RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Course summary

The aim of A Level Religious Studies is to encourage you to know and understand:  the best thinking about morality – matters of right and wrong;  the best thinking about how God, human beings and their lives should be understood – Philosophy of Religion;  the best thinking on the Christian faith – what does it mean to be a Christian in the 21st Century?  How to present evidence, arguments and evaluate ideas. Philosophy of religion Learners will consider questions such as:  How do the mind and body work together?  What is the human soul?  How can we show that God exists using our thinking and our observations?  What is religious experience and can we learn anything from it?  How can Christians understand the existence of evil in a world made by God?  What is God like?  If God is completely different to our material world, can our words ever properly describe God? Ethics and religion Learners will consider questions such as:  How can we know what is right and wrong?  Is being good built in to human nature?  Should we decide right and wrong differently in each situation?  Is there just one basic rule for right and wrong that every other rule is based on?  When, if ever, should we choose deliberately to end life?  Should businesses follow moral rules or are they free to pursue profit however they choose?  What are we talking about when we use the words ‘good’ and ‘bad, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’?  What is our conscience and when, should we obey it?  Is there moral guidance for sexual relationships or is that a completely private matter? Developments in Christian thought Learners will consider modern answers (and a few older ones) to questions such as:  What are human beings?  What happens when we die?  Can we know if God exists?  Who or what was Jesus?  How should Christians act and be good people?  How does Christianity relate to other faiths?  How do issues of gender (e.g. feminism) relate to religion and society?  Does religion have an important role in modern society or is it just a personal matter?  How do Christians make their faith “good news to the poor”?  Was Karl Marx right about wealth and class issues? How does that relate to Christianity?