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CHRISTIAN RITES OF PASSAGE

Rites of passage are ceremonies marking significant points in a person's life cycle as one stage ends and another begins. We can at least be sure that everyone will go through two acts of passage - birth and death - but even at Key Stage One pupils will be aware of the concept of "special days", such as birthdays or beginning school, which are in themselves rites of passage.

In most religions there will be rites of passage marking birth, initiation into the believing community, marriage and death. It is probable that several children in any one class will have personal experience of the two Christian rites of baptism and marriage which are dealt with here.

It is possible also that some will have experienced the death of relatives and attending a funeral, but many primary School teachers prefer to deal with this topic naturally as the need arises (or perhaps in a more distanced way e.g. in a topic on the Egyptians and their funerary rites) rather than writing it into an RE programme

By the end of Key Stage Two pupils should have become aware of:

  • the pattern of religious and secular ceremonies that marks the lives of individuals, including their own.
  • the idea of joining and belonging to a (religious) community with the privileges and responsibilities that can bring.
  • the symbolism and beliefs which underpin selected rites of passage

Baptism

Confirmation

Marriage

Funerals