Who is the course for? Any learner who wants to adopt an enquiring, critical and reflective approach to the study of religion. The course does not require any previous study of the subject. It is designed for learners from any religious background (or none). What can it lead to? Religious Studies will train you in skills of analysis, logical thought, empathy and literacy. These are skills which will prepare you well for both university and beyond. It directly provides a foundation for courses in Philosophy, Religious Studies and Theology. However, the skills and challenges involved in studying RS at A Level are highly relevant to a wide range of courses in Humanities, Law, Politics and Social Sciences. What will I study? Philosophy of Religion The focus is on a variety of central questions relating to religious experience and belief. Is it possible to prove (or disprove) the existence of God in logical reasoning? You will study and evaluate the arguments for the Existence of God. What is the nature of religious experience and can it be used as proof of the reality of God? Can religion be explained (or explained away) in terms of psychological experiences and neuroses? How convincing is the argument for atheism and how has the debate about the existence and nature of God been affected by post-modernism? Ethics A study of a wide range of issues concerning the broad notions of right and wrong (morality). You study a combination of ethical theory and applied ethics. Ethical theory involves thinking about how we decide what is right and wrong. So for example, some ethical systems are clearly based on religious authority, whilst others are attempts to base ethical decisions on rational principles. Topics involve application of these values to other strands in life i.e. ethical scientific research or ethical business and trading models. Christianity This unit primarily focuses on Christianity in its formative years, medieval times and modernity. This entails, well detailed evaluation of the Life of Jesus as a Man and God, Christian theology of the Fall and the Original sin, different strands of Christian theology and denominations as well as the complex relationship of Christianity with science, gender inequality and secularization. The unit enables students to develop transferrable intellectual approaches to different religions, historical events and anthropology. How will I be taught? Lectures in preparation for university style teaching, group and pair investigation, discussions and debates, presentations, self-investigation.