Exploring the value of forgiveness through the parable of The Prodigal Son.
The video
AMY: Hello, I'm Amy and this is a story about a farmer and this farmer had two sons.
The farmer was very kind to his children and one day he would pass on everything he owned to them. He would share out all his money between the two brothers.
But, even though he had everything he needed, the younger son wasn't happy on the farm. He wanted to be somewhere else, somewhere more exciting.
So, he went to his father and said he wanted to leave and demanded his share of his father's money now. Well, you can imagine how sad the farmer was.
But, he really loved his youngest son and decided to give him what he wanted.
The farmer was heartbroken.
So, the younger son began his journey. He had lots of money and he enjoyed spending it and spending it and spending it. His life was like one big party, until eventually the party ended. The younger son had spent all the money. He was left with nothing.
He was cold and hungry, he had nowhere to go and no one to help him. He realised he needed to get a job so he could earn some money. And do you know where he ended up? Back on a farm looking after the pigs.
He watched the pigs eat and eat and get fatter and fatter while he was so hungry. Can you imagine being jealous of a pig's dinner?
He went to bed feeling very sad and hungry and cold and lonely. He suddenly remembered his father and his brother and the farm where they all used to live. There was plenty of food and everything he could ever want, but he’d left it all behind.
He knew his dad had been sad and he wanted to say sorry. But would his father ever forgive him and take him back? The father loved both his sons very much and every day his youngest son had been away; the father had looked outside to see if his son was going to come back.
And then one day, there he was!
The younger son was worried he’d be in trouble, but his father was so happy to see him that he forgave his son right away.
And he threw a big party to welcome him home.
Even though the younger son spent all his money, he was completely forgiven. Can you imagine how that felt? Come in, guys. Thank you so much for helping tell this treasure story. It was first told by Jesus in the Bible. See you again soon. Bye!
This story is from Christianity and is one that Jesus told. It is found in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 15, in the New Testament.
In the story there is a farmer with two sons. The younger son wants his inheritance early and to leave the farm. The father lets him have his way and the younger son leaves. He lives a life full of parties and excitement… until the money runs out and the parties stop. He decides to return to the family farm and ask if he can work for his father. His father is so happy to be reunited with his son that he forgives him straightaway.
This story helps us to reflect on forgiveness. Forgiving someone means not holding their actions against them and instead making a fresh start. Christians believe this story shows how God feels about every person.
Duration: 3' 48".
Final words: 'See you again soon. Bye!'
Video questions
- What does the younger son tell his father he wishes to do? (He wants to leave the farm and have his half of his inheritance - the money that would normally be passed on to him when his father died)
- How does the father feel about this? (Very sad)
- What does the younger son do when he leaves the farm? (He spends all his time partying and spends all the money)
- How does the father react when the son returns to the farm? (He is overjoyed and forgives his son for spending all the money)
Teacher Notes
This video could be used to retell religious stories. Try acting out the parable with the children taking on the roles of the father, the younger son and the older son. Freeze the action at key points in the story and invite the father, younger son and older son to say how they feel at this point in the story. You could also use a feelings graph to track how the younger son was feeling at different points through the story - eg he felt unhappy, hungry and lonely when he was looking after the pigs.
The children might reflect on their own and others’ ideas, feelings and experiences. Use discussion time to think about whether forgiveness is important. How does it feel to say sorry? How does it help our friendships when we forgive someone? You could draw around a hand and write five things in the fingers that you could say when you say sorry. Then draw around your other hand and write five things that you could say when you forgive someone - eg 'I forgive you', 'Let’s start again', etc.
To compare religions, you could look at Yom Kippur (Judaism) and consider how prayer and fasting is a part of saying sorry to God.
Curriculum Notes
This short film will be relevant for teaching KS1 Religious Education in England and Northern Ireland, the Curriculum for Wales (particularly RVE as part of Humanities), and Early and 1st Level Religious and Moral Education in Scotland.
Further resources
