Revision Guide

GCSE Religious Studies

PAPER 1
Beliefs & Teachings in
- Christianity
- Islam

PAPER 2
Thematic Studies

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 Contents
Exam information 3
Revision checklist 4
PAPER 1: Beliefs & Teachings and Practices in Christianity and Islam 8
Christianity: Beliefs & Teachings
Content Overview 9
Useful Quotes 12
Practice Questions 13
Christianity: Practices
Content Overview 14
Useful Quotes 19
Practice Questions 20
Islam: Beliefs & Teachings
Content Overview 21
Useful Quotes 27
Practice Questions 28
Islam: Practices
Content Overview 29
Useful Quotes 34
Practice Questions 35
PAPER 2: Thematic Studies 36
Theme A: Relationships and families
Content Overview 37
Useful Quotes 40
Practice Questions 41
Theme B: Religion and life
Content Overview 42
Useful Quotes 51
Practice Questions 52
Theme C: Existence of God and revelation
Content Overview 53
Useful Quotes 57
Practice Questions 58
Theme D: Religion, peace and conflict
Content Overview 59
Useful Quotes 62
Practice Questions 63

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 Exam Information
GCSE course: AQA Religious Studies Specification A
Exam dates: Paper 1, Beliefs & Teachings and Practices in Christianity and Islam – 14th May 2018
Paper 2, Thematic topics – 16th May 2018
Topics in Paper 2: Theme A – Relationships and families You will answer all four of these. There
Theme B – Religion and life
will be two other topics in the paper,
Theme C – Existence of God and revelation
Theme D – Religion, peace and conflict which you will not answer.
Length of exam: 1hr 45mins each paper

What to expect
Paper 1 exam: You will have two exam papers, one for Christianity the other for Islam. You will need to answer EVERY
question inside these two papers within the time. You are advised to spend 25 minutes on each one the
four topics. One minute per mark is a sensible method to help you keep on track and avoiding spending
too long on each question. There will be spaces beneath each question in the papers for you to write your
answers. Use these as a guide for how much writing is required for each question. There will be 20
questions in total, five for each of the four topics (Christianity: Beliefs; Christianity: Practices; Islam:
Beliefs; Islam: Practices). These will be:

 1 mark, multiple choice question. Just select the correct answer

 2 mark question in which you should write a very brief answer and may use bullet points
 4 mark question in which you will be asked to explain either two contrasting ways in which a
particular belief affects Christians/Muslims (Beliefs topics), or two contrasting ways in which a
particular Christian/Muslim practices an aspect of their faith (Practices topics). You will get one mark
for stating a relevant point and a second mark for explaining it with further detail. Do this twice for
four marks.
 5 mark question in which you will be asked to explain two Christian/Muslim teachings about a
particular belief (Beliefs topics), or two ways in which a Christian/Muslim practices an aspect of their
faith (Practices topic). You will get one mark for stating a relevant point and a second mark for
explaining it with further detail. Do this twice for four marks. You must also refer to specific teaching
from scripture (i.e. the Bible or the Qur’an) in order to gain the fifth mark.
 12 mark question in which you will be given a statement to evaluate. You must write a balanced
argument in which you discuss and evaluate a broad range of views and consider a range of evidence
in relation to the statement, and then reach a justified conclusion. Remember the FREAREY structure
you have used in class to write the best possible answer (For, Reasons/religious teachings,
Evaluation, Against, Reasons/religious teachings, Evaluation, Your conclusion)

Paper 2 exam: You will have one question paper and one answer booklet. The question paper contains questions from a
total of six topics. You will ONLY answer the four topics we have studied. These are the first four topics
in the paper: Theme A Relationships and families; Theme B Religion and life; Theme C Existence of God
and revelation; Theme D Religion, peace and conflict. Make sure that you clearly number the questions
you are answering in the answer booklet. The questions in Paper 2 will be of the same format as Paper 1
(five questions in each topic of 1, 2, 4, 5, and 12 marks). The same timing rules should apply as for Paper 1
(above). Use the same advice as above for the 1, 2, 5 and 12 mark questions. For the 4 mark questions:

 4 mark question – you will be asked to explain two contrasting (different) or similar (the same but
for a different reason) beliefs. The questions will say ‘two contrasting/similar beliefs in contemporary
British society about…’; this simply means beliefs that anyone in Britain may have. It will go on to say
‘In your answer you must refer to the main religious tradition of Great Britain and one or more other
religious traditions.’ This means that you MUST refer to Christianity as one of your points. The other
belief may be from a different Christian denomination (e.g. Catholics, Church of England) or from a
completely different religion. In Theme C: Existence of God and revelation, the question will read ‘In
your answer you must refer to the main religious tradition of Great Britain and a non-religious
tradition.’ This means that your second point should relate to what non-religious people (e.g.
atheists) would believe.

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 Topics from the specification: Revision checklist
PAPER 1: BELIEFS & TEACHINGS AND
PRACTICES IN CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM
Christianity: Beliefs & Teachings
Key beliefs
 The nature of God:
 God as omnipotent, loving and just, and the problem of evil and suffering
 the oneness of God and the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
 Different Christian beliefs about creation including the role of Word and Spirit (John 1:1-3 and
Genesis 1:1-3).
 Different Christian beliefs about the afterlife and their importance, including: resurrection and
life after death; judgement, heaven and hell.
Jesus Christ and salvation
 Beliefs and teachings about:
 the incarnation and Jesus as the Son of God
 the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension
 sin, including original sin
 the means of salvation, including law, grace and Spirit
 the role of Christ in salvation including the idea of atonement.

Christianity: Practices
Worship and festivals
 Different forms of worship and their significance:
 liturgical, non-liturgical and informal, including the use of the Bible
 private worship.
 Prayer and its significance, including the Lord’s Prayer, set prayers and informal prayer.
 The role and meaning of the sacraments:
 the meaning of sacrament
 the sacrament of baptism and its significance for Christians; infant and believers'
baptism; different beliefs about infant baptism
 the sacrament of eucharist (Holy Communion) and its significance for Christians,
including different ways in which it is celebrated and different interpretations of its
meaning.
 The role and importance of pilgrimage and celebrations including:
 two contrasting examples of Christian pilgrimage: Lourdes and Iona
 the celebrations of Christmas and Easter, including their importance for Christians in
Great Britain today.
The role of the church in the local and worldwide community
 The role of the Church in the local community, including food banks and street pastors.
 The place of mission, evangelism and Church growth.
 The importance of the worldwide Church including:
 working for reconciliation
 how Christian churches respond to persecution
 the work of one of the following: Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD),
Christian Aid, Tearfund.

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Islam: Beliefs & Teachings
Key Beliefs
 The six articles of faith in Sunni Islam and five roots of Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam, including key
similarities and differences.
 The Oneness of God (Tawhid), Qur’an Surah 112.
 The nature of God: omnipotence, beneficence, mercy, fairness and justice (Adalat in Shi’a Islam),
including different ideas about God’s relationship with the world: immanence and
transcendence.
 Angels, their nature and role, including Jibril and Mika’il.
 Predestination and human freedom and its relationship to the Day of Judgement.
 Life after death (Akhirah), human responsibility and accountability, resurrection, heaven and
hell.
Authority
 Prophethood (Risalah) including the role and importance of Adam, Ibrahim and Muhammad.
 The holy books:
 Qur’an: revelation and authority
 the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel, the Scrolls of Abraham and their authority.
 The imamate in Shi'a Islam: its role and significance.
Islam: Practices
Worship
 Five Pillars of Sunni Islam and the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam (students should study the
Five Pillars and jihad in both Sunni and Shi’a Islam and the additional duties of Shi’a Islam).
 Shahadah: declaration of faith and its place in Muslim practice.
 Salah and its significance: how and why Muslims pray including times, directions, ablution
(wudu), movements (rak’ahs) and recitations; salah in the home and mosque and elsewhere;
Friday prayer (Jummah); key differences in the practice of salah in Sunni and Shi’a Islam, and
different Muslim views about the importance of prayer.
Duties and festivals
 Sawm: the role and significance of fasting during the month of Ramadan including origins,
duties, benefits of fasting, the exceptions and their reasons, and the Night of Power, Qur’an
96:1-5.
 Zakah: the role and significance of giving alms including origins, how and why it is given,
benefits of receipt, Khums in Shi’a Islam.
 Hajj: the role and significance of the pilgrimage to Makkah including origins, how hajj is
performed, the actions pilgrims perform at sites including the Ka’aba at Makkah, Mina, Arafat,
Muzdalifah and their significance.
 Jihad: different understandings of jihad: the meaning and significance of greater and lesser jihad;
origins, influence and conditions for the declaration of lesser jihad.
 Festivals and commemorations and their importance for Muslims in Great Britain today, including
the origins and meanings of Id-ul-Adha, Id-ul-Fitr, Ashura.

PAPER 2: THEMATIC STUDIES

Theme A: Relationships and Families
Sex, marriage and divorce
Human sexuality including: heterosexual and homosexual relationships.
Sexual relationships before and outside of marriage.
Contraception and family planning.
The nature and purpose of marriage.
Same-sex marriage and cohabitation.
Divorce, including reasons for divorce, and remarrying.
Ethical arguments related to divorce, including those based on the sanctity of marriage vows

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and compassion.
Families and gender equality
The nature of families, including:
the role of parents and children
extended families and the nuclear family.
The purpose of families, including:
procreation
stability and the protection of children
educating children in a faith.
Contemporary family issues including:
same-sex parents
polygamy.
The roles of men and women.
Gender equality.
Theme B: Religion and Life
The origins and value of the universe
 The origins of the universe, including:
 religious teachings about the origins of the universe, and different interpretations of
these
 the relationship between scientific views, such as the Big Bang theory, and religious
views.
 The value of the world and the duty of human beings to protect it, including religious teaching
about stewardship, dominion, responsibility, awe and wonder.
 The use and abuse of the environment, including the use of natural resources, pollution.
 The use and abuse of animals, including:
 animal experimentation
 the use of animals for food.
The origins and value of human life
 The origins of life, including:
 religious teachings about the origins of human life, and different interpretations of
these
 the relationship between scientific views, such as evolution, and religious views.
 The concepts of sanctity of life and the quality of life.
 Abortion, including situations when the mother's life is at risk.
 Ethical arguments related to abortion, including those based on the sanctity of life and quality of
life.
 Euthanasia.
Beliefs about death and an afterlife, and their impact on beliefs about the value of human life.
Theme C: Existence of God and Revelation
Philosophical arguments for and against the existence of God
 The Design argument, including its strengths and weaknesses.
 The First Cause argument, including its strengths and weaknesses.
 The argument from miracles, including its strengths and weaknesses, and one example of a
miracle.
 Evil and suffering as an argument against the existence of God.
 Arguments based on science against the existence of God.
The nature of the divine and revelation
 Special revelation as a source of knowledge about the divine (God, gods or ultimate reality)
including visions and one example of a vision.
 Enlightenment as a source of knowledge about the divine.

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  General revelation: nature and scripture as a way of understanding the divine.
 Different ideas about the divine that come from these sources:
 omnipotent and omniscient
 personal and impersonal
 immanent and transcendent.
 The value of general and special revelation and enlightenment as sources of knowledge about
the divine, including:
 the problems of different ideas about the divine arising from these experiences
 alternative explanations for the experiences, and the possibility that the people who
claimed to have them were lying or mistaken.

Theme D: Religion, Peace and Conflict

Religion, violence, terrorism and war
 The meaning and significance of:
 peace
 justice
 forgiveness
 reconciliation.
 Violence, including violent protest.
 Terrorism.
 Reasons for war, including greed, self-defence and retaliation.
 The just war theory, including the criteria for a just war.
 Holy war.
 Pacifism.
Religion and belief in 21st century conflict
 Religion and belief as a cause of war and violence in the contemporary world.
 Nuclear weapons, including nuclear deterrence.
 The use of weapons of mass destruction.
 Religion and peace-making in the contemporary world including the work of individuals
influenced by religious teaching.
 Religious responses to the victims of war including the work of one present day religious
organisation.

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 Paper 1
Beliefs & Teachings and
Practices within Religions

14th May 2018

You will have a booklet with questions

from Christianity and a booklet with
questions from Islam. You will write your
answers within these booklets. There will
be four topics with 5 questions in each;
Beliefs & Teachings in Christianity,
Practices in Christianity, Beliefs &
Teachings in Islam, Practices in Islam.

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Content Overview: Christianity – Beliefs & Teachings
The nature of God
 God is omnipotent (all-powerful). He is the creator of the universe and is able to do all things.
In the Bible, the angel Gabriel says to Mary “Nothing is impossible with God” when she, a
virgin, becomes pregnant with Jesus.
 God is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere).
 God is benevolent (loving). He sends his Son to earth to be a sacrifice for the sins of all
people. The Bible says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that
whoever believes in Him will not die but have eternal life.”
 God is just (fair). This means that he is able to judge all people according to their deeds.
Christians would try to act with justice towards others because of this as well.
The problem of suffering
 The existence of a benevolent, omnipotent and just God is questioned by the presence of so
much evil and suffering in the world.
 Why would this God allow suffering to happen? If he is loving, doesn’t he care enough about
his people? If he is powerful, is he not able to stop suffering from happening? If he is just,
surely preventing unnecessary suffering is the right thing for him to do?
 Many Christians would defend God by saying he loves us so much that he can see a good
outcome for our suffering, that he chooses not to act for reasons we cannot understand.
They may say that he will enact judgement on the world on Judgement Day. Suffering could
also be seen by some people as a test of faith or a punishment for wrongdoing.
The Trinity
 Christians are monotheists – they believe in one God. This God is seen in the Bible in three
different forms. The belief in one God in three parts is called the Trinity.
 The Trinity is made up of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each person
in the Trinity has their own role but they are all fully God.
 The Father = creator, omnipotent, omniscient, the judge. Christians may begin their prayers
with “Our Father”, for example in the Lord’s Prayer.
 The Son = Jesus, God incarnate (in human form). Jesus is fully human and fully God and come
to show us how to live. His death on the cross took the punishment for sin and allowed
people to enter heaven in the afterlife.

