http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/ en tutor2u.net Copyright 2011 2011-10-03T14:05:10+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/the-absolutist http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/the-absolutist#When:14:05:10Z The Absolutist, John Boyne (author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas) Quite apart from the fact that it is BRILLIANT, it also ties in nicely with the AS syllabus. 2011-10-03T14:05:10+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/are-we-good-or-evil http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/are-we-good-or-evil#When:21:49:52Z Horizon asks the question ‘Are we born good or evil?’ BBC Horizon looks at genetics and brain function to establish if there is a ‘moral molecule’ inside of us. Click here for the link to BBC Horizon If we all have a general sense of morality, as the scientific research cited in this episode seems to suggest, then was Plato right in suggesting that we are born with an innate sense of ‘good’ and ‘right’? Should we be looking towards a moral absolute? Is relativism still relevant if morality has a genetic basis and linked to brain function? Is Sam Harris right? Can science answer moral questions and provide us with objective and absolute results? 2011-09-14T21:49:52+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/justice http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/justice#When:09:54:03Z Michael Sandel has produced an excellent series on Justice. As well as being generally pretty interesting, it also contains some really useful descriptions of Virtue Ethics, Kantian Ethics and Utilitarianism. 2011-01-27T09:54:03+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/is-religion-bad-for-women http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/is-religion-bad-for-women#When:20:56:00Z A conference in Newcastle this week has posed the question “Is religion responsible for keeping women in their place?”. Daphne Hampson, Professor of Divinity at the University of St Andrews argues that religion has proven to be hugely damaging to the equal rights of women. Last week Cheri Blair argued that over the years modern religion has fallen foul of fallible, masculine interpretation of key texts. However, Hampson argues that it is not simple a question of reinterpreting masculine versions of faith, but religion itself that is the problem. A transcendent, male divinity and a gendered hierarchy reflect all that is wrong with the patriarchal ideologies presented by the Abrahamic faiths. In her view religion has been central to modern day culture and has legitimized patriarchy. RS Blog, 2011-01-08T20:56:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/does-spider-man-have-free-will http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/does-spider-man-have-free-will#When:21:10:00Z Imagine that you are Spiderman and have just discovered that you have special powers. Do you have a moral obligation to use your new found powers to help other people? Is Spiderman a consequentialist? Does Spiderman really have to use his powers to do good? Why is he considered to be good? Could he choose any other course of action? Click here for the link to the complete article. 2011-01-06T21:10:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/a2-conscience-prezi http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/a2-conscience-prezi#When:21:02:00Z These are useful summaries of all the key players in the A2 topic on Conscience. click here for no1 and click here for no 2 2011-01-06T21:02:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/modern-take-on-the-nativity http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/modern-take-on-the-nativity#When:16:55:00Z Who says that the Nativity Story is dated? click hereor the digital version of the nativity RS Blog, 2011-01-06T16:55:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/teaching-opportunities-at-sha-tin-college http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/teaching-opportunities-at-sha-tin-college#When:14:42:00Z Interested in teaching in the Humanities Faculty at an excellent international school in Hong Kong?  We have a vacancy for a Teacher of Philosophy and Religious Studies (and possibly some History) from August 2011.  There is also a post of responsibility in the Faculty for a Coordinator of Theory of Knowledge and IPSE.  Read on for more details… 2011-01-03T14:42:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/jedi-knight-intends-to-sue-for-religious-discrimination http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/jedi-knight-intends-to-sue-for-religious-discrimination#When:20:20:00Z A 31 year old Jedi has received an apology from the manager of his local Jobcentre after being asked to ‘dehood’ on a recent visit. However, Chris Jarvis does not believe this goes far enough and is now planning to sue for discrimination after feeling neither his religion nor beliefs had been treated with respect. Jedi-ism is supposedly our fourth most popular religion according to the national census, however the Equality and Human Rights Commision (EHRC) does not include Jediism as a religion on the grounds that it is not “heartfelt”. This could prove to be an interesting debate. Tesco, now seemingly having elevated itself to the status of Debretts on dress code, has commented that “We would ask Jedis to remove hoods. