Religious Studies

‘RS teaches me to understand other people better because I know where they’re coming from.’ UIV girl

Religious Studies is a popular and dynamic discipline taught with enthusiasm and creativity at Wycombe Abbey.

In UIII and LIV the girls are encouraged to develop their understanding of the western Judaeo-Christian heritage through studies of the Old Testament, ancient and modern Judaism, the life of Jesus and the core beliefs of Christianity. They are then able to compare and contrast this tradition with other world religions through a study of Islam and Sikhism.

In the UIV the girls examine major ethical theories, for example utilitarianism and situation ethics, and apply these to universal dilemmas posed by issues such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, and war and peace. They then embark on an analysis of the nature of religion, considering critiques levelled by sociologists and psychologists such as Marx and Freud, and evaluate these with reference to a study of Buddhism and Hinduism. The girls emerge with a sophisticated understanding of religion, well-prepared to embark on their GCSE study of the OCR Philosophy and Ethics syllabus.

‘I like RS because in one of our RS lessons we were answering some questions on Buddhism and I actually realised the meaning of my life.’ UIV student

VI Form

At AS and A2  the Edexcel syllabus in Philosophy and Ethics covers philosophical arguments for the existence of God, critiques of religious belief, and ethical theories such as virtue ethics and Kant’s Categorical Imperative. In the LVIth year there is an opportunity to specialise in an area related to the study of philosophy, religion and morality, popular topics include the mind/body problem, the sociology and psychology of religion and medical ethics. Each year significant numbers of students go on to study Theology, Philosophy and Religious Studies at university.

‘Studying Philosophy and Ethics at A level has helped me to become more analytical in my thinking and better able to sustain a convincing line of argument in discussion – it has really helped me with my other subjects and is a good preparation for university studies’ UVI student

But Will Religious Studies Help You Get A Job?

Yes, students of philosophy, ethics and theology are in hot demand by employers - and no wonder. All three disciplines require analytical skills which must be applied to questions of profound significance regarding the human condition, such as the legality of euthanasia or the competing claims of science and theology about the purpose of human existence. The formal study of logic is highly prized by the business community, as is the ability to structure a probing analysis into an oral or written presentation. These skills are transferable to a wide range of disciplines from law and politics to finance and the Civil Service.

If past philosophy and theology students like Bill Clinton, Pope John Paul II and Martin Luther King Jr. are anything to go by, the sky’s the limit for Philosophy and RS graduates!

And The Teachers… ?

‘ I like to know what makes people tick,’ says Mrs Khan, Head of Religious Studies. ‘Why do humans choose to dedicate their lives to a supernatural Being they can neither see nor touch? How does a young woman cope with the suffering caused by the loss of her children in a natural disaster? Should we advance scientific techniques without considering the value of human life? RS is a subject with as many answers as questions and it is a privilege to help young people acquire the skills and confidence needed to begin to explore these questions for themselves.’