Unit 1 The Role of Religion in Society
Unit 1: The role of religion in society
In this unit students explore the spiritual origins of religion and understand its role in the development of society, identifying the nature and purpose of religion over time. They investigate religion, including the totality of phenomena to which the term ‘religion’ refers, and acknowledge religion’s contribution to the development of human society. They also focus on the role of spiritualities, religious traditions and religious denominations in shaping personal and group identity over time. Students examine how individuals, groups and new ideas have affected and continue to affect spiritualities, religious traditions and religious denominations. The unit provides an opportunity for students to understand the often complex relationships that exist between individuals, groups, new ideas, truth narratives, spiritualities and religious traditions broadly and in the Australian society in which they live.
A range of examples is studied throughout the unit. For all areas of study, students explore detailed examples from more than one spirituality, religious tradition or religious denomination. These may be from one or more of the groups below. In addition, for Areas of Study 1 and 2 further shorter illustrative examples should be selected for study from across all the groups below:
• Spiritualities of First Nations peoples (such as in Australia and Oceania; Africa; Canada and the rest of the Americas; Siberia and the rest of Russia; Scandinavia)
• Spiritual and religious ideas in prehistory (associated with, for example, hunter-gatherer societies, Çatalhöyük, Göbekli Tepe, Jericho, Lascaux, Stonehenge)
• Religious traditions of ancient civilisations and empires (such as Babylonia, Canaan, Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, the Indus Valley civilisation, Ancient Rome, Sumer)
• Asian religious and philosophical traditions (such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Jainism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Taoism)
• Abrahamic religions (such as the Bahaʼi Faith, Christianity, Islam, Judaism).
In this unit students explore the spiritual origins of religion and understand its role in the development of society, identifying the nature and purpose of religion over time. They investigate religion, including the totality of phenomena to which the term ‘religion’ refers, and acknowledge religion’s contribution to the development of human society. They also focus on the role of spiritualities, religious traditions and religious denominations in shaping personal and group identity over time. Students examine how individuals, groups and new ideas have affected and continue to affect spiritualities, religious traditions and religious denominations. The unit provides an opportunity for students to understand the often complex relationships that exist between individuals, groups, new ideas, truth narratives, spiritualities and religious traditions broadly and in the Australian society in which they live.
A range of examples is studied throughout the unit. For all areas of study, students explore detailed examples from more than one spirituality, religious tradition or religious denomination. These may be from one or more of the groups below. In addition, for Areas of Study 1 and 2 further shorter illustrative examples should be selected for study from across all the groups below:
• Spiritualities of First Nations peoples (such as in Australia and Oceania; Africa; Canada and the rest of the Americas; Siberia and the rest of Russia; Scandinavia)
• Spiritual and religious ideas in prehistory (associated with, for example, hunter-gatherer societies, Çatalhöyük, Göbekli Tepe, Jericho, Lascaux, Stonehenge)
• Religious traditions of ancient civilisations and empires (such as Babylonia, Canaan, Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, the Indus Valley civilisation, Ancient Rome, Sumer)
• Asian religious and philosophical traditions (such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Jainism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Taoism)
• Abrahamic religions (such as the Bahaʼi Faith, Christianity, Islam, Judaism).
Areas of Study
There are three areas of study and three outcomes that must be met:
1. The nature and purpose of religion
2. Religion through the ages
3. Religion in Australia
There are three areas of study and three outcomes that must be met:
1. The nature and purpose of religion
2. Religion through the ages
3. Religion in Australia
Be Organised!
Workbook
The students of Religious Education at Damascus College are required to maintain a WORKBOOK as a key resource for the completion of assessment.
Our work in Religious Education is such that meanings evolve and emerge over extended periods of time and often not until near the end of a unit or term or semester does the whole begin to hang together. Hence the significance of the workbook.
The workbook is to have the following sections clearly defined:
- The Nature and Purpose of Religion
- Religion through the ages
- Religion in Australia
A contents page should be used to keep the workbook in order. To keep everything together, grab a blank exercise book as use this only for Religion in Society. Maintaining a Glossary of Terms throughout will be beneficial when it comes to the final Exam.
| contentspageblank__1_.docx |
| 5_glossary.docx |
Assessment Tasks
As part of the course students are required to complete certain tasks which are graded. These are called Assessment Tasks.
As part of the course students are required to complete certain tasks which are graded. These are called Assessment Tasks.
Outcome 1 - The Nature and Purpose of Religion: A Test
On completion of this unit the student should be able to discuss the nature and purpose of religion and examine the aspects of religion as they apply to selected examples.
Outcome 2 - Religion through the Ages: To be determined
On completion of this unit the student should be able to discuss the changing roles of religion and the interrelationship between religion and society over time.
Outcome 3 - Is Australia a Religious Country? An Essay
On completion of this unit the student should be able to discuss the presence of religion in Australia, past and present.
There will also be an Exam at the end of the Year which pulls together all the information from Outcome 1m 2 and 3.
On completion of this unit the student should be able to discuss the nature and purpose of religion and examine the aspects of religion as they apply to selected examples.
Outcome 2 - Religion through the Ages: To be determined
On completion of this unit the student should be able to discuss the changing roles of religion and the interrelationship between religion and society over time.
Outcome 3 - Is Australia a Religious Country? An Essay
On completion of this unit the student should be able to discuss the presence of religion in Australia, past and present.
There will also be an Exam at the end of the Year which pulls together all the information from Outcome 1m 2 and 3.