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Luke Skywalker all went hoodless without going to the Dark Side.” Click here for the complete article 2010-03-27T20:20:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/can-science-answer-moral-questions http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/can-science-answer-moral-questions#When:20:14:00Z In his recent TED talk Sam Harris argues that science can and should be used to answer moral questions. He talks about the relationship between science and human values. Usually it is thought that science can help us understand what we value but never tells us what we ought to value in the first place. It is often said that science deals with facts and facts and values seem to belong to different spheres. Sam Harris argues this is untrue. He believes that values are a certain kind of fact. If questions affect human wellbeing then they do have answers whether or not we can find them, by admitting there are right and wrong answers that affect how humans florish will change the way we talk about morality. Click here for the link Have a look at the discussion underneath the TED talk as well. RS Blog, A2 Ethics, AS Ethics, 2010-03-26T20:14:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/love-and-religion http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/love-and-religion#When:10:42:00Z According to a recent survey having a rival in love is likely to make you feel more religious. According to Yexin Jessica Li, Arizona State University, the statistics seem to suggest that people vary in religiosity depending on the perceived mating market. Click here for the link to the article. RS Blog, 2009-11-30T10:42:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/muslim-academics-and-students-are-turning-against-darwins-theory http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/muslim-academics-and-students-are-turning-against-darwins-theory#When:10:37:00Z Nidhal Guessoum, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the American University of Sharjah, in the UAE, told a science conference on Saturday that in many places students and academics believed they had to make a ‘binary choice” between evolution and creationism. He went on to argue that teachers from high schools through to university are misrepresenting the facts and theories of evolution by mixing it up with religious ideology. click here for the article in the Times 2009-11-30T10:37:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/the-oprah-religion http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/the-oprah-religion#When:10:17:01Z Oprah Winfrey has announced her retirement from the tv chat show arena. Heralded as the mother of shows like Jerry Springer, Jeremy Kyle, Vanessa and even Richard and Judy, Oprah was a phenomenon that changed the world of tv ‘entertainment’. Sarah Churchill, in an interview with Steve Hewlett, discusses whether for some people the Oprah show took the place of religion. Sarah points out that there were elements of confession, worship (albeit of celebrities), morality, and ‘working through’ all contained within her show. Is this what accounted for her cultish following? click here for the link to the Radio 4 interview - The Media Show RS Blog, 2009-11-26T10:17:01+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/hip-hop-creation http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/hip-hop-creation#When:21:52:00Z A hip hop musical introduction to creation and evolution- it describes the main events of the creation and then sets out the theory of evolution and the notion of the Big Bang. Well - at least it’s different! Click here for the link.. RS Blog, AS Philosophy of Religion, 2009-10-07T21:52:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/darwins-influence-on-literature http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/darwins-influence-on-literature#When:22:11:00Z The Newsnight panel discuss Darwin’s ‘On the Origin of Species’. This contains an interesting debate between Rev Richard Coles, Margaret Atwood, Ruth Padel and Richard Dawkins about why people still resist the theory of evolution. Is it human behavior, is it the threat to religious authority or scriptural authority, is it due to an emotional barrier? Click here for the link RS Blog, AS Philosophy of Religion, 2009-09-30T22:11:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/how-to-read-your-text-book http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/how-to-read-your-text-book#When:09:54:00Z Are you struggling to make sense your text book? Watch this! click here for the link 2009-09-28T09:54:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/philosophers-football-match1 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/philosophers-football-match1#When:09:30:01Z If you haven’t come across this before it’s a pretty funny introduction to the major philosophers of our time. click here for the link to the Monty Python Sketch 2009-09-21T09:30:01+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/darwin-vs-dawkins-is-a-phenomenon-of-our-times http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/darwin-vs-dawkins-is-a-phenomenon-of-our-times#When:21:40:00Z Darwin shook the status quo but never went as far as publicly denying God. According to James Secord, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge, “It is easy to make Darwin out to be like Richard Dawkins, and to see Darwin as an acid that eats through our belief and faith, but Darwin didn’t see it like that”. RS Blog, AS Philosophy of Religion, 2009-09-20T21:40:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/darwin-creation http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/darwin-creation#When:21:23:00Z Just incase you hadn’t noticed