Philosophy, Religion and Theology

"The unexamined life is not worth living" (Socrates, 399 BCE)

Many of us lead our lives guided by basic assumptions about what is real and how we can know it, what it is good to have and right to do, and what our place and purpose is in the larger scheme of things. We assume that the physical world is all there is, or that there is something more. We assume that it is right to be fair, but disagree about what fairness consists in. We assume that there is a God, or that there isn't. These assumptions make a great difference to how we live, but they typically go unexamined, perhaps because we do not know how to go about examining them. This is where the discipline of Philosophy, Religion and Theology becomes relevant. It aims to examine the fundamental assumptions people make in their lives, and in the process to show how they can do so for themselves. Some examples of the questions it addresses are:

What is the relation between mind and body?
Do we have free will?
Is science the only source of knowledge?
What is the right thing to do, and how can we know it?
Is democracy the best political system?
How is it best to live?
Does God exist?
How do religious traditions interpret their scriptures?
How do we differentiate between religious belief claims?

The aim is to assist students in answering such questions-if only tentatively, and if only for themselves-with the help of those significant thinkers over the ages who have discussed them. This involves looking at the arguments for or against various positions, and examining their historical, cultural and intellectual contexts. It involves critically appraising and evaluating those arguments, and integrating academic rigour and intellectual openness into the study of the nature of reality and knowledge, the problems in ethics and politics, and the history, literature, beliefs and practices of religions from Christianity to Buddhism.

For further information, on this or anything below, please contact Head of Discipline Dr Joe Mintoff

Philosophy (PHIL)

Precisely because of its fundamental nature, philosophy has its roots right back to the ancient Greeks, and has been a long-standing part of the university.

Traditionally, philosophy is divided into various strands. (i) Moral and Political Philosophy is concerned with how we should live as individuals and how we should organize our societies. This involves questions such as: What are the proper limits to state power? Is Democracy is best system of government? Or-at a more personal level: Is pleasure the only thing which is good in itself? Why is friendship so valuable, and what does this mean for the type of friends we should seek? What is the right way of distributing benefits and burdens? (ii) The Theory of Knowledge (Epistemology) is concerned with what it is to know anything, and how (if at all) we can acquire this knowledge. Given widespread disagreement, for example, some say that we can never know what is right. Other questions in this area are: Does all our substantive knowledge about the world come from our senses, or are there other means by which we can find things out? What is scientific method, and is it any more trustworthy than other techniques other cultures have used to find out about the world? How can we tell good arguments from bad? (iii) The Nature of Reality (Metaphysics) is concerned with the study of the most general features of reality, such as existence, time, the relationship between mind and body, objects and their properties, events, processes, and causation. In response to the claim that we can never know what is right, some say that moral facts are simply facts about what would make people happy, facts which (they claim) clearly exist and are perfectly knowable. Other questions in this area are: What is the relationship between mind and body? Is freedom of action consistent with everything's having a cause? In what sense do numbers exist? Does God exist?

The discipline of philosophy at the University of Newcastle offers courses in all these areas of inquiry, and it also offers courses in ethics to a number of professional disciplines throughout the University.

Religion and Theology (RELI, THEO)

Only a small number of universities in Australia offer Theology as a degree program in its own right. This places Newcastle in an important position to be able to facilitate religious and inter-religious debate and dialogue in a sophisticated and informed way. Recent staff appointments demonstrate the University's commitment to delivering the highest quality of teaching and research in theology and theology has developed one of the strongest library collections at the University. Recent national research assessment showed Newcastle to have a research profile in Religion and Theology to be 'above world class' and at the very top tier of such research in Australia. The partnership with the Broken Bay Institute, Sydney, strengthens our teaching and research capacity, enabling an expanded variety of theology courses to be offered at all levels at a Sydney campus location as well as online.

The religion and theology program focuses on the development of theological beliefs and practices across different cultures and traditions, with special emphasis on Christianity, its history, doctrine and practice, and their influence on Western civilization as well as other cultures and societies. As a critical discipline, theological study centres on the various theories and arguments that have characterized the academic disciplines of systematic theology, ethics and philosophy. In spite of the concentration on Christianity, there is ample opportunity for engaging with wider religious traditions, including Islam and eastern religions, and reflecting deeply on the nature and diversity of religions.

