Religious Studies

Assessment

For each paper, the first three bullet points are studied and assessed in Year 12, 1 hour exam for each unit (3 hours total). All six bullet points are assessed at the end of Year 13, 2 hour exam for each unit (6 hours total). All questions are compulsory. Paper 1 - Philosophy of Religion The content for this paper helps students to explore some of the main contemporary philosophical issues and questions about religion. Arguments for the existence of God; Religious experiences and their use in arguing for and against the existence of God; Problems of evil and suffering in relation to God's existence; Religious language ; Works of scholars on atheism, agnosticism, probability and postmodernism; Life after death; religion and science including miracles, creation and the Gaia Hypothesis Paper 2 - Religion and Ethics The content for this paper is focused on exploring both common ground and controversy in dealing with issues that arise in the areas of morality and religion in the context of the modern world. Issues of the environment and equality; A study of three ethical theories (Utilitarianism, Situation Ethics, Natural Moral Law); War and peace; sexual ethics; Ethical language; The ethical theories of Kant and Aristotle; Medical Ethics Paper 3 - Study of Buddhism The content for this paper comprises a focused and in-depth study of Buddhism Religious beliefs, values and teachings; Sources of wisdom and authority; Buddhist practices; Social and historical developments; Works of scholars; Religion and society