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 God the Holy Spirit = the presence of God on earth. The Holy Spirit was sent to earth to help
believers to worship God and to understand the Bible.
 The Trinity is seen in the creation story as described in the book of John (“In the beginning
there was the Word [a name given to Jesus], and the Word was with God and the Word was
God”) and the book of Genesis (“The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters”)
The afterlife
 Christians believe that after this life there will be another life, in which people will be sent
either to heaven or hell.
 Your destination after death depends on your judgement by God. Christians believe in a Day
of Judgement when Jesus will return to earth and weigh up the case of every person who is
alive or who has already died. The Apostles Creed states “he will come again to judge the
living and the dead” and “I believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting”
 The parable of the sheep and goats give one perspective on how judgement will be done. In
this story, Jesus separates the sheep (good people) from the goats (bad people) on the basis
of how much they have helped the poor and needy, saying that doing so is a way of serving
God. The sheep are sent to heaven and the goats to hell.
 However, this is not the main thing that determines whether a person goes to heaven or hell,
as Christians believe in salvation (see below)
Jesus: Incarnation and crucifixion
 Jesus is God incarnate, meaning ‘in human form’. Mary’s conception of Jesus was not
ordinary: she was visited by an angel who told her she would give birth to the Son of God, the
Saviour of the world. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John
1:14).
 Jesus was crucified (hung on a cross to die). He was publicly humiliated, beaten and killed
after an unfair trial. The way he died convinced some people that he was more than just a
man (“Surely this man was the Son of God”)
Jesus: resurrection and ascension
 The resurrection shows victory over death - the power of good over evil. Jesus' resurrection
gives Christians the belief that there is life after death and they too will be resurrected.
 The ascension shows Christians that Jesus is now with God in heaven. It marks the beginning
of God sending his Holy Spirit to provide comfort and guidance. The ascension shows that
Jesus is fully God and has completed his work to show his creation the right way to God.
Sin
 Christians believe that everyone is born a sinner because they believe in Original Sin. This is
the belief that Adam and Eve were created by God and told to obey God’s rules in the
Garden of Eden.
 It is written in the Bible that the devil (disguised as a serpent) tempted Eve to eat an apple
from the Tree of Knowledge (which God had told them not to do). As a result of this, sin
(breaking God's rules) entered the world. God banished Adam and Eve from the garden and
they brought punishment on themselves in the form of hard work, pain in labour and worst
of all, separation from God. Christians believe that everyone will be tempted to sin.
 An example of God’s rules are the Ten Commandments (Worship one God, Keep the
Sabbath, Respect your parents, Do not kill, Do not swear, Do not lie, Do not covet etc…)

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Salvation
 Christians believe that sin is the reason that God and man are separated, so a payment of
sins has to be made. Within Judaism, followers would sacrifice an animal as atonement
(restoration of a good relationship with God) for their sins. In Christianity, Jesus has become
the last and final sacrifice which pays the price for all sins. Christians believe that by believing
in him, receiving forgiveness for sins and following his teachings to be 'like Christ' they will be
saved and receive eternal life.
 This salvation is said to be through grace which means that it is given by God through faith in
Jesus - it is not earned or deserved - it is a gift. Jesus’ death is seen as the atonement for sins
(the debt of sins is paid by his death). This means that the gap between humans and God
caused by sin has been overcome through the sacrifice of God’s son on the cross.
 Jesus is sometimes referred to as the Lamb of God. They believe that Jesus’ blood has
washed away their sins. Christians remember Jesus’ death when they take part in Holy
Communion (also known as eucharist). Here they will eat bread which reminds them that
Jesus’ body was broken. They will drink wine to remember the blood which was shed. This
makes Jesus’ death a real and personal event which will fill them with love and peace.

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 Useful Quotes

‘God loved the world that he gave his only son.’ John 3

‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ Romans 6

‘The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.’
John 1

‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me.’ John 14

‘… If anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father

– Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice
for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the
whole world.’ 1 John 21

‘Again the high priest asked Him, “Are you the Christ, the
Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus.’ Mark 14

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 Practice Questions
2 marks

 Name two characteristics of God

 Name two persons of the Trinity
 Explain two reasons why Jesus had to die
 Name two types of salvation
 State two things Christians believe about judgement

4 marks (‘Explain two’ points about the influence of beliefs on Christians)

 Explain two ways the resurrection of Jesus influences Christians today

 Explain two ways in which beliefs about the creation of the world might influence Christians today
 Explain two ways in which learning about the crucifixion might influence Christians today
 Explain two ways in which believing that God is loving might influence Christians today
 Explain two ways in which believing in Judgement Day might influence Christians today

5 marks (you must refer to scripture or sacred writing in your answer)

 Explain two Christian teachings about judgement

 Explain two Christian teachings about salvation
 Explain two Christian teachings about creation
 Explain two Christian teachings about God
 Explain two Christian teachings about the incarnation of Jesus

12 marks

 “Christians should focus on this life, not the next life”

 “If God were loving there would be no suffering”
 “Salvation was God’s greatest gift to the world”
 “The existence of Hell does not fit with belief in a loving God”
 “It does not matter if the creation story is not true”
 “The most important Christian belief is the resurrection”
 “The death of Christ was a great tragedy”

Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should:

- refer to Christian teaching
- give developed arguments to support this statement
- give developed arguments to support a different point of view
- reach a justified conclusion

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 Content Overview: Christianity - Practices
Worship: an act of religious praise, honour or devotion.
Why worship? To thank God for blessings, ask for forgiveness, seek help for themselves or others, gain
strength or to live a more Christian life.
Liturgical worship A church service that is in a set text or ritual.
Non-liturgical A church service that does not follow a set text or ritual.
Private worship When a believer praises or honours God on his or her own.
Prayer: communication with God, either silently or through words of praise,
thanksgiving or confession, or requests for God’s help or guidance. Lord’s prayer
Set prayers Prayers that have been written down and said more than once, Our Father in Heaven, hallowed
by more than one person, for example the Lord’s prayer. by your name.
What is  Could be in a humble position, kneeling down, maybe Your kingdom come, your will be
prayer? with hands pressed together. done,
 Catholics may use a rosary On earth as in heaven.
 Orthodox use icons Give us this day our daily bread.
 God may not answer in the way you might wish Forgive us our sins as we forgive
Importance  Attending public services those who sin against us,
 Gives strength in times of trouble Lead us not into temptation but
 Mediation to find peace deliver us from evil.
For the Kingdom, the power and
Lord’s  Pattern of praise and asking for one’s needs
the glory are yours now and
prayer  Reminder of key Christian teachings
forever. Amen
 Used by the whole Christian community, at all rites
 Many people in the UK know it
 Brings unity and spiritual purpose
Sacraments: rites and rituals through which the believer receives a special gift of grace for Catholics, Anglicans and
many protestants, sacraments are ‘outward signs’ of ‘inward grace’.
They are a symbolic action, words and physical elements such as water in baptism or bread and wine in Holy
communion. They are special rituals that help to strengthen relationships with God.
Sacraments: Baptism
Baptism  Initiation into the church, becoming church members.
 Forgiveness of sins
 Following the example of John the Baptist
 A way to receive the Holy Spirit.
Infant  Some believe that all children are born with the original sin and baptism cleanses this.
baptism  The infant is welcomed into the church, with Godparents to support.
 Rites may vary. ‘I baptise you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit’ and water is
placed on the baby’s head.
 A cross is drawn on the head, with oil.
 The child is often dressed in white.
 A candle is lit from the Paschal candle (large, blessed each year at Easter).
Believer’s  Other Christians believe that children are too young to understand the meaning of baptism.
baptism  They believe that baptism should take place, once a mature decision can be made.
 It often involves full immersion in water, symbolising cleansing sin and rising up to a new life
with Christ.
 Bible passages maybe read and the believer may talk about their reasons for baptism.
Sacraments: Holy Communion: A service of thanksgiving in which the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus are
celebrated using bread and wine; also called the Eucharist, Mass, Lord’s Supper, the Breaking of Bread and Divine
Liturgy.
What is Holy  Celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus and is a significant service.
Communion?  Give thanks to God for his great love by sending Jesus to enable humans to experience

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 God’s love.
 Its meaning is interpreted differently depending on the denomination.
 Roman Catholic’s believe the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus by divine
miracle.
 Christians believe it brings them closer to God.
Impact  Centre of live and worship.
 They believe they are receiving God’s grace.
 Brings believers together in unity.
 Give support and encouragement.
 Everybody is equal, as they come together.
 Reminds them of the people in the world who are suffering.
Divine  Recreates heaven on earth.
Liturgy  Much of the service takes place behind a screen, which symbolises the divide between
heaven and earth.
 The church is filled with incense and candles to help people feel God’s presence.
 There are hymns, readings from the Bibles, the priest chants the Gospel.
 The creed and Lord’s Prayer are given.
 Bread and wine is distributed between the people.
Catholic  Three readings from the Bible are read.
mass  Prayers are said for the church, world, local community, sick and dead.
 Offerings of bread and wine are taken to the altar.
 Lords prayer is said together.
 Sign of peace is shared
Anglican  Almost identical to the Catholic mass.
Church  Peace is shared at a different point.
Non-  Prayer of thanksgiving.
Conformist  Bible readings and a sermon given.
 Congregation prays for the world.
 Open table, were communion is taken.
 Encouraged to go out and serve God.
Pilgrimage: A journey by a believer to a holy site for religious reasons, pilgrimage in itself an act of worship and
devotion.
What is  Pilgrims may visit the Holy Land, particularly Jerusalem, to see where Jesus lived.
pilgrimage?  They may visit shrines connected with saints.
 Others may wish to go somewhere quiet to reflect.
Role and  Grow closer to God and strengthen faith.
importance  Express sorrow for sin and be forgiven
 Reflect upon their lives, when facing crisis or a big decision.
 Cure for an illness
 Helps others in need
 Experience a holy place.
 Meet others who share their faith.
Lourdes  South of France, dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus.
 In 1858, Bernadette had visions of Mary, they prayed on the Rosary together and Mary told
her the spring had healing powers.
 Many pilgrims pray and recite the rosary together and to bath in the water.
 It is claimed that 67 miracles and over 600 cures have happened.
Iona  A monastery was set up on an island off the west coast of Scotland.
 It is seen as a plan where the veil between the spiritual world and physical world is thin so

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 God’s infinite power can be felt.
 Daily services are held in the church and workshops on Christian themes take place.
 There is also time for reflection and
Festivals: a day or period of celebrations for religious reasons
 Help remember major events
 Christians follow the same festival cycle each year.
Christmas  Commemorates the incarnation of Jesus, the belief that God became human.
 Lights represent Jesus being light of the world.
 The nativity shows, Jesus was born into poverty.
 Carol Services and Bible readings remember God’s promise.
 It is seen as a time of peace and goodwill.
Easter  Is the most important Christian festival.
 Holy week, remembers the events that happen leading to Easter.
 Jesus was crucified on ‘Good Friday’ and placed in the tomb.
 Churches are filled with flowers and hymns are sung.
 Orthodox go to Church at midnight, with lamps. The Priest announces Christ is risen.
Role of the church in the community
What is  Assembly of gathering of people.
Church?  Original church did not have a building.
 Groups of people under the leadership of Jesus.
What does  Location to meet, worship, pray, obtain spiritual guidance and socialise.
the Church  Prayer meetings, Bible studies, toddler groups or youth clubs.
do?  Social services such as schooling and medical care. More modern is food banks
 Showing compassion for those in need
 In Coventry, Churches open over the winter months as shelters for the homeless.
Trussell  Foodbank set up in 1997 to help those in need.
Trust  Based upon the Christian teachings and the Parable of the Sheep and Goats.
 They work to end poverty.
 Non-perishable food is donated and shared with people identified as having a need.
Oasis  A community hub with an internet café, creative courses, job club, training and a base for
Project meetings.
 It also runs a food bank.
Local  Parable of Sheep and Goats shows that Christians should help those in need.
Community
Street  Original main aim was to challenge gang culture.
pastors  They support people who are vulnerable, wearing a uniform.
 They listen to people’s problems, give guidance and discourage anti-social behaviour.
Parish  Supports wellbeing
Nursing  Identifies health problems early.
 Volunteers support in time of crisis, supporting NHS.
 Encourage healthy living
Place of mission: the vocation or calling of a religious organisation or the individual to go out into the world to
spread their faith.
Place of evangelism: spreading the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness.
Place of  Spread the word of Jesus
mission “Go and make disciples of all Nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matt 28:19-20
 Could be through ordinary life or organised events or preaching.
 Some might go to other countries and do humanitarian work to help the poor or

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 disadvantaged.
Great Commission: Jesus instruction to followers that they should spread his teachings to all nations of the world.
Alpha  First aim was to help people understand the basics of Christian faith.
course  Soon it evolved into helping people discover more about Christianity.
 Take place in Churches, homes, universities, workplaces.
 Millions of people have taken part in the courses.
Church growth
Christian  Estimates of up to 2.5 billion Christians in the world.
numbers  Christian faith is growing across the world.
Christ for  Organised open air meetings which attract thousands of people.
all Nations  Books have been translated into 123 languages and 200 million printed
Discipleship  Training new disciples
 Inviting people to meetings, prayer, advertising, using the media (TV, Facebook, Twitter,
newspapers and magazine), fellowships meals and social events.
Importance of the worldwide church
Reconciliation: a sacrament in the Catholic Church; also the restoring of harmony after relationships have broken
down.
Reconciliation  Christians believe that when Jesus died and rose again he saved humans from sin.
 Church has a role to restore relationships with God.
 Coventry is seen as a city of reconciliation and the Cathedral works for reconciliation
around the world.
Persecution: hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs.
Persecution  Christians are persecuted around the world.
 They might be forced to pay extra tax, be stopped from certain jobs, not allowed to build
churches, have their homes attacked and even murder.
 Early Christians were persecuted.
Corrymella  The community seeks to provide harmony and reconciliation.
 People from different backgrounds work together.
 It aims to move away violence and distrust.
Christian persecution
Respond  Persecution can help develop faith and strengthen conviction as believers.
 Jesus suffered too.
 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” Romans 12:21
 “If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek as well”
Matthew 5:39
Pastor Baber  Was imprisoned for being in a gang and converted to Christianity.
George  He set up new Churches and helped the poor.
 He upset Muslims, that lived around him.
 He fled for his life, and was supported by Christians.
Supporting  “If one part suffers, every part suffers” I Corinthians 12:26
 Church campaigns to support Christians
Barnabas Fund  Helps Christians who are suffering, discrimination, oppression and persecution and
raise awareness.
Christian Solidarity  Is a Christian Human Rights organisation that campaigns for religious freedom.
Worldwide
Christian response to world Poverty
Why help?  Following the example of Jesus.
 “It is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter
heaven”

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  Parable of the Rich man, saw him being in hell for not helping a beggar
 Jesus helped outcasts, such as lepers, mentally ill, sinners and tax collectors.
CAFOD  To bring compassion to all people in poor communities.
 Increase access to clean water, education and healthcare.
 Lobbies governments
Christian Aid  Official relief charity for 41 denominations.
 Stop poverty and provide emergency relief.
 Fairtrade, climate change and justice
 May is Christian Aid month
Tearfund  Also known as Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund
 Following the example of Jesus, help those who have experienced disaster.
 Churches hold fundraising events to free people from poverty.

