Politics and Religion, Theology & Spirituality - BA (Hons)

Liverpool Hope University

Politics affects all of us. It is central to human life and human affairs. It is fundamental to how we organise and govern ourselves and to how we resolve conflicts. The decisions we make as political communities, who makes them and how, have consequences for how we live, from questions of war and peace, the distribution of wealth, our rights, freedoms, responsibilities, our access to education, transport and health care. In this rapidly changing world, new challenges are constantly arising – from climate change to new technologies, from identity politics to Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic – and the study of politics needs to respond. At Liverpool Hope, therefore, we seek to engage with politics and political issues in the real world as they evolve and change over time. In doing so, we actively encourage debate and discussion amongst our students, encouraging a stronger awareness and appreciation of different points of view. On this programme of study, you will explore key ideas, institutions and politics in an international, national and local context. You will be taught by staff who are experts in their field, who will teach you to engage with political research and develop the capacity to be an independent, critically-minded scholar. The course also aims to equip you with transferable skills to take into the world of work.

This course leads you into a profound exploration of spirituality, wisdom, and mysticism across major religious traditions like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. But, unlike traditional Theology and Religious Studies courses, we pay special attention to religious experience and spirituality: the human quest for meaning and purpose. You will tackle ethical and theological questions concerning the beginning and end of life, sexuality, gender, evil, suffering, and contemporary issues like radicalisation, ecology, violence, inter-religious dialogue, secularisation, post-secularism, health, wellbeing, and near-death experiences. Visiting historical sacred spaces adds a tangible element to your studies, as you explore why these places still captivate people amidst modern challenges like technology and climate crisis. In studying this course, you will actively participate in critical debates about human existence in a world facing numerous crises.