The idea of God in the Bible, Aquinas, Whitehead, and Hegel will be expounded and discussed. Then ideas of the soul and afterlife will be examined. Attention will be paid to the problems of evil and suffering in religious views, to the different streams of religious thought in the world, and to problems of their relationship. If there is time, I will discuss specifically Christian ideas of revelation, incarnation, and atonement. But the theological perspective will be one which considers religious beliefs globally and historically, and the course will be open to a wide range of beliefs. The exact topics discussed will depend largely on the interests of those who attend the course.
Philosophical Issues in Religion
This is an In-person course which requires your attendance to the weekly meetings which take place in Oxford.
Overview
Programme details
Courses starts: 22 Apr 2024
Please note: There will be no class on the 6th or 27th May
Week 1: The philosophical polarity of materialism and idealism.
Week 2: Classical Thomism - God as timeless, impassible, and simple
Week 3: Process theology - God as dipolar and responsive.
Week 4: Absolute and Personal Idealism - Hegel and the British Idealists
Week 5: Religious accounts of the origin of evil
Week 6: The four main streams of religious thought in the world
Week 7: The soul and the afterlife
Week 8: Revelation and religious experience
Week 9: Christian doctrines of Incarnation, Atonement, and Trinity
Week 10: The future of world religions - John Hick and Peter Phan
Recommended reading
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Continuing Education Library for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are welcome to use the Library for reference. More information can be found on the Library website.
There is a Guide for Weekly Class students which will give you further information.
Availability of titles on the reading list (below) can be checked on SOLO, the library catalogue.
Preparatory reading
- my theology: personal idealism / Ward, Keith
- the priority of mind / Ward, Keith
Digital Certification
To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course Fee | £257.00 |
| Take this course for CATS points | £10.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Tutor
Prof Keith Ward
Keith Ward is a British philosopher, theologian, priest and scholar. He was Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford from 1991 to 2004. He is a fellow of the British Academy and a priest of the Church of England, holding the post of canon of Christ Church, Oxford until 2003.
Comparative theology and the relationship between science and religion are two of his main topics of interest.
Course aims
To deliver a comprehensive view of central philosophical ideas in religion, aiming at both appreciation and critical enquiry.
Course objectives:
- To provide accurate knowledge of what major philosophical and theological writers have actually said.
- To encourage critical reflection on these by discussion. And to encourage appreciation for viewpoints other than one's own.
Teaching methods
Teaching will be by a main lecture, in the first hour, followed by a guided discussion and question-and-answer session, with a concluding summary.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will be expected to:
- understand a range of central beliefs, some of which will be unfamiliar to many students;
- to encourage appreciation of views other than one's own;
- to hone critical yet informed enquiry;
- to have a good basis for considering theological and philosophical beliefs.
Assessment methods
One (c. 1,500 words) essay on an agreed topic. Students will be asked to provide an outline of the proposed essay for approval.
Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form
Application
To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.
Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form (Word) or enrolment form (Pdf).
Level and demands
Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.
To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.
Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard.
Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.
Most of the Department's weekly classes have 10 or 20 CATS points assigned to them. 10 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of ten 2-hour sessions. 20 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of twenty 2-hour sessions. It is expected that, for every 2 hours of tuition you are given, you will engage in eight hours of private study.