Religious Studies lessons
Religious Studies: philosophy of religion, ethical theories, applied ethics, religious thought, developments, and exam skills.
Key topics
- Philosophy of religion
- Ethical theories
- Applied ethics
- Religious thought
- Developments
- Exam skills
Lesson course
Work through each lesson, run the interactive practice, and tick it off as you go.
1. Philosophy of religion
Philosophy
Arguments for God
Explain arguments for God's existence.
Arguments for God include the cosmological (cause), teleological (design) and ontological arguments.
Outline the design argument.
Problem of evil
Explain the problem of evil.
Evil challenges belief in an omnipotent, omnibenevolent God; theodicies attempt a defence.
Outline one theodicy.
Religious experience
Evaluate religious experience as evidence.
Religious experiences (mystical, numinous) are offered as evidence for God, with challenges to their reliability.
Explain one challenge to religious experience.
2. Ethical theories
Ethics
Utilitarianism
Explain utilitarian ethics.
Utilitarianism judges actions by their consequences — the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
Apply the greatest-happiness principle.
Kantian ethics
Explain Kant's deontology.
Kant's deontology judges actions by duty and the categorical imperative, not by consequences.
Apply the categorical imperative.
Natural law & virtue
Compare natural law and virtue ethics.
Natural law (Aquinas) follows reason and purpose; virtue ethics focuses on developing good character.
Apply virtue ethics to a dilemma.
3. Applied ethics
Ethics
Euthanasia
Apply theories to end-of-life ethics.
Apply ethical theories to end-of-life issues, weighing sanctity of life against quality of life.
Apply two theories to euthanasia.
Sexual ethics
Compare approaches to sexual ethics.
Religious and secular approaches differ on relationships and sexual ethics.
Contrast absolutist and relativist views.
Business & environmental ethics
Apply theories to business and environment.
Apply ethical theories to business practice and environmental responsibility.
Apply one theory to an environmental issue.
4. Religious thought
Theology
Beliefs about God
Explain concepts of God.
Concepts of God include omnipotence, omniscience, transcendence and immanence.
Define four attributes of God.
Religious language
Evaluate religious language.
Debates ask whether religious language is meaningful, using verification, symbol and analogy.
Explain the verification challenge.
Life after death
Explain views on the afterlife.
Views on life after death include the soul, bodily resurrection and immortality.
Compare resurrection and immortality of the soul.
5. Developments
Themes
Faith & reason
Explain faith and reason debates.
The relationship between faith and reason underlies debates between science and religion.
Explain one science-and-religion debate.
Religion & society
Explain religion's social role.
Secularisation, pluralism and religion's changing role shape religion in society.
Explain the secularisation thesis.
Gender & religion
Explain gender debates in religion.
Debates address gender, feminism and religious belief and practice.
Explain one feminist theological view.
6. Exam skills
Skills
Constructing arguments
Build philosophical arguments.
Build clear arguments with premises leading to a conclusion.
Set out one argument as premises and conclusion.
Evaluation
Weigh scholarly views.
Weigh scholars' views and reach a justified judgement.
Use two scholars to evaluate a claim.
Mock exam
Apply skills under timed conditions.
Answer the question, use scholars, and conclude with justification.
Plan and time one essay.
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