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 Useful Quotes

‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the

name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.’
Matthew 28
‘This is my body, which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of me…
this cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it
in remembrance of me.’ 1 Corinthians 11
The Parable of the Sheep and Goats – ‘I was hungry and you gave me
something to eat, thirsty and you gave me something to drink…’
Matthew 25
‘Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.’ James 2
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ Matthew 5
‘If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need
but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear
children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and truth.’
1 John 3

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 Practice Questions
2 marks
 Give two ways that Christians celebrate Easter.
 Give two alternative names for the term ‘eucharist’
 Give two reasons why Holy Week is important to Christians
 Give two reasons why charities work in LEDCs

4 marks (two contrasting ways / views)

 Explain two contrasting Christian views on the Eucharist
 Explain two contrasting ways in which Christians celebrate Eucharist
 Explain two contrasting Christian views about the importance of pilgrimage
 Explain two contrasting ways Christians play a role in the local community.

5 marks (you must refer to scripture or sacred writing in your answer)

 Explain two reasons why evangelism is important to Christians
 Explain two ways in which Christians celebrate Easter.
 Explain two ways in which pilgrimage is important to Christians.
 Explain two ways in which Christians respond to world poverty.

12 marks
 ‘Pilgrimage is the best way for Christians to develop their relationship with God.’
 ‘It does not matter how worship is done.’
 ‘God already knows our needs, so prayer is not needed.’
 ‘The most important sacrament is that of baptism.’
 ‘All Christians should be baptised.’
 ‘The Eucharist is the most important part of Christian living.’
 ‘All Christians should make a pilgrimage to a holy place.’
 ‘Christmas is too commercialised.’
 ‘Jesus’ sacrifice was the greatest sacrifice ever.’
 ‘Easter should be the happiest time of year for Christians.’
 ‘Christians should focus on their religion and their family, not interfere in other people’s lives.’
 ‘Religion is not relevant in the modern world.’
 ‘Helping those in need abroad is the most important part of Christian mission.’
 ‘Christians in the UK must focus on the UK if they want their religion to continue.’
 ‘True faith is shown through helping the persecuted.
 ‘The world would be a far better place if everyone was prepared to reconcile.’
 ‘All Christians should donate money to Christian Aid.’
 ‘Helping one person out of poverty makes no difference.’

Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should:

- refer to Christian teaching
- give developed arguments to support this statement
- give developed arguments to support a different point of view
- reach a justified conclusion

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 Content Overview: Islam – Beliefs & Teachings
Oneness of God and the supremacy of God
 Muslims believe that Islam was revealed to man gradually, through various prophets, starting with Adam
and finishing with Muhammad.
 Islam means surrender or peace
 It means obeying God’s will to find peace in yourself.
Tawhid: the Oneness and unity of God
Oneness  One of the most important beliefs is that there is one God (monotheist)
of God  Allah means the one and only God.
 No one else can have God’s attributes as God cannot be compared.
 Images are not allowed of Allah as Allah is too powerful for man to understand.
Shahadah: ‘There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet’
Supremacy  God is one and creator and controller of everything.
of God’s will  Whether what happens is good or bad, it is as God wills and there must a reason for it.
 God has good intentions for people.
 Muslims often add the statement ‘God willing’ as a promise to do something.
Impact of  Muslims must show that they believe God is one in their actions.
beliefs on  Only God should be worshipped.
Muslims  Muhammad should be respected as a prophet.
 Idols are forbidden.
 God must be the most important thing in a Muslims life.
 Must accept God’s will and live life according to God’s commands.
Key beliefs of Sunni Islam and Shi’a Islam
Sunni Islam: Muslims who believe in the successorship of Muhammad of Abu Bakar, Umar, Uthman and Ali.
Sunni Islam  When Muhammad died, most Muslims felt that only the Qur’an and Sunnah (Muhammad’s
teachings and actions) had the guide to the beliefs and behaviour of Muslims.
 They elected Abu Bakar as leader (Caliph) to act on behalf of Allah and Muhammad to make
sure people followed Allah’s rules.
 Caliph’s did not make laws, just enforce them once the community and had considered the
views of Scholars who studied the Qur’an and Sunnah.
 This group became known as Sunni as they follow the Sunnah.
Six articles 1. There is one God.
of faith in 2. Angels communicate with man.
Sunni Islam 3. The Qur’an (recitation) is the most important writing in Islam and the highest authority.
4. Muhammad (highly praised) is the most important prophet of God.
5. The Day of Judgement is when all humanity will be judged by God and sent to paradise or
hell.
6. Supremacy of God means that God already knows but also makes everything happen in the
world and human life.
Shi’a Islam  Another group of Muslims felt that Muhammad named his cousin Ali as his successor.
 He had been one of the first converts to Islam and had married Muhammad’s daughters.
 Ali and supporters thought he was the true leader (Imam) as he was a descendant of
Muhammad and chosen by God.
 Ali’s claim to be leader was ignored by many and Shi’a developed.
 Today, Shi’a Muslims have their own laws and only accept sayings of Muhammad passed
down through Ali or his followers.
Five roots 1. Tawhid means God is one, God is not made of different parts.
of Shi’a 2. Prophethood means accepting that Muhammad was the last prophet and that God’s

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Islam revelation through him, are true.
3. God is just and wise, cannot do wrong and holds humans accountable for their actions.
4. The Imamate means accepting the twelve Imams are leaders of Islam and guard the
truth of their religion without error.
5. Shi’a Muslims believe that after death they will be resurrected to be judged by God.
Similarities  Sunni and Shi’a both hold the belief in one God, prophethood of Muhammad, guidance of
and the Quran and following the Sunnah.
differences  They only differ in interpretations of certain aspects of belief and law and the emphasis
based on beliefs
Nature of God
‘God is the  ‘Allahu Akbar’ means God is greatest.
greatest’  God is so great, greater than humans can imagine.
Qualities of  God is immanent, within all things and close to people.
God  God is transcendent, beyond all things.
 God is greater of the Universe.
 Compassionate towards people.
 Omnipotent, all knowing
 Beneficent, Source of all goodness
 ‘Bismillah’ is said to dedicate what they do to God.
 Merciful, understands suffering and forgives if people are truly sorry.
 Acts with fairness and justice.
 Will hold people to account.
The names  Revealed through the Qur’an, holy books and Muhammad.
of God  There are 99 names for Allah in the Qur’an and Hadiths.
 They allow Muslims to understand God.
 Some memorise the names and recite them when praying privately.
 Some names show power and authority, others show God’s love and compassion.
 ‘The most excellent names belong to God: use them to call on him’ Quran 7:180
Angels
What  Angels bring the word of God to the prophets.
are  For Sunni Muslims this is part of the articles of faith.
angels?  Angels are unseen, made from light and are supernatural beings.
What do  Directly receive God’s word and pass it on to the prophets.
angels  They are pure and sinless, having no freewill and can nit displease God.
do?  They praise and worship God.
 Some are guardian angels, who protect a person.
 Others are responsible for recording in the ‘book of deeds’ which will be presented on the Day
of Judgement.
 Angel Isafil will blow a trumpet to announce the day of Judgement.
 Angel of Death has helpers to take people to take people to God.
 Angels escort to Paradise and guide hell.
Jibril  Is an archangel, who is a trusted messenger of God.
 Jibril was the angel who relayed the Quran to Muhammad.
 Jibril and Mika’il came to Muhammad when he was a child and purified his heart so he could
receive God’s revelation.
 When Muhammad was 40 years old, he was mediating at Mount Hira.
 Jibril told Muhammad what God wanted him to do and inspired him with the revelation of the
Qur’an.
 God continued to guide Muhammad throughout his entire life, communicating with Jibril.

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  Brings spiritual nourishment for God’s word.
Mika’il  Is an archangel, the angel of mercy.
 He is assigned to reward righteous people for the good they do during their lives on earth.
 He sends rain, thunder and lightning to earth.
 He brings nourishment for the earth.
Predestination
Predestination  Sunnis believe that God has already determined everything that will happen in the
universe.
 He has written everything out in the ‘book of decrees’
 God creates all things, including the actions of creatures, so they must act to his will.
 It is linked to the Sunni idea of supremacy of God’s will.
 As God is so powerful, he can determine everything that will happen.
 People are still responsible for their actions.
Human  Shi’a Muslims believe that God knows everything that is going to happen, but does not
Freedom decide what is going to happen.
 This means that people still have freewill to make their own choices.
 God is the creator of time, but is not bound by it.
 Human events in time due to cause and effect or human free will, but God is outside
human time.
The Day of  God will judge humans according to everything they have done throughout their life.
Judgement  Many Muslims believe that God has given humans freewill, so they are responsible if
they are punished or rewarded by God.
Life after death
Life after  Death starts a new stage of life called Akhirah.
death  After death, a person still has conscious existence in their grave.
 This is a waiting stage called ‘barazkh’ which means a barrier, as you can not pass back
across.
 God will send two angels to question about their faith. If people answer correctly they will
be rewarded.
 They will be punished if they deny God.
 Some believe this happens straight away, others think it will happen at the end of the
world on the day of judgement.
The Day of  The day will come when God’s purpose for the universe has been fulfilled.
Judgement  The angel Israfil will sound a trumpet to announce the world will be destroy the world.
and  The present world will be transformed into a new world and the trumpet will be blown
resurrection again.
 Everyone who has ever lived will be raised and judged by God.
 People will be given new bodies and their book of life will be read out.
 If you get the book in the right hand you will go to heaven
 If you get the book in the left hand you will go to hell.
Heaven and  Heaven is described as a garden of happiness.
Hell  ‘A reward for what they used to do’
 Hell is a place of great torment, for those who reject God and do evil.
Importance  One of the six articles of faith and Five roots.
 It encourages human responsibility and accountability for their actions.
 Urges people to avoid sin and do the right thing.
 It also satisfies a human need for justice.

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 Prophethood
What is  Importance of prophets is known as Risalah.
prophethood?  It is a gift given by God to help man understand his knowledge.
 Prophets are a line of communication.
 Instructions were needed to be given to remind man of the right path.
 Muslims believe there was 124,000 prophets of which 25 are named in the Quran.
 The most important are called prophets or apostles.
 These have been sent by God to every nation.
 They are important role models of people who have lived according to God’s will.
 Important prophets include Adam, Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses) Isa (Jesus) and
Muhammad.
Adam  Adam was the first man and first prophet.
 He was created by the dust of the ground and is respected as the father of the human
race.
 God then asked Adam to tell the angels names of things they did not know.
 He told the angels to bow down to Adam but Iblis (the devil) refused. Iblis was cast out
of paradise and tempts humans to sin against God.
 God created Hawwa (Eve) to stop Adam being lonely.
 There was one rule to obey and Iblis tricked Hawwa into eating the fruit and they were
kicked out of the garden, bring sin into the world and meaning humans will be judged.
 Adam was the first person to learn how to plant seeds, harvest crops and cook food.
 God revealed to him which foods Muslims are allowed, how to bury the dead and repent
for wrongdoings.
Why is Ibrahim  He fulfilled all the tests and commandments given to him by God.
important  He was promised to be father of all nations.
 Muhammad was descended from Ibrahim through his first son, Ishmael.
 He is a role model because of his obedience to God, kindness and compassion. He
refused to worship idols.
 He is an important figure in Islam, Christianity and Judaism, these faiths are called
‘Abrahamic religions’.
Ibrahim and  Ibrahim was determined to find out who created the universe, the moon, the stars and
idol worship sun.
 He wished to submit to the creator of the universe and declared his faith in one God and
wished to stop idol worship.
 One day, everyone left town to go to a feast. He smashed all the idols ,except one and
placed the axe around the neck of it.
 Ibrahim declared that it was wrong to worship idols as they cannot speak, hear, see or
defend themselves
 The people wanted to burn Ibrahim for what he had done.
 A miracle blew out the fire, only burning his chains.
 As a result of this many followed one God
The Ka’aba,  Ka’aba is a small building in the centre of Mecca.
Ishmael, Hajj  It is considered to be the house of God and the holiest place in Islam.
and pilgrimage  It is believed that the original was built by Adam but was destroyed in the flood at the
time of Noah.
 It was rebuilt by Ibrahim and his son Ishmael.
 Ibrahim had a dream, where he was asked to sacrifice his son. Ibrahim was willing to do
this, showing his willingness to be obedient to God.
 At the festival so Id-ul-Adha, Muslims slaughter an animal to remember this.
 Ibrahim is also remembered when Muslims go on hajj.

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  This is seen as a way to return to perfection of Ibrahim.
 Muslims often throw stones at the devil that tempted him to disobey God.
 When they run between the two hills and drink the water of Zamzam, remembering
when Ibrahim’s wife, Hagar, looked for water for Ishmael.
 Mecca is often referred to as the city of Ibrahim.
Muhammad and the Imamate
Muhammad  Muhammad received the final revelation of Islam from God.
 Muhammad was born in Mecca in around 570 CE.
 He was brought up by his Uncle.
 He became a merchant and had a reputation for being honest.
 He was religious and went to a cave to meditate and pray.
 On Mount Hira, the angel Jibril appeared to him with a message from God.
 For the next twenty years, more was revealed, which formed the Quran.
Muhammad’s  Three years after the revelations, Muhammad started preaching.
preaching  He proclaimed that God is One and completely surrendered the only acceptable way to
live.
 He challenged the people of Mecca to give up cheating, drinking alcohol, gambling and
idol worship.
 This was not what the leaders of Mecca want and he fled persecution, with his followers
to Madinah in 622 CE.
 This event is known as Hijah (departure) and marks the Ummah (worldwide family of
Islam).
 This is where the Islamic calendar starts here.
 The Night Journey saw Muhammad being carried on a winged horse like creature, called
al-Buraq to Jerusalem. He then ascended to heaven, witnessing the power of God and
spoke to the prophets before him and was instructed to pray five times a day.
 Muhammad gathered support of an army of 10,000 men, he conquered Mecca in God’s
name. He destroyed 360 idols at the Kaaba.
 He introduced Muslim law, teachings and practices which are found in the Hadith and
Sira texts and are still used as Islamic law (Shariah) today.
www.truetube.co.uk/film/how-islam-began-ten-minutes
The  When Muhammad died, it was not clear who should succeed him.
Imamate  Sunnis elected Abu Bakr as their first Caliph.
 Shi’as named Ali as their first Imam
 For Shi’as it was important that Ali took control as they believed he was appointed by divine
instruction, following the family line.
 When Ali died his son was the next Imam
 The Twelver branch of Shi’a Islam, believes that there have been 12 Imams.
 The last, Muhammad al-Mahdi, is believed to be being kept alive by God and hidden
somewhere on earth to be return with Jesus to bring equality and justice.
 The Twelvers believe that the Imams not only rule but are able to maintain and interpret the
Quran and Shariah law without fault.
 They believe that the Imams continue to guide people to follow the laws correctly.
 They believe that there has always been an Imam who is descendent of Muhammad.
Holy books in Islam
Importance  The Qur’an is the word of God, revealed by the angel Jibril over 22 years.
of the  It contains the foundation of faith.
Qur’an  It is an Infallible source of authority.
 The original is believed to be in paradise, so when they read it, it is as if God’s words are
being spoken directly to them.

