Unit
1 Introduction to Religion and Human Experience.
RE
Year 12
About the unit
This module
provides candidates with the opportunity to make an introductory study of two
key concepts that are fundamental to religious faith and practice: subjective
religious experience and one aspect of objective religious authority, namely
the authority and inspiration of sacred writings.
Candidates will need to illustrate and
exemplify these concepts with appropriate examples, which may be drawn from the
Old or New Testaments or from any of the six major world religions. It is not
necessary to provide exemplification from more than one textual or religious
tradition, but candidates may refer in their answers to more than one if they
wish. Answers to questions on religious experience may draw on insights from
the philosophy of religion, though this is not a requirement.
Where the unit fits
in
Two areas of study are relevant to the unit, one of
sacred writings the other Religious Experience.
Sacred Writings
The nature,
purpose and role of The New Testament as a source
of authority and inspiration for faith and practice in the Christian tradition.
General understanding of different ways of interpreting The New Testament (e.g.
literally or symbolically) in the tradition, with some illustrations and
examples. The authority and status of
scriptures in the tradition in the light of the relevant religious beliefs
about the revelation or inspiration of the scriptures. The importance of scriptures
for believers in relation to other sources
Religious
Experience
What is
religious experience? Definitions from theoretical studies. Identification and
analysis of different forms of religious experience (including
conversion, visions, revelation, mystical experience) and their characteristics;
illustrations and examples of each from the New Testament. The importance of
religious experience as a source of faith and practice, in relation to the New
Testament.
The unit is taught as the first compulsory
module of the AS Level course and is taught by two teachers, one teaching
Sacred Writings, the other Religious experience.
Expectations
At the end of this unit
most pupils will: Select and demonstrate clearly
relevant knowledge and understanding through the use of evidence, examples and
correct language and terminology appropriate to the course of study. Advanced candidates should demonstrate
knowledge and understanding of the connections between different elements of
their course of study.
some pupils who have progressed further will: Advanced
candidates should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the connections
between different elements of their course of study
.
Prior learning
It is helpful if pupils have:
This
Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced specification accommodates the needs of candidates
with no prior knowledge of the subject.
However,
the opportunity is provided to build on knowledge, understanding and skills
gained in Religious Studies at GCSE and in the GCSE Religious Education short
course.
Language for learning
Through the activities in this unit pupils will
be able to understand, use and spell correctly words relating to the study of:
Words will be added here as we come across
them.
Resources
As well as a range of textbooks and published
resources, this unit will be enhanced by the use of ancient and modern
materials from believers’ sources, including:
Out-of-school
learning
Pupils could:
Improve and evaluate note taking and essay
technique.
Future learning
Pupils could go on to:
A2 Level
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Religious
Experience: Christianity. |
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• What is ‘Religious Experience’? |
• Look at Religious Experience in the Bible. How does God talk to humanity in the Old
Testament? 1.
Direct
intervention (i.e. Adam and Eve; God asking Moses to complete task; Prophetic
call and vision) 2.
Through others
(i.e. prophets; Jobs experiences) 3.
New Testament
the person of Jesus God becoming man. • What is Christian
Religious Experience? Look at
examples i.e. St Hildebrand
(Mystic); St Bernadette (Vision); miraculous curing (Conversion); Authority
of scripture (revelation). • Expand on these meanings
giving examples and differences from other religions as well as more from
Christianity. • Define Religious
Experience from these 4 standpoints. |
• How can we decipher Christian Religious
Experience from the New Testament? • Definitions of what Religious Experience is. • Religious Experience as 1.
Revelation 2.
Visionary 3.
Conversionary 4.
Mystic |
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• Can Religious Experience be
trusted? • Theoretical Studies. |
• The problems of defining such experiences ands the diversity
and range of definitions are reflected in the selection of Theoretical
studies chosen.
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• Can religious experience be seen as
trustworthy in today’s modern society? • How have certain scholars and religious
groups have looked at this problem. • Knowledge that we can only truly know God
by having experiences of God. |
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• The importance of Religious Experience as a
source of faith and practice. |
• Look at Religious Experiences around the world, Medjugorje, Lourdes etc what makes these experiences authoritative? • Link to authority in Sacred writings part
of the course. • What messages do these teach us as
Christians? • How do we accept certain religious
experience? • Religious experience as necessary for
faith. |
• Knowledge of how people have been affected
by religious experience. • How is religious experience controlled? • Understanding that without Religious
Experience there is no faith. |
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