Religious Studies

Course summary

Are you open to new ways of thinking? Ever since humankind started to think, religion has been a fundamental part of our development. In the 21st century, religion still addresses the same eternal human questions about life and death, values and relationships, right and wrong. This course involves a detailed study of a world religion and its main beliefs. This will develop your interest in religion and your ability to relate it to the wider world. You will also develop an understanding and appreciation of religious thought and its contribution to individuals, communities and societies. This will allow you to begin to reflect on and foster your own values, opinions and attitudes in light of the study. You will then study arguments for God’s existence, examining the work of great philosophers. You will explore the problem of evil and suffering and how this challenges God’s goodness. You will study how compatible religion is with science, examine miracles and study life after death. You will have the opportunity to engage in discussion and debate. You will consider some of the classic theories of morality and will apply them to ethical issues such as animal testing and capital punishment. Overall, Religious Studies A Level is very thought provoking, enabling you to question many aspects of belief and to examine issues relevant to today’s world. This course encourages students to develop their interest in a study of religion and its relation to the wider world. You will adopt an enquiring, critical and reflective approach to the study of religion and begin to reflect on and develop your own values, opinions and attitudes. During the course you will have the opportunity to recall, select and deploy specified knowledge. You will then identify, investigate and analyse questions and issues arising from the topics studied. You will develop clear and logical thinking alongside critical evaluation and negotiation. The capacity for independent thought is key!