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  Qur’an means recital.
 Muhammad’s followers memorised and scribes wrote it down.
 Abu Bakar was commissioned to make an official copy.
 Converts began to read the Qur’an.
Contents of  Qur’an is a mixture of historical accounts and how to follow God.
the Qur’an  There are 114 surahs (chapters)
 It begins with ‘al Fatihah’, which means opener.
 This is a prayer for guidance
 Except for one, they start with ‘In the name of God, the Lord mercy, the Giver of Mercy’
 Muslim children are encouraged to learn Arabic so they can read the Qur’an in its original
language.
 Those who can recite the whole Quran are known as ‘hafiz’.
Other Holy Books
Other holy  They do not have the same authority of the Quran as they have been distorted or corrupted.
books
Torah  The Torah was given to Musa and is mentioned 18 times in the Quran.
(Tawrat)  They believe over time it has changed.
The Psalms  Were revealed to David and mentioned three times in the Quran.
(Zabur)
The Gospel  The Gospel is mentioned and refers to the book of divinely revealed to Isa, but was lost.
(Injil)  Its message is still found in the Bible and the word Injil appears 12 times.
 The scrolls of Abraham have been lost and are thought to be the earliest scriptures of Islam.

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 Useful Quotes
TAWHID
‘Say “He is God the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was he begotten. No
one is comparable to Him”.’ Qur’an 112
GOD’S SUPREMACY
‘You who believe, obey God and the messenger.’ Qur’an 4
GOD’S WILL
‘Misfortunes can only happen with God’s permission.’ Qur’an 64
JUDEGMENT, ANGELS
‘Each person has angels before him and behind, watching over him by God’s
command.’ Qur’an 13
PREDESTINATION
‘Only what God has decreed will happen to us.’ Qur’an 9
PROPHETHOOD – ADAM
‘He taught Adam all the names [of things].’ Qur’an 2
PROPHETHOOD – ABRAHAM
‘Who could be better in religion than those who direct themselves wholly to God, do
good, and follow the religion of Abraham, who was true in faith? God took Abraham
as a friend.’ Qur’an 4
MUHAMMAD
‘Muhammad… is God’s Messenger and the seal of the prophets.’ Qur’an 33
HOLY BOOKS/SCRIPTURES
‘This is the Scripture in which there is no doubt, containing guidance for those who
are mindful of God.’ Qur’an 2
NAMES OF GOD
‘The Most Excellent Names belong to God: use them to call on him.’ Qur’an 7

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 Practice Questions
2 marks
 Give two Muslim beliefs about ‘akhirah’.
 Name two of the prophets in Islam.
 Give two reasons why the Qur’an is important.
 Name two of the books of authority in Islam.
 Give two roles of angels in Islam

4 marks (two points about the influence on Muslims today)

 Explain two ways in which belief in the afterlife influences Muslims today.
 Explain two ways in which beliefs about Allah being Just (Adalat) might influence Muslims today
 Explain two ways in which believing in Risalah (Prophethood) influences Muslims today.

5 marks (you must refer to scripture or sacred writing in your answer)

 Explain two ways Muslim teachings about paradise.
 Explain two Muslim teachings about the creation.
 Explain two Muslim teachings about the imamate in Shi’a Islam.

12 marks
 ‘For a Muslim, believing that Allah is all-powerful is not important.’
 ‘Muslims should be more concerned with this life than the next.’
 ‘The Sunnah is more important than the Qur’an as a guide to life for Muslims today.’
 ‘The Muslim idea of Paradise is just wishful thinking.’
 ‘Belief in the Oneness of Allah is all a Muslim needs to have.’
 ‘Allah is immanent not transcendent.’
 ‘It is enough to trust Allah in our world today.’
 ‘It is impossible for humans to be truly just.’
 ‘Prophet Adam can teach Muslims all they need to now.’
 ‘Ibrahim is the perfect role modern for modern Muslims.’
 ‘Without Prophet Muhammad, Islam would never have developed as a religion.’
 ‘Muslims can never lead their lives as well as Muhammad did.’
 ‘The Qur’an is the only holy scripture which is important for Muslims today.’
 ‘Mika’il is more important than Jibril.’
 ‘Muslims have no proof that the afterlife exists.’

Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should:

- refer to Christian teaching
- give developed arguments to support this statement
- give developed arguments to support a different point of view
- reach a justified conclusion

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 Content Overview: Islam - Practices
The five Pillars, The Ten Obligatory Acts and the Shahadah
Five  Central to belief, essential to a perfect life
Pillars  Shahadah – declaration of faith; Salah – Prayer; Zakah – Charity; Sawm – Fasting; Hajj -
Pilgrimage
https://www.truetube.co.uk/film/five-pillars-islam
Ten  Salah – Prayer
Obligations  Zakah – Charity
of faith  Sawm – Fasting
(Twelver  Khums – 20% income tax, half goes to charity, half to six Shi’a leaders
Shi’a)  Hajj- pilgrimage
 Jihad- Struggle to maintain the faith and defend Isalm.
 Amr-bil Maruf – encouraging what is good.
 Nahi Anil Munkar – discouraging what is wrong
 Tawallah- To be loving towards the friends of God, including Muhammad and the Imams.
 Tabarra – disassociating with the enemies of God.
Shahadah  ‘There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the prophet of Islam.’
 It is the foundation of Islamic faith
Shahadah in  Add ‘and Ali is the friend of God’
Shi’a Islam  This shows that Ali is the true successor of Muhammad.
Salah: the daily prayers
Times of  Sunnis are required to pray five times a day, from sunrise to sunset.
prayer  Prayer timetables can guide this
o Fajr – just before sunrise
o Zuhr – just before midday
o Asr – afternoon
o Maghrib – just after sunset
o Isha- Night
 Shia Muslims pray three times a day, combining sunset and night prayers and midday
and afternoon.
https://www.truetube.co.uk/film/muslim-prayer
How do they  Muslims must be spiritually clean before they pray.
prepare?  This is achieved by a ritual washing called Wudu, following special instructions so they do
it in the right order.
 Mosques have special rooms for this and running water is used.
 In the dessert a dry wash of sand and dust can be used.
 It allows man to fully concentrate on prayer.
Direction of  Must be facing the holy city of Mecca.
prayer  Mosques have a Mihrab, which shows the direction of prayer.
 A special compass can be used to find the direction.
Prayer in a  A special carpets, set out the space for prayer.
mosque  Prayers are led by an Imam.
 Men and women pray in separate spaces.
https://www.truetube.co.uk/film/holy-cribs-mosque
The rak’ah  The daily prayers are made up of a number of rak’ah.
 This is a set sequence of actions and recitations.
 The morning prayer is made up of two rak’ah and the evening prayer is made up of four.
 These are the basic actions;
o While standing, Muslims recite the first chapter from the Qur’an.

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 o While bowing, Muslims say in Arabic; ‘Glory be to my Lord who is the greatest’
three times. This bowing position shows they believe God to be great.
o Returning to an upright position, they make a recitation praising God.
o They kneel with their forehead, nose, hands, knees and toes touching the floor.
This is called prostration shows complete obedience to God. They recite ‘How
prefect is my Lord the most high’.
o Muslims then sit reciting ‘God is greatest’ and after pausing for a few seconds,
they repeat ‘God is greatest’.
 Once the required number of rak’ah is completed, they recite ‘God is greatest’.
 Du’a are personal prayers which maybe added to the final rak’ah.
 These do not need to be in Arabic and do not follow a pattern.
Jummah  Jummah is the midday prayer on Friday.
Prayer  All male Muslins are expected to attend and women can too.
 Once the prayer is completed, the Imam will deliver a sermon to remind Muslims of their
obligation to God.
 Muslims should attend on and return to work after.
Prayers at  Muslims can pray at home, but should perform Wudu before.
home  The room must be clean and they should face Mecca.
Significance  It is what God commanded them to do.
of prayer  It is a way Muslims across the world are united.
 It reminds them that God is more important than they are.
Sawm: fasting during Ramadan
Ramadan  Ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
 It is believed that during Ramadan the Quran was first revealed.
 Many Muslims recite the whole Qur’an, in daily sections over 30 days.
 This allows Muslims to remember the importance of the teachings and their importance
in their daily lives.
 Muslims will fast, complete charity and please God.
Fasting  Ramadan sees Muslims fast in daylight hours.
 They get up before sunrise to eat and drink enough to keep them satisfied until the end
of the day.
 The evening meal is often shared with family and friends, prayers are said and readings
form the Qur’an.
 It has been obligatory since the seventh century.
 Smoking and sex are also forbidden during daylight hours.
 This can be difficult for Muslims living in non-Muslim countries.
 The focus of Ramadan is God.
 It is time to purify the thought to cleanse the soul.
 It requires self-discipline.
Expectations  People can be excused like pregnant women, nursing mothers, babies, young children
and those who are ill.
 Some older children may fast for a shorter length of time to help prepare themselves.
Charity  It helps empathise with the poor.
 They may invite the poor to eat with them
 Many pay Zakat during this month.
Night of  Is an important festival that marks the beginning of God’s revelation.
Power  Observing the Night of Power give Muslims benefits of worshipping for a thousand
months.
 Muslims try to keep awake on each possible night of each, devoting to prayers and
studying the Qur’an.

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 Zakat: almsgiving
Zakat  For Muslims who have savings, it is compulsory to give 2.5% of their savings to the poor.
 Muslims work out how much to pay during Ramadan.
 This is an acknowledgement that everything comes from God, by giving to the poor.
 Zakat means to purify or cleanse, removing selfishness and greed.
Origins  The figure of 2.5% was figured out by scholars as it was not stated in the Qur’an.
Given and  Muslims can choose how to pay, some pay in gold.
receives  It can be paid directly to a charity like Islamic relief.
 Some may pay a Sadaqah, which is a voluntary payment on top of zakat.
Significance  Fulfilling a duty imposed by God, making clear they are a true Muslim.
 Shows a good attitude towards money as you are sharing.
 It strengthens communities
 It links to prayers and puts them into action.
Khums  Literally means a fifth
 It refers to 20% of the excess income earned by Shi’a Muslims. Half goes to religious
leaders and half goes to the poor.
Hajj: pilgrimage
What is hajj?  It should be made at least once in a Muslims life, provided they are fit and healthy.
 Some communities may pay for a person to go as it is a religious obligation.
 It starts and ends in Mecca.
 It usually takes place between 8th to 12th of Dhul-Hijjah, which is the last month in the
Islamic calendar.
 Three million Muslims take part each year.
Origins  4000 years ago, Ibrahim was told by God to take his wife and son with some supplies.
 Within a few days, the supplies ran out and they began to suffer from hunger and
dehydration.
 Hajira ran up two hills trying to look for help, when she collapsed.
 Ishmael hit is foot on the ground and water gushed up.
 They traded some of the water for other supplies
How is Hajj performed?
Entering a  Pilgrims must enter a sacred state called Ihram.
state of  This involved a ritual washing, prayers and putting on the Ihram.
Ihram  The white cloth is a sign of equality and purity.
 Women wear clothes of a single colour that cover the whole body, other than the face.
Circling the  Hajj begins at the Ka’aba.
Ka’aba  Pilgrims circle the Ka’aba seven times, anti-clockwise.
 If possible, they touch the black stone (believed to be part of the original Ka’aba, built by
Ibrahim).
 Others believe it was given by God to Adam to erase his sin and allow him a path into
heaven.
 They circle, reciting the prayer ‘Here I am. Oh Lord, at your service. Praise and blessings
to you’.
Traveling to  The crowd walks along a covered walkway linking the hills, which feature in the story of
Arafat Ibrahim.
 After completing seven circuits, they return to the Ka’aba to collect water from the well
of Zamzam.
 Muslims travel to Arafat, 13 miles away. Some may at Mina and read the Qur’an and
pray.
Standing at  Arafat is where Muhammad preached his last sermon.

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 Arafat  They spend the afternoon in prayer.
 The heat reminds them of the Day of Judgement.
 God will forgive those who stand at Arafat.
Throwing  Muslims walk to Muzdalifah, collecting 49 stones on the way.
pebbles at  These stones are thrown at three walls in Jamarat, which represent the devil and
Mina temptation and show they reject evil.
 Many sacrifice an animal, which is a celebration of Eid-ul-Adha. The left over meat is
given to the poor.
 Men shave their hair and women cut off a lock of hair.
Returning to  Pilgrims return to Mecca and circle the Ka’aba seven times
Mecca  They return to Mina and spend two nights remembering God and reflecting on his
blessing
 Some will visit the mosque where Muhammad and early Muslim leaders are buried.
Significance  Some go more than once in their lives.
 Once you complete hajj, you can be called Hajji.
 It can bring a deep spiritual transformation, being closer to God.
 Teaches sincerity and humility.
 Inner peace, valuing justice, honesty, respect, kindness, mercy and forgiveness.
 Self-discipline as not all can complete it.
 Unity and equality, Ihram clothing is worn by everyone and pilgrims sleep in tents.
 Reminds of the faith and examples set by Ibrahim, Hajira and Ishmael.
 Can lead to forgiveness of sins.
Jihad
Jihad  Jihad is the struggle against evil with for the individual or as a collective fellowship.
 It required Muslims to strive to improve themselves and live how God wills.
 Required every single moment of life.
Greater jihad: the personal inward struggle of all Muslims to live in line with the teachings of the their faith
Greater Jihad  Personal struggle
 Keep the five pillars
 Purify one’s heart from evil.
 Devote life to God resisting temptations.
 Some may choose to learn the Qur’an by heart.
 Some may try to improve the lives of others (sadaqah).
 These ways help to strengthen relationships with God.
Lesser Jihad: the outward struggle to defend one’s faith, family and country from threat.
Lesser Jihad  This was written in the 7th Century when Islam was at threat.
 Must be declared by a religious leader.
 Cannot be used to convert people to Islam.
 In response to a threat to the faith
 Must not gain territory or wealth
 Be the last resort
Festivals
Eid-ul-Fitr
Importance  Eid-ul-Fitr means breaking of the fast.
 It marks the end of Ramadan
 It thanks God for the strength to complete the fast and for providing wisdom and
guidance as it the Quran was revealed during this month.
Celebrated  May be celebrated for between one and three days.
 Muslims gather in a mosque or large outdoor area.

