the earth because man
had become a killer.
- In other stories, an animal with the message of death arrived on earth earlier than the animal
carrying the message of life. So death was released to rule the world and people started dying.

Christianity

- The Bible teaches that people die because of:

(i) disobedience of Adam and Eve
(ii) their (sins) wickedness - God decided that people will not live forever

Islam

- Like in Genesis, the Quran states that Adam and his wife, Hawa, ate the fruit from the
forbidden tree after being tempted by Satan.
- Allah cursed them with death because of disobedience.

Hinduism

- Hinduism teaches that people die because death is the gate to another life.
- Death is not the end of a person.
- Yama is the first person to die and conquer death. He is the king of death- the collector of
souls.
- People pray to Yama to free them from life in their bodies to join the life after death.
- Hindus burn the body of a dead person to free the soul from the body.

Religious Teaching on Life after Death

Life after death in the Bible

- Many Jews believe that the dead people would live again and be judged by God.
- The good would enjoy life forever, and the bad people would be punished.
Daniel 12:2), Isaiah, 14:9–11, Psalms 16:9–10)
- At the time of Jesus, some Jews (the Pharisees) believed in the resurrection after death, but
the other Jews called the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:6–
8).

The Resurrection of Jesus

- The first followers of Jesus became sure that there was life after death when they knew that
Jesus had risen from death
- For the Christians, the resurrection of Jesus from death is the most important event in history.

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- The event has many different meanings for Christians:
(a) It puts Christians right with God
(b) It proves Jesus is the son of God
(c) It means that Jesus has prepared a place with God for his followers
(d) It made it possible for Christians to receive the Holy spirit
(e) It makes Christians sure that they will also rise from death.

Christian Idea about Life After Death

- Christians believe that people will rise from death and they will be judged according to their
good or bad deeds.
- Jesus will come the second time and judge people at the final judgment
- God loves people and will raise them from death Christians do not fear death, they know that
God loves them in this life and they strive to live a good life so as to enjoy eternal life with
God.
- When a Christian dies, the family and friends hold the funeral to grieve for that person and to
give thanks for his or her life.
- A funeral service is also held at the church mainly on the day of burial (or cremation).

Life after Death in Islam

- The Muslims believe in life after death and the judgment of people.
- The Quran states that God will raise people from death and judge them on the Day of
Judgment.
- God will reward the faithful ones and punish the unbelievers (evil doers).
- The righteous shall surely live in happiness; the wicked shall burn in hell fire on the Day of
judgment.
- The shahada (confession) is said by the dying person or whispered in his/her ears by family
members or friends.
- In the grave, the dead person faces towards Mecca.
- After death, Muslims perform rituals, wash the body and wrap it in shroud for burial within
24 hours.
- Cremation is prohibited in Islam.

Life after Death in Hinduism

- The soul of a person does not die, because it is part of the Great soul called Brahman.
- Every Hindu hopes that his soul will be united with Brahman and set free from living in a body
in this world.
- This freedom from being born into another body is called Moksha.
- If the soul has not (reached) achieved Moksha, it is reborn into another body – good or bad
depending on the life a person lived before death.

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- Hindus usually burn (cremate) the body of a dead person so that the soul is free to unite with
Brahman or to be reborn into a next body.

Life after Death in Zambian Traditional

- Lesa tona cakwe (Bemba proverb) - God does not destroy his creatures.
- The Zambian traditional belief is that the spirit of the dead person still lives.
- It remains part of the community. It does not die.
- It has power to help or to harm people.
- The spirit of the dead person gives gifts and is asked to help or protect the people.
- The spirit of a witch will continue troubling people as the witch had done before death.
- The body of a witch can be dug out and burnt to maintain peace in the community
- Such spirits and those of bad people were driven away during celebrations (birth, puberty or
marriage) as they were thought to bring bad lack or misery on the society.
- The spirits of good people and powerful people will continue helping and blessing people and
will still be powerful and important in the community.
- It is vital to respect the spirits of the dead.
- Usually, the burial of the dead person is done within 24 hours in rural parts of Zambia.

