Author: Clarke Roberts

In Defence of Religious Studies

The importance of religious studies as an academic discipline is something for which I have argued many times in the past, however it is a culmination of events and conversations this week that have compelled me to explain and cement the absolute necessity of religious studies to have a place in our schools' classrooms. There have been numerous news reports over the last couple of years commenting on the steady decline of religious studies across British schools. Attending an interview this week Continue reading [...]

Was Jesus’ Death Necessary?

A bit of a morbid subject matter considering the time of year we have arrived at, but nevertheless an important question to consider all-year-round. As we all sit down and get ready to tuck into our Christmas lunches tomorrow afternoon, we must consider that the reason we celebrate Christmas (Roman politics aside), is to acknowledge the birth of Jesus. As this boy grew up into a man and began his ministry, he embarked on a journey that would eventually lead to him being revered all around the world Continue reading [...]

Emerging Theologians: Theology from the Classroom

Following reports published recently in the British media, the state of Religious Studies in secondary schools across the country has been criticised greatly. The poor quality of education is being delivered by teachers who either have no extensive knowledge of the subject, or who are not at all qualified to teach RS; needless to say this has a negative impact on young people's understanding of the world faiths and ultimately may lead to a skewed and flawed impression of religions that are (perhaps) Continue reading [...]

Schools Failing in Religious Studies: My Response to the BBC

An article published today on the BBC news website has definitely caught my attention; so much so it prompted me to write a response. You can read it here, below. Original article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-24399813 "Having just completed a BA in Theology & Religious Studies, this news disappoints me even more than it would have prior to my degree study. Regardless of the depth studied at degree level, Theology & Religious Studies as a subject (as pointed out by the report) can Continue reading [...]

Theodicy: Theology’s Biggest Problem?

Every time I am questioned about my faith and theological views, the conversation that follows my response is almost certainly, always full of challenge and scepticism surrounding my idea of Christianity and God. This is an understandable outcome. It is no secret that the problem of evil, theodicy, is one of the greatest challenges posed to belief in God not merely in the contemporary world, but throughout the history of humanity's relationship with the divine. How can one justify the belief in and Continue reading [...]