The Wise Men

Planning the Session

Session Goals

As a result of conversations and activities connected with this session, group members should be able to:

• articulate the value of studying other religions as a means of understanding our neighbors;

• define what a theology of religions is and the questions it seeks to answer;

• identify three different perspectives on other religions: religious pluralism, Christian exclusivism, and Christian inclusivism; and

• point to biblical resources for understanding other religions.

Scriptural Foundation

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. They asked, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We've seen his star in the east, and we've come to honor him." ...

[Herod] sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search carefully for the child. ..." They went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

(Matthew 2:1-2, 8a, 9-11)

Special Preparation

• If the participants in your group are not familiar with one another, provide materials for name tags.

• Have Bibles available for those who may not bring them.

• Provide paper, pens, and pencils for participants.

• Provide a means for showing the DVD (e.g., TV/DVD player) and cue Session 1: The Wise Men.

• Arrange your seating in a circle or semicircle so that all participants can see one another.

• Prepare a large sheet of paper in the following way and post it in a visible location in your meeting area: First, write "A Theology of Religions Answers ..." across the top of the sheet. Next, write the following questions from the study book below:

* Why are there so many different religions?

* What is the relationship between these religions?

* How does God look at people of other religions?

* What is the eternal fate of those who practice a religion other than the one I follow?

• Write "Why Study Other Religions?" at the top of a second large sheet of paper and post it in another visible area of the room.

• Have additional large sheets of blank paper and markers available.

• Find various objects (at least two) for a drawing exercise (take care that the objects are hidden from group members). The objects should be unusually shaped or textured. Read through the exercise titled "Draw an Object to Experience 'Feeling the Elephant'" below to visualize what might be needed. Two suggestions are a simple child's toy (e.g., a wooden horse) and a seashell.

Getting Started

Opening Activity: Begin by Exploring Traditions

If your group members are not familiar with one another, invite them to put on a name tag as they enter. Once everyone is present and seated, ask the group to introduce themselves by name.

Now say: "Welcome to this study of Christianity and World Religions. One of the goals for this study is for us to understand our neighbors better. So let's begin by getting to know our neighbors in this group just a little bit better."

Ask group members to find a partner, preferably someone they do not know well, and move to a space in the room where they can talk. (This exercise can be done with both persons standing.) Tell each pair to identify which one will do the following exercise first. Now ask the person going first to talk for sixty seconds about what a typical meal in their childhood home looked like. What did you eat? Where did everyone sit? Were there certain rituals, like saying grace, that were observed?

During this first minute, the other partner should remain silent and listen. Then switch roles and have the second partner share their experiences of a meal in their childhood home. Set a timer so that you can signal when the sixty seconds are up.

Now have everyone come back to the larger group. Ask:

• What did you learn about your partner's household traditions?

• In what ways were your experiences different?

• How do our family traditions shape our expectations of what mealtime is supposed to look like?

Say: "In this study, we are going to encounter a number of different traditions that may challenge and enrich us. Let's pray that we will grow to love our neighbors and God more through these sessions together."

Begin with Prayer

Offer the following prayer or one of your own:

God of many nations, we trust you and we believe that your desire is for all people to know your love.

As we seek to know our neighbors better, help us grow to love them more, and to see your intentions for all creation. Amen.

Learning Together

Video Study and Discussion

In chapter 1, Adam Hamilton outlines the importance for Christians of developing a theology of religions, and he shares his hopes for this study. In the video, he offers some basic questions that Christians ask about other religions. He also presents three possible perspectives offered by Christians to the question of the fate of people of other religions: exclusivism, universalism or religious pluralism, and Christian inclusivism. The video also includes an interview with Matt and Sangeeta, an interfaith couple. See a transcript of this interview on page 16 under the heading "A Conversation About Faith."

Play the video segment for Session 1 and then discuss some of the following questions:

• What are Adam Hamilton's aims in putting together this study? Why is it important that we understand the two-thirds of the world's people who are not Christian?

• How often do you think about the questions that Adam Hamilton asks? How can they help us love our neighbors better?

• Matt and Sangeeta talk about the practices that have helped them live together as an interfaith couple. What are those practices? When has a conversation or a meal helped you understand someone with whom you felt you had little in common?

Book and Bible Study and Discussion

Consider People of Other Faiths

Invite participants to think about the people they interact with in the course of a normal weekday. Ask:

• How many of the people whom you meet are followers of a faith other than Christianity?

• How often is faith a subject that you have talked about with people of another faith?

• What things about their faith make you curious to know more?

A Conversation About Faith

Matt and Sangeeta attend the Church of the Resurrection. Matt grew up in the church. Sangeeta is from a Hindu family. They married several years ago, and Sangeeta attends worship with Matt while continuing to be a...