Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion

Course notes on the Ontological Argument for students of the Edexcel syllabus

Ontological Argument, Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion /

From the Paper 1 syllabus: 1.3 Ontological Argument   a) A priori compared to a posteriori types of arguments, deductive reasoning, not evidence based but understanding of concept of ‘God’ as an analytic proposition.   b) Definitions of ‘God’, necessary existence, aseity.   c) Strengths and weaknesses of the Ontological Arguments: concept of proof compared […]

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Course notes on postmodern interpretations of religion for students of the Edexcel syllabus

Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion, Postmodernism, Secularization /

From the syllabus for the Philosophy of Religion (Paper 1): 5.1 Context to critiques of religious belief and points for discussion   a) Respective strengths and weaknesses of religious beliefs. b) Alternative explanations, issues of probability and postmodern interpretations of religion. c) Key terms, types of atheism and agnosticism. With reference to the ideas of

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Revision tests on the problem of evil and suffering for students of the Edexcel syllabus

Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion, Problem of evil and suffering, Revision Tests /

THESE QUESTIONS ARE BASED ON THE COURSE NOTES FOR THE ABOVE TOPIC THAT CAN BE FOUND HERE. THESE TESTS (AND MANY OF THE OTHERS ON THIS SITE) MAY ALSO BE OF USE TO STUDENTS FOLLOWING OTHER ADVANCED LEVEL RELIGIOUS STUDIES COURSES. BEAR IN MIND THAT THEY ARE MEANT TO BE DIFFICULT. FOR THIS REASON THEY SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED

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Course notes on the problem of evil and suffering for students of the Edexcel syllabus

Life and Death/The Soul, Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion, Problem of evil and suffering /

From the syllabus for the Philosophy of Religion (Paper 1) 3.1 Problem of evil and suffering The nature of the problem across a range of religious traditions, types of evil and suffering, moral and non-moral. The challenge to religious belief posed by the inconsistency of the nature of God and the evident existence of evil

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Course notes on Religion and Morality for students of the Edexcel syllabus – Part Two: Religion and Terror

Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion, Paper 2 Religion and Ethics, Religion and Morality /

From the syllabus for Religion and Ethics (Paper 2): 4.2 The relationship between religion and morality a) Dependence, independence, autonomy, theonomy, heteronomy, divine command ethics, challenges from atheist and anti-theist perspectives, moral arguments for the existence and nonexistence of God. b) Contemporary focuses, including the Westboro Baptist Church, religion and terror, conservative movements, including Quiverfull,

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Course notes on Religion and Morality for students of the Edexcel syllabus – Part One

Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion, Paper 2 Religion and Ethics, Religion and Morality /

From the syllabus for Religion and Ethics (Paper 2): 4.2 The relationship between religion and morality a) Dependence, independence, autonomy, theonomy, heteronomy, divine command ethics, challenges from atheist and anti-theist perspectives, moral arguments for the existence and nonexistence of God. b) Contemporary focuses, including the Westboro Baptist Church, religion and terror, conservative movements, including Quiverfull,

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Edexcel course notes: extension material on Rudolf Otto’s discussion of numinous religious experience/secularization.

Extension Material, Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion, Religious experience, Secularization /

From the Edexcel syllabus: 2.1 The nature of religious experience   a) Context of religious experience across religious traditions, range of definitions related to belief in God and/or ultimate reality, theistic and monistic views, ineffability, noetic, transience, passivity.   b) Types: conversion, prayer, meditation, mysticism, numinous. Relationship between religious experience and propositional and non-propositional revelation.

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Revision test for the Edexcel syllabus on The New Atheism (of Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and others)/Alister McGrath’s response to Dawkins, and Secularization.

Anthology Extract, Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion, Paper 4B Christianity, Religious Belief, Revision Tests, Secularization /

NOTE : THESE QUESTIONS ARE BASED ON THE COURSE NOTES FOR THIS TOPIC THAT CAN BE FOUND HERE, HERE, HERE AND HERE. UNUSUALLY, THIS PARTICULAR TEST WILL ALSO INTRODUCE QUITE A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION THAT IT MAY BE USEFUL TO REFER TO IN AN EXAMINATION ANSWER, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE 30 MARK ‘EVALUATE’ QUESTIONS

Revision test for the Edexcel syllabus on The New Atheism (of Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and others)/Alister McGrath’s response to Dawkins, and Secularization. Read More »

Exemplar answer for Edexcel Paper 1 (Philosophy of Religion)

Anthology Extract, Exemplar answer, Liberation Theology, Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion, Paper 4B Christianity, Religious Belief, Secularization /

From the Paper 1 syllabus: 5.1 Context to critiques of religious belief and points for discussion   a) Respective strengths and weaknesses of religious beliefs. b) Alternative explanations, issues of probability and postmodern interpretations of religion. NOTE 1: the following answer does NOT include discussions of probability or postmodern interpretations of religion. NOTE 2 :

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Revision Test for the Edexcel syllabus on Religious Experience

Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion, Religious experience, Revision Tests /

NOTE : THESE QUESTIONS ARE BASED ON THE COURSE NOTES FOR RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE THAT CAN BE FOUND HERE. SEE ALSO HERE, AND HERE. THIS TEST (AND MANY OF THE OTHERS ON THIS SITE) SHOULD ALSO BE OF USE TO STUDENTS FOLLOWING OTHER ADVANCED LEVEL RELIGIOUS STUDIES COURSES. BEAR IN MIND THAT THESE TESTS ARE MEANT TO BE DIFFICULT.

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