Curriculum Online - Part 1: The Syllabus

Syllabus structure, sequencing and options

The syllabus consists of 10 sections divided into three parts. It is recommended that Leaving Certificate religious education be timetabled for 180 hours.

Part one
This section is obligatory for all students.
Section A: The search for meaning and values

Part two
Students must study two sections from the following:
Section B: Christianity: origins and contemporary expression
Section C: World religions
Section D: Moral decision-making

Part three
Students must study one of the following for the terminal examination. The topic selected for examination must be different from those designated for coursework.
Section E: Religion and gender
Section F: Issues of justice and peace
Section G: Worship, prayer and ritual
Section H: The Bible: literature and sacred text
Section I: Religion: the Irish experience
Section J: Religion and science

Sequencing

It is recommended that the syllabus be taught in the order outlined above. However, this does not preclude the possibility of making linkages with different sections of the syllabus according as the opportunity arises. Coursework can be done in either year one or year two of the programme or spread over two years. It is advisable that it be done either at the end of year one or the beginning of year two in order to avoid unnecessary stress towards the end of the second year.

Planning

When planning a programme of study it is important to keep in mind the aims, objectives, content and learning outcomes as set out in the syllabus. The assessment of religious education in the Leaving Certificate examination will be based on the objectives relating to knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes within each section of the course as well as the learning outcomes.

Sample two-year plans of work

Option 1

The first approach suggests a systematic and thematic presentation of the course following the sequence of the syllabus.

YEAR ONE
Term one Section A: The search for meaning and values 1.1 The contemporary context 1.2 The tradition of search 2.1 The language of symbol 2.2 The tradition of response 3.1 The gods of the ancients 3.2 The concept of revelation 3.3 Naming God, past and present 4.1 Religion as a source of communal values 4.2 Secular sources of communal values	Term two Section B: Christianity: origins and contemporary expressions 1.1 The pattern of return 1.2 Jesus and his message in contemporary culture 2.1 The impact of Rome 2.2 Evidence for Jesus of Nazareth 2.3 The teachings of Jesus and their impact on the community 2.4 Jesus as Messiah 3.1 Conflict with establishment 3.2 The death and resurrection of Jesus 4.1 The first Christian communities as seen through the writing of Paul 5.1 Interpreting the message today
	Term three Coursework 1 Agree topic 2 Research and gather information 3 Analyse and reflect on information 4 Write up coursework project in draft format

YEAR ONE

Term one
Section A: The search for meaning and values

1.1 The contemporary context
1.2 The tradition of search
2.1 The language of symbol
2.2 The tradition of response
3.1 The gods of the ancients
3.2 The concept of revelation
3.3 Naming God, past and present
4.1 Religion as a source of communal values
4.2 Secular sources of communal values

Term two
Section B: Christianity: origins and contemporary expressions

1.1 The pattern of return
1.2 Jesus and his message in contemporary culture
2.1 The impact of Rome
2.2 Evidence for Jesus of Nazareth
2.3 The teachings of Jesus and their impact on the community
2.4 Jesus as Messiah
3.1 Conflict with establishment
3.2 The death and resurrection of Jesus
4.1 The first Christian communities as seen through the writing of Paul
5.1 Interpreting the message today

Term three
Coursework

1 Agree topic
2 Research and gather information
3 Analyse and reflect on information
4 Write up coursework project in draft format

YEAR TWO
Term one Review, edit and complete coursework. Section C: World religions 1.1 Religion as a world-wide phenomenon 1.2 Primal religion 2.1 A vision of salvation 2.2 The community of believers 2.3 A celebrating tradition 2.4 Challenges to the tradition 2.5 Inter-faith dialogue 3.1 Cults and sects 3.2 Some new religious movements (Higher level) 4.1 A living tradition	Term two Any one section from Part 3 can be chosen, excluding those designated for coursework.
	Term three Section B 5.2 Trends in Christianity (Higher level) Section C 1.3 The holy (Higher level) Part 2: The relationship between Christianity and Judaism (Higher level) 4.2 Traditions in dialogue (Higher level) Revision Note: Higher level students must not only address additional topics but must also engage with the entire programme of work in a more detailed and critical fashion.

YEAR TWO

Term one
Review, edit and complete coursework.
Section C: World religions

1.1 Religion as a world-wide phenomenon
1.2 Primal religion
2.1 A vision of salvation
2.2 The community of believers
2.3 A celebrating tradition
2.4 Challenges to the tradition
2.5 Inter-faith dialogue
3.1 Cults and sects
3.2 Some new religious movements
(Higher level)
4.1 A living tradition

Term two
Any one section from Part 3 can be chosen, excluding those designated for coursework.

