This study used cognitive semantics to initiate a narrative dialogue in secondary school classrooms. It focused on examining empirical relationships between exercises, such as 'exegetical reading', 'mystery' and 'concepts to work with' and students' learning -- their acquisition and application of the religious concept of 'image of God' outlined in Gen. 1:1-2:3. Furthermore, by means of the exercise 'essay', we explored whether students enter into a narrative dialogue regarding this concept. Five lessons in seven classes were analysed using a qualitative cross-case approach. The study found that in their 'essay' exercises, most students entered into a narrative dialogue with the text. A quantitative correspondence analysis yielded a graphical display distinguishing students who perform higher-order thinking skills from those who perform lower-order thinking skills. The teacher played a vital role in helping students to formulate and categorise, as well as guiding them in asking and answering questions.