Past paper questions

Below are the past paper questions for recent years. The best way to revise is to work through past papers and make essay plans or write timed essays. With each question you first need to identify the issues at stake. Try to get to the heart of the debate and identify who would say what in response.

When you write your essay it is absolutely essential that your line of argument is clear. Your conclusion should follow on from everything you have said before and should not come as a suprise to the examiner.

General hints:

Past paper questions:

June 2013:

1. 'Post-modernism does not contradict theological exclusivism.' Discuss.
2. Evaluate Karl Rahner's teaching on the relationship between history and non-Christian religions.
3. To what extent does a hermeneutic of suspicion enable feminists to reassess the place of women in the Christian tradition?
4. 'Mary Daly's feminist theology was inspiring but wrong.' Discuss.

January 2013:

1. 'Religious experience suggests that all religions have equal access to salvation.' Discuss.
2. Assess the view that the weakness of Feuerbach's idea of religion was that he failed to understand revelation.
3. 'Luther's teaching on the relationship between man and woman has nothing to contribute to modern theology.' Discuss.
4. Discuss whether the Bible has been a help or a hinderance for feminist theologians.

June 2012:

1. Critically assess the strengths and weaknessess of Ninian Smart's approach to religion.
2. 'John Hick's demythologised Christianity is the only way in which the claims of Christianity and other religions may be reconciled.' Discuss.
3. 'Womanist theology offers a very positive way of tackling both sexism and racism.' Discuss.
4. 'The Christian tradition has never regarded women with respect.' Discuss.

January 2012:

1. Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of Don Cupitt's approach to religion.
2. 'The Christian inclusivist approach to other relgions is fundamentally flawed.' Discuss.
3. 'The only genuine liberation for women is offered by feminist theology not secular feminism.'
4. To what extent does radical feminist theology satisfactorily respond to issues of body, difference and androgyny?

June 2011:

1. Assess the view that Barth was right in his rejection of natural theology.
2. 'Religion has no future in our modernist age.' Discuss.
3. 'The aim of feminist theology is simply to seek equality between men and women.' Discuss.
4. To what extent should language about the Trinity be gender free?

January 2011:

1. Assess the view that John Hick's global theology is doomed to failure.
2. 'Karl Rahner's teaching on Grace offers the best solution to the relationship between Christianity and other religions.' Discuss.
3. 'Becoming a mother is a Christian duty for women.' Discuss.
4. To what extent is the Old Testament of any use when discussing the role of women today? 

June 2010:

1. 'Post-modernism does not support theological pluralism.' Discuss.
2. Assess Karl Rahner's teaching on the Church and anonymous Christianity.
3. To what extent have feminist theologians successfully responded to the challenges of secular reconstructionist feminisms?
4. 'It is obvious that women should have equal leadership in the Church with men.' Discuss.

January 2010:

1. Assess the view that Karl Barth is a universalist not an exclusivist.
2. 'Religion cannot be defined.' Discuss.
3. To what extent is Elaine Pagels' radical Christian theology coherent?
4. 'Traditional Christian teaching rightly recognises that men and women are equal but different.' Discuss.