Religious Studies

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Religious Studies

• Religious Studies is about more than religion.
  It is about moral issues, values, beliefs and
  practices.
• The courses we offer concentrate on Philosophy
  and Ethics in religion from a Christian, Hindu,
  Muslim and/or Jewish point of view. However, the
  course is open to anyone of any religion or none.

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Why do I need RE?

• An understanding of Ethics and the process of
  moral decision making has become essential in
  todays world.
• RE at GCSE will help you to understand other
  peoples opinions and to use them to construct an
  argument expressing your own views.
• You will develop skills of analysis and
  evaluation. These are useful in the world of work
  as well as supporting your other subjects

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Have the scientists gone too far?

• "Give birth to a child from the womb in which you
  were conceived!"
• What we are doing is all about helping our
  patients, offering better, safer, treatments Dr
  Francoise Shenfield

But without the unconventional scientists, there
would be no IVF.
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Why do these things? What is OK?

• "Embryos to be merged to create "chimaeras" that
  are actually two people in one!
• "Aborted foetuses to be harvested to give their
  eggs to infertile women!"

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Can we police a test tube future?
Dame Ruth Deech said, "patients are very
emotional, vulnerable and desperate, and often
not very well-informed. "This creates a
situation in which it's possible that
exploitation can happen." Recent publicity
surrounding IVF blunders - the use of the wrong
sperm to create IVF embryos for a Yorkshire
couple - has led to calls for procedures to be
tightened further.

• l

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• We have the ability to extend the boundaries of
  what is natural in many different ways, but
  should we do all the things we can? Is our
  humanity being compromised?
• In RE you will find out about and discuss current
  real life dilemmas. They are debated by those in
  authority and affect all of us.

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"Do animals have rights?"

• British scientists have applied for permission to
  create embryos for research by fusing human DNA
  with cow eggs.

• If they do, how can we better make decisions
  about the animals used for scientific research?
• Asks Professor Michael Reiss

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Majority 'back' animal research
More than half the general public believe it is
acceptable to use animals for medical research, a
poll suggests.

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• Companies and researchers are accountable for
  what they do and people are employed to monitor
  this.
• You will have the opportunity to identify,
  investigate and respond to fundamental questions
  of life raised by religion and human experience. 

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What problems arise from Capital punishment?

• Obituary Saddam Hussein
• Hussein's violent methods and uncompromising
  stance thrust his country onto the world stage.

• Saddam Hussein was
• president of Iraq from 1979 until 2003

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Capital punishment

• The ethical problems involved include
• the general moral issues of punishment with the
  added problem
• Is it ever morally right to deprive a human being
  of life?

• Death Penalty
• A Briton sentenced to death in Pakistan has had
  his punishment commuted, according to a Pakistani
  official.
• Should the victim have a say in the punishment?

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Is there life after death?

• The belief that our spirit is reborn after death
  has been held for thousands of years but still
  fascinates and divides experts in equal measure.
  Have scientists at the "home" of reincarnation
  research in the US managed to prove its
  existence?

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Religious Education GCSE(Short Course)

• Everyone has to do 1 lesson of RE every
  fortnight. You will all have the opportunity to
  take the short course GCSE.

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Religious Education GCSE(Short Course)

• You will study 4 units of work.
• Christian Beliefs about Medical Ethics
• Christian Beliefs about Human Relationships
• Hindu Beliefs about Death and the Afterlife

• Islamic Beliefs about
• Peace and Justice.

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100 A - C2006
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Religious Education (Short Course)

• At the end of the course you will have one two
  hour examination on the topics you have
  discussed.
• Entry is dependent on your attitude and aptitude

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• GCSE Examination Results
• Religious Education Short Course
• 2006
• 96 A - C 2005
• 100 A - C 2006

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Religious Studies (Full Course)

• You will study 2 Sections
• Philosophy of Religion
• Ethics and Religion
• These include the same topics as the short
  course, in more detail. In addition

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Religious Studies(Full Course)

• Philosophy
• The nature of God
• The nature of belief
• Religion and Science
• Good and Evil

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Exam Results 200661.5 A-C 100 pass
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Religious Studies (Full Course)

• Ethics
• Equality Hindu or
• 
  Jewish point of
• view
• Poverty and Wealth

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Religious Education (Full Course)

• There is no coursework
• There are 2 extra questions in the exam instead.

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Your Views

• Discussion is an important part of this course
• You will learn to listen to the views of others
• You will express your own reasoned views in an
  articulate way
• People will listen to your views if you are able
  to explain your reasons