SACreligiousEd

Questions common to both science and religion include questions about origins (cosmology and creation) and conclusions (destiny of the natural world and eschatology). Science and religion both struggle against the temptation towards fundamentalism. In science this temptation manifests itself in ‘scientism’ which claims that only science can provide reliable knowledge and in religion this temptation is found in ‘literalism’, a view which neglects the different levels of meaning within religious texts. In the search for answers science and religion are often seen as opposing one another – this may be the result of this tendency to fundamentalism. Whatever the cause, conflict between these disciplines has arose on several occasions, often sparked by the irrepressible and unrestricted desire to find answers to ultimate questions. In terms of questions about origins science and religion offer distinctly different, but not necessarily opposing, viewpoints. Scientific accounts of our origins ...

Practical coursework for Leaving Cert. Religious Education Frequently Asked Questions: How much is it worth? Coursework accounts for 80 of the 400 marks available in Religious Education. This means it is worth 20% of your overall grade, and is equal in value to each of the four Sections you complete in the written exam. How long does it have to be? The official guideline for Parts A and B is 1500 words total. I would consider this a minimum word count, you can fit up to 3000 words in the booklet. Ideally your coursework would be around the 2000 word mark, and I'll break down how this is split below. What is Part A? Part A of your coursework contains three elements:  i) An indication of the sources consulted when completing coursework on your chosen title.  This means you should, briefly, summarize the resources you found most helpful when researching, and outline where most of the information contained in your summary came from. Sources of information can be textual (books, ar...

Religions in general are deeply concerned with salvation. Salvation may be understood as freedom or safety from forces that are destructive. It refers to a sense of health or wholeness. Depending on the religion, salvation can refer to this life or to an afterlife and is either an activity initiated by God, or depends entirely on the action of the individual. The question of salvation is related to the question of destiny; where is human life headed? Past Exam Question Compare the understanding of salvation/liberation found in either Christianity or Judaism with that found in one of the following world religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam Judaism Reverence for and holiness of all life is the central value of Judaism. Made in God’s image, human life is sacred, and every area of life, from the exalted to the mundane, has value and is meaningful. This is why the laws of Judaism cover the daily life experiences of working, eating, dressing, relationships and na...

Holy is associated with religion and prayer and with the things of God. Some thing or place or person is made holy by being blessed or touched in some way by the presence of God. One of the characteristics of all religions is holiness. Rudolph Otto, a German historian of religion, wrote that the experience of holiness is central to religion. For Otto, the experience of the holy is mysterious and defies literal description. It is the experience of mystery, the sense of otherness, the acceptance that there is a reality that transcends the level of ordinary experience. Feelings of awe and humility are evoked in the worshipper and, for that time, he or she is transported out of the ordinary. For religious people, the sacred refers to things of God. Holy or sacred people speak on God’s behalf or mediate between the people and God. The profane is all that is not sacred – the things of the world. The distinction between the two is not always clear – in our increasingly secular...

The term primal religion refers to the practices of pre-historic, pre-literate groups, whose rituals and beliefs have been preserved through an oral tradition. These groups are disparate and can be identified in several different parts of the world, including; the Yoruba tribe in west Africa, the Maya in central America, the New Zealand Maori and the Australian aborigines. Though there was no connection between these groups there are striking similarities in their major beliefs and the expression of their religious faith. Primal religion was practiced by agricultural societies, who lived close to nature and sensed its power. They believed in a spiritual world of beings stronger than mankind. These groups shared similar traits, namely; recognition of the all-encompassing power of religion, with no boundaries between sacred and secular, the use of oral rather than written sources, rituals depicting myths or narratives centred on the human-divine relationship. The main chara...

The landscape of faith has changed dramatically in recent decades with prominence and influence of religion clearly on the wane. A number of cultural changes, including scientific and technological advancements, the rise of atheism, and the emergence of humanism, have resulted in challenges to traditional forms of worship and the authority of religious institutions. Exam Question “ Religious belief is ancient, diverse and dynamic .” Describe, using examples two major trends in religion in Ireland. Secularisation Over the past half century Ireland has become increasingly secular – this is evident in census returns where the number of people who identify as non-religious had risen significantly. The secularisation of society is seen in the loss of influence of religious institutions at a national and personal level. In the Irish context there are several reasons for this emerging trend – loss of faith in the Catholic Church following scandals, the reliance on scienti...

Religion is concerned with invisible realities; it is the bridge between the world we see and the unseen. Faith is a phenomenon found in every age and region. Down through the ages, men and women have sensed in the wonders and mysteries of human experience the presence of something greater than themselves. More than four fifths of the world’s population claim to have some sort of religious belief, with societies and nations worldwide reflecting the influence of such belief in all areas of life, ranging from attitudes and values to trends in art, music and literature. Past Exam Question Discuss the general world-wide distribution of members today in each of the following religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism Every civilisation in recorded history has held a system of belief which can be identified as religious. The essential elements of religious devotion are the acknowledgement of a power greater than ourselves, the enactment of ritua...

In an effort to avoid moral conflict a number of moral theories have been developed over the centuries. The three listed above are all linked to the age of Enlightenment and all three seek to devise a decision-making framework that can be applied in all situations. However, each of these theories have drawn criticism – this is evident in the conflict between the approaches suggested by Hedonism, Utilitarianism and Deontology. Past Exam Question Examine the approach taken to making moral decisions in two of the following moral philosophies / theories: Deontological Ethics, Hedonism, Natural Law, Right Relationship, Teleological Ethics, Utilitarianism, Virtue Ethics Hedonism From hedone , the Greek word for pleasure. Psychological hedonism claims that only pleasure or pain motivates us. Ethical hedonism claims that only pleasure has moral worth or value, and only pain is immoral. In An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, 18th century E...

We live a pluralist society, where different perspectives have contributed to a variety of viewpoints, often resulting in contentious moral debates. Discussion of moral conflicts are often marred by two contrasting ideologies – fundamentalism and relativism. These two positions occupy opposite ends of the spectrum and for this reason they have the potential to obscure rather than illuminate, and can potentially contribute to a moral fog. Exam Question Fundamentalism, Relativism . Explain the understanding of the above terms, giving contemporary examples of both. Fundamentalism expresses itself as a desire to be clear about the essential truths of a faith. It is  characterised by a literal interpretation of scripture and moral laws. Historically fundamentalism is  evident in the example of the Scopes Trial, held in Tennessee in 1925. In this case a teacher was brought  to court for teaching the theory of evolution. This pra...

Past Exam Question Trace the way in which moral failure is evident in one example of structural injustice that you have studied. This question requires you to explain both moral failure and structural injustice, giving a specific example of the latter. Moral failure is a concept common to all religions and particularly evident in monotheistic traditions. It is commonly referred to as sin. Depending on your religious vision it may involve either ‘the breaking of God’s law’ or ‘rejection of God’s love’. In Christianity it represents the damaging of the relationship that exists between the individual and God. Moral failure is often personal sin – any wrong freely chosen by an individual – these have consequences for ourselves (in fracturing our relationship with God) and also for those around us (who the law of God protects). In this manner personal sin can have a social dimension. Social sin can manifest itself as structural injustice. This means that something wrong ...

A person’s understanding of sin is shaped by their religious vision, for example a person who sees God as the maker of laws and the granter of salvation may see sin as ‘the breaking of God's law’. In Christianity it is a rejection of God’s love. For others sin creates a distance and lack of harmony because what they have done is contradictory to their moral vision, and damages their relationship with those they claim to love and have concern for. Past Exam Question Compare the understanding of moral failure in a Christian denomination with the way that it is understood in one of the following world religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism The key Christian response to moral failure is forgiveness and reconciliation. God is full of compassion, rich in mercy and love. The stories of Jesus show how radical his concept of mercy is – for example in John 8:1-11 Jesus encounters a woman caught in adultery, he tells her to ‘ Go your way, and from now on do not sin ag...

Jesus is seen by Christians as the ultimate revelation of God – the most complete and primary source of truth, beauty and wisdom. Through his life and ministry Jesus highlighted the path to salvation for humankind. It consists of a loving relationship with God the Father, respect for the dignity of human life, and a self-giving love of your neighbour. The early Christian Church spread these teachings far and wide, before the Romanisation of the culture turned it into a dogmatic religious institution, which had a transformative effect on Western civilisation.  It’s hard to imagine it now, but Jesus’ original message was seen as counter-cultural. He opposed the religious teachings of the day – which were too focused on wrongdoing and rules and not focused enough on taking a practical approach and changing the world around them for the better. Jesus’ ethical teachings represent a response to, and deepening of, Jewish teaching. He is preaching to an audience familiar with the tena...

The Enlightenment transformed the way people thought about various moral issues. As traditional forms of thought were challenged and a human rights culture emerged, interpretation of previously acceptable practices like war and capital punishment changed dramatically. Pre-Enlightenment capital punishment is widely accepted as a legitimate means of dealing with serious crimes. It is seen as a form of self-defence, a means of society protecting itself against dangerous individuals. After the Enlightenment, and more specifically the Reformation, there is a movement towards a much more forgiving attitude in Christianity. Jesus is gracious and forgiving towards the sinner (condemn the sin, forgive the sinner). Every human life has dignity, no matter what they do. Society has no right to take that life from them. Attitudes to war have seen a similar transformation, with the religious justification, in the form the Just War Theory of Thomas Aquinas and Francisco Suarez, giving way to t...

All religious traditions have specific moral visions. They outline what constitutes the good life, and how to live our lives responsibly and ethically. Both Judaism and Islam are monotheistic faiths – committed to belief in one God. They believe that God, through the process of divine revelation had given instructions on how to live our lives. Past Exam Question Outline the principles of the ethical systems of two non-Christian religious traditions In Judaism morality is part of a person’s relationship with God. The God that is portrayed in the Hebrew Scriptures is a God who seeks repentance and desires justice. The God of Justice is a powerful theme in scripture: personal and social injustices are condemned as sinful, in the psalms we hear a cry for justice in the community, and God is concerned for the powerless – suggesting that the community must take care of the poor. The Torah (which comprises the first five books of the Bible) tells of God’s actions for the people and ...

Early civilisations, like the Hebrews, Greeks and Romans, played a major role in setting the agenda for Western civilization, and their ideas have an enduring influence on the Western mind-set. Each civilisation had clear ethical concerns, shaped by their experience of the world Past Exam Question The Hebrews, The Greeks, The Romans : Outline how a moral issue caused concern for two of the above ancient civilisations. By exploring the moral concerns of these ancient societies it becomes apparent that morality is a human phenomenon common to every age and generation. The above groups have had an enduring influence on western civilisation and their moral concerns, though shaped by the context of their time, have formed the basis of our contemporary sense of morality. With regard to the Hebrews it’s clear that their chief moral concerns are informed by their experiences of persecution throughout the ages. Freedom and justice are fundamental rights for the Hebrews, precisely...