Believing and Experiencing Second Edition

Paperback

Published: 29/05/2009

Extent: 144 pages

Illustrations: colour photos and artwork

Series: WJEC Religious Education

 

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Summary:
Written by senior examiners, this new edition of Believing and Experiencing has been revised to support the 2009 WJEC Specification B Unit 2 (Religion and Human Experience).

Covering the six religious traditions of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, the book investigates how their teachings relate to five areas of human experience in life:

Religion and Conflict - analysing issues of war, violence and peace.

Religion and Medicine - exploring the effects of religious values, beliefs and practices on attitudes towards the sanctity of life and medical ethics.

Religious Expression - evaluating the issues of people expressing their faith, and considering aspects of symbolism in places of worship, and pilgrimage.

Authority - Religion and State - investigating the interconnectedness between law and order in religion and society.

Suffering and Evil - exploring the issues of innocent suffering and the concept of evil.

It also provides exam tips, GCSE exam-style questions, sample answers and tasks and activities that will help to develop key skills.

• Updated to match requirements of the new WJEC GCSE RS specification B.
• Written by senior examiners and experienced teachers.
• Fully supported by new teacher resources.
• Endorsed by WJEC.
• Written to enhance teaching and learning, with dynamic and effective classroom activities and a direct route to understanding the new assessment objectives.

Table of Contents:
1. Religion and Conflict
The Big Picture
Peace
Religious teachings about peace
How can good relationships be developed?
Conflict and war
What do religions teach about conflict and war?
Can a war ever be 'just'?
Attitudes to non-violent protest
Individuals or communities working for peace
How can different religions support peace by talking to each other?
How important is forgiveness?
Is forgiveness possible?
The nature of suffering
Religious teachings on suffering
Support for those suffering
2. Religion and Medicine
The Big Picture
Why is life so special?
The Sanctity of Life
Medical and ethical decisions? Scientific advancements?
How does a religion help or hinder people making decisions?
Should people have free will to make life/death decisions?
How do doctors make ethical decisions?
Whose choice is it? Abortion
Euthanasia
Is it ever right to end someone's life?
IVF (In-vitro fertilisation)
3. Religious Expression
The Big Picture
Ways faith can be expressed
How can beliefs drive actions?
Expressing faith through what is worn
Why worship in special buildings?
Symbolism in places of worship
What makes a journey special?
Attitudes to pilgrimage
Sharing faith with others
4. Authority - Religion and State
The Big Picture
Why should we obey authority?
Duty
Religious teachings about duty
Aims and purposes of punishment
Capital punishment
Religious attitudes to punishment
The role of sacred texts
What happens when authorities clash?
What if the authority is wrong?
Working for human rights
Level of Response Grids
Index

About the Author(s):
Gavin Craigen and Joy White are Senior Examiners and experienced authors.

Readership:
GCSE RS students