The Religion Curriculum for General Church Schools
The purpose of the New Church religion curriculum is to help students learn, live and love the teachings of the Lord God Jesus Christ revealed in the Old and New Testaments and the Heavenly Doctrines.
The broad goals of this curriculum include:
- To help students develop an ongoing and developmentally appropriate affection and understanding of who the Lord Jesus Christ is in their own lives.
- To nurture an affection for, a knowledge of, and a belief in the Lord’s Word and an ability to read it with understanding and delight.
- To help students learn how to live a life of charity and morality and give them opportunities to practice it.
- To nurture an affection for worshiping the Lord and a knowledge of the important role public and private worship play in their lives.
- To help students become aware of the Lord’s Providence and His continual provision of their needs.
Religion Curriculum (Grades K-8 U.S.)
Here is a summary of what students learn about religion at each grade level.
- Kindergarten: Selected Stories
- First Grade: Selected Stories
- Second Grade: Genesis
- Third Grade: Exodus through Deuteronomy
- Fourth Grade: Joshua and Judges
- Fifth Grade: 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel
- Sixth Grade: 1 Kings and 2 Kings, Isaiah and Jeremiah
- Seventh Grade: Ezekiel, Daniel, Minor Prophets, Gospel of Mark
- Eighth Grade: Gospels of Matthew and Luke
Knowing God
A key goal of the religion curriculum is to help students learn about the Lord God Jesus Christ. The curriculum for each grade level focuses on an aspect of the Lord. For example, kindergarteners learn about the Lord as our Heavenly Father, fifth graders learn about the Lord as our King, and students in seventh grade learn about the Lord as a Miracle Worker. For more, see Concepts of the Lord.
For more information about the religion curriculum and other General Church curricula, please contact us at oed@newchurch.org.