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My Meditative Sunday School Classroom
For the culminating project of my Masters Degree in Art Education I have been exploring ways to incorporate Art into the Sunday School classroom. I began with an exploration of Visual Thinking Strategies but this focus shifted as I began exploring how the 21st Century skills of “Thinking Like an Artist” are necessary in theological study too. The resulting program combines three open-ended education methods: Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), Biblical Meditation Strategies (BMS), and Short-Form Improv.
This is my current proposed structure for a Meditative Sunday School (MSS) classroom which I have been using since September 2023. The structure here is designed for an hour-long session, broken into three parts. This allows students to learn in three different ways. From the Universal Church with the VTS discussion of art, from the Biblical Authors with a BMS discussion of Scripture, and finally from the Immediate Church (from each other), through an Improv game.
I have chosen the name Meditative Sunday School because I believe the careful reflection found in both the Art and the Bible discussions are characteristic of the program. The name borrows from the term: Hebrew Meditation Literature and the related concept of meditation through pondering over time both collectively and individually.
This structure is designed to build on itself over time. It does not assume that anyone will attend every lesson, but I expect it to have the most value if implemented over an extended period of time. To give students time to make connections, to truly encourage Thinking like a Theologian, and to bring students through the developmental stages will require time and extended exposure to these kinds of conversations.
At the start of class have two VTS images selected and ready to go.
Welcome everyone and begin with prayer and snacks.
Have everyone spend a minute just looking at the first image.
After they look, ask: What’s going on in this picture?
As students answer, summarize their responses, then ask: What makes you say that?
After an observation has been thoroughly explored, ask: What else can we find?
When you feel the conversation has gone on long enough, thank everyone for participating in this discussion with you.
If there is time, repeat for the second image.
Phase one should take about 15 minutes.
Phase 2: Biblical Meditation Strategies (BMS)
Before class ensure that you know exactly what passage you will be reading and how to access it.
Pass out Bibles or have students pull up the Bible App on their phones. Announce where today’s reading can be found and have them turn to it.
Once you have ensured that everyone has found the passage, instruct students to read along and listen to the words of this passage.
Read the passage aloud or play a recording (we usually use the Streetlights Audio Bible recording of the New Living Translation).
Before diving into the discussion, it may be helpful to have someone summarize the events of the passage.
After the passage has been read, ask: What word stood out to you today? Record students answers visibly.
As students answer, note where the word is in the passage; ask: What does that make you think of in this context?
After a word and its connections have been thoroughly explored, ask: What other connections can we find?
When you feel the conversation has gone on long enough, thank everyone for participating in this meditation with you.
Phase two should take about 20 minutes.
Announce that it is game time.
Pick a game or have students choose one from the list.
Ensure everyone knows the rules and is ready to play.
Enjoy the fun of the improv game, encourage students to accept ambiguity, embrace creativity, and use outside knowledge.
Gameplay can last up to the end of the class time.
Phase three should take about 15 minutes.