The A Level in Religious Studies offers an exciting range of areas of study. Whilst keeping the popular elements of Philosophy and Ethics, it also adds the opportunity to look at developments in the thought of one religion. We offer DCT, which complements the other two modules. The specification covers a sweep of ideas from Plato and Aristotle through to modern times. It looks at contentious issues such as the problem of evil, and covers areas of current concern such as the gender debate and business ethics. Course Content: Philosophy of Religion — Ancient philosophical ideas from Plato and Aristotle — The nature of the soul, mind and body — Arguments about the existence or nonexistence of God — Religious Experience — The Problem of Evil — Ideas about the nature of God — Issues in religious language Religion and Ethics — Normative ethical theories: — Natural Law — Utilitarianism — Kant — Applied ethics: — Euthanasia — Business ethics — Sexual ethics — Ethical language and thought — Debates about conscience Developments in Christian Thought — Ideas of human nature: free will, death and the afterlife — The Nature of God: Creator and Incarnation — Christian ethical theory, and action: Bonhoeffer Christianity in modern society: — Feminist theology — Liberation Theology — The challenge of Secularism: Freud and Dawkins RS at A Level is a real and relevant exploration of the quest for meaning and understanding. It allows you to be introduced to an academic approach to Philosophy and Theology through topics which build upon GCSE. It can also be studied ‘from scratch’ by someone who has not done the GCSE. The main emphasis throughout the course is to develop a reasoned argument. This means that you will be encouraged to think for yourself; look for flaws in arguments; and come to conclusions about the success or failure of theories. Neither belief in a religion, nor lack of belief, is a necessity for this course. You need to have an open mind and a desire to study people’s beliefs in depth and to examine your own ideas. Religious Studies is a well-established subject at A Level and at university. It is recognised as an academic subject by the universities, and one which equips students with highly transferable skills such as the ability to formulate arguments clearly, to make reasoned judgments and to evaluate highly complex and multifaceted issues. The subject leads to all sorts of careers in the arts, law, journalism, politics, languages. It helps with people-centred careers and medical ethical decisions. But most of all it teaches you to think and question and argue logically and coherently.