A-Level Religious Education

The Design Argument

Key Concepts

• The Basis Of Paley’s Analogical Argument In Observation And Thought
• Paley’s Analogical Argument
• Criticisms Of The Design Arguments From David Hume
• The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Paley’s Argument
• The Status Of Paley’s Argument As A ‘proof’
• The Relationship Between Reason And Faith
• The Value Of Paley’s Argument For Religious Faith

Focus Religion

Christianity

Key Vocabulary

A Posteriori, Inductive, Premise, Natural Theology, Analogy, Inference, Teleological, Omnipotent, Omnibenevolent, Anthropomorphism, Anthropic Principle

The Cosmological Argument

Key Concepts

• The Basis Of Aquinas’ Argument In Observation
• Aquinas’ Way 3. The Argument From Contingency And Necessity
• Criticisms From Hume And Russell
• The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Aquinas’ Argument
• The Status Of Aquinas’ Argument As A ‘proof’
• The Value Of Aquinas’ Argument For Religious Faith

Focus Religion

Christianity

Key Vocabulary

Fallacy, Fallacy Of Composition, Metaphysical Necessity, Occam’s Razor, Brute Fact, Infinite Regress, Principle Of Sufficient Reason, Quark, Grace

The Ontological Argument

Key Concepts

• The Basis Of Anselm’s Argument In Thought
• Anselm’s A Priori Ontological Argument
• Criticisms From Gaunilo And Kant
• The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Anselm’s Argument
• The Status Of Anselm’s Argument As A ‘proof’
• The Value Of Anselm’s Argument For Religious Faith

Focus Religions

Christianity

Key Vocabulary

Subject, Predicate, A Priori, Deductive, Necessary, Contingent, Analytic, Synthetic, Inductive, A Posteriori

Evil and Suffering

Key Concepts

• The Concepts Of Natural And Moral Evil
• The Logical And Evidential Problem Of Evil
• The Free Will Defence
• Hick’s Soul-making Theodicy
• Process Theodicy As Presented By Griffin
• The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Each Response

Focus Religions

Christianity

Key Vocabulary

Libertarianism, Causal Determinism, Compatibilism, Transcendent, Panentheism, Millenarianism, Parapsychology

Religious Experience

Key Concepts

• Visions, Corporeal, Imaginative And Intellectual
• Numinous Experiences: Otto; An Apprehension Of The Wholly Other
• Mystical Experiences: William James; Non-sensuous And Non-intellectual Union With The Divine As Presented By Walter Stace
• The Challenges Of Verifying Religious Experiences
• The Challenges To Religious Experiences
• Religious Responses To Those Challenges
• Richard Swinburne’s Principles Of Credulity And Testimony

Focus Religions

Christianity

Key Vocabulary

Clairvoyance, Corporeal Vision, Empirical, Entheogen, Extrovertive, Hallucinogenic, Illumination, Imaginative Vision, Immaculate Conception, Ineffable, Intellectual Vision, Introvertive, Mysterium Tremendume Fascinans, Neuroscience, Neurotheology, Noetic, Non-intellectual, Non-sensuous, Numinous, Original Sin, Passivity, Precognition, Sui Generis, Supernatural, Telekinesis, Transcendent, Transiency