A lesson prepared for my school's MOCKsted inspection, featuring introduction to the term 'conversion', excerpts from James' lectures on the subject, a video testimony of gangster-turned-preacher Nicky Cruz, plus the confession of the 'most dejected convert in all England': C.S. Lewis. Students consider whether James' idea that conversion is a 'normal adolescent phenomenon' is borne out by evidence.
Powerpoint providing examples of corporate religious experience. From the ethereal chords of Mozart's Requiem to the base guitar and full rock band of megachurch Hillsong Australia, how does music influence religious experience? Finishes with an investigation into charismatic phenomena (signs and wonders, esp healing and glossolalia) and also a research task into the Toronto Blessing.
Is the experience that some people have of God analogous to the experience that each of us has of public objects? In what respects? Swinburne's Principle of Credulity, his Four Defeating Conditions, Martin's Negative Principle of Credulity and Swinburne's Cumulative argument all discussed.
Prawns? Lycra? Gay sex?Aren't the Old Testament's prohibitions against shellfish, mixed fibres and homosexuality indicative of an arbitrary and outdated morality? This lesson on homosexuality examines Biblical texts, discusses the meaning of the 'moral' and 'ceremonial' laws, introduces a Foucaultian persective on sexuality as power, and gives three personal stories - Rev Vaughan Roberts, Mark Cannon, and Vicky Beeching (shortlised for Stonewall's Hero of the Year award, 2014). Students encouraged to analyse the differing perspectives within one faith tradition and to finish with an essay plan on the role conscience plays in sexual matters.
Exploration of deontological approaches to marriage and sex, with a particular focus on Immanuel Kant. Are extramarital and premarital sex irrational? Also features a youtube video, 'C.S. Lewis' famous essay 'We have no right to happiness', which proved very provocative with my students! A great discussion starter on the differences between deontological and teleological approaches in sexual ethics.
Dr William Lane Craig (Kalam Cosmological Argument) and Dr Ray Bradley (Possible Worlds) debate on the issue of hell. Can God be loving and just and send people to hell for ever? Do people have a choice in the matter, or are the 'doors of hell locked on the inside?' This resource contains extracts from a stimulating debate, held at Simon Fraser University.
Dr William Lane Craig (Kalam Cosmological Argument) and Dr Ray Bradley (Possible Worlds) debate the merits of eternal hell. Can God be good and send people there? Have people a free choice in the matter? Are the 'doors of hell locked from the inside?' This resource consists of extracts from the debate at Simon Fraser University.
This source article, from an business ethics website, helps candidates to apply Kantian and Virtue ethics thinking to rights and duties in the business context. Is it still cheating if it is the small guy who lets the big guy down?
Drawn from a Guardian article, this resource summarises Archbishop Welby's thinking on corporate responsibility and guilt, based on his years as an oil executive. Fascinating proposals for corporate 'humiliation' and very quotable.
'The Screwtape Letters' deal with the 'meddlesome' Boethius and his writings on divine foreknowledge. Does God know the outcome of a believer's prayers before they are asked? If so, what is the point of praying?
An introduction to both the evidential (Good Morning Vietnam) and logical (Epicurus, inconsistent triad) problems of evil. Students watch the interview between Gay Byrne and Stephen Fry on RTE (now has over 6 million hits on youtube) and try recreate it (God is capricious, mean and stupid to allow bone cancer in children). Students also consider whether or not atheists have a 'problem of evil', by examining the views of Richard Dawkins.
What is the Big Bang theory, and does it have implications for religious believers? This lesson explores no - NOMA (Stephen Jay Gould); yes- God is irrelevant - Prof. Stephen Hawking; and examines responses from Profs John Lennox and Alistair McGrath. Differences between young Earth creationists and progressive creationists summarized. Contains several stimulating Youtube clips, and an infographic summarising different views on dinosaurs.
Explains the origin of the Intelligent Design movement, the influence of Michael Behe, common criticisms and strengths. Features stimulating youtube video material of Behe, a bacterial flagellum (!) and Dawkins.