Can I compare different religous leaders?

Why do we need leaders?Why do we need leaders? Why do we have councils and governments? Why can’t we do it ourselves?

Star Primary has lots of teachers who look after the children. So do we also need Deputy Heads, Assistant Heads? Do we even need a Head Teacher?!

Have a think: why do we need leaders?

Why do we need leaders?Since the beginning of time, humans have organised themselves into ‘leaders’ and ‘followers’. Leaders help us work together with a common goal.

Good leaders reduce arguments, take responsibility for mistakes the group has made and bring out the best in their followers. Good leaders keep us from falling into chaos!

How many of these religious leaders do you recognise?

Dalai Lama, Buddhist

Grand Iman of Al-Azhar, a

senior Muslim cleric

Pope Francis,Catholic

Indarjit Singh, a leading British Sikh

Hinduism is a collection of religions that began in India. This is Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja who leads one strand of Hinduism.

Ephraim Mirvis, Chief UK Rabbi

What do these newspaper articles tell us about what religious leaders do?

What religious leaders do:Religious leaders spend much of their time praying and studying their religion so that they can explain the meaning of their faith to their followers.

It’s also important that everybody else understands their religion to avoid conflicts caused by misunderstandings. So a lot of time is spent talking with the media, or creating TV or online content.

They lead regular religious services or ceremonies particularly on festivals or holy days.

Religious leaders have a vital roll leading and inspiring their people. They often act as a ‘go between’ to God, representing their people to God by offering prayers on their behalf.

A day in the life of a religious leader.Many religious leaders have shared what their typical day looks like, have a look through them and make some notes on what they spend their time doing:

A day in the life of a London imam

A day in the life of the Dalai Lama

A day in the life of the Pope

A day in the life of a Rabbi

A day in the life of an imam

Day in the life of the Dalai Lama

Day in the life of a rabbi

Your taskYou are going to create a comparing/contrasting thinking map

showing the similarities and differences between the daily lives of religious leaders. Use the information you have just learned to

help you. Upload your thinking map to a Google Slides presentation.The daily work and responsibilities of religious leaders

ChallengeSome religions do not believe in having leaders.

Why do you think they don’t want to have a leader?

How might this affect the religion and do you think this would be a good or bad idea?

Write a paragraph explaining your thoughts on leader-free religions.