| UNIT A: Religion and Life based on a study of Christianity and Islam. |
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Believing in God How religious upbringing in a family or community of Christians can lead to or support belief in God. The nature of religious experience as seen in the numinous, conversion, miracles, prayer, and how these may lead to or support belief in God. The Numinous in Religious Experience. Sports stars give their reasons for believing in God. How the appearance of the world (design and causation) may lead to or support belief in God. How the search for meaning and purpose in life may lead to or support belief in God. How the presence of religion in the world may lead to or support belief in God. Arguments for the existence of God - Design and Causation. How non-religious explanations of the world and of miracles may lead to or support agnosticism or atheism. How unanswered prayers and the existence of evil and suffering (including moral evil and natural evil) may lead people to question or reject belief in God. Opposition to God's existence. The problem of evil and suffering. Why the existence of evil and suffering raises problems for people who believe in God as omnipotent, benevolent and omniscient. How Christians respond to this problem. Summary and revision questions.
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Matters of LIfe and Death Christian teachings on life after death, including resurrection and immortality of the soul. The teachings of Islam on life after death. Why Christians and Muslims believe in life after death. Reasons for belief in life after death including near-death experiences and the paranormal. Ressurection and the immortality of the soul. Why some people do not believe in life after death. The nature of abortion, including current British legislation and non-religious arguments concerning abortion. Christian and Muslim teaching on sanctity of life and abortion. A guide to the issue of abortion. Christian attitudes towards abortion. The nature of euthanasia (assisted suicide, voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia), including current British legislation and non-religious arguments concerning euthanasia. Christian and Muslim teaching on sanctity of life and euthanasia. A Christian view of euthanasia. Christianity and the Sanctity of Life. An Islamic view of Euthanasia. Islam and the Sanctity of Life. An in-depth guide to euthanasia and religion.
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Marriage and the Family Changing attitudes in the UK to cohabitation and marriage. The purposes of marriage, as expressed in a marriage ceremony, in Christianity and Islam (faithfulness). The attitudes of Christianity and Islam to sex outside marriage (pre-marital sex, promiscuity and adultery), including the reasons for the attitudes. Christian attitudes towards sex. Christian attitudes towards marriage. Changing attitudes to divorce in the UK. The attitudes of Christianity and Islam to divorce (including re-marriage), and the reasons for the attitudes. Christian attitudes towards divorce and remarriage. The changing nature of family life (nuclear family, extended family, re-constituted family) in the UK.The teachings of Christianity and Islam on family life and its importance. Christian views on the Family. How churces help with the upbringing of children and keeping the family together. How Islam helps with the upbringing of children and keeping the family together.
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| Social
Harmony
The growth of equal rights for women in the UK. Different Christian attitudes to the role of men and women, including the reasons for them. The attitudes of Islam to the role of men and women, including the reasons for them (equality and sexism). The nature of the UK as a multi-ethnic society, including prejudice, discrimination and racism. The teachings of Christianity and Islam which help to promote racial harmony. A guide to ethnic diversity in the UK. Christian atttitudes towards racism. The quality, variety and richness of life in the UK as a multi-faith society, including considerations of religious freedom and religious pluralism. The attitudes of Christianity (exclusivism, inclusivism, pluralism) and Islam towards other religions, including the reasons for them. A guide to the UK as a multi-faith society. Summary and revision questions. The Commission for Racial Equality [NO LINK?].
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| General
Links
The Church of England's views on a range of moral issues. |