Term three
Section B
5.2 Trends in Christianity (Higher level)
Section C
1.3 The holy (Higher level)
Part 2: The relationship between Christianity and Judaism
(Higher level)
4.2 Traditions in dialogue (Higher level)

Revision
Note: Higher level students must not only address additional topics but must also engage with the entire programme of work in a more detailed and critical fashion.

YEAR ONE
Term three Coursework 1 Agree topic	2 Research and gather information 3 Analyse and reflect on information 4 Write up coursework

YEAR TWO
Term one The main emphasis this term is on Section J of the syllabus, making links to other sections as relevant. Section J: Religion and science 2.1 Science and religion go their separate ways - Galileo, the sources of modern science, the various reactions of religion 2.1 Science versus religion, science and religion in the enlightenment, Descartes and Newton 2.2 Science and religion in tension - Darwin's context and theories, reaction from one major world religion 2.3 Science and religion in dialogue - the ecological crisis, a theologian's perspective and a scientist's perspective on the crisis, the understanding of creation in one major world religion A contrasting understanding from another religious tradition (Higher level) Revisit Section C: World religions (year 1) 2.1 A vision of salvation - the vision of salvation proposed by two traditions, the image of the human person, the nature of the relationship between the transcendent and the human Revisit Section A: The search for meaning and values (year 1) 3.1 The gods of the ancients - the concept of God in Judaism, Christianity and Islam Section J: Religion and science 3.2 The new physics and religion - emerging questions (Higher level) Review, edit and complete coursework.	Term two The main emphasis this term is on Section C of the syllabus, making links to other sections as relevant. Section C: World religions 1.1 Religion as a world-wide phenomenon 1.2 Primal religion 1.3 The holy (Higher level) Section A: The search for meaning and values 3.2 The concept of revelation - divine revelation in two different texts and traditions, the meaning of the transcendent in two religious traditions. (Higher level) Section C: World religions 2.2 The community of believers (in two traditions) 2.3 A celebrating tradition (in two traditions) 2.4 A challenge to the tradition 2.6 Inter-faith dialogue - the relationship between Christianity and Judaism (Higher level) 3.1 Cults and sects 3.3 Some new religious movements (Higher level) 4.1 A living tradition 4.2 Traditions in dialogue (Higher level)
	Term three Revision

YEAR TWO

Term one
The main emphasis this term is on Section J of the syllabus, making links to other sections as relevant.
Section J: Religion and science
2.1 Science and religion go their separate ways - Galileo, the sources of modern science, the various reactions of religion
2.1 Science versus religion, science and religion in the enlightenment, Descartes and Newton
2.2 Science and religion in tension - Darwin's context and theories, reaction from one major world religion
2.3 Science and religion in dialogue - the ecological crisis, a theologian's perspective and a scientist's perspective on the crisis, the understanding of creation in one major world religion
A contrasting understanding from another religious tradition (Higher level)
Revisit Section C: World religions (year 1)
2.1 A vision of salvation - the vision of salvation proposed by two traditions, the image of the human person, the nature of the relationship between the transcendent and the human
Revisit Section A: The search for meaning and values (year 1)
3.1 The gods of the ancients - the concept of God in Judaism, Christianity and Islam Section J: Religion and science
3.2 The new physics and religion - emerging questions (Higher level)
Review, edit and complete coursework.

Term two
The main emphasis this term is on Section C of the syllabus, making links to other sections as relevant.
Section C: World religions
1.1 Religion as a world-wide phenomenon
1.2 Primal religion
1.3 The holy (Higher level)
Section A: The search for meaning and values
3.2 The concept of revelation - divine revelation in two different texts and traditions, the meaning of the transcendent in two religious traditions. (Higher level)
Section C: World religions
2.2 The community of believers (in two traditions)
2.3 A celebrating tradition (in two traditions)
2.4 A challenge to the tradition
2.6 Inter-faith dialogue - the relationship between Christianity and Judaism
(Higher level)
3.1 Cults and sects
3.3 Some new religious movements
(Higher level)
4.1 A living tradition
4.2 Traditions in dialogue (Higher level)

Term three
Revision

Planning a two-year programme for Leaving Certificate religious education.

The following blank planning sheet is designed to help you in planning your own programme of work

Year 1 First term Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________	Year 2 First term Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Complete coursework
Second term Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________	Second term Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________
Third term Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Section _______________ Part _________________ Begin coursework	Third term Revision Topics - - - - - - - -

Year 1
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Year 2
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Second term
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Third term
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Begin coursework

Third term
Revision Topics
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Note: It is recommended that Leaving Certificate religious education be timetabled for 180 hours.