INTO THE DEEP completes the response to the Curriculum Framework for Senior Cycle Religious Education. It is divided into four sections: Images of God; Ritual and Prayer; Doing Justice; and Story. Into the Deep is a text which invites students to reflect on more authentic ways of living in contemporary society in the context of faith and tradition. It also offers an engaging insight into the spiritual journey which lies at the heart of adolescent life.
The section on Images of God reflects on the stereotypical images of God and invites critical reflection. The text suggests that an engaging, dynamic and abundant image of God can have a powerful influence on how we understand ourselves, the world around us and our personal world-view. Into the Deep utilises the power of narrative and the section on Story provides an entertaining guide to the power of story in culture, while opening students to the role and relevance of Sacred Scripture in their lives.
Ritual and Prayer forms a central part of Into the Deep. The section first investigates our understanding of the spiritual realm and later deals with the profound effect that prayer can have on our lives. This section looks at the transformative power of ritual in human life and pays particular attention to the phenomenon of Rites of Passage in primitive and popular culture. The final chapters on meditation offer a powerful case for the role of meditative practice in the context of prayer and sacrament in the lives of teenagers. Into
the Deep acknowledges the role of justice and in particular doing justice in the lives of teenagers. The section will provide for many lively and provocative discussions in Religious Education class.
