1. Symbol and Myth Starter: Draw
Lesson 5
LO’s: To learn how an understanding of God might be conveyed via symbol and myth.
Key Words:
Sign: Points us towards something else.
Symbol: ‘participates’ in that to which it points.
Starter: Draw
Draw 3 symbols people might choose as tattoos.
What emotions could be linked with them an why?
What is this?

2. Starter Activity
TASK- Draw 3 symbols people might choose at tattoos. What emotions could be linked with them and why?

3. Date Does symbolic language help us to understand God?
Learning Objectives:
To outline how the terms ‘sign’ and ‘symbol’ are distinguished within religious language.
To explain Paul Tillich’s view on the use of symbolic language.
To evaluate the use of symbolism in describing the concept of God.

4. What is the difference between the a sign and symbol?
TASK- Watch the clip from Batman Begins to think about what the difference between a sign and symbol might be.
A sign simply provides us with information.
However, a symbol expresses what a person feels about what the sign is showing.
LO: To outline how the terms ‘sign’ and ‘symbol’ are distinguished within religious language.

5. How can the Christian Cross be a sign and a symbol?
LO: To outline how the terms ‘sign’ and ‘symbol’ are distinguished within religious language.

6. How are ‘signs’ and ‘symbols’ distinguished within religious language?
TASK- In pairs, for each image provided, discuss the following questions:
What does the sign teach us?
What might it symbolise?
Example- The Christian Cross
Sign- it identifies the religion.
Symbol- it conveys the Christian concept of death and resurrection of Jesus, which signifies salvation, sacrifice and hope.
LO: To outline how the terms ‘sign’ and ‘symbol’ are distinguished within religious language.

7. LO: To outline how the terms ‘sign’ and ‘symbol’ are distinguished within religious language.

8. Paul Tillich (1886 – 1965) Task: You teach me!!! Symbols:
‘ground of being’
Difference between signs and symbols
Origins of symbols
Timespan?
How is religious language symbolic? E.g. God is good.
Links to art?
Criticisms
Examples of symbols that have changed/lost their meaning?
Myth:
Rudolf Bultman ( )
Religious Statements do not give us literally true facts about God.
They are symbolic and are cognitive statements. They provide us with some degree of understanding about God.

9. How does Paul Tillich see religious language as symbolic?
The German theologian Paul Tillich ( ) believed that we cannot describe God in a cognitive (factual) way e.g. ‘God is all-knowing’.
God is way beyond our understanding, and so we cannot use everyday language to describe God.
Q: What characteristic would result in God being beyond our understanding?
Q: Why would Aquinas support the idea that we cannot use simple everyday language to describe God?
NOTE: LANGUAGE CAN BE ANY WAY OF EXPRESSING GOD, NOT JUST THROUGH WRITTEN WORDS.
Aquinas = univocal and equivocal language. However, cannot use factual statements, even in an analogous manner.
LO: To explain Paul Tillich’s view on the use of symbolic language.

10. How does Paul Tillich see religious language as symbolic?
He argued that only one expression about God is literally true – God is the ‘ultimate reality’ or ‘ground of our being’.
All other language about God is symbolic, and is based on this one literal truth.
Q: What Christian symbols could be used, according to Tillich, to help us to understand God?
‘Ultimate reality’ = beyond our understanding
LO: To explain Paul Tillich’s view on the use of symbolic language.

11. How does Paul Tillich see religious language as symbolic?
TASK- Choose one Christian symbol from below. Explain how, according to Tillich, it could help us to understand God and religion through its symbolism.
Christian Cross – sign identifies religion, it symbolises the resurrection of Jesus
Holy Trinity – sign of the God the father, God the son and God the holy spirit, it symbolises the way in one god can work in various forms
Candle – sign of Jesus being the light of the world, it symbolises the idea of hope of a final judgement and afterlife
It is not just using symbolic words/phrases to help us understand God (e.g. Kingdom of heaven, holy communion), it can also include seeing the symbols and even participating with them e.g. lighting a candle. These all help to evoke religious ideas and feelings which help us to move understand the ‘ultimate reality’.
LO: To explain Paul Tillich’s view on the use of symbolic language.

12. How does Paul Tillich see religious language as symbolic?
For Tillich, the use of symbols which helps us to understand God moves beyond mere language.
The symbols also participate in that reality.
For example, during Holy Communion, Catholics believe that they are literally drinking the blood and eating the flesh of Christ (transubstantiation).
Q: However, Protestants believe that the substances don’t change – they are just spiritually the flesh and blood of Jesus (consubstantiation). What problem does this raise ?
Transubstantiation – the change of substance during Holy Communion, according to Catholic beliefs.
Consubstantiation – the substances don’t change during Holy Communion, they are just spiritually the flesh and blood of Jesus.
Problem = one symbol with different meanings, it makes us question how useful the symbols are in conveying truth about religion and God!
LO: To explain Paul Tillich’s view on the use of symbolic language.

13. How does Paul Tillich see religious language as symbolic?
TASK- Design an informative poster explaining how Paul Tillich sees religious language as symbolic. (Include visual examples of symbols to support your poster)
SUCCESS CRITERIA
How does he distinguish between signs and symbols?
Why do symbols have a limited lifespan?
How can symbols ‘open up’ new levels of reality? (Link to art!)
How can religious symbols (language) help us to understand God?
Why did he describe God as ‘the ground of being’?
LO: To explain Paul Tillich’s view on the use of symbolic language.

14. ‘Symbolism helps us to better understand God’
TASK- Working in pairs, come up with a set of strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths
Weaknesses
How are symbols organic?
Tillich claimed symbols are not fact-based (cognitive). Why is this an advantage?
Why are some people going to have a limited understanding?
Different interpretations?
How can symbols be distracting for theists?
LO: To evaluate the use of symbolism in describing the concept of God.

15. LO: To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach.
Strengths
Weaknesses
It may only be understood by those in a restricted community
They can be interpreted in different ways (e.g. Nazi Swastica)
Symbols can become the focus of worship themselves (idolization), meaning we loose the bigger picture (God)
Symbols are organic- they change, grow and develop. Remain relevant.
It avoids anthropomorphic descriptions of God (i.e. giving human qualities to a God)
Tillich doesn't claim symbols are fact-based (cognitive). If they were cognitive, we would interpret them in a cognitive fashion.
LO: To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach.

16. Date Does symbolic language help us to understand God?
Learning Objectives:
To outline how the terms ‘sign’ and ‘symbol’ are distinguished within religious language.
To explain Paul Tillich’s view on the use of symbolic language.
To evaluate the use of symbolism in describing the concept of God.

17. ‘The language of faith is the language of symbols’
Plenary
TASK- Based on today’s learning, explain what Paul Tillich meant by the following:
‘The language of faith is the language of symbols’

18. Plenary: