Trinity Church of England High School

Religious Education > Key Stage 4 > Religion and the Environment

EDEXCEL GCSE RS                  RELIGION AND SOCIETY

UNIT TITLE:           RELIGION AND THE ENVIRONMENT

AIM:    To consider the key issues relating to religion and the environment as outlined in the syllabus.  Students will need to show awareness of 2 religions, which for our purpose will be Christianity and Islam.

KEY ISSUES AS OUTLINED IN THE SYLLABUS:

• The different types of pollution and how they pose a threat to the future of the planet.
• The scarcity of natural resources and how they pose a threat to the future of the planet.
• The non-religious arguments about environmental issues.
• Christian and Muslim teachings on creation and stewardship which could have an affect on attitudes to the environment
• The work of ONE religious person, community or organisation in support of the conservation of the planet and its resources.
• The issues of animal rights and non-religious arguments concerning animal rights.  The teachings of Christianity and Islam on animal rights.

TECHNICAL TERMS:

Pollution – the contamination/degradation of the environment

Greenhouse affect – the trapping of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is thought to increase the earth’s temperature

Acid rain – pollutants such as coal smoke, which make rain more acidic

Natural resources – naturally occurring materials, such as oil and fertile land, which can be used by humans

Creation – the act of creating the universe, or the universe which has been created

Stewardship – looking after something so that it can be passed on to the next generation

Environment – the surroundings in which plants and animal live and which they depend on to continue to live

Conservation – protecting and preserving natural resources and the environment

Animal rights – the belief that animal have rights which should not be exploited by humans.