One Only God. A History of Religions Play.

 Download the script of the play below:

 One only God.doc (56,5 kB) This is the play we have performed at our next meeting in Sanliurfa, Turkey from the 19th to the 23rd of October 2009. It was written by Yolanda Picón, teacher at IES Blas Infante for her History of Religions class. She decided to teach her 13-year-old students the origins of the religions of the five countries involved in Comenius project, that is Catholic, Anglican, Protestant and Islam. It was performed in Spanish last January 09 for our Intercultural Days. Our language assistants translated and recorded audio files for students to learn it easily. No, we have added an introduction by Abraham, as he is the father of all three main monotheist religions and he is supposed to have been born in Sanliurfa, our twin city. So, it has been a pleasure to perform it in a city with such interesting history.

See here the videos of the performance in Sanliurfa:

 

 

 One Only God

  

 ONE ONLY GOD. A HISTORY OF RELIGIONS PLAY.

CHARACTERS:

(160 words) Miguel Ángel. Henry VIII

(144 words) Cristina

(144 words) María

(228 words) Miguel Relaño. Charles V

(166 words) Eva. Fatima

(152 words) Cynthia. María

(150 words) Paco. Luther

Catherine of Aragon (53 words)= Cristina

Ann Boleyn= (0) Cristina

Narrator 1 (Cristina) (50words)

Narrator 7 (Cristina) (41 words)

Pope Clement VII (34 words)= María

Pope Leo X (88 words)= María

Bishop Crammer (0)= María

Narrator 2 ( María) (22 words)

 

1.       Abraham (Paco or German student) (112 words)

2.       Narrator 3 (María or a German student) (18 words)

3.       Narrator 4 (Paco or a German student) (72 words)

4.       Narrator 5 (María or a German student) (39 words)

5.       Narrator 6 (Eva or German student) (19 words)

6.       Narrator 8 (Cristina or a German student) (37 words)

7.       Narrator 9 (Cristina or a German student) (32 words)

8.       Narrator 10 (German student)

9.       Narrator 11 (Cynthia or German student) (42 words)

10.    Narrator 12 (Cristina or German student) (60 words)

Introduction

1. Abraham (Paco or a German student) (112 words):  

 

I was born a very long time ago. Abraham was my name, UR my nation, and, the only God …….my religion. God blessed me with a son, Isaac /ˈaɪzek/. This had a son too, Jacob, whom, the 12 tribes come from. Muslim, Jewish, Christian, no matter which of these three religions you have, have you ever thought:

·         who our great…..grandparents are?

·         why we have separated so much?

·         where the root of our problems are?

 

Let’s put our family tree upside down, and we’ll see all its branches meet (join) one.

Let’s realize our “substance” is only one.

Finally, think, although many differences we can have, how similar we are! 

 

Narrator 1 (Cristina) (50words):

Let’s see why we have different religions in Europe. Why was Lutheranism born in Germany, why did  a new branch of Christianity called Anglicanism come up in England and why did the Roman Catholic Church continued in Spain. We are also going to see the similarities between Christianity and Islam.

 

ACT 1: Anglicanism

Narrator 2 ( María) (22 words):

It is the year 1531. Henry VIII, king of England, is talking to his wife, Catherine of Aragón. The conversation is tense.

 

Scene 1: Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon (Miguel Ángel and Cristina)

 

Henry VIII – (6 words) It’s a nice day, isn’t it?

Catherine of Aragón – (10 words) Yes, it looks like it’s going to rain, as always. (sarcastically)

Henry VIII – (6 words) You know it’s not as sunny here as it is in Spain...you can always go back to your country if you want.

Catherine of Aragón – (2 words) What for?

Henry VIII – (9 words) I wish to marry Anne Boleyn, you know this.

Catherine of Aragón – (21 words) And you know that the Pope will never allow this, much less my nephew, the great Charles V, who protects him.

Henry VIII – (20 words) Listen, I have nothing against you but I need a son to inherit the throne...and the Pope will understand this.

Catherine of Aragón – (20 words) You know that he supports my nephew as Emperor of the Sacred Roman Germanic Empire...and his loyalties lie with him.

Henry VIII – (13 words) I don’t care if he understands or not, I need a son, Catherine.

 

2. Narrator 3 (María or a German student) (18 words): Henry believes that it is possible to obtain an annulment and arranges an audience with Pope Clement VII.

 

Scene 2: Henry VIII and the Pope Clement VII (Miguel Ángel and María)

 

Pope Clement VII – (4 words) What’s going on, Henry?

Henry VIII  – (18 words) Your Excellence, why won’t you let me annul my marriage to Catherine? Clearly, you don’t understand these things...

