Some suggested Projects followed by numbered resource sheets. They involve collaborative and independent work to encourage reflection and thinking skills in RE to fulfil the assessment requirements of the syllabus in knowledge, skills and attitudes. They also link with other subjects in the curriculum e.g. History and the Curriculum Cymreig Project A
Learning Key Questions Objectives/ Outcomes To explore the Who were the question “ Who translators? was the most important translator of the Bible into Welsh?” Who made the most important contribution to the translation of the Bible? Possible Learning Activities Use the identity card details to produce a wallchart –“Portrait of a translator” showing their common characteristics. See the Resource sheets 1a and b and identity cards Resources Key Words & Concepts Faith Commitment Scholarship Perseverance
The portraits of the translators and their identity card details Lesson plan and identity cards
Was the work all done at the same time? What did each one contribute?
Discover what part each translator played and to which version each contributed. Make a database or use the Resource sheet provided. Look at which translators were chosen by the Post Office for the commemorative stamps in 1988 and discuss why they were chosen. Discuss what can be learnt from these imaginative pictures. Design a stamp to celebrate the latest translation of the Bible into Welsh by the Bible Society.
Timeline Identity cards Resource sheets 2a and b
What do we mean by “important”?
Stamp reproductions Resource sheet 3
See Bible Society website www. biblesociety. org.uk
Project B
Learning Objectives/ Outcomes To understand how William Morgan was enabled to translate the Bible into Welsh Key Questions Possible Learning Activities Resources Key Words & Concepts Scholarship Faith Commitment Perseverance Courage Vision
What difficulties faced any translator at this time? What difficulties did William Morgan himself overcome and who helped him?
Make a timeline of Pictures and identity William Morgan’s card details of life either on the translators computer or for the classroom, using the illustrations from the National Library of Wales’ Digital Mirror website –www.llgc.org.uk Using the map and information on travelling in Tudor times discuss and produce as a group an imaginary diary of some of William Morgan’s journeys in the course of his studies and production of his Bible. Include in the diary above what William Morgan’s thoughts may have been and his faith and trust in God’s guidance. Access his own words from his Dedication on the Digital Mirror website. Map Timeline William Morgan identity card
To consider his motives in undertaking this task
What qualities did William Morgan possess? Do you have to be saintly or even a Christian to be a good translator of the Bible?
Why did William Morgan and others think that it was vital for people to be able to hear and read the Bible in their own language?
Gwenallt’s poem –Resource sheets 4a and 4b. Digital mirror websitewww.llgc.org.uk/ drych/drych_s076.ht m (previously downloaded and edited) bbc.co.uk/wales/story of welsh/content/thelan guageofheaven.shtml
Project C
Learning Objectives/ Outcomes To understand some of the motives behind the translation of the Bible into Welsh Key Questions Possible Learning Activities What can we learn from the Bible? Access the frontispiece of Wm. Salesbury’s New Testament on http://www.llgc.org. uk/drych/drych_s07 6.htm Discuss the meaning of its darkness and light design Using the poem “Bishop William Morgan” by Gwenallt discover how it celebrates William Morgan’s achievement Think of other celebrations of his life and work Re-enact an imaginary meeting between Elizabeth 1 William Cecil and others to discuss whether the Bible should be translated into Welsh and by whom. Resources Key Words & Concepts Belief in the Bible as the Word of God Belief in salvation and damnation
Why was and is it important for people to read the Bible in their own language?
Resource sheets 5 and 6
To appreciate the importance of this translation
Who remembers William Morgan and why?
Resource sheets 4a and b - Gwenallt’s poem with explanations and questions. Pictures of Ty Mawr from BBC Wales website etc
Why and how did some people support the translation of the Bible into Welsh in the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1?
Identity card details Resource sheets 7a and b Information from books and websites etc. on Tudor dress, food and furnishings.
Mixed motives Inspiration Links between religion and nationality
Is it important to use modern language in translating the Bible? Is the Bible still important in people’s lives?
