Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Afshan, and welcome to today's lesson.

Today we are going to explore really fantastic topic that connects religion, culture, and everyday life, rites of passage.

The lesson is called Similarities and Differences in Rites of Passage from the Unit, Rites of Passage, how do Communities Mark Growing up? The outcome of today's lesson is, I can identify some similarities and differences between rites of passage in different religions.

Before we begin exploring today's topic, let's have a look at some key words that will help us understand the lesson clearly.

The words or phrases are infant baptism, Mundan ceremony, confirmation, and Bar Mitzvah.

Let's look at the definitions.

The phrase infant baptism is a Christian ceremony where water is used to welcome someone into the church.

Mundan ceremony is the special first haircut ceremony for Hindu babies to wish them a healthy life.

Confirmation is a ceremony where a person chooses to confirm the Christian faith and make promises to live as a Christian.

And finally, Bar Mitzvah is a special ceremony for Jewish boys when they turn 13 and become responsible like adults.

Our lesson today has two cycles.

First, we are going to look at how do different religions welcome a baby? Let's dive in.

Let's meet Aisha who will explain how we use social science in religious education.

Aisha says, "Social scientists are interested in how people live and how their actions, including the ways they celebrate important events, are shaped by their context.

We can better understand people's worldviews by looking at photographs or analysing data.

We can also survey or interview people to find out how they see and experience the world." In today's lesson, we'll compare how different religions welcome a baby, helping us deepen our understanding of their traditions and worldviews.

Here we have Lucas and Izzy and they want to learn how different religions welcome a baby, how they are welcomed in the community.

They start thinking about some questions that social scientists might ask.

Let's look at their questions.

Lucas asks, "Why do different religions have special ceremonies to welcome a baby?" Izzy questions, "What are the similarities and differences between an infant baptism and the Mundan ceremony?" Let's join Lucas and Izzy to find out how a baby is welcomed in different religions.

How do different religions mark the birth of a baby? Do you remember? Great thinking, many religions have special ways to welcome a new baby.

They are called ceremonies or rituals.

They can help show love for the baby and ask for blessings or protection.

Babies are welcomed in different ways across various religious traditions.

Some Christian families have an infant baptism to welcome their baby and some Hindu families have a Mundan ceremony to welcome theirs.

Look at the images from an infant baptism and Mundan ceremony.

Infant baptism is when a baby is welcomed into the Christian family.

Water is poured on the baby's head to show that they belong to God and are loved by him.

The parents and godparents promise to help the child learn about God and grow up with faith.

Let's find out about the Mundan ceremony, which is a traditional Hindu ritual where a baby's hair is shaved for the first time, usually when the child is between one and three years old, but maybe as old as five sometimes.

It's done to keep the baby healthy and clean.

It shows that the baby is growing and starting a new part of life.

Time for a check, babies are welcomed in different ways across various religious traditions.

True or false, what do you think? True, that's correct.

Different religions have unique ceremonies and rituals to welcome newborns, reflecting their beliefs and cultural practises.

Well done for choosing true as your answer.

Are infant baptism and the Mundan ceremony similar in any way? Have a think and look at the images very carefully.

Let's find out.

Both of these ceremonies, infant baptism and Mundan ceremony ask for blessings and protection to keep the baby safe and happy.

These ceremonies also bring family and friends together to share the joy and both ceremonies symbolise cleansing.

In baptism, washing away original sin.

In Mundan, getting rid of impurities from past lives.

Time for another check.

Infant baptism and Mundan are important in different religions that help people feel connected.

Is it ceremonies or holidays or schools, what do you think? That's correct.

They're important ceremonies, well done.

Lucas is now thinking, "How are these ceremonies different from each other?" Izzy says, "These ceremonies are different because they use different special actions and happen in different places." Let's join Lucas and Izzy and find out how.

Infant baptism is a ceremony where water is poured or sprinkled.

In Mundan ceremony, the baby has the first haircut.

Baptism means a new life in Christ symbolised by water.

Mundan is letting go of the self, symbolised by giving of hair.

The ceremony happens when the baby's very young, perhaps at a church.

Mundan ceremony happens when the baby is around one to three years old.

Infant baptism takes place in a church.

Mundan takes place at home or temple.

Lucas is now talking to Ahmed, who lives in Cambridge and holds a Muslim worldview.

"Why do you think these ceremonies are important to families?" He asks.

Ahmed shares that "These ceremonies are important because they are rites of passage.

They are the ceremonies to mark another stage in life, in this case, the start of life." Let's see if you got that.

Why are ceremonies like infant baptism and Mundan important? Is it that they are good reason to have a party or they are a time to give expensive presents to the baby or they welcome the baby, show love and offer blessings? What do you think? That's correct, these are the ceremonies that welcomes the baby, shows love and offer blessings.

Great work, time for your task.

Explain why these statements are both true.

We've got a statement from Aisha and a statement from Alex.

Read the statements carefully and explain why they are both true.

You can pause the video now and come back when you're ready with your answers.

Let's check your answers.

You may have included this in your explanation.

Aisha is right because both ceremonies happen in a place of worship like a church or temple.

A priest says prayers and gives blessings to the baby.

In infant baptism, water is used to welcome the baby into the Christian family.

