Homework 4 Unit 2 Matters of Life and Death

What are the main reasons for and against there being life after death? (8) Time = 10 minutes writing

FOR:

• A belief in nearly all religions. (E.g. Jesus said “in my father’s house there are many mansions” meaning there was a place in heaven for people)
• Near death experiences suggest something else happens when we die.
• People’s experiences of the paranormal (ghosts, mediums etc…)

AGAINST:

• No scientific proof
• There are so many different ideas they can’t all be true.

Success Criteria: (To achieve above 4 marks out of 8)

• I have answered all parts of the question.
• I have made a number of points relevant to the question.
• I have used examples and explained their relevance.
• I have written in full sentences + paragraphs.
  

Key Words (Learn the meanings for next lesson)

resurrection the belief that, after death, the body stays in the grave until the end of the world when it is raised

immortality of the soul the idea that the soul lives on after the death of the body

paranormal unexplained things which are thought to have spiritual causes eg ghosts, mediums

Homework 3 (click here for a simple revision link)

Your past paper question and key words. 24th January

Describe the Cosmological argument for God’s existence. (6)

• Define the argument (First Cause – how did we get here if nothing happens without a cause?)
• Explain that Thomas Aquinas first developed this idea.
• Give an example of something that needs a cause to happen (we looked at a pen falling off a table - there is always a cause)
  

For a more detailed explanation of Aquinas' argument click the link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleological_argument



Key Words to Learn for this week

moral evil actions done by humans which cause suffering

natural evil things which cause suffering but have nothing to do with humans eg earthquakes

omnipotent the belief that God is all-powerful (potent = strong, like a potent smell)

benevolent the belief that God is good/kind

omniscient the belief that God knows and SEES everything that has happened and everything that is going to happen (We get the word Science meaning to see from the same words)

Tip - to learn key words write the word on one side of a card and the meaning on another. Look at thew word, in your head say the meaning, turn the card over - check. If you're right, go onto the next word, if wrong come back to it. Keep doing this until you know the words.

Week 2 January 16th (Click here for revision materials)

Expain responses to the problem of evil and suffering from Christianity and one other religion. (8)

You can choose from a number of arguments:

Christianity + Judaism:

• God gave humans free will, people choose to cause suffering.
• God created a perfect world that was damaged by sin – this is called original sin
• Sometimes suffering can be a test of faith (as happened with the story of Job in the Bible)

Christianity

• Jesus’ death on the cross showed that God understands and shared in human suffering,

http://www.fitzwimarc.org.uk/GCSE/gjfiles/pastques/quesgod.htm (for more questions on Belief in God unit)

Key Words

design when things are connected and seem to have a purpose eg the eye is designed for seeing

causation the idea that everything has been caused (started off) by something else

agnosticism not being sure whether God exists

atheism believing that God does not exist

Either write your answers on the blog or bring them to the next lesson. There will be a test of the key words at the start of the lesson.

Your homework programme for January - March 07

Each week you will be given one question from a past paper. With each question I will also give you some basic things that should be included within the answer. Your task is to write the answer (it should take you about 10 minutes) so that you practise writing answers and are revising in the process. You will also need to learn approximately 5 key words each week. The start of each lesson this term will involve a key word test and the marking of your homework answers.

Week One 9th January 2007

Unit 1 Belief in God
http://www.fitzwimarc.org.uk/GCSE/gjfiles/belief/godmenu.htm (for revision notes on this topic)

Explain how religious experiences might affect a person’s belief in God. (8)

• Briefly give examples of religious experiences (numinous, miracles, near death experience)
• Explain how powerful experiences could lead people to think God is real.
• Give an example of someone to whom this has happened to (E.g. St Paul’s conversion, Nicky Cruz)

Key Words (learn their meanings - they are worth 2 marks each)

numinous the feeling of the presence of something greater than you eg in a church or looking up at the stars
conversion when your life is changed by giving yourself to God
miracle something which seems to break a law of science and makes you think only God could have done it

prayer an attempt to contact God, usually through words