Access the Bible Society website and discover how a modern translation of the Bible into Welsh is produced
Bible Society website. www.biblesociety.org .uk
Project D
Learning Objectives/ Outcomes To appreciate the work involved in copying and translating the Bible Key Questions How was the Bible copied and printed ? Possible Learning Activities Resources Hebrew and Greek texts – Resource sheets 8a and b “ Quill” pens Key Words & Concepts Belief in the Bible as the Word of God The concept of the Bible as holy or sacred
Access the frontispieces and texts of the different translations on the Why was it National Library of important and Wales website. difficult to translate the Bible http://www.llgc.org accurately? .uk/drych/drych_s0 76.htm Design a modern Bible frontispiece Look at examples of Hebrew and Greek.
To appreciate the importance of the invention of the printing press in allowing individuals to hear and read the Bible for themselves.
How did the invention of printing help to spread the Christian faith?
Try copying with a “quill” pen Look at pictures of printing presses and discuss how the work of book production was speeded up
“William Morgan and the Welsh Bible” Pub. Dref Wen 1-85596198-9
Who was the most important person in bringing the Bible in Welsh to the people of Wales?
A learning activity with Clue cards Teaching notesCut up these clue cards and distribute them randomly to groups of children to discuss and try to decide the answer to the above question. Perhaps you should help the children to think what “important” means? Is it the first person to do something? Is it the person who did most? Is it the person who was vital to the whole process? Since this is an R.E. exercise the concept of motive and inspiration is something that should be part of the “learning from” aspect of the lesson to inform attitudes as well as to encourage knowledge and thinking skills. To remember- The Old Testament (the first part of the Bible) was written in Hebrew. The New Testament (teaching about Jesus) was written in Greek. To learn Hebrew, Greek and Latin one had to study at Oxford or Cambridge.
1a
1b Parliament had to pass an Act to get any translation of the Bible published. Richard Davies, Welsh-born Bishop of St. David’s, friend of William Salesbury, helped to get the Welsh Bible Act through Parliament in 1563. William Salesbury translated the New Testament into Welsh in 1567. It was hard to understand for ordinary people. He tried to make Welsh more like Latin. Gruffudd Hiraethog, the Chief bard, (bards were the poets of Wales) helped William Salesbury find Welsh words which fitted the Greek ones of the New Testament. William Salesbury supported with his knowledge as a lawyer the Act of Parliament in 1563 allowing the translation of the Bible into Welsh.
Printing was invented in about 1456 by Gutenburg. This made many more copies of books, including the Bible, available.
Sir Morris Wynn and his son Sir John Wynn of Plas Gwydir were supporters of William Morgan, son of a tenant farmer. He was educated with the children of Plas Gwydir, and through friends, the family found a place for him to study at St. John’s College, Cambridge. The life and work of Jesus inspired all Richard Davies, friend of William the translators to share with the Salesbury, helped in the work of people of Wales the beauty and truth translation but they quarrelled about of the words of the Bible in their own the translation of one word and so language. they did not translate the Old Testament. Queen Elizabeth agreed to the Queen Elizabeth was a Tudor and her translation of the Bible into Welsh. She family came from Wales. William wanted to unite her kingdom and Cecil, Lord Burghley, The Queen’s hoped Welsh people would learn chief minister, was proud of his Welsh English if they had Welsh and English ancestry and supported the Bibles in their churches. translation of the Bible into Welsh. Gabriel Goodman, the Dean of William Morgan tried to use an Westminster Cathedral, lent books to everyday Welsh and words from both William Morgan, gave him advice North and South Wales when he when the translation was in progress translated the whole Bible into Welsh, and put him up for a year whilst the published in 1588. He varied his style to Bible was being printed. fit each passage. Printing was done in London. Printers Printing was very expensive. William did not know Welsh. William Morgan Morgan’s Bible was paid for by the spent a year supervising the printing to Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop make sure they got it right. Whitgift. John Davies and Richard Parry revised Two Welsh merchants in London paid William Morgan’s Bible in 1620 and this for the printing of a pocket-sized version was very little changed until Welsh Bible “Beibl Bach” in 1630 which 1988 when the New Welsh Bible was was cheap and easy to carry so that produced by a committee of Welsh people could read the Bible for scholars. themselves.
