Religious Studies

Course summary

The two year course is made up of three modules with equal weighting: Philosophy of religion. Topics include: - Ancient Greek influences on philosophy of religion, specifically looking at Plato and Aristotle - The nature of the soul mind and body - Arguments for the existence and non-existence of God - Issues in religious language - The nature and impact of religious experience - The problem of evil and suffering and its challenges to belief - Ideas about the nature and attributes of God. Religion and Ethics. Topics include: - Normative ethical theories such as Kantian ethics, natural law and situation ethics - The application of ethical theory to euthanasia and business ethics - Ethical language and thought - Debates surrounding conscience and free will - Sexual ethics and the influence of ethical thought on developments in religious belief. Developments in religious thought. Topics include: - Connections between beliefs, values and teachings both historically and in the contemporary world - Sources of religious wisdom and authority - The relationship between religion and society and how this is changing in the modern world - Christianity and Marxism - Feminist Theology - Christian attitudes towards other faiths.