Christian Studies
Christian Studies at Frederick Irwin Anglican School is a subject
undertaken by all students. It includes aspects that are both private and personal.
Students should feel safe and confident to think, question, challenge, investigate
and reflect as they undertake their personal journey searching for spiritual meaning and truth.
There are three School aims that are of particular importance to the Christian Studies Department:
- To encourage active involvement in the Christian faith and worship in the Anglican tradition. To stimulate awareness of their personal relationship with God and an understanding of our spiritual nature and heritage.
- To develop good citizenship with a sense of social responsibility.
- To foster, in each individual, recognition and development of personal
strengths, and respect for the rights and needs of others.
Through class programmes, worship events, fund raising activities, incursions and excursions, and other extra-curriculum activities we are working with these aims in mind.
This subject area has six major learning outcomes. Each major Learning Outcome will be covered at different levels of understanding, a number of times over the time (max. 14 yrs) a student will spend at the school.
The six major learning outcomes are:
The Bible: students acquire and understanding and appreciation of the content, history, structure and principles of interpretation of the Bible and the skills needed to locate relevant information.
Story of the Church: students acquire an understanding and appreciation of the story of the Church and of the Anglicanism in particular, it's significant festivals, rites and ceremonies.
Philosophy: students acquire an understanding of key issues in the philosophy of religion and of Christian beliefs about God revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They learn to identify and understand those beliefs which make up a Christian world show.
World Religions: students acquire an understanding and appreciation of the beliefs, values, rites and ceremonies of other major world religions.
Mediation, Prayer and Worship: students develop a capacity for spiritual sensitivity and growth. They acquire an understanding and appreciation of the value of silence, meditation, worship and prayer.
Ethical Decision Making and Living: students explore Christian values and ethical decision making in relation to relevant personal and social concerns and develop a growing capacity to "love tenderly and act justly."
Out-of-class programmes and activities within the Christian Studies Department are based on these Outcomes.