2a Investigator Imagine that you are the agent of the Martian thought- police who have taken over Wales. They want people to forget their past history and beliefs. They want to take out of the history books the names of anyone to do with the translation of the Bible into Welsh which taught the Welsh people their Christian faith. You have the identity cards of the translators and the scorecard – Decide on the scoring system by deciding on the most important qualifications for a translator e.g. How many points do you get for being a Welsh speaker? Is that more important than being a Bishop? Then fill up the datafile to find out; 1. Which one has the most points and so the one to eliminate first? Will it turn out to be the one who did the first translation or the one who translated the most? 2. Put the others in the order in which you would eliminate them. 3. Add other names to the file of people responsible for the Welsh Bible e.g. what about Queen Elisabeth?
Name
From Welsh-speaker? Scholar? Priest? Bishop? Knew people Translated Had Final N. (knew in the whole or friends Score Wales? Greek Government? part of to and the Bible? help? Hebrew) Date?
Scores William Salesbury Thomas Huet Richard Davies William Morgan Gabriel Goodman John Davies Richard Parry Edmund Prys
3 Which is the greatest? Look at the designs for the stamps which were produced in 1988 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of William Morgan’s translation of the Bible. Can you find the translator who was not a priest? How did you know?
List the translators from the earliest to the latest in date
List the translators in the order of the value of the stamps
Look at their biographies (on separate sheets). Do you think that you can tell the importance of each translator by the value of “his” stamp compared with the others?
How would you rate them in order of importance and why?
Would you have chosen a different translator or translators to include in the stamps? Why?
4a Bishop William Morgan He saw that Welsh was only the common dialect Of fair and farm, ballad and harp and tune; And that the tongue that chattered in Monmouth’s markets couldn’t understand The guttural tongue of the markets of Anglesey. Before him he found his people in the Church’s pews Sitting beyond the boundaries of grace Like the sheep and lambs of his home left to wander starving On alien mountains without a blade of grass. And so he strove to release the Sacred Library From ancient Hebrew skin and Greek papyri: The Welsh heard the Father, the Son and the Spirit Speak in Welsh for the first time – an astounding grace. Salvation from Monmouth to Anglesey came from eavesdropping On the Messiah’s words and actions in ordinary, beautiful prose: And hearing him blessing the wine and bread in the Upper Room, Dying, rising, ascending in the poet’s noble language. We praise him for his perseverance, his bravery and his sanctity And for his help in keeping the nation and the literary language alive, Giving it dignity and the highest honour By turning it into one of the dialects of God’s Revelation. (From Gwreiddiau by D. Gwenallt Jones translated by Patrick Thomas in “Sensuous Glory” by D. Allchin, D.D. Morgan and P. Thomas reproduced with permission)
4b Notes on “ Bishop William Morgan” by D. Gwenallt Jones, translated by Patrick Thomas
Verse 1- Welsh was a spoken, not a written language and the Welsh spoken in Anglesey in North Wales was very different from the Welsh spoken in Monmouth in South Wales. Verse 2 – Sitting beyond the boundaries of grace In Church ordinary people (note – “his people”) could not understand the words of the Bible read in English and so were unable to learn of God’s love for them. Notice that the writer uses the picture of the Lost Sheep from the teaching of Jesus while also reminding us that William Morgan was born in the Welsh countryside. Verse 3 – Sacred library The Bible, which has often been described as a library containing many different books. Hebrew skin and Greek papyri The Hebrew books of the Old Testament were written on vellum, made from animal skins and the early manuscripts of the New Testament were often written on papyrus, an Egyptian form of paper made from reeds. Verse 4 – Messiah Jesus. Note the contrast between ordinary prose and the poet’s noble language William Morgan was able to use plain or poetic language to fit the subject. Verse 5 – turning it into one of the dialects of God’s Revelation William Morgan wrote a Welsh which was fit to describe the wonderful mystery of God made man. To think about; 1. Was the Welsh language the same in North and South Wales? 2. Why did William Morgan want to translate the Bible into Welsh? 3. Why do we celebrate William Morgan?
5 The Translators – men of faith In the Church in Wales, and in other Christian Churches, on special days of the year people are remembered who were remarkable Christians. William Morgan and William Salesbury are remembered or commemorated on September 10th each year. Prayers of thanks are said for their life and faith and what they achieved. Write a prayer that could be used on September 10th. You might like to remember that a monument to the Translators of the Bible into Welsh outside St. Asaph Cathedral is partly in the shape of a lantern to remind people that the words of the Bible give a “light to our path”. (Psalm 119 v. 105 adapted.)
