Philosophy, Ethics & Theology

Philosophy, Ethics and Theology is an excellent A Level choice. It is varied, challenging and enlightening and will undoubtedly be useful in a student’s future endeavours.

A Level Religious Studies provides a coherent and thought-provoking programme of study. Students develop their understanding and appreciation of religious beliefs and teachings, as well as the disciplines of ethics and the philosophy of religion. The students study OCR Religious Studies (H573) and the modules covered are Philosophy, Ethics and Developments in Christian Thought. The course covers three key areas:

Substantive Knowledge: This includes the foundational content and scholarly information spanning Christianity, philosophy and ethics

Disciplinary Knowledge: This establishes how we know what we know, teaching students to think and enquire like scholars in distinct academic fields. It includes of analysis and evaluation, as well as looking at the bigger picture and context.

Personal Knowledge: This encourages students to recognise their own values, assumptions, and viewpoints. Critical Reflection is part of this and includes fostering empathy, respectful dialogue, and the ability to evaluate religious truth claims while remaining aware of their own presuppositions. Religious Literacy is also linked to this. This empowers learners to debate profound human questions and apply their analytical skills.

Year 12

Term 1

Ancient philosophical influences

The nature of the soul, mind and body

Arguments about the existence or non-existence of God

Natural Law

Kantian Ethics

Utilitarianism

Human Nature

Life after death

Th person of Christ

The three modules are taught simultaneously throughout the year with 1 lesson per week for Ethics and 2 lessons per week each for Philosophy and Developments in Christian Thought.

Knowledge:

In the first term in Philosophy students will look at some of the great Greek philosophers; Plato and Aristotle as well as different views on the connection of and the existence of the soul. They will also begin to explore some of the arguments of the existence of God, starting with the cosmological argument. In Ethics pupils gain and insight into the purpose of ethics and begin exploring normative ethical theories. The students start with Aquinas’ natural law and the move on to Kantian ethics and utilitarianism. In Developments in Christian Thought pupils start with an overview of theology and then delve into looking at Augustine’s ideas on human nature. They then move on to life after death and the person of Christ, which explore the varying theological ideas about Jesus.

Skills:

As this is the start of the course students being to build on their analytical and evaluative skills. They also start to developed note taking skills and hermeneutical skills linked to reading original texts. Essays are modelled and pupils begin writing AS level essay answers.

Useful Links

General links:

thepanpsycast.com

ithinkthereforeiteach.com

massolit.io/subjects/philosophy/landing

Topic specific links:

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/ocr-religious-studies/ocr-philosophy/plato-aristotle-ocr

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/philosophy-soul-mind-body

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/the-cosmological-argument

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/natural-law

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/kantian-ethics

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/utilitarianism

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/ocr-religious-studies/ocr-christianity/augustines-teachings-on-human-nature

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/death-afterlife

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/jesus-trinity-debate

Assessments:

There is the first timed essays are in November, where pupils will complete one timed 30-mark essay from each of the 3 modules.

At the end of each topic pupils are set and essay to complete in their own time with a response task completed before or after the teacher has marked it. There are lots of mini retrieval quizzes and questions in each lesson to help ensure that all pupils are keeping up.

Term 2

Arguments about the existence or non-existence of God

The nature and impact of religious experience

Utilitarianism

Situation Ethics

Euthanasia

Knowledge of God

Christian Moral Principles

Knowledge:

In the second term in Philosophy pupils move on to looking at two other arguments for the existence of God. These are the teleological (design) argument and the ontological argument. They then move on to look at religious experience and the many different attitudes and arguments linked to this. In Ethics students will complete the utilitarianism topic, looking at more modern examples. They then move on to look at situation ethics and begin the applied topic of euthanasia. In Development of Christian Thought students start with natural and revealed theology, and then move on to Christian moral principles, where they look at the different ways and the sources Christians use to make moral decisions.

Skills:

Pupils continue to develop their analytic and evaluation skills. They gradually get more competent with essay writing and work on ensuring that there is clear evaluation of individual concepts in their essays. They also continue to build on their decoding of philosophical text and ability to form and justify their own arguments.

Useful Links

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/the-teleological-design-argument

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/ontological-arguments

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/religious-experience

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/utilitarianism

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/ocr-religious-studies/ocr-christianity/knowledge-of-gods-existence

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/authority-bible-church

Assessments:

30 mark essays will be set at the end of each topic. These will be modelled and planned in the lesson. Students will have a range of planning tools so that they can select which best suits them. There are lots of mini retrieval quizzes and questions in each lesson to help ensure that all pupils are keeping up.

Term 3

The challenge for religious belief of the problem of evil

Euthanasia

Business Ethics

Christian Moral Action: Bonhoeffer

Knowledge:

In Philosophy students get the opportunity to make links with all of their learning by applying it to one of the key criticisms of the existence of God: the problem of evil. In Ethics students finish the euthanasia topic. This includes applying the theories, as well as looking at real life case studies. They then look at business ethics, where they study corporate social responsibility, as well as the focus on profit and globalisation. In Developments of Christian Thought there is a focus on Bonhoeffer as an individual, his life and theology, as well as his views on costly grace and solidarity. There is also time in this term to consolidate learning from the year in preparation for their year 12 prep exams.

