Zimbabwe Lower 6 Curriculum - Biblical Studies

This curriculum falls under the broader subject of Family and Religious Studies, encompassing Indigenous Religion, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The curriculum aims to develop critical thinking, social responsibility, and ethical awareness through a multi-faith, non-proselytizing approach. Students are assessed through continuous assessment and summative examinations.

Lower 6 (Form 5)

Indigenous Religion:

• Tenets: Explores the core beliefs of Indigenous Religion, including the concept of God, spirits, ancestors, totems, communication with the spiritual realm, symbolism, life after death, and mediumship.
• Mediumship: Examines the practice of mediumship, its role in society, and ethical considerations.
• Unhu/Ubuntu/Vumunhu: Focuses on the ethical and moral philosophy of Unhu/Ubuntu/Vumunhu within Indigenous Religion, emphasizing family relations, respect for elders, and community responsibility.
• Marriage: Analyzes the marriage institution, types of marriage, marital rites, and the concept of divorce within Indigenous Religion.
• Gender Relations: Examines the status of women, gender roles, and women's participation in politics within the context of Indigenous Religion.
• Land: Explores the concept of land, land ownership systems, and the relationship between land and spirituality in Indigenous Religion.
• Natural Environment: Focuses on reverence for nature, human kinship with nature, sacred natural phenomena, and taboos related to environmental protection.
• Enterprise: Examines Indigenous Religion's values on wealth creation and prohibited means of acquiring wealth.
• Health: Analyzes the concept of health, healing methods, and the relationship between the spiritual world and healing in Indigenous Religion.
• Politics: Explores the concept of governance, processes of governance, and the role of spirit mediums and chiefs in Indigenous Religion.

Judaism:

• Tenets: Covers the core tenets of Judaism, including the concept of covenant and different types of laws.
• Prophecy: Examines the concept of prophecy, its origins, early manifestations, functions of prophets, methods of receiving and communicating messages, distinguishing true and false prophets, and the relationship between prophecy, politics, and social justice. Examples are drawn from pre-canonical and canonical prophets (Amos, Hosea, Isaiah of Jerusalem, and Jeremiah).
• Marriage: Analyzes the marriage institution in Judaism.
• Death and Related Beliefs: Explores Jewish perceptions of death and compares them with other religions.
• Health and Well-being: Examines the concepts of health and well-being in Judaism.
• Women: Explores the roles and status of women in Judaism.
• Land: Assesses the land tenure system and the significance of land in Judaism.
• Environmental Conservation: Evaluates Jewish attitudes towards the natural environment and their influence on environmental conservation.

Upper 6 (Form 6)

Christianity:

• Tenets: Explores the authority of the Bible, concepts of sin and salvation, the Holy Spirit, the concept of the church, and eschatology.
• Jesus' Life: Examines the birth, baptism, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
• Ministry of Jesus: Focuses on the Kingdom of God, parables, miracles, and the ethics of Jesus.
• Marriage: Analyzes the marriage institution in Christianity and the challenges of applying Jesus' teachings on marriage in contemporary society.
• Enterprise: Explores the concept of enterprise and its relationship to the Christian faith.
• Politics: Examines concepts of good governance, responsible citizenship, and the relationship between Christianity and the state.
• Health/Wellbeing: Explores the New Testament concept of health and well-being and the challenges associated with Christian conceptions of health and well-being, such as the prosperity gospel.
• Gender Relations: Analyzes the portrayal of women in the New Testament, both positive and negative.
• Prophecy and Miracles: Analyzes contemporary Christian conceptions of prophecy and miracles in Zimbabwe and their challenges.

Islam:

• Tenets: Covers the authority of the Koran, the concept of Allah, the five pillars of Islam, and Sharia Law.
• Muhammad, Prophecy, and Revelation: Explores Muhammad's role in Islam, his prophetic status, and the concept of revelation.
• Ethics: Examines categories of love and rules of behavior in Islam.
• Gender Relations: Explores the role and perception of women in Islam and their participation in politics.
• Social Responsibility: Explores the concept of humanitarian service, the relationship between Jihad and humanitarian service, and the role of Islamic charities and NGOs.
• Politics: Examines the Islamic concept of governance, the concept of Jihad, and conflict transformation in Islam.
• Marriage: Evaluates the meaning and importance of marriage in Islam and the causes of divorce.
• Natural Environment: Explores Islamic environmental practices and principles of environmental preservation.