6 A Bible in Welsh Imagine that you are an ordinary Welsh man or woman going to church in (say) 1589. You have to go to church every Sunday and up till now, although the Vicar reads the service in Welsh, the Bible readings are always in English, the language of the Government and Law courts, which you don’t understand very well. You notice a different Bible on the lectern and suddenly, the Vicar is reading from it in Welsh! It is a copy of William Morgan’s translation of the Bible.
You are overjoyed because
It makes a difference to your life because
You can remember the words of the Bible and think about them because
7a “We need a Bible in Welsh!!!!”
Teaching notes The aim of the group of lessons is to produce a play or a radio script to explain why William Morgan undertook the task of translating the Bible into Welsh. The suggested meeting is entirely imaginary but the facts and issues involved are true. The situation Queen Elizabeth is meeting with William Cecil, her Lord Chancellor and chief adviser, in about 1578 to discuss the translation of the Bible into Welsh. She has invited Richard Davies, the welsh Bishop of St. David’s, to meet her at the same time. She is worried about the increasing power of Spain. She has recently heard an interesting University sermon given by William Morgan. The problem is thatAfter the 1536 Act of Union of Wales and England English was the official language of Wales for government and religion. People in England and Wales could read or hear the Bible in English since 1539. By the 1548 Act of Uniformity Cranmer’s Prayer Book was to be the only form of worship – in English! (Note that this was reversed during the reign of Mary) Many people in Wales could not read or understand English Why was this a problem? The Bible was believed to be the Word of God and only if you could hear and follow it could you be saved from sin and God’s punishment for sin after your death and receive the gift of Eternal Life with God. So whom should the Queen choose to translate the Bible into Welsh? Imagine the details – What would the room have looked like? Furniture? Windows? Lighting? What would they have been wearing? Clergy dress, and the dress of the nobility and court? What might they be eating or drinking? Who might be chosen to do the work and why? Possible lesson plansDivide the class into twoGroup 1, investigate the background details of Tudor Life and put together a descriptive paragraph of the scene for one or several members of the group to read. The pictures of the translators would be useful for pictures of dress. Group 2, use the accompanying word cards, which should have been divided and distributed randomly, to work out “Who said what?” in the discussion (The characters are: the Queen’s spy in the court of Spain, Queen Elizabeth, William Cecil and Bishop Richard Davies), then choose children to play the characters, assemble the relevant cards for each part, possibly write up a complete script on the computer and practise the parts as a play The identity cards would be useful for more information. Then produce the play or script with: Introduction by narrator or class teacher, setting the scene and discussion, conclusion by narrator or class teacher.
7b The characters in the discussion are: The Queen’s spy in the Spanish court, Queen Elizabeth, William Cecil who was Lord Chancellor and her chief adviser, Richard Davies who was the Welsh Bishop of St. David’s. Read the word cards and decide who said what in the discussion. (There are several possibilities. Use the clues given in the words themselves.)
Your Majesty, the Spanish King seems to be preparing a big fleet to invade England! As your adviser, I am really in favour of translating the Bible into Welsh. I am partly Welsh myself. I want to unite England and Wales into one kingdom. I want everyone to admire and support me as Queen. I do not want the King of Spain to attack this country and make us return to the Roman Catholic faith and the power of the Bishop of Rome. . I know that there is a great hunger in Wales to read and hear God’s Word in our own language William Salesbury’s translation of the New Testament is very hard to understand. He’s tried to make Welsh into a sort of Latin. William Morgan is a very good preacher. He’s got a real gift for words! He must know a lot of poets.
There are lots of small harbours in Wales where the fleet could land. We must have the Welsh people on your side! My family, the Tudors, originally came from Wales as well. The Welsh people seem slow to learn English. Maybe if they had Welsh as well as English Bibles in their churches they would learn English faster! Your Majesty, I feel that Welsh people cannot be truly Christian until they can read or hear the words of the Bible and understand them. William Salesbury and I worked together on translating the Bible about 10 years ago. We quarrelled about the meaning of one word and so only the New Testament was finished. What about William Morgan as a translator? We could move him to a richer parish so that he would have more money and time for translation! William Morgan would be ideal. He’s a scholar, educated in Cambridge and yet he’s come from a real Welsh country background.