This course will appeal to students studying both sciences and humanities as it focuses on both philosophical and ethical questions in addition to Christian theology.
At AS, students study some of the classical arguments for the existence of God as well as the Problem of Evil and Religious Experience – giving consideration to how these issues may present challenges to religious belief. In ethics, students will explore key ethical theories (Natural Law, Situation Ethics and Virtue Ethics) and consider how they are applied to issues such as embryonic research, abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia as well as animal rights. The Christian theology section considers Christian sources of authority, beliefs about God, and the afterlife as well as Christian ethics and expressions of religious identity(Baptism and Eucharist).
At A2, the topics of Religious Language, Miracles and Life after Death are considered in Philosophy. The Ethics Unit moves on to the study of Meta-Ethics, Free Will and Moral Responsibility and Conscience. The Theology element of the course considers contemporary issues of Christianity and gender issues, science, in addition to the challenges of secularisation and religious pluralism.
POST A LEVEL OPTIONS
Post A level, students taking Religious Studies can go on to study a wide range of degrees both in humanities and science. Past students have moved on to degrees in Law, Business Studies, Psychology, Midwifery, Dentistry, Art and Design to name a few.
“Philosophy begins in wonder”