Study Options

(a) Philosophy and Religion Major, within Bachelor of Arts (PHIL, RELI)

Philosophy and Religion are offered together as a single major within the Bachelor of Arts. Students undertake core courses introducing them to a broad variety of issues in both areas, and then complete their major as they choose, either by specializing in philosophy, or by specializing in religion, or by undertaking a combination of both. Philosophy and Religion can also be studied at Honours, Masters and PhD level.

For further information, please contact Philosophy and Religion Major Convenor Dr Joe Mintoff

(b) Bachelor of Theology (RELI, THEO)

The Bachelor of Theology is a liberal arts degree and is open to all, irrespective of beliefs or religious or non-religious background. Theology can also be studied at Honours, and Masters coursework levels, as well as through research degrees (MPhil and PhD). In addition to being a perfect adjunct to the BA Major in Philosophy and Religion, the discipline offers a broad choice of theology courses for students interested in progressing to a specialized undergraduate, postgraduate or research degree. We also offer theology courses towards obtaining new certification requirements for chaplains and teachers of religious education in state and religious high schools.

For further information, please contact Theology Program Convenor Dr Tim Stanley

(c) Honours (PHIL, RELI, THEO)

The Honours programs allow students to build upon their previous degree by completing a fourth year of research-oriented undergraduate study that will be viewed by future employers as signaling a capacity to conduct high quality research and analysis. It enhances students' competitive advantage for employment by allowing them to specialize in particular areas. For those who do well, Honours also serves as the bridge from undergraduate study to a research higher degree. Please contact the BA and BTh convenors listed above for further information.

(d) Postgraduate Coursework (THEO)

Graduates of the BTh (or other degrees judged to provide suitable background) can enroll in a Graduate Certificate in Theology or a Master of Theology degree. Both awards can be tailored for people wishing to specialize, either in a particular area of theology or for a particular purpose (eg. teaching), or they can be pursued without specialization. Please contact the BTh convenor listed above for further information.

Career Opportunities

Graduates in Philosophy, Religion and Theology are valued in the workforce for their written and verbal communication skills, their breadth of vision, their capacity for abstract reasoning, their historical and cultural sensitivity, as well as their ability to think critically and logically. Other skills developed in this major and highly valued by employers include abilities to solve problems creatively, to form coherent and meaningful arguments, to communicate with a range of people of different beliefs and values and to gather evidence and conduct research. Graduates find employment in a range of sectors including:

Research and education
Public service administration
Religious ministry
Community and welfare
Media and publishing
Political advisory work

Research Higher Degrees (RHDs)

Thomas Christie	MPhil (Phil)	Hume and the Illusion of Personal Identity
Sam Douglas	PhD (Phil)	On Straight Solutions to Kripke's Paradox
Zachariah Duke	PhD (Theo)	A Critical Analysis of a Theology of Disability in the Australian Roman Catholic Church: An Ethnographic Inquiry of Contemporary Inclusionary Practices?
Rosalyn Dyne	MPhil (Theo)	The Ghostly Experiences of Non-Indigenous Australians
George Garnsey	PhD (Phil)	Kirk the Man and his Work: Chaplain in Peace and War, Oxford Divine and Bishop
Richard Harvey	PhD (Theo)	The New Testament Picture of Judas Iscariot
Hanlie Kruger	PhD (Theo)	Political Theology and South Africa
Laura Lindsay	PhD (Theo)	Can the life of God as Trinity relate in any practical way to the Christian ministry in terms of psychological attachment theory?
Ashley John Moyse	PhD (Theo)	The art of living: Ontological freedom, creaturely limitation, and moral liberation for biomedical science and practice after Karl Barth’s theological anthropology
Christopher Sexton	PhD (Theo)	A Theology of the Land - Terra Australia from Christian - Indigenous Perspectives
David Wilson	PhD (Reli)	Origins of the Universe, Evolutionary Biology, and Christian Worldviews

Academic Staff

Philosophy, Religion and Theology staff members are acknowledged as experts in their respective fields. Their research has been published in the highest rated journals for their disciplines in the world. Students, therefore, develop their skills in association with approachable educators of high repute. For further information on staff members' research interests and publications lists, please click on the staff name below.

Name

Phone

(02) 4921 5184

(02) 4921 5191