MARTYRS

- A martyr is a person who dies or killed for his faith in God (religious, political or social belief).
- Some people are ready to die for the sake of other people or for what they believe in
- There are some African children who expressed belief in eternal life with God by accepting
death for Jesus’ sake without fear.
1. Charles Lwanga and his companions were killed in Uganda in 1886 for being Christians.
They died joyfully singing praises to God.
2. A catechist from Mozambique, Bernard Mizeki who taught children faith accepted death
joyfully in 1896 in Zimbabwe. He refused to run away and leave his children in
Mashonaland
3. In 1928 in South Africa, Manche Masemola, a young girl was baptized against the will
of her family. She was murdered for becoming a Christian. She was not afraid to be killed.
4. In 1964 during the civil war in Burundi, Yona Kanamuyezi, a children deacon, was
helping the refugees at both sides. He was shot by the soldiers for helping people of the
other tribe.

Other examples of martyrs

5. Dietrich Bonheoffer (1906 – 1945)

He was a German theologian who was against Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. His belief
made him to be killed in a concentration camp.
6. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 – 1968)

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 He was a great man who worked for racial equality and civil rights in America. His father
was minister of God. Martin experienced racism in his life. Later, he became active in
peacefully fighting unfair treatment of African – Americans. He won the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1964. He was assassinated on 4th April 1968.
7. Samora Machel
- He was born 1933
- He was dedicated to creating an independent Mozambique. He became the commander and
chief of the FRELIMO Army. He fought the Portuguese and forced them to leave
Mozambique. Machel become the President in 1975. Machel was awarded the Lemin peace
prize.
- He was killed in a plane crash on 19th October,1986 as he was coming from the meeting in
Zambia.

Assignment
1. Mention two ways in which people react to disappointments and sufferings.
2. State two different traditional explanations for a person suffering.
3. According to Hinduism, why do people suffer?
4. What is karma?
5. How can bad Karma be removed?
6. Why do Hindus burn the bodies of the dead?
7. What is reincarnation?
8. Why are the spirits of the dead respected in African Traditional religion?
9. According to Islam, who will be rewarded and punished on judgement day.
10. Give two reasons why God sends people suffering.
11. How did Jesus react to his sufferings?
12. State two meanings of the resurrection of Jesus Christ for Christians.
13. At the time of Jesus which Jews did not believe in resurrection?
14. Who is a martyr?
15. Mention two African Christians who accepted death.

BIBLE PASSAGES

1. “Take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not what I want but what you want.”
Mark 14:36

a) Who said these words?

b) Where did this happen?
c) Name the three disciples who were sleeping nearby on this occasion
d) Explain two ways Jesus suffered during the last day of his life
e) Assess the reaction of Jesus to his suffering.

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TOPIC 6: PRAYER

Meaning of Prayer
- Prayer is the communication between people and the greater life (God)
Religion Greater Life
Muslims One God (Allah)
Christians God, The trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Hindus Brahman
Zambian traditional life Creator- God and the spirits
- Prayer is about asking God for what we need and believing that he will do the best things for
us.
- People pray for the beloved ones, for wisdom to solve problems, for rains, for heating and
deliverance etc.
- People pray at different times of need such as sickness, problems, wars, exams, marriage etc.
- Different ways of praying involve various activities such as:
1. Petition – asking for things or help to do things
2. Listening – to commandments or guidance
3. Thanksgiving – for gifts received
4. Unity – between the person praying and the greater life
5. Repentance (saying sorry for the wrong done)
6. Praising God for his greatness and goodness
7. Giving gifts and offering sacrifices.
- Prayer should be part of our daily life our life

Three Kinds of Prayer

1. Private Prayer
- A person alone communicates with God or the spirit or Brahman
- Private prayers bring people closer to God as it helps cultivate a healthy relationship and make
a person know God better
- A person can know God better only by spending time listening to God and talking to God.
2. Community Prayer
- A religious person needs to join in community prayer because religion is not a selfish thing.
- Community prayer takes place when people of the same faith come together to worship and
pray to God.
- It means sharing with other people, helping other people, being united with other people and
expressing your beliefs to other people
3. Prayer of Action
- This is when people express their religion in their everyday life, by their behaviour and
attitudes towards other people.
- Private prayer and community prayer must be expressed in action to be meaningful.
- Actions speak louder than words.