Creation opens next Friday. Its billed as being about the man Darwin, his life and his legacy. It’s got to be worth a look! click here for a review 2009-09-20T21:23:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/teaching-the-rwandan-genocide http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/teaching-the-rwandan-genocide#When:09:56:00Z The charity Survivors Fund (SURF) is undertaking a preliminary survey amongst UK teachers to develop a greater understanding of if and how the Rwandan genocide is taught in schools. Your input into this research will be greatly appreciated, if you can spare the time to answer the following brief ten questions via the link here. Thank you. 2009-09-16T09:56:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/happy-campers http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/happy-campers#When:20:15:00Z The Times reports that Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, is helping to launch the first atheist summer camps. They will rival the summer holiday schemes usually run by church groups, scouts or guides. “Budding atheists will be given lessons to arm themselves in the ways of rational scepticism”. RS Blog, 2009-06-29T20:15:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/what-would-jesus-buy http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/what-would-jesus-buy#When:18:58:00Z Reverend Billy Talen, a preacher from America, is launching his UK tour “The Shopocalypse” with his gospel choir called the Church of Life After Shopping. 2009-05-18T18:58:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/plato-cave-revision-as http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/plato-cave-revision-as#When:18:58:00Z Candidates should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of what might be represented in the Analogy of the Cave by the following: 1) the prisoners, the shadows, the cave itself, the outside world, the sun, the journey out of the cave and the return to the prisoners. RS Blog, A2 Philosophy of Religion, 2009-05-15T18:58:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/3-links-for-revision-on-religious-language http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/3-links-for-revision-on-religious-language#When:18:49:00Z Religious Language click here for a useful ink outlining the major issues and problems arising within this topic. click here for a briefer discussion of the issue. Very accessible. Mentions the key players in the debate. click here for a far deeper discussion of the issues. Has useful chapters with links so that you can focus upon certain areas.   RS Blog, A2 Philosophy of Religion, 2009-05-15T18:49:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/angels-and-demons http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/angels-and-demons#When:20:32:00Z The theme of the film is the conflict between religion and science. It has met with mixed reviews. Whilst it is not as sacrilegious as The Da Vinci Code, there is still plenty to offend ones religious sensibilities. However, interestingly the Vatican describes the film as ‘harmless’. click here to read the Times review 2009-05-14T20:32:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/origins-of-the-universe-revision http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/origins-of-the-universe-revision#When:22:40:00Z check this website out for a brief overview and loads of links click here for the link RS Blog, AS Philosophy of Religion, 2009-05-12T22:40:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/the-problem-of-evil-revision http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/the-problem-of-evil-revision#When:22:38:00Z Check out this web site for useful links and synopsis of the topic. click here for the link RS Blog, AS Philosophy of Religion, 2009-05-12T22:38:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/the-evolution-of-god http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/the-evolution-of-god#When:22:11:00Z Robert Wright’s book The Evolution of God is out next month in America. It is a non believers exploration of how religious doctrine and practice have changed and evolved through human history. The book expounds the view that our evolving view of God can be understood as the evolution of the human understanding of truth, that the evolving doctrines and practice of our faith might merely indicate humankind’s slow understanding of the real nature of the divine. RS Blog, 2009-05-12T22:11:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/who-thinks-religion-is-important http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/who-thinks-religion-is-important#When:18:34:00Z Asians and Africans see religion as most important in their daily lives. Europeans are less of the belief that faith matters. 99% of people in Bangladesh agree that religion is part of their daily lives, whilst only 29% of those in Britain are of the same view. click here for the link to the complete list of statistics from the recent Gallup poll. RS Blog, 2009-05-07T18:34:00+00:00 http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/can-god-make-you-rich-and-happy http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies/comments/can-god-make-you-rich-and-happy#When:18:43:00Z According to a recent article in the Times there are economic benefits to being a Christian. There arppears to be a link between religiosity and upward economic mobility in the United States. Jonathan Gruber, a secular economist from MIT has argued that church going produces a boost in income. RS Blog, 2009-05-04T18:43:00+00:00