Theology

The concept of the divine has an enduring legacy in Western culture even in light of the rise of secularism since the Enlightenment. Any understanding of the world we live in that lacks any engagement with or accounting for the spiritual dimension of the human person is likely to be found wanting. Theology at KHS looks to grapple with the big questions of life with all intellectual rigour and, due to the School’s grounding in the Christian faith, seeks to provide a rounded liberal education for pupils both with and without an adherence to a faith tradition. 

To this end, the syllabus at Key Stage Three is broad and multifaceted. First Form begins with an exploration of the Hebrew and Christian Bible, surveying the meta-narrative of the sixty-six books that comprise the Protestant Bible, before exploring the origins and significance of the texts that make it up. Pupils will also engage with a series of ‘Big Questions’ that have been raised with regards to God such as how religion and science might relate to each other and whether belief in God is feasible in a world full of suffering. 

Second Form build on their knowledge from the previous year but the syllabus expands from the platform of Christian and biblical theology to the study of other world religions ranging from Islam to Zoroastrianism and non-religious groups. 

Third Form sees a shift to an introduction to philosophy and ethics. Here pupils will engage with logic, arguments for and against the existence of God and a broad introduction to the history of Western philosophy. 

The course is challenging but ultimately rewarding, allowing pupils of all abilities to engage more fully with some of the greatest thinkers and the best of what has been thought and written.