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- Your real beliefs must be seen in your behaviour.

Religious Teaching on Prayer

Prayer in Christianity

- Prayer is a very important activity in the life of a Christian.

- The Bible gives many examples of people praying to God.
- Jesus prayed to his father at different times and for different reasons.

Examples of Jesus Praying

1. Jesus spent time in private prayer

(a) He went to the mountain to pray. He chose the twelve.
(b) He kneeled and prayed during his agony.
2. Jesus also joined in community prayer.
(a) He attended the synagogue on the Sabbath
(b) He celebrated the Passover feast with his disciples.
3. Jesus always expressed his prayers in action by obeying God.

Jesus teachings on prayer

Jesus told his disciples

(a) to pray in private (Mt 6:6)

(b) to pray not only with words but also with their actions (Mt 7:21)
(c) to continue to share bread and wine in memory of him (1 Cor 11:23–25, 10:16–17, Acts
2: 42–47)
(d) He told them God would always answer their prayers
(e) The disciples should not give up praying
(f) The Parable of the Pharisee and The Collector
(g) Jesus taught his followers how to pray. The Lord’s Prayer – Mt 6:9–14)

The disciples should be humble when praying and asking for forgiveness and not boasting to God.

Holy Communion (Lord’s supper)

- It is a special Christian community prayer and holy meal where Christians obey Jesus’
command to share bread and wine in his memory for the following reasons:
(i) Show that they are united as one community
(ii) Show that they are united with Christ
(iii) Show that they are continuing Jesus’ work in the world

Prayer in Islam

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- Every Muslim must worship and pray to God 5 times a day.
- Muslims pray facing the direction of Mecca
- they must wash their faces, hands, arms and his feet
- A Muslim prays with his head covered and feet bare
- A Muslim can say his prayers at any time and in any place
- some have mats on which they pray
- The prayer begins with these words “God is most great! God is most great! I bear witness
that there is no God except God. I bear witness that Mohammad is the Prophet of God. Come
to prayers, come to prayer.”
- A Muslim must do certain actions during prayer to worship and show complete obedience to
God.
- When praying, he raises his hands, then bows and then kneels down., bends forward until his
face touches the mat or ground.

Prayer in the Mosque

- The mid – day prayers on Friday are held at the Mosque.

- Every Mosque has a place for the people to wash before praying
- The same prayers that are said on other days or elsewhere are also said in the Mosque with the
same actions.
- There are no seats in the Mosque.
- There are no pictures or statues or images in a mosque.
- The walls may be decorated with patterns of lines or verses from the Quran.
- The Friday midday prayers in the mosques are attended only by men. Women do not attend
prayers in the Mosque. They pray at home.
- Any man can lead prayers in the Mosque.
- The leader reads the Quran in Arabic but can deliver a sermon in the language of congregants.
- The worshippers sit on the floor during prayers.
- In the Mosque, there is no offering or collection of money during worship.

Prayer in Hinduism

- In Hinduism prayer is by an individual, not by a congregation.

- There are no rules about how to pray or worship.
- Ramakrishna (Hindu teacher) said, “Pray to him in any way you like. He is sure to hear you,
for he can hear even the footsteps of an ant”
- Om is a holy word used in Hindu prayers, at the beginning and end of any reading from the
Vedas.
- Gayati is the prayer most often said at sunrise or sunset.
“We meditate on the glorious splendour of the divine life – giver. May he himself give light to
our minds.
- Hindus prefers to use mantras in prayers.

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- A mantra is a word or short phrase said repeatedly.
- It helps to focus on what is important and remove distracting thoughts.
- Many Hindus use images, idols or objects to help them concentrate on prayer and worship.
- Mahatma Gandhi said, “I do not dis–believe in idol worship … I think idol worship is part
of human nature. Images are an aid to worship (not gods or sin)”
- A Hindu may worship one particular god e.g. vishnu or shiva, but each god shows only part
of the truth of Brahman.

