Religious Studies

Examination Board: OCR

Is there such a thing as right and wrong? What happens when I die? Why might a good God allow evil in the world? These are all questions that are tackled head-on in the Religious Studies A-level course, as well as more practical questions, such as what is the ethical way to run a business? and Is euthanasia morally acceptable?

A-level Religious Studies is not a preparation for the religious life. Rather, it is a stringent academic subject that will encourage you to write in an orderly and lucid way, help you to understand and evaluate complex critical theories and develop your sensitivity to the variety of factors influencing religious thought and practice. These skills will be of value in any future career and will demonstrate to future employers and university interviewers a high level of academic competence. Students taking Religious Studies have combined it with almost every other subject and gone on to a wide range of undergraduate courses. As well as Theology and Philosophy, girls have also applied for Psychology, English, History, Economics, Medicine, Dentistry, Geography and Education. Partly because of the transferable skills that it develops, universities have a very positive attitude towards a Religious Studies A-level.

Philosophy of Religion

Examination: 2 hours

■ Ancient philosophical influences ■ The nature of the soul, mind and body ■ Arguments about the existence or nonexistence of God ■ The nature and impact of religious experience ■ The challenge for religious belief of the problem of evil ■ Ideas about the nature of God ■ Issues in religious language

Religious Ethics

Examination: 2 hours

■ Utilitarianism ■ Kantian Deontology ■ Natural moral law ■ Situation ethics ■ Business ethics ■ Euthanasia ■ Conscience ■ Ethical language

Developments in Christianity

Examination: 2 hours

■ Saint Augustine's teaching on human nature ■ Death and the afterlife ■ Knowledge of God's existence ■ The person of Jesus Christ ■ Christian moral principles and action ■ Religious Pluralism ■ Gender theology ■ The challenge of secularism ■ Liberation theology