Good and evil intentions
I can explain different views, including Christian ones, on good and evil, human nature and suffering.
Good and evil intentions
I can explain different views, including Christian ones, on good and evil, human nature and suffering.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Some think an action is wrong if it causes harm or breaks moral rules, others believe that good intentions also matter.
- Christian teaching usually holds that both the action and the intention behind it are morally important.
- Some Christians see human nature as damaged by original sin, while others emphasise humanity’s potential for goodness.
- Most Christians believe suffering can lead to spiritual growth.
- Some liberal Christians, along with non-religious people such as humanists, would argue suffering cannot justify pain.
Keywords
Evil intentions - having the desire to deliberately cause suffering or harm to another
Original sin - the belief that human nature is flawed, and that we all have the tendency to sin; traditionally believed to come from Adam and Eve’s disobedience
Suffering - an effect of evil; undergoing pain and hardship
Common misconception
Christians all believe in original sin.
While many traditional Christians teach that original sin means that humans inherit a sinful nature, others reject or downplay this idea. Instead, they believe humans are born essentially good or neutral, with the capacity to choose good or bad.
To help you plan your year 11 religious education lesson on: Good and evil intentions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 religious education lesson on: Good and evil intentions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Religion, crime and punishment unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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