Peter and Paul
That's the "doctrine" I drew for class. I have to give a presentation next Saturday, teaching the doctrine of Peter and Paul. I can't remember the last time I even thought about these two!
I can only do the Preperation (involving a Sacred Space and "calculated disengagement" from the world) and the Explanation. This is tough because I'm used to doing all of the steps at once.
What steps you ask? That's right, I haven't posted about Ecclesial Methodology quite yet.
See above post...
Labels: Saint Paul, St Peter, teaching saints
posted by TCYM Lounge @ 5:15 PM
7 Comments:
there is a "doctrine" of Peter and Paul?
Well, who they are, why they are so important to the Church, what their relationship means for the Church...
I don't know much (if anything) about Ecclesial Methodology. But when I talk about Peter and Paul, I like to first focus on their humanity - their frailty. So I talk about what a jerk Paul was to Christians (even though he thought he was serving God), and the whole story about being knocked on his, er, backside. One of my favorite NT characters is Ananias - the dude that God asks to go lay hands on Paul. I love the honest debate he has with God about the directions. "You've got to be joking . . . I'm not going to see that guy . . . You're setting me up . . . Am I on a hidden camera show?" (ok, I'm paraphrasing.)
And with Peter, I would talk about his screwups, like the 3x denial, especially the part where he curses (teen guys love to hear that someone in the Bible is actually cursing).
I think it's really important to make both Peter and Paul human and real to the teens so that they can relate to them. They weren't perfect, and God picked them anyway.
And from there I would launch into what God was able to do with them once they believed.
I'm always trying to think of ways to make the Saints cool. In 2000, I was blessed to go to Rome for World Youth Day. The first place we visited was St. Paul's. The is a gigantic statue of St. Paul outside the basilica. He is wearing a long cloak with a huge, menacing hood, and in his hand is the biggest, baddest sword I've ever seen. The sword symbolizes how he was martyred, and also how Paul talked about the "sword of the spirit, which is the word of God." - Ephesians 6:17. If you can show them a picture of that statue, or give a vivid description, I find it helps to make Paul cool. Not some dweeb running around saying "Jesus loves you, Nick. Jesus loves you, Sarah." But a real powerful man who used God's word to cut through the lies and bull of Satan.
The other thing I saw in Rome that really blew me away (ok, there were lots of things, but this one is on point) was a painting of St. Peter being crucified. He is pictured as an old, but strong, man (apparently he worked out at Gold's gym up until his death). And he is in the middle of being crucified, and he looks to be giving directions to those killing him. There is no fear in his eyes - the look is more one of concern that his killers get it right. And that painting to me speaks of such power. Peter is not afraid of death. And if you aren't afraid of death, you aren't afraid of anything. And of course that's because he had the peace of knowing exactly who he was and where he was going after he died. That peace is very poweful, and I try to portray it that way for the guys in my class. Peter is no wimp. Just the opposite. A strong, manly fisherman who bumbled through his path trying to follow Jesus, but once filled with the Holy Spirit, became an awesome, powerful force for God.
Another one of my favorite scenes is Peter and John healing the man at the Beautiful Gate in the beginning of Acts. Peter, filled with the Spirit, isn't bumbling any more. He's the man. (well, Jesus is the man, but you know what I mean.) He's not cursing and scared like he was before Pentecost. He's fearless - "Rise and walk." Man, I wish I could've been there to see that.
Anyway, the Church has a lot going for it's feminine side. If we want more teen guys to take interest, we need to let them know there's a masculine side too. At least that's the approach I take when talking about Peter and Paul. I have no idea how the above would fit into the Ecclesial Method, if it fits at all.
Tim, do you have any of your pictures? I'd love to use them if you don't mind.
dennis...ahaha, dining manners...to say the least!!
I think I have pictures somewhere, but I don't have a scanner, so they aren't in my pc. However, here is a link that should get you a photo of the St. Paul statue. I'll look around the web to see if I can find the painting of St. Peter.
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-san-paolo-pictures/fx01_024.jpg
I have e-mailed you a picture of both the conversion on St. Paul and the crucifiction of St. Peter.
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