The Religious Studies course in the Fourth Form consists of five principal units of work.
Introducing Religious Studies, which includes an exploration of :
Understanding Islam
Storytelling and religions; introducing religious writing, which includes a detailed examination of the oldest story in the world, The Epic of Gilgamesh
Introducing Philosophy, considering questions such as
Understanding Christianity
Religion, Philosophy and Ethics (AQA, 3062)
The GCSE explores philosophical and ethical issues in relation to Christian and Islamic perspectives. The specification is accessible to students of any religious tradition or none.
Module one, ‘Thinking about God and Morality’, addresses, in Section A, the philosophy of religion, asking fundamental questions about the basis for religious beliefs and traditions. It covers: Arguments for the existence of God; What do people believe about God? How do people believe that they know God? If there is a God, why is there suffering? The problem of Evil. The second section investigates ways in which religious beliefs and values are relevant to moral issues and behaviour. This part explores attitudes to issues such as abortion, sex, marriage and divorce, prejudice and discrimination, poverty, war and the natural world.
The other module, ‘Truth, Spirituality and Contemporary Issues’, covers the nature of truth in different disciplines, and religious attitudes to an interesting variety of topical issues including in vitro fertilisation, artificial insemination, surrogacy, genetic engineering, euthanasia, suicide, drug abuse, modern media and technology (including the benefits and problems of the internet as represented by religious or pornography sites), censorship, crime and punishment, and distribution of wealth. Emphasis is placed on the development of a variety of skills, including analysis, evaluation of evidence and objective presentation of different viewpoints, as well as a capacity for coherent and informed thought about many issues which mould contemporary society.
This specification does not require coursework.
GCSE is not a prerequisite for AS or A Level.
E H Hadley
This subject will appeal particularly to pupils who have an interest in conceptual thought, who have a capacity for analytical thinking, who like arguing a case and who can write clearly and fluently. It is not necessary to have studied Religious Studies before at GCSE.
The two year course is made up of two main areas of study: Philosophical and Practical Ethics, and New Testament Studies.
First Year:
After analyzing some of the basic concepts of morality, the theories of some of the great philosophers are examined: Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Mill, Aquinas, for instance. Following this, a range of issues in Medical Ethics are then discussed, including euthanasia, abortion, genetic engineering. The morality of War is then discussed. Should there be limits to what scientists, doctors and politicians are allowed to do, or can we do anything we like with our technology?
After looking briefly at the puzzling and complex way the New Testament came to be written down, the New Testament Module goes on to look at conflicting accounts of the death of Jesus, and at their strange claims that a publicly executed criminal could triumph over death. Could it be that the story that has been handed down to us might warrant further investigation?
Second Year:
In the Philosophical and Practical Ethics Module, philosophical issues about human freedom and conscience are discussed, along with a critical examination of the philosophical foundations of Ethics. The practical ethical issues of Sex and Relationships, the Environment and Business Ethics are also discussed in detail.
In the New Testament Module, the career of Jesus as a teacher and healer is critically examined. Who really was this man who changed the course of our civilization?
Religious Studies has been successfully combined with almost all other subjects; scientists as well as artists have studied Religious Studies with pleasure and success. Many pupils take other essay-based subjects (such as History, Government and Politics or Languages) but Physicists and Mathematicians have also enjoyed the contrast that Religious Studies offers to their scientific work.
This subject is a particularly relevant preparation for studying Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies at University, but the wide range of skills and concepts involved in this flexible subject make it an effective preparation for all humanities and many of the social sciences. Past pupils have studied a wide range of courses at university and pursued a variety of careers such as the Law, Management Consultancy, Business and Research.
C.J.B. O’Neill