Key Stage 3
What will the subject be like?
“This is the Faith of the Church, this is our Faith.”
The teachings of Christ, the timeless message of the gospels and the solemn teachings of the Church inform all that the curriculum at St. Bede’s attempts to achieve. Religion is therefore at the very heart of our education and it prefaces all other subjects in this booklet.
In the Upper Third, there is an opportunity for the study of Christian belief and practice with specific reference to the Person and Ministry of Jesus, as presented in St Mark’s Gospel. Pupils should have knowledge and understanding of the origins of the gospel, of the specified terms, and the ways in which modern beliefs and practices have been drawn from the Gospel account.
The Lower Fourth course, examines the effect of the Roman Catholic tradition upon aspects of Christian lifestyle and behaviour. Pupils will be encouraged to acquire knowledge and understanding of the belief, values and tradition of the Roman Catholic tradition and consider religious and other response to fundamental questions of life raised by religion and human experience, including questions about the meaning and purpose of life. They will also develop skills relevant to an academic study of religion.
Lessons per week:Three periods of Religion are provided in the Upper Third and the Lower Fourth.
What will be studied?
In the Upper Third, the course will consider Authority, the Person of Jesus, Suffering, Death and Resurrection within Christianity, and the Christian belief in life after death. We will also look at the Christian Community. This will involve issues such as:
- The Kingdom of God : the significance of the Kingdom, and its present and future dimensions. The meaning and purpose the Kingdom gives to Christian life.
- Faith and Prayer : the importance of faith, prayer and commitment.
- Discipleship: The nature and cost of discipleship.
- Leadership: The role of the disciples, their call, their mission and the implications of their work for Christian organisation and mission today.
- Worship: The day of rest. The Jewish Sabbath and the significance of Sunday for Christians and the ways in which Sunday is observed by Christians, and issues relating to its use.
In the Lower Fourth, the course develops to look at Belief and Sources of Authority : The Bible contrasting beliefs about the authority, inspiration and interpretation of the Bible. The Apostles’ Creed: as representing a summary of Christian beliefs with reference to the following:
- The oneness of God and the Trinity.
- The Incarnation and Jesus as the Son of God.
- The meaning of the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
- The person and work of the Holy Spirit.
- The Church as the Body of Christ.
- The Communion of Saints.
- Sin and the means of salvation.
- Judgement and the world to come.
- The role of Mary. Mary as the Mother of God. Her place in Roman Catholic belief.
- The teaching authority of the Church (The Magisterium).
- The role of the Pope as successor to Peter, spiritual guide and head of the Roman Catholic Church.
- The teaching ministry of the Church and the combined authority of the Pope and the bishops.
Practice and Organisation: Different forms of worship: liturgical; non-liturgical, including both the structured and the spontaneous.
Sacramental rites of passage: Infant baptism, confirmation, believers’ baptism, marriage, death rites.
Festivals: the significance of the following of special days and festivals for Christians.
Homework
Through homework the pupils will develop further the concepts and areas of faith, doctrine and practice explored in the lessons.
All teachers of religion are practising Catholics who hope that their personal faith informs their teaching which will always be in line with the teaching of the Church.
Mr. Daniel Kearney, Head of Religion
GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES
PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION AND ETHICS
This course is designed to offer an academic approach to the study of religion. All the topics in the syllabus provide opportunities:
- To develop an interest and enthusiasm for a rigorous study of religion.
- To use an enquiring and critical approach to the study of religion.
The Course
The course is divided into the following topics: Topics 1-5: Philosophy of Religion. Topics 6-10: Ethics
- Topic 1: The Nature of God
This is concerned with the fundamental question of belief in a Divine Being and the differingways in which religion understands this concept. - Topic 2: The Nature of Belief
This topic is concerned with the ways in which religious believers try to respond to God by use of symbol, art, architecture and music. - Topic 3: Religion and Science
Here we study religious views about the origins of the world and humanity and the extent to which these views are compatible with scientific theories. - Topic 4: Death and the Afterlife
This topic is concerned with religious concepts of life after death and understanding of the distinction between “body” and “soul”. - Topic 5: Good and Evil. In this topic we address the ways in which religions understand the nature and origins of good and evil, and the ways in which believers cope with the problems of suffering.
- Topic 6: Religion and Human Relationships In this topic we explore religious responses to ethical questions raised by human and sexual relationships.
- Topic 7: Religion and Medical Ethics
This topic is concerned with religious response to ethical questions raised by medical issues. - Topic 8: Religion and Equality
This topic deals with religious response to moral issues related to equality, prejudice in relation to race and gender and attitudes towards other religions. - Topic 9: Religion, Poverty and Wealth In this topic we examine religious responses to moral issues related to poverty and the use of money. We focus on the causes of hunger, poverty and disease and moral and immoral occupations.
- Topic 10: Religion, Peace and Justice.
This topic explores religious responses to morals issues of war, peace, violence and justice. We examine attitudes toward crime and punishment and the treatment of criminals.
How is the course examined?
You take two papers separately at the end of U5, both 2 hours duration. There is no coursework.
What use is it?
- You will develop a rigorous approach to the study of religion.
- Develop a set of transferable intellectual skills — including comprehension, interpretation, analysis and evaluation
- Gain knowledge and understanding of religion through consideration of some important and fascinating issues.
- Practice and enhance your ability to construct, develop and maintain clear and coherent argument.
- Be able to cut through waffle and make points succinctly and with precision.