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  An Imam shares a sermon, usually around forgiveness and helping the poor.
 Everyone wears their best clothes and homes are decorated.
 Special foods are eaten and processions may take place.
 Cards and presents are exchanged
 It is not a public holiday in the UK, but many Muslims will be granted the day off.
 Some may visit cemeteries to pray for family members who have died.
Eid-ul-Adha
Importance  Also known as the festival of sacrifice or Greater Eid.
 It lasts for four days
 It remembers Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice his son for God.
 God intervened and stopped the sacrifice from happening.
Celebrated  Muslims may visit friends and family and enjoy family meals.
 It begins with prayers in a mosque.
 In Britain, animal sacrifice is not allowed, so an animal may be brought from the
slaughterhouse.
 The family keep a third, another third is shared with friends and family and the last part
is given to the poor.
 Some families prefer to give money.
 Cards and presents are given and meals are shared.
Ashura
Day of Ashura is an important Shi’a festival, who remember the battle of Karbala and the death of Husayn on
this day.
Origins and  Shi’a Muslims also refer to it as the day of atonement, when the Israelites were
meaning freed from Egypt.
 Others believe it is the day that Noah left the ark after the flood.
 For Sunnis it is a voluntary fast or give to charity
 For Shi’a Muslims it remembers the tragic events of Karbala and the death of
Muhammad’s great grandson.
 They lost the battle and they were killed, having a profound effect on the surviving
families.
 Poems were written to retell the story and it is remembered with much sorrow.
 Husayn’s martyrdom is widely seen as a struggle against injustice, tyranny and
oppression.
Commemorated  In some countries, a public holiday.
 Shi’a take part in a public expression of grief and mourning.
 Some flagellate to connect with Husayn’s death and sufferings.
 Re-enactments of the story take place.
 In the UK, many go to the Marble Arch in London.
 Some choose to give blood.
 Some go to a shrine in Karbala

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 Useful Quotes
SALAH
‘Woe to those who pray but are heedless of their prayer.’ Qur’an 107
SALAH
‘Your Lord says, “Call on me and I will answer you.”’ Qur’an 40
SAWM, RAMADAN
‘It was in the month of Ramadan that the Qur’an was revealed to mankind… so
any one of you who is present that month should fast.’ Qur’an 2
NIGHT OF POWER
‘The Night of Glory is better than a thousand months’ Qur’an 97
FIVE PILLARS
‘God is well aware of what you do.’ Qur’an 2
ZAKAH
‘Alms are meant only for the poor, the needy’ Qur’an 9
HAJJ
‘Pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed to God by people who are able to
undertake it.’ Qur’an 3
JIHAD
‘But those who have believed, migrated, and striven for God’s cause, it is they
who can look forward to God’s mercy: God is most forgiving and merciful.’
Qur’an 2
WUDU, SALAH
‘You who believe, when you are about to pray, wash your faces and your hands
up to the elbows, wipe your heads, wash your feet up to the ankles and, if
required, wash your whole body.’ Qur’an 5

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 Practice Questions

2 marks
 Give two reasons why Shahadah is the first pillar.
 Name two of the Five Pillars of Islam
 Give two ways that Muslims can demonstrate jihad.
 Name two of the Ten Obligations for Shi’a Muslims
 Give two ways in which khums can be given.

4 marks (two contrasting Muslim views or practices)

 Explain two contrasting Muslim views about the importance of Sawm
 Explain two contrasting ways in which Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Adha
 Explain two contrasting ways in which Muslims celebrate the festival of Ashura

5 marks (you must refer to scripture or sacred writing in your answer)

 Explain two ways in which Muslims think zakah is important.
 Explain two ways in which Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr.
 Explain two ways in which Muslims view the Salah (prayer) as important.

12 marks
 ‘Prayer is more beneficial than going on hajj.’
 ‘Shahadah is the most important of the Five Pillars.’
 ‘Ashura should be the main festival for all Muslims.’
 ‘The expectations of Ramadan should be the expectation for every day as a Muslim.’
 ‘Prayer is not important.’
 ‘Jumu’ah prayer (Friday prayer) is no more important than prayers on other days.’
 ‘Ramadan makes Muslims better people.’
 ‘For a Muslim, the greatest act is to give zakah.’
 ‘As long as a Muslim visits Makkah, they have shown devotion to their faith.’
 ‘Going on hajj is a life-changing experience.’
 ‘If everyone gave money to charity the problem of poverty would be solved.’
 ‘It is never right to fight in a holy war.’
 ‘Eid is just an excuse for a big party.’
 ‘It is wrong to call Ashura a celebration.’

Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should:

- refer to Christian teaching
- give developed arguments to support this statement
- give developed arguments to support a different point of view
- reach a justified conclusion

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 Paper 2
Thematic Studies

16th May 2018

You will have a booklet with questions

from a six thematic topics. Some of these
will be topics you have not studied – you
must answer the following four topics:
Theme A relationships and families;
Theme B religion and life; Theme C
existence of God and revelation; Theme D
religion, peace and conflict. You will have
a separate answer booklet in which you
should write your answers.

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 Content Overview Theme A: Relationships and Families
Teachings about human sexuality, including heterosexual and homosexual relationships
 Christians believe marriage is the only place  Views towards sex have changed. We are now much
for sex. more liberal and have more freedom to conduct our
 “Increase in number” Genesis 1:28 relationships however we wish.
 Leviticus bans homosexual acts  British society has changed along with the law.
 Some believe it is love that is important, Homosexuality has been legal since the 1960s but
therefore it is wrong to condemn any kind gay marriage was not recognised until 2013.
of relationship that is committed and  Age of consent for sex in the UK in 16.
loving.  Humanists believe we have one life and should live it
 In Islam, homosexuality is against the in the way that we wish, as long as our actions do not
Qur’an. hurt others.
 Homosexuality is seen as against God’s law.
Beliefs and teachings about sexual relationships before and outside marriage
 Sex expresses deep commitment and only should take place in marriage.
 Adultery is wrong, banned in Ten Commandments.
 Jesus taught that even the act of looking at another person lustfully is sinful.
 St Paul taught that sexual sin is the worst kind of sin as it is sin against your own body, which is a
temple of the Holy Spirit.
 Catholics believe every act of sex should be within marriage
 In Islam - Muslims believe sex is a gift from God. It should only happen in marriage. Adultery is wrong, it
is seen a grave sin. Sex before marriage is wrong.
 Humanists believe we have one life and should live it however we want.
Attitudes to family planning and the use of different forms of contraception
 Artificial contraception – condoms, the pill. These are devices  Most non-religious people would
that are used to prevent conception say that it is always wise to use
 Natural contraception – the withdrawal method, having sex contraception if you are sexually
during the woman’s least fertile time of the month. These active and not trying to get
methods use the body’s natural way of working to reduce the pregnant. Not only does
chances of pregnancy. These methods are far less reliable and contraception help to prevent
do not offer any protection from infection. pregnancy but artificial
 Roman Catholics are against artificial methods of contraception. contraception (e.g. a condom)
They believe that the act of sex should always have the also protects the individuals
possibility of procreation (making new life). The use of from sexually transmitted
contraception goes against God’s plans for human life. Catholics infections.
may use forms of natural contraception as these may still allow  Contraception is never 100%
God to intervene and cause conception to take place. reliable to protect from
 Other Christians think it is okay to use contraception in marriage pregnancy or infection, so it is
because sex is not just about creating babies, it is also is about always best to make sure that
an expression of love and commitment between the married sex is between a loving and
couple. committed couple.
The nature and purpose of marriage
 Christians believe that marriage is a gift from God. It is a sacrament in  In Islam, faithful married
the Catholic Church. When you marry someone you enter into a legal partnership is
and spiritual contract with that person and God. Many Christians considered the best way
believe that the only thing that can end a marriage is the death of one to bring up children.
partner (‘till death do us part…’)  It is what God intended.
 A married relationship is a safe and secure place to bring up a family.  Marriage may be
 Most Christians believe marriage is the only appropriate place for sex to arranged by parents and

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 happen. other family members.
 Some Christians may accept cohabitation (living together before  Muslims should not
marriage) as an acceptable thing to do. Others would disagree and say cohabit before getting
that cohabiting is risky as the temptation to have sex before marriage is married.
too great.
Teachings about divorce
 Many Christians believe that God does not recognise divorce because when  In Islam, divorce is
you got married you vowed to stay with that person forever. In God’s eyes, seen as a last resort.
you are already married. Therefore having a relationship with someone else  Support from the
after divorce is considered adultery. family and
 Roman Catholics are always against divorce for these reasons, other community is given
Christians (e.g. Church of England) may say that divorce is acceptable in to the couple.
some circumstances. For example in the case of abuse in a marriage or  Couples continue to
unfaithfulness. live together for
 Whatever their view, all Christians should offer support to those who are three months, if
experiencing problems in their marriage. there is no baby
 Views differ on remarriage. The Roman Catholic Church will not allow it for then divorce is
the reasons stated above. In the Church of England it is down to the allowed.
individual vicar to decide.  People can remarry.
Beliefs and teachings about the nature of families
 Nuclear family – a couple and their children
 Step-family – a family that is formed after divorce and remarriage or widowhood (when your husband
or wife dies) and including children
 Extended family – a family that extends beyond just parents and children to include other relatives as
well
 Same-sex parents – a homosexual couple raising children together
 Polygamy – having many husbands/wives
 Bigamy – the offence of marrying someone when you are already married to another person
 Jesus taught everyone to love one another.  Muslims live in
 The role of parents is to love and care for the children, and to bring them up extended families,
in the Christian faith. who work to
 Families are where children learn to love and can be brought up in religious support each other.
faith.  Mothers support
 The extended family also passes on religious traditions, so many religions the religious
emphasise the importance of the extended family unit. teaching in the
 Some Christians oppose same-sex parents because they feel that children family. Fathers take
need to grow up with a male and female role model. sons to the Mosque.
Beliefs and teachings about the purpose of families
 Families are seen as the building block of society.
 They bring stability and protection of children.
 Families have responsibilities to treat each other with human dignity and love.
 Children are seen as gifts from God. They should be loved, protected and nurtured.
 Families provide a stable environment.
 Children should show respect to adults and show appreciation for all they have done to help them
develop into mature adults.
 Elderly relatives should be looked after and given care in their old age.
Beliefs, teachings and moral arguments about the roles of men and women
 Christians believe that everyone was created as equal and men and women  In Islam, men and
are both equally loved by God. women are equal but
 Jesus treated women with great respect, despite the culture of his day have different roles.

38
 which was to see women as inferior to men.  Women’s rights are
 Some traditional Christians see the father as the head of the family. The protected through
husband should be the main provider for his family and should have the marriage to their
final say in making decisions. However, this does not give the husband the husbands.
right to mistreat his wife and children.  Women should have
 The Bible says that wives should submit to and obey their husbands; financial support
however this is dependent on the condition that men are loving towards from their husbands.
their wives. Husbands are called to love their wives in the same way that  Women have
Jesus loves the Church (prepared to die for them!). Christians do not traditionally held the
believe that there is any justification for a women being forced to stay in an job of bringing up
abusive marriage. Many Christians today see marriage as an equal children.
partnership.
Gender prejudice and discrimination
 Traditionally, women have held an inferior position in society to men. Women have been seen as the
weaker sex and have not enjoyed the same rights as men, such as the right to vote or equal pay.
 Nowadays women have gained many rights that bring them grater equality with men, however many
people still believe that these rights have not gone far enough. For example, women are still sometimes
paid less than men for doing the same job, and women are far less likely to have the top jobs in
industry.
 In some countries, there are laws that stop women doing things, but this is to do with cultural
differences. For example, in Saudi Arabia, it is only in 2018 that women will be permitted to hold a
driving license.
 There is still a gender stereotype that exists which says that women should be the ones to stay at home
and look after children. It is becoming more common for men to stay at home, however this is still seen
as being unusual.
 God created everyone as equal but different. Women and men are encouraged to take on different
roles in the family, however this doesn’t mean that one is more important than the other.
 Women cannot be priests in Roman Catholicism.
 Women can be bishops in the Church of England, however this has caused big disagreements between
Christians.

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 Useful Quotes

‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is
detestable. Leviticus
‘Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body,
but whoever sins sexually sins against their own body. Do you not know that your
bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?’ 1 Corinthians
‘You shall not commit adultery. Exodus 20
‘Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her
in his heart.’ Matthew 5
‘A man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two
will become one flesh.’ Genesis 2
‘Be fruitful and increase in number’ Genesis 1
‘Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery
against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she
commits adultery.’ Mark 10
‘Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own
household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.’ 1 Timothy
‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for
her.’ Ephesians 5
‘Children, obey your parents in everything.’ Colossians 3
‘Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.’
Psalm 127
‘There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all
one in Christ Jesus.’ Galatians 3
‘For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church, his
body, of which he is the Saviour. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also
should wives submit to their husbands in everything.’ Ephesians 5

40
 Practice Questions
2 marks
 Give two types of contraception.
 Give two examples of artificial contraception.
 Gives two reasons that Christians may oppose homosexuality.
 Give two types of family.
 Give two reasons that Christians may give to oppose divorce.

4 marks (two contrasting OR similar beliefs in contemporary British society. One must be Christian, the
other from a different religion)
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about sex before marriage.
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about contraception.
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about remarriage.
 Explain two similar beliefs in contemporary British society about homosexuality.
 Explain two similar beliefs in contemporary British society about the role of families.

5 marks (you must refer to scripture or sacred writing in your answer)

 Explain two religious beliefs about gender equality.
 Explain two religious beliefs about the role of parents in a religious relationship.
 Explain two religious beliefs about the adultery.
 Explain two religious beliefs about the purpose of families.

