← Northern Ireland Religious Studies
Northern Ireland · CCEASyllabus
Religious Studies syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the Northern Ireland Religious Studiessyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
A2 7: Global Ethics
Module overview →- What duties do humans have towards the environment, and how do stewardship, dominion and the ethical theories shape environmental ethics?Environmental ethics: anthropocentric, biocentric and ecocentric approaches, dominion and stewardship, Christian and secular responses to the environmental crisis, and the application of ethical theories.15 min answer →
- What duties do the rich have towards the global poor, and how do justice, charity and the ethical theories shape the response to world poverty?Global economics and world poverty: the causes of poverty and inequality, justice and charity, the duty of aid (Singer and Hardin), fair trade and debt, and the application of ethical theories.15 min answer →
- What are human rights, where do they come from, and how do religious and secular thinkers and the ethical theories justify and apply them?Human rights: the nature and basis of human rights, religious and secular foundations, the Universal Declaration, conflicts and limits of rights, and the application of ethical theories.15 min answer →
- When, if ever, is war morally justified, and how do just war theory and pacifism answer the question?War and peace: just war theory (jus ad bellum and jus in bello), pacifism and its forms, the application of ethical theories, and modern issues such as nuclear weapons and terrorism.15 min answer →
A2 8: Themes in the Philosophy of Religion
Module overview →- Is there life after death, what survives, and how do dualism, materialism and the resurrection of the body answer the question?Life after death: the body and soul debate (dualism and materialism), the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the body, reincarnation, and arguments for and against survival.15 min answer →
- What is a miracle, can miracles happen, and do Hume's arguments and the problem of competing claims undermine belief in them?Miracles: definitions of miracle (Aquinas, Hume), Hume's arguments against miracles, the contradictory-claims objection, and responses defending miracles as evidence for God.15 min answer →
- How does the ontological argument try to prove God's existence from the concept of God alone, and do Gaunilo and Kant refute it?The ontological argument: Anselm's two forms, Descartes's version, the a priori method, and the criticisms of Gaunilo and Kant that existence is not a predicate.15 min answer →
- Can language about God be meaningful, and how do verification, falsification, the via negativa, analogy and symbol address the problem?Religious language: the verification and falsification challenges, the via negativa, analogy (Aquinas), symbol (Tillich), and language games (Wittgenstein), as responses to whether talk of God is meaningful.15 min answer →
AS 1: An Introduction to the Gospel of Luke
Module overview →- What are the purpose, authorship and main themes of Luke's Gospel, and how do the infancy narratives introduce them?The background to Luke's Gospel: authorship, date, audience and purpose, the prologue, the relationship to Acts, and the infancy narratives that introduce Luke's distinctive themes.14 min answer →
- How does Luke present the cost and demands of discipleship, and his distinctive concern for the poor, women and outcasts?Discipleship and the poor in Luke: the cost and demands of discipleship, the use of wealth and the danger of riches, the place of women, and Jesus's concern for the poor, sinners and outcasts.14 min answer →
- How does Luke present the identity of Jesus through his titles, his baptism and temptation, and his inaugural sermon at Nazareth?The identity of Jesus in Luke: the titles (Son of God, Son of Man, Christ, Lord, Saviour, prophet), the baptism and temptation, and the Nazareth manifesto as the programme of his ministry.14 min answer →
- What do the parables and miracles in Luke teach about the kingdom of God, salvation and the character of Jesus?Parables and miracles in Luke: the nature and purpose of parables, the distinctive Lukan parables (the lost, the good Samaritan, the prodigal son), the types of miracle, and what they reveal about the kingdom and salvation.14 min answer →
- How does Luke present the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, and what is distinctive about his account?The passion and resurrection in Luke: the Last Supper, Gethsemane, the trials, the crucifixion with its distinctive sayings, the death of Jesus, the empty tomb and the Emmaus road, and Luke's distinctive emphases.15 min answer →
AS 4: The Origins and Development of the Early Christian Church to AD 325
