How Can I Know What To Believe?

By Charlene Brotman and Barbara Marshman

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Theme and Description

Helps young people explore, formulate, and articulate their attitudes and beliefs about people in the Bible, God, death, and Unitarian Universalism. Explores humanist roots through the history of great ideas and the lives of Erasmus, the Buddha, Bertrand Russell, Margaret Sanger, Felix Adler, and others.

Goals for Participants

To explore concepts about the Bible from a UU perspective;
To express their beliefs about God;
To probe concepts of death and dying;
To explore UU Principles and exemplars;
To examine and articulate their UU religious values and beliefs;
To evaluate attitudes about human beings and their ability to live lives of goodness, cooperation, and justice.

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Age Range

Junior high and up: ages 11 to 15

Size of Group

6 to 15

Space Requirements

A room large enough for activities and discussions.

Number and Length of Sessions

27 sessions
Length: 1 hour

Leader Training

An understanding of the characteristics and needs of the age level is necessary. Careful reading of materials is required, and additional study of the subject areas is helpful if the leader is not already familiar with them.

Leader Preparation

2 to 4 hours per session

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Strengths

Encourages participants to explore and express their religious ideas, values, and beliefs.
Offers a variety of ideas and materials with worksheets, posters, art, and handouts.
Includes varied and imaginative activities.
Is attractive and inviting, with good illustrations.

Limitations

Requires well-prepared leaders to anticipate and respond to participants' questions and to be sensitive to young teenagers.
Demands extra study of and fluency in the biblical primary sources.
Biased toward a humanist view of God and religion. Theists and liberal Christians will not feel that their theological stance is presented or addressed.

Adaptability

Can be adapted for older youth or adults, or for an intergenerational group.

Unitarian Universalist Values

This revised edition has explicit references to Unitarian Universalism throughout the units. The "Our Religion" unit relates specifically to participants' connection with Unitarian Universalism. Principles implicit within the program include promotion of a free and responsible search for truth and meaning and the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Reviewed on June 30, 1996

Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon St. | Boston, MA 02108 | 617-742-2100