12 marks
 ‘Religious believers should never be sexist.’
 ‘Ceremonies for remarriage should not be allowed in places of worship.’
 ‘Marriage ceremonies arte out of date nowadays.’
 ‘There should not be an age of consent.’
 ‘Only married couple should have sex.’
 ‘When a couple have children, those children should be their first priority.’
 ‘There is nothing wrong with divorce for religious believers.’
 ‘Gender prejudice cannot be ended.’
 ‘All married couple should try to have children.’
 ‘Sex should only be for having children.’
 ‘Using contraception is getting in the way of God’s plan.’
 ‘Religious believers will never agree with homosexual relationships.’
 ‘Once you are married, you are with that person for life.’
Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should:
- refer to Christian teaching
- give developed arguments to support this statement
- give developed arguments to support a different point of view
- reach a justified conclusion

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 Content Overview Theme B: Religion and Life
DOMINION AND STEWARDSHIP
DOMINION – the belief that human beings occupy a special place in creation. They have been appointed
the rulers of creation. Religious people may believe this because:
 The SANCTITY OF LIFE teaches that humans are more important than other parts of creation
 Humans have SOULS – this sets them apart from animals and plants
 Humans are made ‘In God’s image’ – they are unique amongst all of his creations
 God ‘breathed life’ into Adam, indicating a personal relationship that sets humans aside from other
animals
 God instructs humans to ‘Fill the earth and subdue it’ Genesis 1:28
The dominion view means that the interests of humans will take priority over the interests of animals
SANCTITY OF LIFE
 The Sanctity of Life is the idea that human life is important because it is part of God’s creation. Human
beings have an intrinsic value (human life is valuable in itself)
 This is a core idea in any part of religious ethics that deals with the value of life – abortion, euthanasia,
death penalty, war, medical treatment etc.
 Some religious groups extend this belief to animal and plant life too, however human life invariably
occupies a unique and higher place in creation
Main reasons for believing in the Sanctity of Human life are:
 Life is a GIFT from God – to end life is to reject the most previous gift that could be given
 God creates all life, and only God can take life AWAY – humans do not have the right to decide life
and death
 God has a PLAN for all human lives – to end a human life is to prevent God’s plan from coming into
action
 6th commandment states “Do not KILL”
All humans are made ‘in God’s IMAGE’, meaning in his likeness, or of his essence. No other living
creature is made this way.
SANCTITY VS QUALITY OF LIFE
 Quality of life = the standard of health or happiness of a person or group
 In this context, we are generally referring to issues that may affect a person’s quality of life e.g.
poverty or illness
 A poor quality of life could involve suffering from a debilitating illness, or having suffered an accident
leaving someone badly paralysed
 Typically, a religious viewpoint may prioritise the SANCTITY OF LIFE, whereas secular views may
prioritise the QUALITY OF LIFE, however religious groups will also take quality of life into account
 Key issues include:
o Can a persons’ quality of life be so bad that life is not worth living?
o Who decides on a persons’ quality of life?
o Does the sanctity of life overrule quality of life in life and death issues?

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 Origins of the universe
CHRISTIAN TEACHINGS
 Story of Genesis – God created the earth in 6
days ex nihilo – ‘from nothing’
o Day 1 – light and darkness
o Day 2 – skies and oceans
o Day 3 – land and plants
o Day 4 – sun moon stars
o Day 5 – birds and fish
o Day 6 – animals and humans
o Day 7 - rest
 The Gospel of John – “In the beginning there
was the word, and the word was with God,
and the word was God” – Jesus = ‘The Word’
stresses that Jesus was involved in the act of
creation also
 Moderate and liberal Christians accept that
this is a myth, or form of religious truth – it
contains a message, but is not a historic
account to rely on
 The timing of ‘day’ is ambiguous – a day for
God could be thousands of years for us
 Evidence for this story is found in the Bible
 The order of creation also loosely follows the
order that the Earth developed according to
science, supporting the idea that Genesis is a
non-scientific interpretation of creation,
rather than literal truth
SCIENTIFIC TEACHINGS
 The Big Bang Theory – a rapid
expansion of matter and energy
approximately 15 billion years ago.
 The matter of the universe is
compressed into a tiny space (most
matter is made up of empty space
between atoms – there are no gaps at
this time)
 As the matter slows down, gravity pulls
it together to form starts and planets.
Eventually, on planet Earth,
atmosphere develops, plants are
formed, and eventually life develops
from primordial soup - a term that
refers to liquid that contains the
foundations of life (e.g. protein,
chemicals, amino acid)
 Universe is still expanding – can be
observed through the phenomenon of
red shift, where light absorption moves
towards the red end of the spectrum as
wavelengths get longer (suggesting an
increase in distance)
 Background microwave radiation –
radiation from the initial explosion can
still be detected and measured
suggesting a singular explosion.

Origins of life
CHRISTIAN TEACHINGS
 In Genesis 1, God creates life on the 5th
and 6th days of creation, with humans as
the final part of his creation. They are
created ‘in God’s image’
 In Genesis 2, God creates the first man,
Adam, from clay, and ‘breathes life’ into
him suggesting a personal relationship.
He is tasks with guarding the Garden of
Eden, and is given one rule – not to eat
from the Forbidden Tree.
 In both accounts, God creates life in its
final form, as we see it today. The story
explains that snakes crawl on their bellies
as a punishment from God for tempting
Adam and Eve to sin against God.
SCIENTIFIC TEACHINGS
 Key scholar – CHARLES DARWIN
 Key text – ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES
 Darwin discovered that species change and
develop over time through genetic
mutation. These mutations led to new
characteristics e.g. different colour fur,
longer legs, sharper teeth, larger brains etc.
 If these characteristics help an animal
survive, then it reproduces more readily.
These genes are passed on, and the process
continues over thousands of years. Animals
without these advantageous mutations die
out. This is referred to as ‘evolution by
natural selection’.
 Darwin discovered evidence to suggest that
this is how humans and animals came to be
in their current form, and explains why
animals and plants appear perfectly adapted

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 for their environments
FUNDAMENTAL VIEW
 This is the literal truth of creation – the Earth is 6000 years old, made in 6 days
 The Bible is infallible – there are no mistakes within it. Scientific views must be wrong
 God is omnipotent, and an omnipotent God could easily create a world like ours in 6 days. He
could also create it to appear older
 It is a mystery – humans cannot understand God’s creation. They must have faith.
LIBERAL VIEW
 The Genesis creation story is a wisdom story, a way of passing on the message of creation from
generation to generation
 The use of ‘day’ in the narrative could instead be symbolic of an ‘age’ or ‘period of time’ – a day
for God could be millions of years to humans as God is transcendent.
 It is not literal truth – it is symbolic or religious truth. It makes sense of the universe in a way
early religious believers could understand
 Religious truths of the Creation narratives tell Christians that the world is not random, that it was
created by God, and that humans have a special role to play in God’s creation.
 Some Christians believe the Big Bang supports the idea that God created the universe.
Environment
 Religions teach that all life is special as it is created by God
 The natural world provides a point of contact between humans and God, their creator
 The natural world can instil a sense of wonderment, or awe – think areas of natural beauty. This
feeling brings people closer to God
 “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you
have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care
for them?”
 The natural world is important for future generations – most religions teach it should be
protected and conserved for the future
Environmental problems
Issue Causes Effects Solutions

Pollution – an excess of toxic
substances in the environment
Air pollution – Leads to asthma Reduce the use of
caused mainly by attacks, lung cancer, motorised transport +
fumes from cars and and other diseases develop cleaner burning
factories Devastates marine fuels
Dumping waste into life, also poisons Use natural methods of
the sea, and water supplies pest control + dispose
pesticides, can cause Poisons wildlife and of waste responsibly
water pollution makes farming less Don’t litter!
Ineffective waste efficient
disposal causes land
pollution

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Climate change – rising and Greenhouse gasses, Melting ice polar ice, Change from fossil fuels
falling global temperature including carbon leading to increase to sustainable forms of
related to the actions of dioxide and absorption of heat energy e.g. solar, wind
humans. methane, build up in and more rapid Reduce emissions by
Believed to have been heavily the atmosphere. warming using less motorised
affected by post-industrial This leads to more Rising sea level transport
culture heat being retained Increase in tropical Reduce production of
by the Earth’s diseases farmed animals to
surface Increased cost of reduce methane
cooling emissions
Replant forests to
remove CO2 from the
atmosphere
Destruction of habitat – Pollution e.g. oil Higher carbon Reduce need for grazing
removing natural spills, nuclear fallout emissions as fewer space by reducing meat
environments, either due to Deforestation – trees exist to remove consumption
pollution damage, or to clear often to provide carbon from the Use wood from
space for development grazing for atmosphere sustainable forests
cattle/cash crops Many species only Use alternative
live in rainforest ingredients in food
areas and are Recycle
becoming
endangered e.g.
Orang-Utans
environment being
cleared for palm oil
Use of natural resources Motorised transport Increased Develop alternative
Natural resources = non mainly runs on competition for sources of transport e.g.
renewable resources e.g. refined oil e.g. petrol resources – as they
electric cars that can be
vegetation, minerals, and fossil or diesel. Cheaper are used, they charged using electricity
fuels (they are electricity can be become more from renewable sources
destroyed/consumed when produced by coal expensive. Chance of
Use fewer fossil fuels
used). Some resources are burning power conflict over oil e.g. turn down central
sustainable e.g. wood which plants Most fuels that are
heating, drive more
can be replanted, some are burned produce responsibly/use public
non-sustainable e.g. coal greenhouse gasses transport
Christian teachings
 Assisi declaration on the environment 1986 – human dominion over the environment does not
permit humans to abuse, spoil, or waste what God has created
 Pope John Paul II taught that humans have a responsibility to future generations to preserve
the world
 Christians believe in stewardship (see ‘stewardship’)
Animals
ANIMAL TESTING – also called vivisection. A practice that involves using live animals to experiment new
medicine and technology on in order to check it’s function or safety
EATING ANIMALS - breeding animals to be killed for food. Nowadays most animals come from FATORY
FARMS which is a form of intense agriculture where animals do not have free access to outside space

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CHRISTIAN VIEWS
 Made by God for humans to care for.
 Man is arguably more important as was made in the image of God.
 Noah was commanded to take the animals on the ark to keep them safe.
 Most Christians support the ban on animal testing for cosmetics.
 The Bible does not give clear guidance on whether or not to eat meat. St. Paul taught that
vegetarians and meat eaters should not judge one another but respect each other’s choices
SHOULD RELIGIOUS PEOPLE EAT MEAT?
YES, because:
 After the Flood, God gave permission for Noah to eat meat “everything that lives and moves will be
food for you”, and God gave St. Peter permission to break the Kosher food laws “Get up, Peter –
kill, and eat”.
 St. Paul taught that vegetarians and meat eating Christians should respect one another
 Meat is a readily available source of nutrition and protein that people have eaten for thousands of
years
 Halal food laws state which types of meat can be eaten, but eating meat is permitted in the Qur’an
NO, because:
 The conditions of factory farming do not fit with the Christian values of agape (unconditional) love
 In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were vegetarian. Many Christians believe they should try and
emulate the pre-fall lifestyle before Creation was corrupted by sin
 Hindus and Buddhists believe in reincarnation – their souls can be reborn into animals. Violence
against animals could be violence against their ancestors
SHOULD RELIGIOUS PEOPLE ALLOW ANIMAL TESTING?
YES, because:
 Human life is sacred, and animal testing has led to the development of medicines and technologies
that improve human life e.g. vaccinations
 The Qur’an teaches that animals were provided to meet the needs of humans, and medical animal
testing is needed for human health
 It prevents more suffering than it causes, and is the lesser of two evils.
NO, because:
 Humans are not the same as animals, and medical testing is unreliable. For example, thalidomide was
tested on animals but led to birth defects in humans
 Animals are part of God’s creation and should be treated with care. Animal testing leads to
suffering/death
 We would not allow this treatment against humans, and animals can still feel pain like humans can
 Jesus taught to be loving to those who are weaker – animals are weaker than humans, so following
Jesus’ teaching means not causing them harm

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 Abortion
Basic information
 Abortion is the removal of a foetus from the womb before the end of pregnancy, with the
intention of destroying it
 In 1967 it was made legal for doctors to perform abortions in the UK if two doctors agreed that:
o The mother’s life was at risk
o The mothers mental or physical health were at risk
o The wellbeing of existing children was at risk
o The foetus would be born severely handicapped.
 An abortion cannot take place after 24 weeks, unless the mother’s life is at risk, or the foetus will
be born severely handicapped
Should the law be changed?
 YES – the limit on 24 weeks is too late, it should be earlier as a foetus has a chance of survival from 20
weeks.
 YES – ‘mental health of mother’ is too vague and allows too many abortions for trivial reasons. It
should be taken much more seriously
 YES – Early abortions should be legal whoever performs them, women cannot always get medical
help and early abortions are relatively straightforward
 NO – The current law is a good balance between allowing abortions for those who need them, while
preventing them from becoming trivial
 NO – banning abortion would just make people have dangerous, illegal back street abortions.
Why might someone consider an abortion?
• A genetic condition has been passed down to the foetus, which will cause it to greatly suffer
• A mother who is too young to care for a baby
• A woman who becomes pregnant as a result of rape
• A woman who requires medical treatment that will end the pregnancy e.g. chemotherapy
• The pregnancy was unplanned and the mother does not want children
Why is it controversial? Arguments against abortion
 People do not agree when life begins. If life begins at  A foetus is innocent – it has done no
conception, abortion is murder. If life begins at birth, wrong, and should be punished
abortion is acceptable. Most people believe through abortion
somewhere in the middle  Easy access to abortion promotes
 There is a conflict of rights between the right of the unsafe sex and promiscuity
mother to control over her own body, and the right of  Easy access to abortion reduces
the unborn child to live. respect for the sanctity of life
 Most religions condemn it as murder
CHURCH OF ENGLAND CONTRASTING VIEWS
 The Church of England teaches that abortion is wrong  The Catholic Church does not allow
in the majority of cases, because of the Sanctity of abortions under any circumstance,
Life because:
 However they believe abortions should be allowed in  God has a plan for every human life,
cases where refusing the abortion would cause more including people born with severe
harm. This is called ‘the lesser of two evils’ handicaps. Disabled people have just
 An example of this would be if the mother’s life is at as much right to be born as able
risk and an abortion would save her life. Another bodied people
example could be if the foetus would be severely  Abortion is a mortal sin – if it is not
disable and have no quality of life. absolved, then a Catholic will be
 In 2002 the CofE stated that too many abortions judged and go to Hell.
occur in the UK and that the law should be reviewed  Catechism of the Catholic Church
teaches that life begins at

