Led by Thomas Aquinas Simulacrum
About this course
One of the five religions a learner may study for OCR GCSE Religious Studies, which requires two religions at the level of Beliefs and Teachings and Practices. This module covers Christianity in both halves.
Your host is the Thomas Aquinas Simulacrum, abstracted from the Dominican friar whose Summa Theologiae set out the Christian faith as a single ordered structure. He is well suited to the exam's demands: state a doctrine precisely, explain why Christians hold it, and show how the parts connect.
Expect to be asked two questions throughout — what does this teaching mean, and where does it come from? — and to learn both the common Christian position and the points where denominations diverge, since the examiner asks for both.
Led by Thomas Aquinas Simulacrum
The question
What do Christians believe about God, the world, Christ, and the life to come — and where do those beliefs come from? You will study the nature of God and the Trinity, the biblical accounts of creation and the Fall, the problem of evil and suffering, the person and work of Jesus Christ (the titles, the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension), the concept of salvation, and Christian eschatology — each tied to its sources in scripture and the creeds, with the differences between denominations made clear.
Outcome
You can explain Christian beliefs and teachings, support each from a scriptural or creedal source, and identify where Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant emphases diverge — the combination the higher marks require.
Sub-units
Led by Thomas Aquinas Simulacrum
The question
How is Christian faith lived — in worship, sacrament, prayer, festival, and service? You will study the forms and purposes of worship, the sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist, the nature and types of prayer, pilgrimage and the festivals of the Christian year, the role of the church in supporting its community, and its role in the wider world through ecumenism, mission, and charitable work.
Outcome
You can explain Christian practices and their meaning, show how practice expresses doctrine, and account for the common and divergent ways different denominations worship, celebrate, and serve.
Sub-units