** DIWALI

- Diwali is one of the most popular Hindu festivals in Zambia.

- There are many lights at Diwali in Hindu houses to welcome wealth and prosperity for the
New Year and to give thanks for the crops and the harvest of the previous year.
- Houses are cleaned; fireworks are exploded to frighten away evil spirits.
- Friends exchange greetings and presents as Christians do at Christmas.
- Diwali is the feast of the goddess Lakshmi, the wife of the god Vishnu.
- Lakshmi is the one who brings wealth and prosperity.

** Hinduism is the religion of Hindus who believe that the meaning of life
is to unite the soul with Brahman.
- The Hindu expresses this belief by following one of the four ways of Moksha.
1. The way of action – working hard to do your duty.
2. The way of discipline – controlling your body and sense to avoid pain or physical desire.
3. The way of devotion – loving, worshiping and thinking about God.
4. The way of self – denial – giving up wealth, pleasure, food, sex etc to concentrate on God.

Prayer in Zambian Traditional Life

- Most prayers are directed towards asking the spirits of the ancestors for help e.g. before
hunting, planting seeds or giving medicines.
- People also prayed to God when rain did not come or where there is an epidemic or disease.
- The spirits of the ancestors are active members of the community.
- Gifts of food and drinks are offered to them.
- Beer is also poured on the ground as a way of showing thanksgiving.
- Community prayers were said at important moments of life such as birth, puberty, marriage
and death.

Before any special event e.g. battle or long journey, prayers asking for protection and success were
said.

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Assignment

1. What is prayer?
2. List down three kinds of prayer?
3. In Zambian tradition, what does prayer mostly involve?
4. Why are gifts of food and drink given to the spirits of ancestors?
5. In Zambian tradition, at what important moments of a person’s life was there prayer?
6. Where do Muslims have their midday prayers on Friday?
7. Describe the five pillars of Islam.
8. State the word, used before and after Hindu prayers.
9. Who is Ramakrishna? State what he said.
10. Explain the meaning of Diwali?
11. Who is Lakshim in Hindu religion.
12. Describe the four ways (yogas) in Hinduism.
13. Show three things expressed by Christians as they take Holy Communion.

BIBLE PASSAGES

GOD BLESS YOU WITH GOOD HEALTH AND SUCCESS IN YOUR

EXAMINATIONS

WITH LOVE FROM THE MABOYS’ RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TEAM

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 REFERENCES
……… (1979). Good New Bible with Deuterocanonical books/Apocrypha: Today’s English
Version. New York: United Bible Societies/St Pauls.

C. Chaplin et C. Chiwisa. (2014). Grade 8 Religious Education: Pupils’ book. Lusaka: Longman
Zambia Educational Publishers Ltd (Pearson).

C. Chaplin et C. Chiwisa. (2015). Grade 9 Religious Education: Learners’ book. Lusaka:

Longman Zambia Educational Publishers Ltd (Pearson).

J. Shamputa, (2015). Grade 9 Religious Education: Learners’ book. Lusaka: Book Hut Publishing.

J. Shamputa, (2015). Grade 9 Religious Education: Learners’ book. Lusaka: Book Hut Publishing.

J. Shamputa, (2015). Grade 9 Religious Education: Teachers Guide. Lusaka: Book Hut
Publishing.

Library and Internet research

M. Mwinga, (2017). Grade 8 Religious Education: Pupils’ book. Lusaka: Book Hut Publishing.

Ministry of Education. (1993). Grade 8 Religious Education: Pupils’ book. Lusaka: Curriculum
Development Centre.

Ministry of Education. (1995). Grade 9 Religious Education: Pupils’ book. Lusaka: Curriculum
Development Centre.

Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education. (2013). Grade 8 and 9
Religious Education syllabus. Lusaka: Curriculum Development Centre.

United Nations Department of public Information. (1988). Universal Declaration of Human

Rights. Geneva: United Nations Department of public Information.

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