Encyclopedia of Pastoral Theology

Spiritual Service and the Spiritual Servant (5)

Spiritual Service and the Spiritual Servant (5)

Teaching Doctrines According to Age Stages

1. The Elementary Stage – The Stage of Acceptance: At this stage, the child accepts doctrines without argument or questioning—he receives them with simple faith. Therefore, this stage is beneficial for implanting doctrines away from the atmosphere of discussion; it is the laying of the doctrinal foundation that penetrates the depths of the soul. For this reason, we often give doctrinal teachings through memorization. The child memorizes them even if he does not yet understand; understanding comes later.
2. The Preparatory (Middle School) Stage – The Stage of Teaching and Explanation: The mind begins to mature and becomes capable of understanding explanations and establishing a positive intellectual foundation supported by proofs, evidence, and reasoning.
3. The Secondary (High School) Stage – The Stage of Debate and Discussion: Debate suits the adolescent age. In this stage, doubt also appears, but church education would have already prepared the youth for it—by what was instilled in childhood through simple acceptance, and what was taught and clarified in the preparatory years. During adolescence, opposing views are discussed and responded to.

The Curriculum of the Preparatory Stage: The preparatory stage is one of the best for implanting doctrines and principles. In the elementary stage, the child is ready to receive everything but lacks the intellectual maturity to delve deeper. The secondary stage, however, is characterized by argument and debate, and possibly rebellion against ideas. The preparatory stage, on the other hand, receives ideas with more maturity than the elementary stage and without the tendency to argue or challenge. In the elementary stage, we teach through simple faith. We present faith and doctrine for the child to accept without discussion, and the teacher need not prove or explain. In the preparatory stage, we teach with a portion of understanding. We explain positively and establish truths without confronting opposing views. It is the stage of building a positive foundation. In the secondary stage, we open the door for responses and discussions, since at this age, the student accepts only what convinces him intellectually. Also, responding to objections satisfies some of his inner impulses.

The Lesson of Baptism as an Example: In the elementary stage, baptism is presented as the entry into Christian faith. This lesson should include an explanation of the rite, preferably using engaging visual aids such as a film or slides. Children can also memorize one or two verses to strengthen the theological idea. In the preparatory stage, baptism is explained doctrinally and liturgically, showing its symbols and their depth, along with memorizing longer scriptural passages. In the secondary stage, the explanation goes deeper, distinguishing doctrinal and liturgical differences, responding to them comprehensively, reading relevant passages, and referring to some sources.

Idealism and the Hero of Dreams: During adolescence, emotions and thoughts concentrate around heroic, idealized figures—the “superman,” the “dream hero.” Every boy and girl envisions their future, forming an image to follow as a role model. Sometimes, this image might be worldly or misleading. Therefore, we must prepare from the preparatory stage by presenting good examples from the lives of saints, heroes of faith, and biblical figures.

The Curriculum of the Elementary Stage

1. God’s Love First—Before Punishment and Judgment: It is not appropriate at this early age to introduce God to children through stories of punishment and judgment that might frighten them. Hence, for the first three years, the curriculum avoids such stories, focusing instead on tales showing God’s love, care, and protection. For example, in the story of the ark, the focus is on God’s care for Noah and his salvation—not on the reasons for the flood. God’s care and love are recurring elements throughout all six years of the elementary curriculum, supported by stories from both the Old and New Testaments and from the lives of saints. Punishment is introduced later as an expression of God’s goodness and His hatred of sin, coupled with His love for the sinner and His desire for repentance.
2. The Power of Christ First—Before His Suffering: Some servants mistakenly teach young children about Christ’s sufferings too early. The child must first understand Christ’s power, authority, and divinity. Therefore, we first give a clear picture of the Lord’s power—over nature, in healing, and in all His miracles. Only later do we speak of His suffering, once the child can comprehend the meaning of love, sacrifice, and self-giving.
3. The Cross in the Curriculum: Delaying the story of Christ’s suffering does not deprive the child of learning about the Cross and its blessings. In the first year, the child learns to make the sign of the Cross. In the second, how to use it. In the third, a story about the power of the Cross in the lives of the saints. Then comes the story of the Crucifixion—introduced first by showing the Lord’s power during His arrest (those who fell to the ground, the healing of the servant’s ear), and His power during the Crucifixion itself (the earthquake, the darkness, the veil of the temple tearing, etc.), then the full story of the Crucifixion.
4. When and How to Teach the Stories of the Martyrs: The young child should first know that God is the source of all goodness and that those who follow Him live happily. Therefore, we should not immediately tell him that believers were subjected to death or torture. However, postponing this does not mean depriving the child of martyr stories. We begin with the miracles of the martyrs and the honors God gave them, gradually introducing their sufferings. For example, in the story of Saint George (in the third-year curriculum), we tell how he made the sign of the Cross over a cup of poison and was unharmed, how idols fell when he refused to worship them, and how the queen and many others believed through him. Only afterward do we tell of his sufferings and miracles.
5. Miracles of Raising the Dead and Casting Out Demons: These are frightening for children, so they are avoided in the first three years. They are introduced gradually:

In the fourth year: raising Jairus’s daughter—since she was a child at home, a gentle story.

In the fifth year: raising the son of the widow of Nain—in a funeral procession.

In the sixth year: raising Lazarus—a more complex story involving a tomb and burial cloths. Stories of casting out demons appear only in the later years.

6. The Child’s Love for Angel Stories: While avoiding stories about demons, we fill the curriculum with stories about angels and heaven—subjects that deeply attract and comfort the child’s imagination. We also include other uplifting stories such as the Transfiguration, the Ascension of the Lord, and Elijah’s ascent in a fiery chariot.
7. Feasts in the Curriculum: This is an essential element linking the child to the Church, her rites, and her prayers. Each year includes a set of feasts such as: the Feast of Nayrouz, the Feast of the Cross, Christmas, the Feast of the Apostles, the Feast of the Virgin, and the Feast of the Church’s patron saint or the saint of the term. Sometimes, we add the Annunciation or Pentecost. The topics are distributed over the six years to avoid repetition.
8. Doctrine, Rituals, and Faith Facts: These are taught in simple ways—sometimes practically (like teaching the sign of the Cross and how to use it), sometimes through hymns (such as hymns of the Cross, bells, the Eucharist, or the lamp), and sometimes through memorization (like the Lord’s Prayer). Then come simple lessons about love for the Church, proper conduct during services, respect for priests, candles, lights, icons, and so on. Since the last years of elementary school are years of pure faith—where the child believes without debate—we include simplified lessons about the Church’s sacraments, rites, and faith truths about the Cross, redemption, and other doctrines.
9. Article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, published in Watani newspaper, March 25, 2007.
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