In the Mundan ceremony, the baby's hair is shaved to show a new start in the Hindu faith, these show the baby is part of their religion.

Or we also have Alex's explanation, which is also true.

Where explanation says, Alex is right because both are rites of passage.

They mark a special moment in a baby's life.

Infant baptism and the Mundan ceremony are done in different ways, but both bring family together to celebrate.

Each religion has its own traditions, but both show love and welcome the baby.

Well done if you use that to explain your answer.

Great work.

We now know how different religions welcome a baby.

Let's now go and find out how do different religions mark becoming an adult? Many religions have special ceremonies or rituals to mark the transition from childhood to adulthood.

Lucas and Izzy are now curious to find out how different religions mark their important life stages like growing up from childhood to adulthood.

They want to talk to different people to understand how these celebrations shape their beliefs and worldview.

The questions they're thinking about are, why is becoming an adult important in different religions? How are the ceremonies the same or different in various religions? Let's find out.

They're now talking to Rafi, who is an orthodox Jew from London and he holds a Jewish worldview.

"How do different religions mark becoming an adult?" They ask Rafi.

Rafi explains, "Different religions have traditions to show when a child becomes an adult.

I had my Bar Mitzvah at 13.

These ceremonies mean they are becoming adults in the community." Look at the image carefully showing different life stages.

Children are welcomed into adulthood at different stages across various religious traditions.

Let's see if you got that.

Religions only have special ceremonies to mark a birth.

True or false, what do you think? False, that's incorrect because we know many religions also have other ceremonies such as Bar Mitzvah in Judaism to mark growing up or choosing faith.

Well done if you chose false as your answer.

In Judaism, boys have a Bar Mitzvah at age 13 to show they're becoming part of the adult community.

In some Christian traditions, young people have a confirmation to show they are ready to take on their faith as their own.

Lucas and Izzy are now talking to Fiona who has a Christian worldview and attends an Anglican church.

"What do the Bar Mitzvah and confirmation ceremonies have in common?" They ask Fiona, "The Bar Mitzvah and confirmation both happen around the age of 12 or 13.

They show taking a new responsibilities and are celebrated with family and friends." Fiona continues and says, "Both can include wearing special clothes and reading from their religious books." Time for another check.

What is true about both Bar Mitzvah and Confirmation? Is it that they are only for adults or they welcome babies or they show growing up and taking responsibility? What do you think? Well done, that's correct.

Bar Mitzvah and Confirmation show growing up and taking responsibility.

That's the correct answer, great.

Let's listen to Fiona as she shares how these rites of passage mark becoming an adult differently in different religions.

Fiona says, "Both rites of passage show children are growing up in their religion, but they are a little different.

Confirmation is a Christian ceremony and usually happens in a church.

The young people make promises and are blessed by the bishop or minister.

Bar Mitzvah is a Jewish ceremony and usually happens in a synagogue.

The boy reads from the Torah, the Jewish Holy Book." People mark different stages of life in many different ways as we have seen earlier, through infant baptism and Mundan where the babies are welcome into their family or faith.

When children grow up, other ceremonies like Bar Mitzvah and Confirmation show they're becoming adults in their faith.

Every family celebrates in a way that follows their traditions.

Time for another check.

How do people mark different stages of life in many religions? Is it by following ceremonies or rituals called rites of passage or by having parties with friends or by going on holiday? What do you think? That's correct, they mark different stages of life by following ceremonies or rituals called rites of passage.

That's the correct answer, well done.

Time for your next task, hope you're ready.

Here we have Jun.

He's saying that different religions have special celebrations when a child becomes an adult, can you help him understand the similarities and differences between Confirmation and Bar Mitzvah ceremonies? Use the Venn diagram to write what is true only for confirmation.

What is true only for Bar Mitzvah and what is true for both.

Use the Venn diagram to write your answers.

You can pause the video now and come back when you're ready to mark your answers with me.

Let's check your answers.

Let's first find out what is true about both ceremonies, both mark becoming an adult and both ceremonies include special ceremonies celebrated with family.

Confirmation often happens around the age of 12 to 14.

However, Bar Mitzvah happens at the age of 13 for boys.

Confirmation is a celebration that happens in a church.

Bar Mitzvah happens in a synagogue.

Let's look at another difference.

The young person makes promises and is blessed during confirmation.

However, at Bar Mitzvah ceremony, the boy reads from the Torah.

Well done if you included all those in your comparison.

Great work.

Across the world, people celebrate life's big moments with meaningful rituals, whether it's a baby's first haircut in Hinduism, or a sprinkle of holy water in infant baptism in Christianity, or a 13-year-old reading from the Torah or a Confirmation promise in church.

These events are more than just ceremonies.

They help people feel part of their community and celebrate something bigger like their faith, their family, and their community.

Let's remember, different religions have rites of passage to mark different stages in life.

In Hinduism, babies have their first haircut in the Mundan ceremony.

In Christianity, babies have an infant baptism with water.

When children grow up, they have ceremonies like Bar Mitzvah or confirmation to show they are becoming adults in their religion.

These rites of passage help people understand their religion and feel part of their community.

Well done today, you've been great religious explorers and social scientists.

Don't forget to bring your thoughts for next time.

We'll continue discovering how religion shapes people's lives all over the world.

I'll see you in our next lesson, goodbye.