Religious Studies

Examinations Dates

Year 12 Examinations Dates:

• Provisional UCAS Predicted Grade Examinations: TBC.
• Final UCAS Predicted Grade Examinations: TBC.

Year 13 Examinations Dates:

• Component 1 (Study of Religion) Final Examination: TBC.
• Component 2 (Philosophy of Religion) Final Examination: TBC.
• Component 3 (Religion & Ethics) Final Examination: TBC.

Examining Body

• The examining body is Eduqas.

Examinations

Examinations Overview:

• You will sit 3 examinations at the end of Year 13 - each paper is 2 hours long:
• Paper 1: the Study of Religion (Option D: Buddhism).
• Paper 2: Philosopy of Religion.
• Paper 3: Religion and Ethics.

Examinations Format:

Section A:

• Choose 1 question from a choice of 2.
• Each question is split into two parts.
• Part A is worth 20 marks, assessed against Assessment Objective One, and should take 24 minutes to complete.
• Part B is worth 30 marks, assessed against Assessment Objective Two, and should take 36 minutes to complete.

Section B:

• Choose 1 question from a choice of 3.
• Each question is split into two parts.
• Part A is worth 20 marks, assessed against Assessment Objective One, and should take 24 minutes to complete.
• Part B is worth 30 marks, assessed against Assessment Objective Two, and should take 36 minutes to complete.

Assessment Objectives

Assessment Objective 1:

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of religion and belief, including: religious, philosophical and/or ethical thought and teaching; influence of beliefs, teachings and practices on individuals, communities and societies; cause and significance of similarities and differences in belief, teaching and practice; approaches to the study of religion and belief.

Assessment Objective 2

Analyse and evaluate aspects of, and approaches to, religion and belief, including their significance, influence and study.

Topics:

Component 1 - Study of Religion (Option D: Buddhism):

Theme 1 - Religious Figures and Sacred Texts:

• 1A - Accounts of the Birth of the Historical Buddha and the Four Sights
• 1B - The Awakening / Enlightenment of the Buddha
• 1C - The Patimokkha and the Theravada Monastic Sangha
• 1D - The Pali Canon; 1E - The Heart and Lotus Sutras
• 1F - The Work of Contemporary Buddhist Teachers (the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh)

Theme 2 - Religious Concepts and Religious Life:

• 2A - The Three Lakshanas (The Three Marks of Existence)
• 2B - Pratityasamutpada, Karma, and Re-birth
• 2C - Arhat and Bodhisattva (Theravada and Mahayana Teachings)
• 2D - The Four Noble Truths
• 2E - The Eightfold Path
• 2F - The Dasa Sila (The Ten Precepts)

Theme 3 - Significant Social and Historical Developments in Religious Thought:

• 3A - The Development of Key Buddhist Traditions in Japan
• 3B - Buddhist Responses to the Challenges from Science
• 3C - Buddhist Responses to the Challenges from Secularisation
• 3D - Buddhist Responses to the Challenges of Religious Pluralism and Diversity
• 3E - Historical Development of Buddhism in Britain
• 3F - The Changing Roles of Men and Women within Buddhism

Theme 4 - Religious Practices and Religious Identity:

• 4A - Going for Refuge
• 4B - Meditation
• 4C - Dana (Giving) and Punya (Merit)
• 4D - The Beliefs and Practices of Tibetan Buddhist Traditions
• 4E - The Mindfulness Movement
• 4F - Socially Engaged Buddhism and Liberationist Traditions

Component 2 - Philosophy of Religion:

Theme 1 - Arguments for the Existence of God:

• 1A - Inductive Arguments: Cosmological
• 1B - Inductive Arguments: Telelogical
• 1C - Inductive Arguments: Challenges
• 1D - Deductive Arguments: Ontological (Origins)
• 1E - Deductive Arguments: Ontological (Developments)
• 1F - Deductive Arguments: Challenges

Theme 2 - Challenges to Religious Belief:

• 2A - The Problem of evil and Suffering
• 2B - Augustinian Theodicies
• 2C - Irenaean Theodicies
• 2D - Sigmund Freud
• 2E - Carl Jung
• 2F - Atheism

Theme 3 - Religious Experience:

• 3A - The Nature and Types of Religious Experience
• 3B - Mysticism
• 3C - Challenges to Religious Experience
• 3D - The Influence of Religious Experience on Belief and Practice
• 3E - Miracles
• 3F - Challenges to Miracles

Theme 4 - Religious Language:

• 4A - The Inherent Problems of Religious Language
• 4B - Logical Positivism
• 4C - Analogy
• 4D - Symbol
• 4E - Myth
• 4F - Language Games

Component 3 - Religion & Ethics:

Theme 1 - Ethical Thought:

• 1A - Divine Command Theory
• 1B - Virtue Theory
• 1C - Ethical Egoism
• 1D - Naturalism
• 1E - Intuitionism
• 1F - Emotivism

Theme 2 - Deontological Ethics:

• 2A - Classical Natural Law: Thomas Aquinas - Laws and Precepts
• 2B - Classical Natural Law: Thomas Aquinas - Goods and Virtues
• 2C - Classical Natural Law: Abortion and Voluntary Euthanasia
• 2D - Modern Natural Law: John Finnis
• 2E - Modern Natural Law: Bernard Hoose
• 2F - Modern Natural Law: Capital Punishment and Immigration

Theme 3 - Teleological Ethics:

• 3A - Situation Ethics: Agape
• 3B - Situation Ethics: Principles
• 3C - Situation Ethics: Homosexual and Polyamorous Relationships
• 3D - Act Utilitarianism
• 3E - Rule Utilitarianism
• 3F - Utilitarianism: Animal Experimentation and Nuclear Deterrence

Theme 4 - Determinism and Free Will:

• 4A - Predestination
• 4B - Hard and Soft Determinism
• 4C - The Implications of Predestination and Determinism
• 4D - Free Will
• 4E - Libertarianism
• 4F - The Implications of Free Will and Libertarianism

Faculty Contact Details

Mr S Tighe (Subject Leader: Ethics, Philosophy, and Religion)

• E-mail: [email protected].
• Classroom: EPR1.

Ms S Atkinson

• E-mail: [email protected].
• Classroom: EPR3.

Mr J Howard

• E-mail: [email protected].
• Classroom: EPR2.