1. GCE Religious Studies A2 Support Event Armagh City Hotel, Armagh
28th February 2019
GCE Religious Studies A2 Support Event Armagh City Hotel, Armagh

2. Agenda Welcome and information Feedback on summer 2018 series
Question setting process
Trinity College Dublin
Exemplification of synoptic assessment
Marking exercise in unit groups
Question and answer

3. Information
AS1: An Introduction to the Gospel of Luke examination paper is being marked online this summer
Change – answer booklet
The sample AS 1 paper can be found on the Religious Studies microsite

4. Details of AS Luke layout on microsite

5. Events Current A2 support events
Webinars for EEP A2 Religious Studies (21st and 22nd March)

6. Becoming an Examiner

7. The Chief Examiner’s Report 2018
Summer 2018
The Chief Examiner’s Report 2018
Quality of response was encouraging
Excellent time management
AO1 responses were more focused
AO2 responses were more developed
Improvement on critical assessment

8. Question Paper Process (2021)
Question Setting Process
Initial Drafts (May 2019)
Revision (September/October 2019)
Pre QPEC (November 2019)
AS QPEC (November/December 2019) (x8 Units)
A2 QPEC (January/February 2020) (x8 Units)
1st Revise (Spring 2020)
Scrutiny (September/October 2020)
Set Up (Informal Checks) (Spring 2021)
Last Pull (Formal Checks) (April 2021)

9. Marking Period (2021) AS Pre SM (May 2021) A2 Pre SM (June 2021)
Unit SM (Standardising Meeting) (May/June/July 2021)
POSM (if online – mid way point)
AS Review of Marking (Dip In) and Awarding (July days)
A2 Review of Marking (Dip In) and Awarding (July days)

10. School of Religion
BA Religion
Single Honors and
Joint Honors

11. BA Religion (4 years)
You can take Religion as a Single Honors subject and a Joint Honors subject.
Students are able to choose different pathways within their courses - for example depending on your choices you may exit with Single Honors, Major with a Minor or a Joint Honors.
Students are also be able to take Trinity Electives and Approved Modules from other subjects across the university to add to the breadth and range of their degree.
Students have the chance to make these choices at the end of JF (Year 1) or SF ( Year 2).

12. Subjects in Religion/Theology
World Religions and Cultural Study of Religion
Topics include:
the Qur’an and its history of reception;
Dharmic religions; Islamic theology,
comparative religious ethics; current movements in Christianity, Islam and Buddhism;
Islamic political ethics; researching religion: theories and practice;
religion and material culture.
Theology
Topics include:
Philosophical and theological approaches to God;
Cosmology, religion and science;
Christology;
Medieval theology;
Theologies of reformation and enlightenment; Liberation, contextual theologies;
Theology and social justice;
Ethics and Politics of Religion
Topics include:
Morality and human flourishing; Ethical reasoning in theological perspective;
Religion, gender and human rights;
Bioethics and technology; Environmental ethics;
Social and political ethics; Religions and the ethics of peace and war.
Biblical Studies and Religions of Antiquity
Topics include:
Prophecy in the Hebrew Bible;
The Dead Sea Scrolls;
The ancient histories of Israel and Judah;
The historical Jesus; Paul and Palestinian Judaism;
Friendship in the New Testament;
Christianity and the cultures of late antiquity;
The Bible in the Arts.

13. How can we help you help your students?
World Religions and Cultural Study of Religion
Topics include:
the Qur’an and its history of reception;
Dharmic religions; Islamic theology,
comparative religious ethics; current movements in Christianity, Islam and Buddhism;
Islamic political ethics; researching religion: theories and practice;
religion and material culture.
Theology
Topics include:
Philosophical and theological approaches to God;
Cosmology, religion and science;
Christology;
Medieval theology;
Theologies of reformation and enlightenment; Liberation, contextual theologies;
Theology and social justice;
Ethics and Politics of Religion
Topics include:
Morality and human flourishing; Ethical reasoning in theological perspective;
Religion, gender and human rights;
Bioethics and technology; Environmental ethics;
Social and political ethics; Religions and the ethics of peace and war.
Biblical Studies and Religions of Antiquity
Topics include:
Prophecy in the Hebrew Bible;
The Dead Sea Scrolls;
The ancient histories of Israel and Judah;
The historical Jesus; Paul and Palestinian Judaism;
Friendship in the New Testament;
Christianity and the cultures of late antiquity;
The Bible in the Arts.

14. Synoptic Assessment Completion of the AO1 task
Respond directly to the question
Spend approximately 9 minutes dealing with the question drawing on material studied
Work towards the link with the other unit of study
Spend about 5/6 minutes developing the link with the other unit of study
Preface the link with the other unit of study
Use the units of study to inform the discussion, not an end in themselves

15. Synoptic Question A2 2: Themes in the Selected Letters of St Paul
Q4(a) Discuss one reason why religious controversy is inevitable. You must support your answer with reference to at least one other unit of study.

16. Synoptic Question A2 8:Themes in the Philosophy of Religion
Q4(b) ‘The secular world fails to recognise that religious belief is a natural part of what it is to be human’ Critically assess this claim. You must refer to other aspects of human experience in your answer.

17. Unit work in Groups A21: Themes in the Synoptic Gospels
A22: Themes in the Selected Letters of St Paul
A23: Themes in the Old Testament
A24: Themes in the Early Church and the Church Today
A25: Themes in the Celtic Church, Reformation and Post-Reformation Church
A26: Islam in a Contemporary Context
A27: Global Ethics
A28: Themes in the Philosophy of Religion

18. Contacts Education Manager: Donna Finlay
Telephone: Ext 2105
Subject Support Officer: Arlene Ashfield
Telephone: Ext 2291
Specification, sample assessment and support materials available on the subject microsite at