Module overview →- How did the early Church decide whether Gentile converts had to keep the Jewish law, and why was the Council of Jerusalem so important?The admission of the Gentiles and the Council of Jerusalem: Cornelius and Peter, the dispute over circumcision and the law, the decision of the Council of Jerusalem, and its significance for the Church's identity.14 min answer →
- What happened at Pentecost, and how did the gift of the Spirit give birth to the Church and shape the life of the first believers?Pentecost and the birth of the Church: the coming of the Holy Spirit, Peter's sermon, the response and baptisms, and the life of the earliest Jerusalem community.14 min answer →
- Why was the early Church persecuted, what forms did persecution take, and how did martyrdom shape the Church up to AD 325?Persecution and martyrdom: the reasons for persecution, Jewish and Roman opposition, the major persecutions, the place of the martyrs, and the effect of persecution on the Church to AD 325.14 min answer →
- How did the gospel spread from Jerusalem to the wider world through the apostles, the scattering after Stephen, and the conversion and mission of Paul?The spread of the gospel: the witness of the apostles, the work of Stephen and Philip, the conversion of Paul, and Paul's missionary journeys taking the gospel to the Gentile world.14 min answer →
- How did the Church develop its leadership, scriptures and doctrine, and why did it need the Council of Nicaea in AD 325?The development of the Church to AD 325: the growth of ministry and leadership, the formation of the canon and creeds, the Arian controversy, and the Council of Nicaea.15 min answer →
AS 7: Foundations of Ethics with Special Reference to Medical Ethics
Module overview →- How do Natural Moral Law, Situation Ethics and Utilitarianism apply to abortion and euthanasia, and what do the issues turn on?Issues in medical ethics: the sanctity and quality of life, personhood and viability, abortion, euthanasia and the right to die, and the application of Natural Moral Law, Situation Ethics and Utilitarianism to these issues.15 min answer →
- What is Natural Moral Law, how does Aquinas ground it in reason and human purpose, and how well does it work as an ethical theory?Natural Moral Law: the foundations in Aristotle and Aquinas, the primary and secondary precepts, the four tiers of law, real and apparent goods, the doctrine of double effect, and strengths and weaknesses of the theory.15 min answer →
- How are religion and morality related, and is something good because God commands it or commanded because it is good?The relationship between religion and morality: divine command theory, the Euthyphro dilemma, the autonomy and heteronomy of ethics, conscience, and whether morality depends on God.14 min answer →
- What is Situation Ethics, how does Fletcher make agape love the only absolute, and how well does it work as a Christian ethical theory?Situation Ethics: Fletcher's agape principle, the four working principles, the six fundamental principles, the rejection of legalism and antinomianism, and strengths and weaknesses of the theory.15 min answer →
- What is Utilitarianism, how do Bentham and Mill differ, and how well does the greatest happiness principle work as a guide to action?Utilitarianism: Bentham's act utilitarianism and the hedonic calculus, Mill's qualitative higher and lower pleasures and rule utilitarianism, the greatest happiness principle, and strengths and weaknesses of the theory.15 min answer →
AS 8: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion
Module overview →- How does the cosmological argument try to prove God from the existence of the universe, and do Hume and Russell refute it?The cosmological argument: Aquinas's first three ways (motion, cause and contingency), the principle of sufficient reason and the rejection of infinite regress, the Kalam argument, and the criticisms from Hume and Russell.15 min answer →
- How does the design argument try to prove God from order and purpose, and do Hume, Darwin and the anthropic principle refute or rescue it?The design (teleological) argument: Aquinas's fifth way, Paley's watchmaker analogy, the argument from order and purpose, and the challenges from Hume, Darwin and the problem of evil, with the anthropic principle as a modern restatement.15 min answer →
- Why does the existence of evil and suffering challenge belief in an all-good, all-powerful God, and do the theodicies answer it?The problem of evil: the logical and evidential problems, the inconsistent triad, moral and natural evil, and the Augustinian and Irenaean theodicies as responses, with the free will defence.15 min answer →
- What are religious experiences, can they be evidence for God, and how do James, Otto, Swinburne and their critics assess them?Religious experience: types (mystical, conversion, numinous, corporate), William James and the marks of mysticism, Otto and the numinous, Swinburne's principles of credulity and testimony, and naturalistic challenges.15 min answer →