Pope Clement VII – (17 words) Look, whether I understand or not, our Roman Catholic Apostolic faith won’t allow you to marry again.

Henry VIII  – (45 words) Your Excellence, don’t take this the wrong way...but lately, things haven’t been going so well for the Catholics. The towns in the north of Europe are tired of seeing the narrow-minded clergy /'klɜ:dʒi/ gorging itself on riches (engordando sus tripas y sus riquezas). My town is not happy...you should think about this.

Pope Clement VII – (13 words) And who, then, would I send to the Church of England? You, Henry?

Henry VIII  – (23 words) Me, your Excellence. I will be the head of the Church and I will divorce Catherine and bring a son into the world.

 

Scene 3: Charles V (Miguel Relaño) and Henry VIII (Miguel Ángel)

 

Charles V  – (20 words) Henry, I will not let you make a mockery of the Spanish Royal family. You will not leave my aunt.

Henry VIII  – (20 words) The Pope would not consent to the annulment because of you...what with you being the defender of Christianity and everything. (sarcastically)

Charles V – (8 words) Clement will excommunicate you if you’re not careful.

 

3.      Narrator 4: (Paco or a German student) (72 words) In 1534, Henry VIII creates the Acts of Supremacy which appoint him head of the Church of England and Thomas Crammer, Bishop of Canterbury (Scene 4: Henry appointing Crammer ). He leaves Catherine and marries Anne Boleyn (Scene 5 and 6: The wedding and subsequent beheading), whom he has beheaded in 1536 for adultery. She gives him a daughter, however (much to Henry’s disappointment), Elizabeth I, who, later, enforces Protestantism in England.

 

 

 

 

ACT 2: Muslim Girl and Catholic Girl (Eva and Cynthia) (Sounds of birds in the park)

 

4. Narrator 5 (María or a German student) (39 words):

We find ourselves in a park in any European city. Maria is wandering about, waiting for her sister whilst eating a sandwich. Suddenly, a girl runs past her, trips and falls into her, causing her to drop her sandwich.

 

M – (10 words) Hey! What are you doing? Be careful, that’s my snack.

Fa – (4 words) Sorry (she picks up the sandwich, shakes it about a little bit and gives it back to her...she looks at it and wrinkles her nose), what’s in it?

M – (14 words) Well, you could at least ask me my name first. And tell me yours!

Fa – (6 words) Ok, my name’s Fatima, and you?

M – (16 words) I’m Maria and I don’t know why you’re making that face at my sandwich, it’s ham!

Fa – (9 words) Ah, it’s just that I don’t eat pigs’ meat.

M – (6 words) What a strange girl you are!

Fa – (10 words) Well if you’re going to be like that, I’m going (and she turns around...)

M – (7 words) No, wait...it’s because you’re a vegetarian, right?

Fa – (16 words) No, I’m a Muslim...it’s a religion, if you don’t know (sarcastically) and we don’t eat pig’s meat.

M – (7 words) Ahhh and what else don’t you do?

Fa – (6 words) Better, what else do we do!

M – (4 words) Ok, but tell me.

Fa – (11 words) Well, we have to pray five times a day facing Mecca.

M – (9 words) Ah, alright, I have to pray every day, too.

Fa – (7 words) On Fridays, I go to the mosque.

M – (7 words) And on Sundays, I go to church.

Fa – (35 words) Ha ha, well if you didn’t like what I told you about us not eating pigs’ meat, wait till you hear this...during the month of Ramadan, adults neither eat nor drink from sunrise till sunset.

M –(10 words) Well, on Fridays, during Lent, we shouldn’t eat meat either.

Fa – (21 words) It’s curious isn’t it? We’re not that different...ok, one more thing. What’s the one thing Muslims do that Catholics don’t do?

M – (4 words) Hmmm...go on then, what?

Fa – (15 words) I have to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in my life.

M – (18 words) And you think that we don’t? Catholics go on pilgrimages to Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela...(that’s in Spain).

 

5.      Narrator 6 (Eva or German student) (19 words) A girl appears. She is Maria’s sister and is pulling at her to leave. Before she turns to go:

 

M – (1 word) Fatima!

Fa – (1 word) Yes?

M – (20 words) I have to come and pick up my sister every Wednesday. You live here, next to the park, don’t you?

Fa – (1 word) Yes...

M – (12 words) If you want, we can meet next time and continue our conversation.

Fa – (5 words) Ok, but on one condition.

M – (2 words)What’s that? (laughing)

Fa – (16 words) That you bring a cheese or omelette sandwich and that you give me a little bit! (laughs)

M – (5 words) Great! See you on Wednesday!

