The Religious Studies and Theology Specification followed is designed to support a course of study which is suitable for candidates from all religious backgrounds or none. The specification is to enable candidates to:

Develop an interest in ‘enthusiasm for a rigorous' study of religion.

Treat the subject as an academic discipline

by developing knowledge and understanding

that is appropriate to a specialist study of religion.

Use an inquiring, critical and empathetic

approach to the study of religion.

The department has strong links with departments of theology at major universities in this country in particular the University of Oxford and offers expertise and ongoing research. The Head of Department is a Farmington Fellow of the Farmington Institute, Harris Manchester College Oxford. The department has an established number of students who have gone on to study Theology and Theology and Philosophy at Oxford and other regional universities In addition Religious Studies in the sixth form can be the gateway to many university courses, including Medicine, Law, Journalism, the Armed Services, Teaching, Government and Management, to name a few.

The A-Level Specification (OCR)

AS

AS Religious Ethics (Unit G572)

Absolute and Relative Ethics

Religious Ethics

Natural Law

Utilitarianism

Kant

Applied Issues - Medical Ethics (abortion, euthanasia, the right to life, the right to a child, genetic engineering and embryonic research) and War and Peace.

AS Developments in Christian Theology (Unit G575)

Foundations of Christian Theology: Knowledge of God, God and Creation, Christology, Hermeneutics

Liberation Theology

A2

A2 Religious Ethics (Unit G582)

Freewill and Determinism

The Nature of Conscience

Virtue Ethics

Meta Ethics

Applied Issues - Environmental and Business Ethics and Sexual Ethics

A2 Developments in Christian Theology (Unit G585)

Theology of Religions: Feurbach and Smart, Barth, Hick and Rahner

Feminist Theology

For a more comprehensive breakdown of each section of the course please visit http://www.ocr.org.uk/ and identify each unit by name and number as given above.

All students who do not wish to undertake A-Level Religious Studies follow a minimum of two periods of General Religious Studies per week as a requirement of the sixth form. This includes participation in an extensive outreach programme.