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 conception
Alternatives – adoption
 The main alternative for a person considering abortion that does not want to keep a child is
adoption. This is where a mother legally gives up her rights of parenthood, and the child legally
becomes the responsibility of someone else.
 Religious groups would prefer this because:
o as it means that an innocent life is not being taken, so doesn’t break rules about the sanctity
of life
o It is a way of helping childless couples have children
o It is a way of showing agape (unconditional love) which Christianity teaches all Christians
should do
 However, it may be undesirable because:
o The child may grow up to question why they were given up then they were young
o The mother still has to go through the process of pregnancy and birth, which for many
women is part of the reason why they would have an abortion anyway
o It is unfair to expect a person to go through the process of birth only to give up their child
afterwards
EUTHANASIA
Key Terms
Euthanasia – Mercy killing. Killing a person to end their suffering
Active euthanasia – Taking action which kills a person e.g. lethal drugs
Passive euthanasia – Stopping treatment that is keeping someone alive e.g. turning off a life support
Voluntary euthanasia – Euthanasia that a person has consented to
Non-voluntary euthanasia – Euthanasia when a person is unable to give consent
Involuntary euthanasia – Euthanasia when a person can give consent, but does not
Assisted suicide – Providing someone with the means to kill themselves.
The Law
 Illegal in the UK. Can be viewed as:
o Assisted suicide – carries 14 year jail sentence
o Manslaughter – maximum life sentence
o Murder – maximum life sentence
 Switching off life support machines, and giving painkillers which shorten life, are both practiced
in the UK. Can be viewed as passive euthanasia by some
 Assisted suicide (not euthanasia) is legal in Switzerland, uniquely people can travel there to be
helped to die by a group called Dignitas. Helping someone travel to Switzerland to die can by
punishable by UK law
 Euthanasia is legal in Benelux (Belgium/Netherlands/Luxembourg) but only to citizens, not to
tourists

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Arguments for Arguments against
 People should have the right to make choices about  Allowing euthanasia encourages
important issues that affect them, which includes how it. People may feel pressured
and when they die into asking for euthanasia, or
 Individuals should be able to say whether or not they people could take advantage of
feel their quality of life has declined to the point the law to exploit others e.g.
where it is no longer worth living making an elderly relative feel
 It is compassionate to euthanise animals and pets like a burden for inheritance
who are suffering, humans deserve the same kindness money
 Death happens to everyone in time, but people  Euthanasia weakens societies
shouldn’t have to suffer if it can be avoided respect for the sanctity of life
 We should prioritise the quality of life of people over  The right to die creates a
concepts like the sanctity of life corresponding duty to kill for
medical professionals – this
goes against the Hippocratic
Oath (‘first – do no harm’)
MAIN RELIGIOUS TRADITION + SIMILAR VIEWS CONTRASTING VIEWS
 CHURCH OF ENGLAND – Active euthanasia is wrong,  CHRISTIANITY – The Dutch
passive euthanasia is acceptable, encouraged Protestant Church view active
palliative care (hospices) because: euthanasia as an act of love and
o The CofE believes in the Sanctity of Life (see compassion – “Love your
corresponding section for arguments) neighbour as yourself”. It is
o Legalising active euthanasia will lead to the more loving to allow a painless
old and disabled feeling devalued, and all life death than to force someone to
is important suffer
o However, doctors should not prolong life for  CHRISTIANITY – God gave
the sake of it – removing extraordinary humans free will, and part of
medical treatment leading to passive having free will is choosing the
euthanasia allows God’s plan to come into time and manner of your death.
being  LIBERAL religious views –
 ISLAM – Most Muslims accept passive euthanasia as Liberal religious groups may
they believe their duty is to maintain life, not prolong value the rights of the
death. Muhammad taught that euthanasia leads to individual, and that teachings of
all involved being denied an afterlife in paradise. their religion should be
interpreted in a modern
context.
HOSPICE MOVEMENT
 A hospice is a care centre for people with terminal (life limiting) illnesses.
 Care for people who are dying is called palliative care.
 While many people in hospices may be elderly, they will also be occupied by young adults and
children
 People may stay until they die, or may stay for short periods of time to give respite to family who
care for them
 Do not aim to cure illness, but to care for those who are dying and prepare them and their
families for death
 Almost all religions agree that improving palliative care reduces the need for euthanasia
 Aims include:
o Relieving symptoms of illness through medication, but also through massage,
meditation, and relaxation
o Taking care of emotional and spiritual needs – preparing individuals for their death.
Often relatives are not emotionally able to provide this support

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 o
To support families – including support after a person has died e.g. support networks
and contacts in funeral care
o To educate the community about end of life care
LIFE AFTER DEATH
 Christians believe in resurrection. They differ in belief about whether this will be physical
What happens after death?

or spiritual.
 Most Christians believe in the existence of Heaven, a place of reward, and Hell, a place of
punishment. Catholic Christians also believe in purgatory, a place of purification
 Some Christians believe in a particular judgement – this judgement occurs at the
moment of death
 Others believe in a final judgement – this occurs at Judgement Day, the end of the Earth,
when Jesus will return to judge all humans – the living, and the dead, on how they lived
during their lives
 The resurrection of Jesus is proof of life after death. Christians believe that his sacrifice
and atonement provide the means of them accessing the afterlife
 Christians believe in judgement, therefore they will aim to live their lives in a way pleasing to
God. This means they will follow the teachings of the Bible, and of the Church.
Impact on life of

 The Parable of the Sheep and Goats teaches that judgement is based on the way Christians
believers

treat others, therefore they will aim to show love and care for others during their lives
 Jesus claimed that the only way into Heaven was to accept him as saviour and follow his
teachings
 The resurrection of Jesus is a promise of life after death, therefore Christians will be less
fearful of death, and not view it as bad, or wrong – it is another stage on a persons journey
(however, God is the only one who decides when to give or take life)

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 Useful Quotes
‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’ Genesis 1
‘When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the
stars, what is mankind that you are mindful of them?’ Psalm 8
‘The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.’ Psalm 24
‘Everything that moves is food for you’ Genesis 9
‘The righteous care for the needs of their animals’ Proverbs 12
‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set
you apart.’ Jeremiah 1
‘Blessed are the merciful.’ Matthew 5
‘Love your neighbour’ Mark 12
“I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an
end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder,
since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being.”
Pope John Paul II (Catholic)
“Euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God.”
Pope John Paul II (Catholic)
“I believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting”
Apostles Creed (statement of Christian belief)
The Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25) teaches that Christians
will be judged based on their deeds, and that those who cared for the poor
and needy would receive their eternal reward in Heaven.

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 Practice Questions
2 marks
 Give two types of pollution.
 Give two examples of reasons a woman may want an abortion.
 Gives two reasons that Christians may oppose abortion.
 Give two types of euthanasia.
 Give two reasons that Christians may give to oppose testing on animals.

4 marks (two contrasting OR similar beliefs in contemporary British society. One must be Christian, the
other from a different religion)
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about abortion.
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about euthanasia.
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about testing on animals.
 Explain two similar beliefs in contemporary British society about using animals for food.
 Explain two similar beliefs in contemporary British society about the value of the natural world.

5 marks (you must refer to scripture or sacred writing in your answer)

 Explain two religious beliefs about pollution.
 Explain two religious beliefs about the origins of human life.
 Explain two religious beliefs about stewardship.
 Explain two religious beliefs about the sanctity of life.

12 marks
 ‘Religion is about ideas not truths.’
 ‘Both science and religion are valuable in our world today.’
 ‘Pollution is a fact of life; it cannot be stopped.’
 ‘religious believers should work harder to fight climate change.’
 ‘Global warming is the biggest problem facing humans today.’
 ‘When God gave humans dominion over the world, it meant that we could do what we like.’
 ‘We must ban the use of fossil fuels now.’
 ‘The environment should be everyone’s first priority.’
 ‘Humans are misusing their power over animals.’
 ‘Eating meat is disrespectful to God’s creation.’
 ‘The only acceptable reason to have an abortion is when the mother’s life is at risk.’
 ‘Religious believers should always fight for life to be preserved.’
 ‘Everyone should have the right to die if that is what they want.’
 ‘The right to die should always take priority over the sanctity of life.’
Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should:
- refer to Christian teaching
- give developed arguments to support this statement
- give developed arguments to support a different point of view
- reach a justified conclusion

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 Content Overview Theme C: Existence of God and Revelation
Design argument/Teleological argument
 Scientists have suggested that life in the universe started with a Big Bang
 Theists argue that there is a God who has designed and created the world for a purpose and
that there is evidence of this in the way we see the world around us.
 Christians argue that Genesis 1 supports the Design argument that God planned the start of
the universe: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). An
atheist (someone who does not believe in God) would say that the universe has naturally
evolved and was not created. An agnostic believes it is not possible to know for certain
whether or not God exists.
WILLIAM PALEY’S DESIGN ARGUMENT
 Paley was an 18th Century English philosopher who first suggested this argument.
 The argument follows that: if we found a watch left in the desert, we would not assume that it
had appeared out of random chance, but that it had been carefully and deliberately designed
for a purpose – we would assume that there was a watchmaker. In the same way, the world
shows evidence of intricate design which suggests that there must be a designer – there must
be a God.
 Evidence: many things in nature show design which makes them just right for purpose e.g.
birds wings, fish gills
ISAAC NEWTON’S DESIGN ARGUMENT
 The thumb alone is evidence for God in its amazing design and the fact that it is unique to
every individual
THOMAS AQUINAS’ DESIGN ARGUMENT
 The sun, planets, moon and stars are evidence for God, because only an intelligent being like
God could hold all of these things in place.
WEAKNESSES OF THE DESIGN ARGUMENT
 All of these amazing things in nature (wings, gills, the human thumb) are all the product of
evolution and survival of the fittest, not intelligent design.
 There is a lot of good in the world but also a lot of evil and suffering. Why would God create
these things?
First Cause argument/Cosmological argument
 The First Cause argument tries to logically set out the evidence for God from the existence of
the universe. The argument follows that:
- Everything that exists must have been caused.
- The universe exists, so it must also have a cause
- There had to be something eternal that was not caused by anything to start off this process
- This ‘first cause’ must be an eternal being, or ‘God’
- Therefore God exists
 All events in life are like a line of dominoes, each one falls when the one before it falls over.
But in order to start this sequence of events there must be someone to push the first domino.
 Most theists today would argue that God was the eternal, uncaused causer of the Big Bang.
WEAKNESSES OF THE FIRST CAUSE AGRUMENT
 If everything in the world has a cause, what caused God?
 If God has always existed, surely the same could be said of the universe?
 Some scientists argue that the Big Bang was a random, spontaneous event, not caused by God
 The creation story in the Bible and other religious texts could just be a myth?

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 Miracles
 Miracle: a seemingly impossible event, usually good, that cannot be explained by natural or
scientific laws, and is thought to be the action of God.
 There are two types of miracle:
- Events that break natural laws e.g. Jesus turning water into wine
- Happy coincidences that have a good outcome e.g. a car crash where no one is seriously hurt
 Theists argue that miracles are evidence of God acting in the world. They prove God exists
because they show that he is intervening in his world.
 Case Study: Lourdes is a place of pilgrimage in France where miracles are believed to happen.
Thousands visit every year in the hope to be healed. 69 miracle healing have been officially
recognised by the Catholic Church.
 Miracles cause many people to convert to faith in God.
WEAKNESSES OF THE ARGUMENT FROM MIRACLES FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE
 Atheists might argue that miracles are just coincidences
 They may have scientific explanations we don’t know about yet
 Miracle healing might be a case of mind over matter or wrong diagnosis by doctors
 ‘Miracles’ may just be fakes
 Miracles seem to show that God is picking and choosing who to help and who not to help,
which goes against his qualities of being all-just and all-loving
Arguments against God
 Most theists would argue that they rely on faith rather than evidence to believe in God.
SCEINCE AS AN ARGUMENT AGAINST GOD
 New scientific developments have replaced the need for God. In the past, we needed God to
help us understand how the universe got here, but now science can give us the answers.
 When bad things happened in the world (e.g. floods, crop failure and disease), people
believed it was God punishing them now we can explain why these things happen and work to
solve these problems without God.
 Atheists argue that we do not even need God to create human life anymore, as this can be
done by scientists in a laboratory. Eventually, science will give us all the answers and we won’t
need God at all.
 However, Christians argue that science and religion do not contradict each other and that
both are needed to gain a true understanding of our world. Science tells us the answers to
questions about HOW our world works, religion can tell us WHY e.g. How was the world
created is a question that science can answer, but what about why was the world created?
EVIL AND SUFFERING AS AN ARGUMENT AGAINST GOD
 The world is full of evil and suffering. If God is meant to be all-knowing, all-powerful and all-
loving, then he must know about suffering, be able to stop suffering and care that suffering is
happening, so why does he let it continue?
 Natural disasters could be evidence of poor design.
 Christians argue that suffering is often caused by human actions which is the result of humans
having free will. Humans were not created to be robots but can make choices in their lives.
God gives us the ability to choose right or wrong to teach us important lessons.
Special revelation and enlightenment
 Every religion believes that there is an eternal, unchanging reality. Most faiths believe that
there is some form of the ‘divine’, or God/gods that have power over the world. E.g. Hindus
believe in several gods whereas Christians believe in one God represented in three forms,

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 known as the Trinity. The question is, how can mere human come to know about God?
 Special revelation is when people are spoken to directly by God. This may be in a dream, a
vision or a prophecy. This may happen alone or in a group of people. They usually have a big
impact on the person’s life, and most of the major world faiths began in this way e.g. the
revelation of the Qur’an to Muhammad, or the revelation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary.
 Special revelations are rare and many religious people never experience one.
 Visions are a form of special revelation where someone receives a picture or a message from
God. This has a deeply life-changing effect on the person’s life. A good example of this is the
vision that Saul experienced on the road to Damascus. As a result of this he changed his life
around and became known as Paul.
 Buddhists do not believe in a God or gods, instead they seek to find out what is true and what
is not (ultimate reality). This is known as ‘enlightenment’, which means to discover the truth
about how to achieve happiness by escaping the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
General revelation
 General revelation is another way in which God may reveal himself in the world. Not everyone
receives a direct personal message from God (special revelation), but instead they might come
to know God through their general experience of nature or through reading holy texts.
 These experiences are much more common and are open to anyone, but could be seen as less
convincing proof of God because they are much more open to interpretation.
NATURE AS A WAY OF UNDERSTANDING THE DIVINE
 The beauty of the world around us could be seen by some as good evidence for God, and that
it tells us something about him. Just as looking at a painting tells you something about the
artist, so does looking at nature tell you something about God.
 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm
19:1)
 Looking at nature can inspire us to believe in God because it fills us with awe and wonder.
SCRIPTURE AS A WAY OF UNDERSTANDING THE DIVINE
 Scriptures (holy texts, religious books e.g. the Bible, the Qur’an) tell us what God is like. For
example, the Bible is full of poetry, history and letters describing what God has done for his
people throughout history, and Christians believe that it is the way that God has chosen o
reveal himself to us.
 Scripture can be interpreted in different ways, however. Some may take every word as literally
true whereas others believe that it is symbolic. Scripture can always tell us about God but it
may be that we need to place it in context for today and not apply it literally, as it was written
many thousands of years ago.
 Some people may argue that scriptures cannot tell us anything about God because they are
just people’s opinions which could be wrong. Others argue that all scripture is ‘God-breathed’,
or the word of God himself and therefore should be taken seriously.
 Many Christians believe that, as we read the Bible, the Holy Spirit helps us to understand it.
The nature of the divine
 The ‘nature of the divine’ = what God is believed to be like!
 God is believed to have several qualities. It is difficult to describe God as he is an unseen,
infinite being, but there are some key characteristics that he is believed to have:
- Omnipotent – almighty, capable of doing anything e.g. creating the universe
- Omniscient – aware of everything that happens in the past, present and future.
- Benevolent – all-loving and good, he provides everything people need for life on earth

