Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: A Chorus of Faiths: A Program That Builds Interfaith Youth Leaders

Activity 2: Ethic of Reciprocity

Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Handout 2, The Good Samaritan
  • Leader Resource 1, Puzzle Cards, card stock and scissors
  • A timepiece (seconds)
  • A special snack, enough for all participants
  • Optional: Tape

Preparation for Activity

  • Copy Handout 2, The Good Samaritan, for all participants.
  • Using Leader Resource 1, print out the puzzle cards, preferably on card stock, and cut them out. Keep the "quote" pile and the "faith name" pile separate.
  • There are 30 sets of puzzle cards total. Count out the matching cards sets so each participant will receive an equal number of sets; for example, if the group has eight participants, count out 24 so that each participant will receive 3 sets. (In this case you would not be using 6 of the sets.) Make sure that you use matching sets, i.e. that all of the cards in play also have their match in play.
  • Before choosing a snack, find out about participants' food allergies and restrictions.

Description of Activity

Youth discover the impetus for service work in a variety of major religions.

Say, in your own words:

When Unitarians and Universalists still mostly identified as Christians, they tended to gravitate toward the parts of the Jewish and Christian scriptures that held up values such as love and compassion. Even though Unitarian Universalists do not tend to see Jewish and Christian scripture as having ultimate authority, they still sometimes see the influence of stories and passages from those scriptures on Unitarian Universalist values.

Distribute Handout 2, The Good Samaritan. Read the story aloud, or invite one or more volunteers to read it aloud.

Then say, in your own words:

The story of the Good Samaritan is often used as an example of the Golden Rule, commonly stated as "Do onto others as you would have them do onto you." The sentiments of the Golden Rule, in one form or another, show up in almost all cultures and religions. The Golden Rule is sometimes described as an ethic of reciprocity.

We are going to play a game that will show us how different faith traditions state their version of the golden rule. We will play the game twice, with two different sets of rules.

Shuffle the "quote" puzzle cards then shuffle the "faith name" puzzle cards, taking care to keep the two piles separate. Pass out all of the puzzle card halves with quotes, then all of the puzzle card halves with faith names. Make sure each participant receives the same number of "quote" puzzle cards as "faith name" puzzles cards, and the same number of (mismatched) sets as everyone else.

Say, in your own words:

Each of you has (state the number) of puzzle cards with the name of a faith tradition and (state the same number) of puzzle cards with a quote from a different faith tradition that is that faith's version of the Golden Rule. I want each of you to find the puzzle card halves with the quotes that match the faith name printed on your card half, but without talking. The person who is the first to find the quotes for all of their faith name cards wins. There are no other rules. Go!

Let participants play, but for no longer than five minutes.

Once this game ends, collect all the puzzle cards and return them to the two separate piles. Again, pass out all the puzzle card halves with quotes, then all of the card halves with faith names.

Say, in your own words:

I still want each of you to find the puzzle card halves with the quotes that match the faith name printed on your puzzle card half, again without talking. But this time instead of having a single winner, we will be timing you as a group. If you are able to match all the cards in less than five minutes, we have a special snack for you. There are no other rules. Go!

Let participants play, but for no longer than five minutes.

After this round ends, pass out the snack while asking, in your own words:

  • Was there a difference in your experience of playing this game with different rules? If so, how was it different?
  • Reading these statements, can you understand why people choose service work as a way to encourage interfaith cooperation?

Solicit any other comments participants wish to share.

Optional: Tape the matched pairs together and display them in the room where you meet.