A Level Religious Studies at Mercia School gives scholars the opportunity to explore important questions about God, morality, human existence and religious belief. The course combines the study of philosophy and ethics with an in-depth exploration of Christianity and its place in the modern world.
Philosophy of Religion explores questions about the existence and nature of God. Scholars will study arguments for the existence of God, the problem of evil and suffering, religious experiences, religious language and miracles. They will also consider questions about the self, death and the possibility of an afterlife.
Ethics explores questions about how we should live and what makes an action right or wrong. Scholars will study Natural Moral Law, Situation Ethics and Virtue Ethics, as well as meta-ethics, free will, moral responsibility, conscience, Bentham and Kant.
The second paper, Christianity and Dialogues, explores Christian beliefs, teachings and practices. Scholars will study sources of Christian wisdom and authority, beliefs about the self, death and the afterlife, key moral principles and expressions of Christian identity. They will also explore how Christianity responds to important modern issues, including gender and sexuality, science, secularisation, migration and religious pluralism.
Throughout the course, scholars will learn to analyse arguments, compare different viewpoints and apply religious and philosophical ideas to important questions. The course develops strong knowledge of religion alongside the ability to think critically, build clear arguments and evaluate different perspectives.
Entry requirements
Grade 7 in GCSE Religious Studies.
Course content
Paper 1
Philosophy of Religion
- Arguments for the Existence of God
- The Problem of Evil and Suffering
- Religious Experiences
- Religious Language
- Miracles
- Self, Death and the Afterlife
Ethics
- Normative Ethical Theories
- Application of Natural Moral Law
- Situation Ethics
- Virtue Ethics
- Introduction to Meta-Ethics
- Free Will and Moral Responsibility
- Conscience
- Bentham and Kant
Paper 2
Christianity
- Sources of Wisdom and Authority
- Self, Death and the Afterlife
- Good Conduct and Key Moral Principles
- Expressions of Religious Identity
Christianity and Contemporary Issues
- Christianity, Gender and Sexuality
- Christianity and Science
- Christianity and the Challenge of Secularisation
- Christianity, Migration and Religious Pluralism
Dialogues
- Dialogue between Christianity and Philosophy
- Dialogue between Christianity and Ethics
Assessment
100% Examination
The course is assessed through two written examination papers of three hours each in length:
- Paper 1 – Philosophy of Religion and Ethics
- Paper 2 – Christianity and Dialogues
Both papers require scholars to demonstrate detailed knowledge, analyse philosophical and theological arguments, apply ethical theories and evaluate competing viewpoints through sustained written responses.
Exam board
AQA
Specification