Skills:

At this point, students start to move from AS to A level essays where there is more of focus on analysis. Students begin to critically compare and make links between theories and ideas as well as putting together a fully reasoned and justified argument. They continue to develop their hermeneutical skills.

Useful Links

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/the-problem-of-evil

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/ocr-religious-studies/ocr-ethics/business-ethics

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/ocr-religious-studies/ocr-christianity/christian-moral-action

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/ocr-religious-studies/ocr-religious-studies-a-level-essay-structure

Assessments:

Students will begin to move on to 40 mark A Level essays. These will be set at the end of each topic and additional set for revision. Lots of exemplar essay will be given, in addition to a range of planning tools for the students to use. There will be two formal exams in timed conditions in June as part of the A Level Exam preparation. Students will be given structured revision materials for these.

Year 13

Term 1

Conscience

Sexual ethics

The nature and attributes of God

Feminism in Society

Feminism in theology

Pluralism and theology

The three modules are taught simultaneously throughout the year with 2 lesson per week for each.

Knowledge:

Ethics in this term starts by looking into the varying ideas of conscience. Both religious and psychological explanations are covered including Aquinas, Butler and Freud. Students then move on to study sexual ethics which includes a range of issues such contraception, homosexuality and sex outside of marriage. In Philosophy students look at the characteristics of God. This includes looking at God’s eternal or everlasting nature. In Developments of Christian Thought students begin with feminism in society and then move on to feminism theology; With a focus on Mary Daly and Rosemary Radford. The second half of the term looks at pluralism in theology. There is a focus on exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism.

Skills:

Students continue to develop their analytical and critical thinking skills. There is more of a focus on having a sustained line or reasoning and the justification of analytical ideas. Students continue to build on their debating skills with a focus on making more links to scholarly theories and concepts.

Useful Links

General links:

thepanpsycast.com

ithinkthereforeiteach.com

massolit.io/subjects/philosophy/landing

Topic specific links:

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/nature-attributes-of-god

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/ocr-religious-studies/ocr-ethics/conscience

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/meta-ethics

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/ocr-religious-studies/ocr-christianity/gender-and-society

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/feminism-gender-and-theology

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/exclusivism-inclusivism-pluraism

Assessments:

Students complete 40 mark essays at the end of each topic. As in year 12, these are planned in lessons with lots of exemplar essays given, as well as model paragraphs. There are regular opportunities to check knowledge and understanding of the concepts in the form of low stake quizzes and questioning.

Term 2

Religious Language (pre and post 20th century)

Sexual ethics

Meta ethics

Pluralism in society

Marxism and liberation theology

The challenge of secularism.

Knowledge:

In Philosophy students begin with looking at religious language. This includes the via negativa falsification and verification, as well as sign-in symbol and analogy. In ethics students will finish sexual ethics and then move on to meta ethics. This topic looks at the language and meaning behind words like good or bad and includes ethical naturalism, intuitionism, emotivism and prescription. In Developments of Christian Thought students will look at how Christianity functions in a multi faith society as well as how Marxism has influenced ideas on helping the poor.

Skills:

Pupils continue to develop their analytical and critical thinking skills, while also having a focus on exam technique. It is important that students can show a clear line of reasoning throughout their work, as well as justify their analysis with links to scholars.

Useful Links

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/religious-language-negative-analogical-or-symbolic

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/meta-ethics

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/ocr-religious-studies/ocr-christianity/pluralism-and-society

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/liberation-theology

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/secularism

Assessments:

Pupils will continue to do 40 mark essays at the end of each topic. These will be planned in lessons using a range of planning tools and then written for homework. There will be prep exams in January which will cover each of the three modules and be as close to the real exam as possible. There are also knowledge retrieval opportunities in class with care taken to ensure previous learning is interleaved.

Term 3

All: There is a focus on revision

Knowledge:

In this term there is opportunity to complete any content not covered and revise. Plenty of time is left for revision to cover both year 12 and year 13 work.

Skills:

During the final term students need to consolidate their analytical and reasoning skills. They also hone their essay writing skills, trying to make the most of every paragraph and ensuring that they write in a philosophical manner. There is also a focus on the skill of speed planning, as well as making big picture links between philosophers and philosophical concepts.

Useful Links

alevelphilosophyandreligion.com/ocr-religious-studies

Assessments:

Essays continue to be practised this term with an additional focused on timed essays. These will be weekly Easter with pupils given the opportunity to revise a topic and then do a timed essay on that topic.

Type of Qualification:

A Level

Course entry requirements:

Religious Studies GCSE Grade 4 is useful but not compulsory

Are you interested in:

Ethics, ultimate questions, Greek philosophers, religion, religious views, arguments against religion, real-life issues such as euthanasia, business ethics and sexuality as well as debating?