'Spirited Arts' Competition 2021 | St John's College School

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In听lockdown, all 性用社 at Senior House took part in the听听competition as part of a specific Religious Studies听unit of work. This competition gives 性用社 the chance to be creative and imaginative in this subject and is linked to the 性用社's spiritual ideas and skills. Last year over 50,000 pieces of art and poetry were created for the competition and some of these are displayed听. After much careful deliberation, ten pieces were selected to be sent to represent 性用社 with the winners being announced after the end of the academic year. Winning entries will provide a good response to one of the 5 themes and judges will be taking into account听whether it is听original, well-created and is an excellent example of Religious Studies.听Now in its 18th year, Spirited Arts has attracted over 380,000 participants听since 2004, with 2,000 entries being sent in to听NATRE听(National Association of Teachers of Religious Education) each year for judging. Hundreds of schools take part and the organisers get entries coming from as far-a-field as Hong Kong, Australia, Thailand and Bahrain.

Children in each year group听at Senior House听focused on a range of provoking themes and questions: 'Where is God?' (Form 3), 'Inspiring' (Form 4), 'God's good earth?' (Form 5) and 'We have far more in common with each other than that which divides us' (Form 6). The theme for the oldest 性用社 was a quote from Jo Cox MP which introduces the question, are we one human race despite our differences and divisions? We are all different and our religions different but can we be united? What holds humanity together? Is it faith? Hope, love, music? The 性用社 were also encouraged to consider what threatens to tear us apart and what can we do to prevent these divisions. The Form 5 theme had an environmental element to it with the beauty of the earth celebrated in many religions but the spoiling of the earth and the imminent threat of climate change a continuing crisis. In this theme, the 性用社听were听invited to explore ideas and beliefs about the natural world, human responsibility for the earth and ways of praying about climate justice.

Form 4's theme, 'Inspiring',听 explored the notion of whether religion offers people inspiration to live. Sometimes an inspirational life, a person鈥檚 example, a text or a piece of music crystallises our inspiration.听The youngest participants thought about whether God is in your heart, in prayer, in the temple or the universe? Or is she hiding? Is he not there at all? Looking for God, searching for him or her, matters: but how are we doing in finding God? Would you search with google or a 鈥榞od-detector? Is God on Instagram or听WhatsApp? Can God be found by prayer or by looking among the world鈥檚 suffering people?

As well as producing a piece of art or poetry the 性用社 submitted responses to their chosen theme. A Form 6 explained, 'I wanted to show the theme through a physical moment in time. On one side is a rich businessman of Christian faith. He is upper class. On the other side is a poor Buddhist man in rags. They are nearly touching hands over a huge void which divides them. This crevasse is meant to symbolise the constant and misleading thought people have, that everyone on earth is different. Different due to how they were nurtured and what they surround themselves with, rather than where they were born or their mental or physical character. Whilst creating my project, I tried to use听subtle yet recurring themes, such as the wheel of Buddha which sits beside the man in rags, symbolising his faith.'

You and I听听

You are black, I am white,
I am tall and you're slim,
You have short hair, mine is long,
I have brown hair and yours is blonde,
I'm obese, your features broad,
Mine's a long nose, yours is short,
One outer beauty,
One inner strength
I am East and you are West,
You lack my freedom.

Your talents lie where mine do not,
My God is Alpha, Omega yours,
I lack your wealth,
Our genes are different, fate as well听听听听
I lie in heaven, you in hell.

And yet....

I feel, you feel,
You cry, I cry,
I love, you love,
You hurt, I hurt,
I breathe, you breathe,
You laugh, I laugh,听
I fear, you fear,
You hope, I hope,
I dream, you dream,
A common purpose to survive,
To live, experience, and die.

We cannot help our origins,
But we can shape our outcomes,
With love, kind thoughts,
And tolerance.听

By Lydia听Kopanou

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A Peace Offering听

My roots are old: I've been here from the very beginning. Long before you were here. I have sung with birds...from tender hatchlings to wise owls who sit in oaks as aged as they. I have stretched for the sun with the morning flowers and danced with the autumn leaves. I have watched your species grow and learn: Adam and Eve were like siblings to me.

My ways bring peace and unity and calm and harmony and joy and earthly dignity. Gushing rivers for veins; ropy jungle vines for hair; beckoning deep pools for eyes.

But you, pilgrims, perpetually drive your tracks into my rocky peaks and endless ravines. You are blind to my pain.

I thought we were friends bound together with everlasting unity...

But no - you mine into my tender skin leaving me with deep cuts just so you can look nice. You scar me with marks from your tree-killing machines to feed and slaughter innocents. How could you?

Millions of lives call my delicate skin home.

Our future is together entangled. We are one: our actions - harmful or helpful - will affect all of us.

We are one.

What happened to the 'us'?

Please don't make me endure these excruciating sufferings. I can't take it much longer. I helped, cared and loved you, but you returned my generous favours with painful blows.

I want the old ways again. Please can we be friends again?

Gaia听听听听听听听听听

By Vivian Knight