Content and Exam Tips for OCR A Level Religious Studies
3. Living
The diversity of ethics and practice, including those that shape and express religious identity, the role of the community of believers and key moral principles
Agape
Christian Moral Principles
Content
The diversity of Christian moral reasoning and practices and sources of ethics, including:
the Bible as the only authority for Christian ethical practices
Bible, Church and reason as the sources of Christian ethical practices
love (agape) as the only Christian ethical principle which governs Christian practices
Key Knowledge
as the Bible reveals God’s will, then only biblical ethical commands must be followed
Christian ethics must be a combination of biblical teaching, Church teaching and human reason
Jesus’ only command was to love and that human reason must decide how best to apply this
Duty, Community, Discipleship
Christian Moral Action
Content
The teaching and example of Dietrich Bonhoeffer on:
duty to God and duty to the State
Church as community and source of spiritual discipline
the cost of discipleship
Key Knowledge
Bonhoeffer’s teaching on the relationship of Church and State including:
obedience, leadership and doing God’s will
justification of civil disobedience
Bonhoeffer’s role in the Confessing Church and his own religious community at Finkenwalde
Bonhoeffer’s teaching on ethics as action, including:
‘costly grace’
sacrifice and suffering
solidarity