Christian Thought GCE H573/3

Augustine

1. Assess the view that Augustine’s teaching on human nature is too pessimistic
2. Critically assess the view that Christian teaching on human nature can only make sense if the Fall did actually happen
3. “Augustine’s teaching on human nature is more harmful than helpful”. Discuss.
4. How convincing is Augustine’s teaching about the Fall and Original Sin?
5. Critically assess Augustine’s analysis of human sexual nature

Death and the Afterlife

6. To what extent can belief in the existence of purgatory be justified?

7.“Heaven is not a place but a state of mind.” Discuss.

8. “Without the reward of Heaven Christians would not behave well.” Discuss
9. To what extent is the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25 only about Heaven and Hell?

10  Assess the view that there is no last judgement; each person is judged by God at the moment of their death.

11. “Purgatory is the most important Christian teaching about the afterlife.” Discuss.

Knowledge of God

12. Discuss critically the view that Christians can discover truths about God using human reason.
13. “Faith is all that is necessary to gain knowledge of God.” Discuss.
14. “God can be known because the world is so well designed.” Discuss.
15. Critically assess the view that the Bible is the only way of knowing God.
16. “Everyone has an innate knowledge of God’s existence.” Discuss.
17. To what extent is faith in God rational?

Person of Christ

18. “There is no evidence to suggest that Jesus thought of himself as divine.” Discuss.
19. To what extent can Jesus be regarded as no more than a teacher of wisdom?
20. “Jesus’ role was just to liberate the poor and weak against oppression.” Discuss.
21. Assess the view that the miracles prove Jesus was the Son of God.
22. “Jesus Christ is not unique.” Discuss.
23. To what extent was Jesus just a teacher of morality?

Christian Moral Principles

24. How fair is the claim that there is nothing distinctive about Christian ethics?
25. “The Bible is all that is needed as a moral guide for Christian behaviour.” Discuss.

26.“The Church should decide what is morally good.” Discuss.

27.Assess the view that the Bible is a comprehensive moral guide for Christians.

28. To what extent do Christians actually disagree about what Christian ethics are?
29. “Christian moral principles are not self-evident.” Discuss.

Christian Moral Action

30. “Using the will of God as a guide for moral behaviour is impractical, as in most circumstances it is impossible to know what god wants us to do.” Discuss.
31. To what extent, if at all, does the theology of Bonhoeffer have relevance for Christians today?
32. “Bonhoeffer’s most important teaching is on leadership.” Discuss.
33. “Christian ethics means being obedient to god’s will.” Discuss.
34. To what extent was Bonhoeffer’s religious community at Finkenwalde successful?

Pluralism

35. “A theologically pluralist approach significantly undermines the central doctrines of Christianity.” Discuss.
36. To what extent can non-Christians who live morally good lives and genuinely seek God be considered to be ‘anonymous Christians’?

37.Critically assess the view that only Christianity offers the means of salvation

38. “Christianity is one of many ways to salvation.” Discuss.

Pluralism – Secular

39. To what extent should Christians seek to convert others to Christianity at every opportunity?
40. “Inter-faith dialogue is of little practical use.” Discuss.
41. To what extent does scriptural reasoning relativise religious beliefs?

42.“Converting people of no faith should be equally important to a Christian as converting people of non-Christian faith.” Discuss.

Pluralism – Religious

43. To what extent should Christians seek to convert others to Christianity at every opportunity?
44. “Inter-faith dialogue is of little practical use.” Discuss.
45. To what extent does scriptural reasoning relativise religious beliefs?
46. “Converting people of no faith should be equally important to a Christian as converting people of non-Christian faith.” Discuss.

Secularism – Christianity Effects

47. “Christianity has a negative impact on society.” Discuss.
48. To what extent are Christian values more than just basic human values?
49. “Christianity should play no part in public life.” Discuss.
50. Critically assess the claims that God is an illusion and the result of wish fulfilment.

Liberation Theology

51. To what extent should Christianity engage with atheist secular ideologies?
52. “Liberation theology has not engaged with Marxism fully enough.” Discuss.
53. Critically assess the claim that Christianity has tackled social issues more effectively than Marxism.
54. Critically assess the relationship of liberation theology and Marx with particular reference to liberation theology use of Marx to analyse social sin.

Gender & Society

55. Christians should resist current secular views of gender” Discuss
56. Evaluate the view that secular views of gender equality have undermined Christian gender roles
57. “Motherhood liberates rather than restricts”. Discuss
58. Critically evaluate the view that idea of family is entirely culturally determined.
59. “Christianity follows where culture leads”. Discuss

Gender & Theology

60. ‘A male saviour cannot save’. Discuss with reference to the theologies of Rosemary Ruether and Mary Daly.
61. “If God is male the male is God’. Discuss
62. Critically contrast the theologies of Ruether and Daly.
63. “The Church is irredeemably patriarchal’. Discuss
64. “God is genderless, and so the idea of the Father-God is idolatry”. Discuss
65. “Only a spirituality of women can save the planet from environmental degradation and war’. Discuss