The purpose of questioning is to find out information, an at-tempt to seek knowledge.

I began by asking myself this question. Why would a high school teacher and student want to spend four evenings dur-ing the winter after being in school all day talking about the Bible?

Well, for me the answer is an easy one. I am a theology major and a religion teacher. Reading, studying, lecturing, and dis-cussing the bible is what I do for a living. The idea of gathering together and dialoging with the future of our society and world is what the Genesis Project is all about. In my second year of participating in the program, I am as excited today as I was in the beginning.

My experiences in the program have allowed me to share not only my perspectives with others, but to have gained a great-er appreciation for the thoughts and ideas of students with diverging views and coming from different religious back-grounds. Every ending must have a beginning, a genesis. This program, in my opinion, is the beginning of a dialogue that I believe one by one will help change the complexity and awk-wardness of discussing a subject that most people are taught not to discuss in public. Can we have meaningful discussions and discourse without the fear of reprisal, indignation, or worse? I answer with a resounding "YES!"

I was once told that in order to keep what you have, you must first give it away. I leave after every session of the program wishing it could continue indefinitely. After most, it continues on the parking lot! Not only are our sessions stimulating, they are lively, and at times down right hilarious. The students and teachers are able to drop the veil/wall and feel free to share their innermost thoughts on what the stories of Genesis hold for them.

The book of Genesis itself is a treasure of information on the how's, why's and maybes, allowing for an interpretation in which we can all find a happy medium. There are no right or wrong answers in this environment, only an openness that this program provides. Parents would be pleasantly surprised at how deep the thought and ideas of their children are when it comes to the bible.

My only worry about the High School Genesis Project is that it won't be there next year. I look forward to this program with the seriousness of a theology teacher and the excitement of a child standing in line waiting for an ice cream cone. In my most humble opinion, this program should be experienced by all students at least once in their four years of high school. Maybe, just maybe, we could take this program and expand it to each school and have the schools start their own Genesis Project, thereby making the program more accessible and on site. It would be a great follow-up to what we are already doing. Perhaps the students who participate now could go back and start up programs at their respective schools.

In order to grow, you must first know!
Why Genesis? Why not?

David Owens teaches theology to juniors at the Catholic High School of Baltimore.