The Gurus of Sikhism: Guru Nanak Lesson objectives: To know the key details of Guru Nanak’s life and religious experience To understand Guru Nanak’s beliefs about the God and religion, which led to the foundation of Sikh beliefs To consider whether religious experiences are good evidence for confirming religious truths

Something to get us thinking... Have you ever had a life-changing experience? How did it affect you? Did it make you think again about what you believe about life?

Guru Nanak Born in 1469 to Hindu family However, rejected outward signs of religion – internal attitude towards God is the most important thing Had a religious experience which confirmed that there was one God Religions should look past their differences and focus on search for the true God Because Sikhs believe that there is one God and all people are created by God, equality and religious tolerance are very important Guru Nanak is pictured here with both a Hindu symbol and Muslim prayer beads. Why do you think this is?

Guru Nanak’s Religious Experience In the ‘Hot seat’. In pairs, you are going to assume one of two characters: –1) Guru Nanak – 2) Guru Nanak’s friend who accompanied him to the River Each of you should write three questions that you would want to ask each other. Then, exchange questions, and try to answer them ‘in character’ ready for your interview! Once you’ve finished, practise interviewing each other! Try to think of more open, philosophical questions to ask

Can Religious Experience show that God exists? Guru Nanak was convinced that God had revealed himself to him Many other people have claimed to have had experiences of God which have led to life-changing results Each group will be given an example of someone who has claimed to have experienced God Together, you will consider whether this experience could be a genuine message from God and report back to the rest of the class

Do you think religious experiences show that God exists? Remember to give reasons for your answer