Fa – (3 words) See you then!

 

ACT 3: THE PROTESTANTISM

(Sounds of rain)

 

Narrator 7 (Cristina) (41 words):

It’s the year 1517 and the Roman Catholic Church continues to become more discredited. An Augustinian monk, student of theology and history, Martin Luther, will denounce the situation and will reform the Catholic Church by giving rise to the Protestant movement.

(Sounds of rain and thunder. Strikes )

Scene 1: Luther nailing his 95 thesis while he says:

Luther (Paco) (77 words): They’ll think I’m crazy for nailing my thoughts to the door of the Wittemberg palace, but I should do it for God, and for all his believers. This church, avaricious and pagan, cannot continue like this. I hope the Pope realizes this and accedes to discuss these problems with me. It is not fair that the pardon of any sin can be bought, even murder. Everything is ok as long as you fill up the Pope’s coffers.

 

Scene 2: Leo X (María) and Charles V (Miguel Relaño) disagree about the situation.

Charles V (40 words): You should stop this. I am going to defend the Roman Catholic Church but the German princes might support Luther. They wish to separate themselves from me…and they would be able to use him as an excuse for the war.

Pope Leo X (23 words): Do not worry. Luther is a drunk that does not have the authority to get near me, not even if he wanted to.

Charles V (8 words): I would not be so sure about that.

Pope Leo X (24 words): I will declare him heretic and then he will not have anything to do, he will be condemned and forgotten like all the others.

Charles V (41 words): I am not so sure, remember he has the German princes on his side and furthermore he is partly right, it is not good that one can pay their sins with money…maybe it is true that the church should be reformed.

Pope Leo X (16 words): Charles, stop giving importance to this cause, look, if he continues insisting, I will excommunicate him.

 

6. Narrator 8 (Cristina or a German student) (37 words):

But the Pope was confused. They confirmed the worst suspicions of Charles V, and the war broke out between the German princes that supported Lutheranian thesis and Charles V that wished, above all, to conserve his territories.

Scene 3: (Acting the war)

Scene 4: Martin Luther, Charles V and Leo X in 1530 in the Augsburg Diet.

Luther (67 words): The princes support me because I desire a new society, more modern and cultured, the farmers support me because they are also able to have knowledge of God’s word, they can read the Bible too!

I did not wish to go against you, your excellence (directing at the Pope), nor defy the emperor (looking at Carlos V)…but I believe that no one wants to know the truth.

Charles V (28 words): It is possible I don’t agree with you, but now we need to be united in front of a common enemy, the Turks are advancing from the West.

Pope Leo X: (25 words) (mad in a corner, talking for himself -enfadado en un rincón, hablando para sí) I am not going to say anything, but this cannot be, this is the beginning to an end…make peace with the heretics? That is absurd!

Luther: (6 words) Right, we will postpone our conversation. (And he turns around.)

 

7. Narrator 9 (Cristina or a German student) (32 words):

But time past, the war began again. The Germans formed the Smalcalda League and although Charles V wins an important battle in Mulberg, he already knows his defeat. Luther dies in 1546 (scene 6).

 

Scene 7: Charles V and the German princes.

Charles V (Miguel) (83 words): Starting at this moment, 1555 AD, we make peace, we will call it the Augsburg Peace, and from this moment I resign to my dream, to have religious unity in my domains, starting now, everyone will be able to profess the religion they wish.

Now that I am old and tired, I have done everything that I could for my kingdom and for my God, and I know that my church will be able to change. Protestantism would consolidate in England. (Scene 7)

8. Or Narrator 10 (German student) (82 words): Starting at this moment, 1555 AD, they make peace, they will call it the Augsburg Peace, and from this moment Charles V resigns to his dream, to have religious unity in his domains, starting now, everyone will be able to profess the religion they wish.

Now that he is old and tired, he has done everything that he could for his kingdom and for his God, and he knows that his church will be able to change. Protestantism would consolidate in England. (Scene 7)

 

Scene 8: Some differences between the Anglicanism and Catholicism.

9.      Narrator 11 (Cynthia or German student) (42 words):

Luckily, these days, everyone chooses the religion that they wish and the Anglicanism and Roman Church live together in peace. Even though there continues to be differences between both confessions. These are some that have been called to our attention the most:

 

10. Narrator 12 (Cristina or German student) (60 words)

-Women cannot be priests for the Roman Church. The Anglicanism does permit women to be pastors of the community, as well as women bishops. (We dress up like a women pastor)

-The Catholics believe in the images of the Saints. The Anglicanism does not, they believe in the Saints but don’t believe that they intercede with God but help God.

THE END