Crossing Borders/Breaking Boundaries IV:
The Impact of Islamic Culture on the Arts of the Renaissance

July 19-26, 2004
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Lesson Title: Expressions of the Final Judgement in Islam and Christianity

Name: Steve Kachadorian

School: Damascus High School

Grades taught: 11th and 12th grade

Grades appropriate: High School, College, and Adult.

Disciplines: Comparative Religions, Medieval History, AP European History, and Modern World History

Disciplines appropriate: Comparative Religions

Duration: one 45 minute class period

Big idea: Expressions of religious faith in the Renaissance

Essential Learner Outcomes:
Goal 2 -- Peoples of the Nation and the World. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the history, diversity, and commonality of the peoples of the nation and world, the reality of human interdependence, and the need for global cooperation through a perspective that is both historical and multicultural.

Lesson Objectives:

  • The student should be able to compare and contrast the ways the Day of Judgement is characterized by Islam and Christianity.
  • The student should be able to analyze primary source readings from both religions.
  • The student should be able to identify common and different aspects of art works regarding the Day of Judgement from a Christian and Islamic perspective.

Abstract: The two common shared physical experiences among all humans are birth and death. It can be an unnerving truth, but a truth that all people must come to terms with at some point. Religions manifest this anxiety through stories of the end of the world and what is beyond. Whether it be the great battle between the gods and the giants from Norse mythology, the cataclysmic end of the world on December 23, 2012, as foretold by the Maya, or the Book of Revelation from the New Testament, religions have offered a version of the end to their followers. Islam and Christianity stand today as the two largest religions. To study their versions of the Day of Judgement offers the students an opportunity to read primary sources (the Bible and the Koran), analyze art, and see the similarities and differences of the two religions. Also, it does so by appealing to a universal curiosity of what lies beyond.

Lesson Components:

Motivation: At the beginning of the class, ask students to list similarities and differences between the Christian and Muslim religions. Similarities will include the monotheistic belief, common prophets in the religions, common creation stories, common values, etc. Differences will include the divinity of Jesus (Christians believe it, Muslims don’t), etc. List answers on the board.

Modeling/Guided Practice: Explain to the students that Islam and Christianity share a similar version of a time when all souls are judged. The faithful would be rewarded and the wicked would be condemned. Distribute copies of Handout 1 and Handout 2 (Islam’s and Christianity's versions of the Day of Judgement). Read both sections with the students, and afterwards make a Venn Diagram showing commonalities and differences of the two readings. Have students copy into their notes.

Independent Practice: Distribute Handout 3 to students (Day of Judgement-Islam) and Handout 4 (Weyden’s Last Judgement). Have students partner together and discuss common themes and differences. After 10 minutes, have students report to the class their thoughts and opinions, making a chart on the board for everyone to copy and use for the assessment.

Assessment: Students should complete a 5 paragraph essay that addresses this question -- “Compare and contrast the ways Islam and Christianity view the Day of Judgement.”

Materials/Resources:

  • A copy of Rogier van de Weyden’s Last Judgement. The teacher can easily locate this on the internet by searching Google.com’s images with keywords “Last Judgement Weyden”. Teacher can photocopy or put on powerpoint.
  • A copy of Islam’s Last Judgement. No image is available on the internet that I have been able to find, but the picture is available on page 15 of the book Dreaming of Paradise: Islamic art from the collection of the Museum of Ethnology, Rotterdam, 1993.
  • Copies for students of Koran’s excerpts regarding Judgement Day.
  • Copies for students of Bible’s excerpts regarding Judgement Day.

Plans for lesson assessment: The essay will be used as an assessment to see if the students understood the similarities and differences between the two religions regarding the Judgement Day.

Keywords: Islam, Christianity, Judgement Day.

 

Sponsored by
the Center for Renaissance & Baroque Studies
and the Maryland State Department of Education