YEAR 11 SYLLABUS

Believing in God

How religious upbringing in a family or community of one religion can lead to or support belief in God. The nature of religious experience as seen in the numinous, conversion, miracles, prayer, and how these may lead to or support belief in God.

How the appearance of the world (design and causation) may lead to or support belief in God. How the search for meaning and purpose in life may lead to or support belief in God.

How non-religious explanations of the world and of miracles may lead to or support agnosticism or atheism. How unanswered prayers and the existence of evil and suffering (including moral evil and natural evil) may lead people to question or reject belief in God.

Why the existence of evil and suffering raises problems for people who believe in God as omnipotent, benevolent and omniscient. How the followers of one religion respond to this problem.