In this topic we have been learning about worship. Worship is a way to feel in touch with something that we really value. It is also a way to show respect for something that we value. We have learnt that worship takes many forms and not all worship is religious worship.
There are many different ways for Christians to worship. Holy Communion, for a Christian, is a way to feel closer to Jesus and a way to show respect for God and for other Christians. It requires certain objects to be used within the act of worship in a certain place. It is a special ‘ritual’ within Christianity.
There are also many ways for a Hindu to worship. Puja, the simple act of worship in the home, is a way for Hindus to approach Brahman – the spiritual force within everything. Hindus feel closer to Brahman through the act of worship because their senses are awakened.
A Hindu shrine includes: the bell, the incense, the picture of the god, the fruit and the sacred fire which all serve to awaken the senses to a spiritual reality.
Muslims pray 5 times a day and ritually clean themselves (Wudu) before praying. They have a strong sense of community 
which is shown by Friday prayers in the Mosque. During prayer they face Mecca or Makkah which was the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. In the centre of the mosque in Mecca, is the cube-shaped building called the Ka’bah. All Muslims face the direction of the Ka’bah during ritual prayer (Salat).
The devoted football fan also has a shrine wher
e he/she feels close to the team. There will be team photos, posters, a scarf, a football shirt, the away team strip, old football programmes, autographs and other mementos of games of the past.
Task 1 Design A Shrine
Design your own shrine at which you could worship. It must be on one side of A4 paper and needs to be in full colour; alternatively you could make your own 3D shrine. Draw in pencil and add labels in pen, pencil or felt tip. You can use cut outs from magazines and you may down-load images from the internet. You may even wish to entirely design your shrine on the computer. This shrine, at best, will show what you value in your life because it will include the things, or symbols of the things, that you care about. It may be that you already have a special place in your home, perhaps only a window-sill or a shelf, where you keep the ‘things’ that are important to you. Start with a rough copy where you try out ideas and then do a neat copy in full, bold colour.
Task 2 My Shrine – Put the above heading in your exercise book.
Describe your shrine.
Where is it?
What is it like?
What objects are in your shrine?
Why are these objects important to you? What significance do they have in your shrine?
How will you worship at your shrine? How often will you worship each day/week?
Is there anything in particular that you will do at the shrine? Why?
How is your shrine similar to and different from a Hindu shrine and a Christian or Muslim place of worship?
What have you learnt about yourself from doing this assessment on worship?
ASSESSMENT LEVELS
Level 3 – Create and label a basic shrine / place of worship
Level 4 – Create and label a shrine / place of worship which identifies things which are important to you in your life
Level 5 – Create and label a shrine / place of worship which identifies things which are important to you in your life. Explain why these objects are important to you and how you will use them to worship at your shrine. In what ways are they similar to one religion you have studied?
Level 6 – Create and label a shrine / place of worship which identifies things which are important to you in your life. Explain why these objects are important to you and how you will use them to worship at your shrine. Evaluate how they are similar/dissimilar to Christian/Hindu/Muslim rituals.
Level 7 – Create and label a shrine / place of worship which identifies things which are important to you in your life. Explain why these objects are important to you and how you will use them to worship at your shrine. Evaluate how they are similar/dissimilar to Christian/Hindu/Muslim rituals. Reflect on the importance of worship in the daily life of a believer, how could your shrine give you a sense of community, well being and inner peace? Is this an important aspect of life?