Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Building Bridges: A World Religions Program for 8th-9th Grades

Activity 1: Story - The Dream

Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Read the story "The Dream" so you will be comfortable presenting it.

Description of Activity

Youth hear and discuss a story about finding treasure at home.

Read or tell the story. Process it with these questions:

  • What did the woman learn during her travels?
  • Why is it significant that the treasure is in the oven?
  • Why do you think the story does not specify the treasure she found? What do you think the treasure was?
  • Is there a moral? What do you think it is?
  • Why do you think we are telling this story in a program about world religions?
  • If our group is like the woman, how is our journey similar to hers? What is our oven? What is our treasure?

After participants have shared, suggest that one way to interpret the story is that the "treasure" represents Truth. Was the woman looking for Truth, when she already had it? The story could be saying, "Why seek out other religions to help you discern what is true? You have all the tools you need already, within your own faith tradition." How do participants feel about this point of view?

Another way to look at the story is this: It is true that the woman found what she wanted right under her nose. However, before, the dream, not only was she not aware it was there, she did not even know she desired it. Before her journey to seek the treasure ("truth") elsewhere, she could not "see" the truth she already possessed. What does the group think about this interpretation?

Ask:

  • Are there other ways to look at this story?
  • Do you think it is important to study world religions? Why or why not? What is to be gained? What is to be lost?

Say, in your own words:

Right here, in our community, there is a wealth of treasure-religions from all over the world, many times, many places. We may find treasure-wisdom, truth, beauty-in unexpected places. Including, right here, in our own faith home. No matter how far we roam in our studies, we will always come back to ourselves ask ourselves the question, "How does the knowledge of this faith add to my understanding of religion, my Unitarian Universalist faith, and my own spirituality and beliefs?"