Belief in God – why?
To be able to:
Religious upbringing
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Make the connection
between the way you
were brought up with
the person you are
Outline the features of
a Christian upbringing
Explain how this may
or may not lead to belief
in God
Baptism, Confirmation, church attendance, religious school
and into adulthood. Plot the progress and show how this is
likely to encourage belief in God.
For discussion:
Parents should not brainwash their children – do you agree?
How would Christian parents who attend church and believe
in God avoid bringing their children up with the same
beliefs?
What other things influence you as you get older?
Explain how a religious upbringing may lead to or support
belief in God (8)
To be able to:
Religious experiences
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Media lesson
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Define conversion,
miracle, numinous,
prayer
Outline an example of
each type of experience
Decide whether these
The Miracle of Peckham – Only Fools and Horses
Conversion, miracle, numinous, prayer – how can these lead
to belief in God? Talk about the evidence of personal
encounters. What other explanations are there?
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experiences are valid
with reasons
Explain how these
experiences may lead to
belief in God
Look at Biblical miracles, and modern miracles.
Discussion: Do you think miracles happen today? Give
reasons for your opinion. (4)
Media question: Explain how an issue from this section has
been shown in one form of the media and say whether this
may lead to, or away, from God.
To be able to:
Design and Causation
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Outline the design
argument
Explain how this may
lead someone to believe
in God
Outline the causation
argument
Explain how this may
lead someone to believe
in God
Investigate the
strengths and
weaknesses of both
arguments
Discuss what the last thing made in DT was – let them tell
you the process from start to finish. Suggest it could have
been made by accidently throwing all the raw materials in
the air.
Paley’s watch – drama piece?
Discuss:
Could something as complex as DNA have happened by
accident?
If so, why do we not see accidents that create life today?
Can you think of any arguments against?
Causation – give each team a box of dominoes and make
them do the chain reaction.
Aquinas, infinite regress, unmoved mover etc. Strengths and
weaknesses. Your opinion?
Do you think God created the universe? Give TWO reasons
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for your point of view. (4)
Peer mark
To be able to:
The problem of evil and
suffering (including the
problem of unanswered
prayer)
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Explain what the
problem of evil and
suffering is for people
who believe in God
Explain how this may
lead someone to reject
their faith
Understand what some
Christian responses are
Give your own opinion
and give your reasons
Define natural evil and moral evil.
Look at all the pictures, newspaper stories etc
Question: What is the problem of evil and suffering for
people who believe in God?
(Mackies inconsistent triad)
Key words – omnipotent, omniscient, omni-benevolent.
Discussion: Is it possible to say that God does exist but may
not be as we imagine? Why?
Do we need suffering to make us appreciate good?
Is evil just the absence of good?
Investigate: what are the Christian responses to evil and
suffering?
Explain how Christians respond to the problem of evil and
suffering (8)
To be able to:
How the media influence belief
in God
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Describe two
programmes that could
affect a person’s belief
Recap on the Miracle of Peckam – Only Fools and Horses
Look at Bruce Almighty/ White Girl / a n other.
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in God
 Explain how either
might affect a person’s
belief in God
 Evaluate the positive
and negative messages
sent through the media
about belief in God and
express your opinion on
this, with reasons and
evidence
To be able to:
Assessment
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Demonstrate that you
have learned the
knowledge from this
section
Apply your skills to the
types of questions
asked
Consolidate your
thoughts and opinions
Look at a selection of news broadcasts, newspaper articles.
How might these affect a person’s belief in God?
(talk about media bias, positive and negative images, 911
reporting and Islamic terrorism)
Revision – skills and content
A GCSE question
Peer mark with mark scheme in felt tip
Go round and record marks and check.
Introduce the next section – what do we already know?
What do we want to know?
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