Understanding and respect

It is central to Woodstock's vision that our students should understand and respect the faith of others. One of the ways we address this is through the High School courses on Religions of Indian Origin and Religions of Semitic Origin. These courses are presented in a manner that promotes interfaith dialogue through lectures, essays/ research papers, discussions, class presentations and field trips.

The content of the courses includes the history of the religion, the lives and teachings of their founders, their basic concepts, religious texts and their importance, life-cycle rituals and practices, worship patterns and festivals. The study of the origin of Hinduism is based primarily on the historical and archaeological evidence, Vedic literature and traditional stories.

At the end of each course, the student writes a comparative and reflective essay on any of the two religions from amongst the three studied. , during each course. This is the point when we see their growth in knowledge and, through that, their growth in understanding and respect.

Shonila Chander, HS Religious Education teacher