CCEA AS 8 Philosophy of Religion: a complete overview of the arguments for God, the problem of evil and religious experience

CCEA AS 8 An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion is the Philosophy of Religion unit of the AS-Level Religious Studies course, one of eight AS units spread across four areas of study. It studies the central questions of natural theology: can the existence of God be argued for, does evil count against God, and can religious experience be evidence for God? This overview maps the unit and how to study it.

Arguments for the existence of God

The unit examines the major a posteriori arguments, which reason from features of the world to God, and a recurring exam task is to set each out as a structured inference and assess it.

The design (teleological) argument. From Aquinas's fifth way and Paley's watchmaker analogy, it reasons from the order and purpose of the world to a designer, and faces challenges from Hume, Darwin and the anthropic principle.

The cosmological argument. From Aquinas's first three ways (motion, cause and contingency) and the Kalam argument, it reasons from the existence of the universe to a first cause or necessary being, and faces challenges from Hume and Russell.

The problem of evil

The unit asks whether belief in an all-good, all-powerful God survives the reality of suffering.

• The inconsistent triad and the logical and evidential forms of the problem.
• The distinction between moral evil and natural evil.
• The responses: the free will defence, the Augustinian theodicy and the Irenaean (soul-making) theodicy.

Religious experience

The unit studies whether direct experience can support belief in God.

• Types of experience: mystical, conversion, numinous and corporate.
• William James's four marks of mysticism and Otto's numinous.
• Swinburne's principles of credulity and testimony, against the naturalistic challenges.

How AS 8 is assessed

AS 8 is a written paper testing two assessment objectives.

• AO1 (knowledge and understanding). Explain arguments, key terms and thinkers accurately and clearly.
• AO2 (analysis and evaluation). Assess the strength of an argument, weigh both sides and reach a substantiated judgement.

How to study AS 8 Philosophy of Religion

This unit rewards precise structure and named scholarship.

1. Learn each argument as a structure. Set out the premises and the conclusion, not just the story.
2. Learn the thinkers by name. Aquinas, Paley, Hume, Darwin, Russell, Mackie, Augustine, Irenaeus, James, Otto and Swinburne.
3. Pair arguments with their criticisms. Every argument has its main objections; learn them together.
4. Rehearse balanced evaluation. For AO2, weigh an argument against its objections and reach a judgement.
5. Practise with CCEA past papers. The AO1 and AO2 split and the question style are board-specific.

The module, dot point by dot point

Each theme has a specification-level page with worked questions and cross-links, plus a quiz. Browse the full set at /ccea-a-level/religious-studies/syllabus.

For the official specification

CCEA publishes the full specification, past papers and mark schemes at ccea.org.uk. Always revise from the current CCEA specification and CCEA's own past papers.