Religion and Society Study Notes

In this area of study students are introduced to the nature and purpose of religion in the human search for meaning. This includes a general study of the nature of religion. Students are introduced to the purpose of religion in societies in which multiple worldviews coexist through the study in detail of a range of beliefs of one religious tradition or religious denomination. Religious beliefs are ideas that answer the big questions of life according to a religious worldview. In this area of study students relate the beliefs to certain categories and explore the connection of the beliefs to each other.

In this area of study students build on the knowledge of religious beliefs from Area of Study 1. Beliefs are intended to achieve their full meaning when they are expressed through other aspects of religion. Students study how the meaning of beliefs is expressed through the other aspects of religion. They consider the roles of the aspects of religion in general. Students then explore at least two beliefs studied in Area of Study 1, as they are expressed in other aspects of the selected religious tradition or religious denomination. They examine how the selected beliefs and their expression in each of the other aspects are intended by the selected religious tradition or religious denomination to support meaning.

In this area of study students focus on the interplay between religion and significant life experiences of members of religious traditions and religious denominations. Students consider the relationship between different types of significant life experiences and religious beliefs generally. They then undertake a detailed study of one particular significant life experience of a member of one selected religious tradition or religious denomination. This experience has to be one that informed, reinforced or changed the person’s faith in and understanding of beliefs, and their engagement with the expression of those beliefs. Students investigate what happens to an individual’s adherence to and understanding of the relevant religious beliefs and related expressions in the other aspects as a result of a significant life experience. The person and experience studied must have been published in publicly accessible non-fictional material and must be a member of a religious tradition. The experience cannot be one of conversion from one religious tradition or religious denomination to another.

In this area of study students investigate how and why religious traditions and religious denominations have taken steps from their inception to the present to respond to challenges in the categories of theology, ethics and continued existence. Religious traditions or religious denominations are in a continual process of engagement and negotiation with challenges that may influence them to adopt various stances for, against or of indifference to the challenge. With various stances there will be a mixture of supporting responses that attempt to bring about change or attempt to retain the status quo. The ability of a religious tradition or religious denomination to adopt different stances is determined by beliefs, authority structures, official teachings, rulings of religious law, tradition, key individuals and attitudes within the religious and wider communities. Students consider how some aspects of one religious tradition or religious denomination are more likely to be involved when taking a stance. Three significant challenges are selected, and the stances and supporting responses are studied. Each challenge should encompass one or more of the categories of theology, ethics and continued existence, but the student’s study as a whole should cover all categories.

Students examine in detail one significant challenge that has engaged or continues to engage a religious tradition or religious denomination and society. Religious traditions and religious denominations are in a continual interactive process of engagement and negotiation with their members and with the trends, ideas, events and innovations found in wider society. Stances and supporting responses to the challenge may vary as interactions continue throughout the challenge, and the results may or may not produce the desired effects. The challenge should be at a stage where a range of analyses of the influence of the responses have been made. The selected challenge may be related to a particular time in the past or present or may have recurred over a period of time. Students investigate the broader context leading to the challenge, the sources of the challenge, relevant aspects of religion, and the stances and supporting responses adopted by the religious tradition or religious denomination. They also examine the influence of the responses on the tradition or denomination and, where appropriate, on wider society.