“How to explain to a 5 year old?”
Of all the things I picked, I surprised myself by choosing a B.A. in Religion and Cultural Studies at UCF. (Might minor in “Cognitive Science”) Yet it’s been an interest on and off my whole life, so why not?
Anxiously awaiting August 19th when the online classes open and I can prepare for the next 16 weeks of coursework, I wanted a simpler way to describe the four courses, so I asked an AI (“Claude”) to do it. Here’s what it came up with. I asked a second time (following) that is more specific to the books:
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Answer 1:
Here is how I would structure a comprehensive Roman outline of these philosophy of religion and world religions concepts adapted for a 5-year-old:
I. Thinking About Big Ideas
A. Gods and God
1. Stories about gods from movies and books
2. Different ideas adults have about God
3. It’s okay if we don’t know or aren’t sure yet
B. Religions
1. What religions are
2. Examples of big religions:
a. Christianity
b. Islam
c. Judaism
d. Hinduism
e. Buddhism
3. How religions are like clubs where people can learn together
C. Important Word Meanings
1. Theological (about gods)
2. Philosophical (big thinking)
3. Comparative (finding similarities)
II. Being Good and Helping Others
A. Morality and Ethics
1. Kindness, sharing, honesty
a. In Christianity
b. Islam
c. Judaism
d. Hinduism
e. Buddhism
B. Getting Guidance from Religions
1. Stories that teach right from wrong
2. Praying for answers
3. Holy books with good rules
C. Mysticism
1. Feeling very close to God through prayer, nature, meditation
III. Keeping an Open Mind
A. No Final Answers Yet
1. Adults still learning too
2. It’s okay to have more questions than answers
B. Respecting Differences
1. Even if we believe different things
2. We can learn from each other
C. Finding Connections
1. Religions teach togetherness
2. Searching for meaning is natural
3. Importance of being good to each other
This introduces the key concepts in an accessible and positive way for a young child while still hitting on all the major religious and philosophical ideas at a high level. Let me know if any part needs more clarification or adaptation!
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Answer 2:
Ah good point, I didn’t fully incorporate the key concepts from all four courses in the outline. Here’s an updated version that draws in more specific concepts:
I. Thinking About Big Ideas
A. Gods, God and Beliefs
1. Stories from movies and books
2. Beliefs in God, none, not sure
3. Process theology, pluralism, hiddenness
B. Religions
1. What religions are
2. Examples of main religions
3. Stories, ways of praying
4. Christianity – Jesus, God as father
C. Important Words
1. Theological, philosophical
2. Comparative religions
3. Liberation theology, Paganism
D. How Religions Change
1. New ideas over time
2. Councils that brought churches together
3. Reformation changed some religions
II. Learning from History
A. Christianity
1. Jesus and early followers
2. Middle ages monks
3. Different Christian groups
B. Other Religions
1. Islam – Quran, Five Pillars
2. Judaism – Torah, rabbis
3. Hindusim – gods like Vishnu
4. Buddhism – Buddha’s life
C. Places and Symbols
1. Churches, mosques, temples
2. Crosses, stars, mandalas
III. Treating Others Well
A. Morals
1. Kind, fair rules in religions
2. Naturally want to do good?
B. Bringing People Together
1. Discuss religious views
2. Resolving conflicts peacefully
C. Finding Answers
1. Faith, doubt both okay
2. Keep hearts and minds open
This tries to incorporate more specific concepts from the courses on religion, philosophy and ethics at an introductory level for a young learner. Let me know if any part needs more adjustment!
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