Examination Board: AQA
Course Content
The AS and A2 course is designed for students who wish to further develop their interest in and enthusiasm for religion. The course is very broad and it is very academically rigorous.
At AS there are four modules of study and we choose to do the following:-
Religion and Ethics 1.
This module focuses on the two key ethical theories:-
- Utilitarianism as proposed by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill and the application of their theories to any ethical issue other than abortion and euthanasia.
- Situation Ethics as proposed by Joseph Fletcher and the application of this theory to any ethical issue other than abortion and euthanasia.
- Religious teaching on the nature and value of human life from one major world religion. This looks at issues such as fatalism and free will, equality and difference and the sanctity of life.
- Abortion and euthanasia.
New Testament. This module looks at key issues in the study of the New Testament.
- How the synoptic gospels came into being—why were the gospels written, which gospel came first and for what reasons did the evangelists write their gospels?
- Aspects of Jesus teaching and action, parables and healings. This section takes a detailed look at key aspects of Jesus’ ministry.
- The Passion Narratives. This is a study of the presentation of the death of Jesus by three of the evangelists—their similarities and differences and their reason for them.
- The Resurrection of Jesus. Similar to section 3, this is a study of the presentation of the resurrection of Jesus– their similarities and differences and the reasons for them.
- At A2, these modules are studied at greater depth.
Assessment
There are 4 written exams, one for each unit. Each AS exam is 1 hr 15 minutes. The A2 exams are 1 hr 30 minutes long. There is no coursework.