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 - Immanent – God is present in the universe, he is present with people in their lives and able
to help them and to influence events.
- Transcendent – God is beyond time and space, he is not limited to the world but is separate
from it, and acts outside of people’s lives and events in history.
- Personal – God cares about people’s lives and has human characteristics such as
‘compassionate’ and ‘merciful’, he listens to people’s requests through prayer.
- Impersonal – God is more like a force or an idea, and he cannot be accurately compared to a
human being with human-like qualities.
 Many religious believers say that, even though some of these characteristics seem to be
contradictory, they are all still true. This is because God is a mystery, he is beyond human
understanding.
 Example from Christianity:
- Personal – God is referred to as a Father who listens to and answers prayers.
- Impersonal – God is also beyond our understanding and not limited to human qualities
- Immanent – God came to earth to live in human form in the person of Jesus
- Transcendent – God is the creator of the universe, he is the one who made time and space
The value of revelation
 Revelation of one of the ways in which religious believers say they can know God.
 People can learn about God through revelation and even turn their lives around from being atheists to
theists.
 Revelation can provide proof of God’s existence, help to start a religion, enable believers to have a
relationship with the divine, and help people to know what they must do to live as God wishes.
 Case study: Nicky Cruz was a gang leader in Brooklyn New York. His life was changed completely by
listening to a Christian preacher. He became a Christian and even converted many others to believing
in Jesus.
 Ways to test whether a claim about revelation is real (or ‘the three Rs’ to help you remember them):
- REAL - Does the revelation match the real world?
- RELIGION - Does it fit with other revelations already accepted by the religion?
- RESULT - Does it change someone’s religion or convert them from unbelief to belief?
ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE VALUE OF REVELATIONS AS EVIDENCE FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE
 Atheists argue that if people have conflicting beliefs about God resulting from revelations then this
proves that they cannot be real. Even within a religion people can have different interpretations of the
same event. E.g. Christians do not always agree on the interpretation of Biblical texts.
 Revelation could instead be the result of drug use or hallucinations. They may be wishful thinking
meaning that the person wants their experience to be true even if it didn’t really happen. They may be
suffering a mental illness. They may be lying about their experience or simply mistaken.

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 Useful Quotes
‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1
“In the absence of any other proof,
the thumb alone would convince me of
God’s existence.” Isaac Newton

“The Big Bang does not contradict the

divine act of creation; rather it
requires it.” Pope Francis (Catholic)

‘When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself

to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams.’ Numbers 12
‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the
work of his hands.’ Psalm 19
‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him will not die but have eternal life.’
John 3
‘You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when
I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.’
Psalm 139

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 Practice Questions
2 marks
 Give two types of special revelation.
 Give two examples of miracles.
 Gives two qualities of the divine.
 Give two reasons that theists believe in God
 Give two reasons that atheists do not believe in God

4 marks (two contrasting OR similar beliefs in contemporary British society. One must be Christian, the
other non-religious (for this topic only!))
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about the Design argument for God’s
existence.
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about nature as a source of general
revelation.
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about miracles.
 Explain two similar beliefs in contemporary British society about special revelation.
 Explain two similar beliefs in contemporary British society about the First Cause argument.

5 marks (you must refer to scripture or sacred writing in your answer)

 Explain two religious beliefs about visions.
 Explain two religious beliefs about miracles.
 Explain two religious beliefs about the nature of the divine.
 Explain two religious beliefs about the proof of God’s existence.

12 marks
 ‘Humans could never understand God.’
 ‘It does not matter if people have different ideas about God.’
 ‘God must not exist because of suffering in the world.’
 ‘It is impossible to believe in both science and religion.’
 ‘We should always believe it when someone says that God spoke to them.’
 ‘Religious believers should make it a priority to gain enlightenment.’
 ‘God is an illusion.’
 ‘As revelation is based on belief, it is always subject to doubt.’
 ‘There is not enough evidence to prove that God exists.’
 ‘It is not possible to understand God just from looking at the world around is.’
 ‘People who claim to have seen a miracle are just making it up.’
 ‘Revelations are just one person’s opinion and so they have no value.’
 ‘The First Cause argument cannot prove that God really exists.’
Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should:
- refer to Christian teaching
- give developed arguments to support this statement
- give developed arguments to support a different point of view
- reach a justified conclusion

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 Content Overview Theme D: Religion, Peace and Conflict
Peace An absence of conflict, which leads to happiness and harmony. Most religious groups
actively aim to work towards achieving peace in the world.
War Fighting between nations to resolve issues between them.
Reconciliation A sacrament for Catholics; when individuals or groups restore friendly relationships after a
conflict or disagreement. Reconciliation follows conflict.
Justice Bringing about what is right and fair, according to the law and making up for a wrong. If
people are treated with justice then it means they are treated fairly and equally, and all
enjoy the same rights as each other.
Forgiveness Showing grace and mercy and pardoning someone for what they have done wrong. God
gives an example of how to forgive by sending Jesus as a sacrifice to be the forgiveness of
sin.
Violence Using actions that threaten or harm others. All religions teach that unnecessary use of
violence is wrong.
 In the UK, people have a right to protest if they disagree with the law or the way the country is wrong.
However the police are able to intervene if they believe that the protest will turn violent.
 In 2011, riots broke out across the UK. A riot is an unplanned protest that turns violent. This was sparked
by the unlawful shooting of a man by the police in London. As a result, riots broke out in cities across
the UK.
 Peaceful protest has been used as a powerful tool to bring about change e.g. Civil Rights Movement in
USA during the 1950s-1960s.
Terrorism The use of violence, usually used against innocent civilians, to achieve a political goal
 Terrorism is a more serious use of violence. An individual or group tries to get their political message
across through methods such as suicide bombing, gunmen and knife attacks.
 Terrorists may associate their cause with a religion (for example the IRA claims links with Christianity,
ISIS claims links with Islam), but no religion promotes terrorism. Most religious believers consider violent
acts of terrorism to be wrong and do not associate themselves with such attacks.
Reasons for war Greed, self-defence, retaliation
GREED
 Rich, powerful nations want to maintain their status and becomes richer and more powerful.
 Conflicts may take place through land disputes or in an effort to gain natural resources.
SELF-DEFENCE
 Many people consider self-defence as a morally acceptable reason for fighting. This may be to defend
their countries values or way of life.
 E.g. during the Second World War the UK fought to defend Europe against Nazi invasion.
RETALITATION
 The terrorist attacks on September 11 could be seen as a retaliation against the conflict in Afghanistan.
 This may be seen as a good reason for fighting by some, by Jesus said the opposite when he told people
to ‘turn the other cheek’.
Nuclear war and weapons of mass destructions
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
 Weapons that work by nuclear reaction and
cause mass devastation and fatality
 These weapons are deadly not just because of
their initial impact but also the long lasting effects,
e.g. birth defects and tainted environment.

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 For example, a nuclear weapon was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the Second World
War which caused the deaths of 140,000 civilians. For some people, this was thought to be justified as it
could have been the factor which ended to Second World War and thus prevented unknown numbers of
further deaths.
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
 Chemical weapons – containing lethal chemicals which cause harm to the environment and endanger
human life.
 Biological weapons – contain living organisms such as harmful bacteria and viruses, can cause death on a
mass scale.
 Many see the use of these weapons as wrong because they are intended to kill mass populations of
people, and there can be little justification for that.
 Some Christians believe they should be used as a deterrent. However most disagree and argue that:
- Only God can take a life.
- It is wrong to injure civilians.
- Jesus was a pacifist and would not agree to their use.
- God created everything and we have a duty to protect it.
- Life is seen as sacred, so weapons should not be used.
- Innocent people should be protected.
CHRISTIANITY - Just War Theory
 Fourth century Christian monk St Augustine wrote about the morality of war. He developed a set of
conditions by which conflicts should be measured to determine whether they are fair and justifiable.
These were later added to to become the just war theory.
- Success – the authority waging war must consider itself to have a reasonable chance of victory
over their opponents
- Proportionate – the force used must be no more than is necessary to ensure victory
- Intentions – the intention behind the war should be to fight evil
- Reason – the reason for going to war should be honourable e.g. to defend human rights, rather
than to take power or natural resources
- Authority – the proper authority must declare war, such as the government rather than a
political party that is not in power
- Last resort – every other means of resolving the conflict peacefully should have been tried first.
 Many Christians believe that it is much better for there to be no war at all, regardless of whether it is
just. They would encourage world leaders to work for peaceful reconciliation wherever possible.
 Some Christians oppose the just war theory because they feel that it could lead to a general acceptance
of war.
 In Islam, just war may be referred to as lesser Jihad. Jihad means ‘struggle’, and the lesser struggle is
considered to be that which a Muslim carries out when they fight to defend the faith. Greater Jihad
refers to the inward struggle every Muslim faces to live in accordance with the will of Allah.
 Similarly to the just war theory, a lesser Jihad should be:
- the last resort
- carried out in self defence
- declared by a state leader
- fought for a just cause
- fought in defence of Islam and not for selfish gain
- fought using honourable methods; no mutilation, avoid injury to women and children, not harm
the environment, animals only killed for food, use only enough force
Holy War
 A holy war is a conflict fought for religious reasons where it is believed  Muslims feel they have
that God is on the side of those waging war. a duty to respond to

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 Holy war must be declared by a religious leader and must be to defend threats towards the
the faith. faith of Islam, unless
 Historically, Christians have fought holy wars to defend the religion and their families cannot
its most holy sites. The Crusades were a good example of holy wars that cope without them.
were fought between Christians and Muslims to take ownership of the Some men should
holy city of Jerusalem. remain at home
 It is not commonly believed to be part of current Christian belief, as most instead of fighting in
Christians believe that they should use their faith to fight for the will of battles to protect their
God, rather than violence. families.
 The Old Testament of the Bible suggests that violence may sometimes be  In Islam, soldiers are
necessary, for example in the teaching ‘An eye for an eye’. There are also instructed to remain on
several examples of God asking his people to wage war against their the battlefield until
enemies in defence of the Promised Land. they win or until all
 However, many Christians today look more to the teachings of Jesus, who have been killed.
was widely believed to be a pacifist. For example, Jesus instructed Peter
to ‘Put your sword back in its place’.
Pacifism and peace making
 A pacifist is someone, religious or not, who believes that violence can never be ISLAM
justified and who seeks to end conflicts in a peaceful way.  The word
 Quakers are a Christian group who refused to fight during the world wars due to ‘Islam’ means
their strong pacifist convictions. Instead, they contributed to the war effort in non- peace, and so
combatant roles such as doctors, nurses, cooks and mechanics. These jobs were many Muslims
arguably even more dangerous than fighting, as they involved working often on the believe that
frontline of the conflict. Despite this, Quakers and other conscientious-objectors they should
(those who refused to fight for moral reasons) faced public scorn, punishment and work for
even execution for not signing up to fight. peace by
 Many Christians choose to be pacifists because they believe that Jesus taught whatever
peace. For example, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children means
of God.’ possible.
 Some Christians believe that conflict should be avoided if at all possible, but that  E.g. Muslim
under certain conditions fighting may be justified (see above). Peace
 The Anglican Pacifist Fellowship is a Christian group linked with the Anglican Fellowship
Church. They organise peace-related events, produce regular newsletters and work works for
o raise awareness of pacifism. peace.
Response to victims of war
 War has many devastating consequences; large scale loss of life, life changing injury, collapse of a
county’s economy, contamination of land on which crops is grown etc.
 In the UK, financial support is given to those who have helped to fight in conflicts, for example through
charities such as Help for Heroes.
 Christian Aid is a Christian charity working to support those in need as a consequence of war. They are
putting Jesus’ teaching ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ into practice. They support local organisations
in war torn countries and raise money and awareness on the UK.
 Caritas is a Catholic organisation who seek to promote justice and give support to those affected by war
across the world, e.g. by giving shelter to refugees fleeing war in Syria.

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 Useful Quotes
‘Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.’ Isaiah 2
‘The love of money is the root of all kinds of
evil.’ 1 Timothy 6
‘Live at peace with everyone.’ Romans 12
‘If anyone hits you on the right cheek, turn to
them the other cheek also.’ Matthew 5
‘If there is a serious injury, you are to take life
for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’
Exodus 21
‘“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said,
“for all who draw the sword die by the
sword.”’ Matthew 26
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall
be called sons of God.’ Matthew 5

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 Practice Questions
2 marks
 Give two conditions of the just war theory.
 Give two reasons for war.
 Gives two reasons that a Christian might be a pacifist.
 Give two examples of weapons of mass destruction.
 Give two ways in which a Christian may respond to the victims of war.

4 marks (two contrasting OR similar beliefs in contemporary British society. One must be Christian,
the other a different religion)
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about violence.
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about weapons of mass destruction.
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about pacifism.
 Explain two similar beliefs in contemporary British society about whether or not war can be justified.
 Explain two similar beliefs in contemporary British society about holy war.

5 marks (you must refer to scripture or sacred writing in your answer)

 Explain two religious beliefs about just war.
 Explain two religious beliefs about reconciliation.
 Explain two religious beliefs about the importance of supporting the victims of war.
 Explain two religious beliefs about the use of nuclear weapons.

12 marks
 ‘The most difficult thing to do is to reconcile after conflict.’
 ‘Religious people should always forgive those who do wrong to them.’
 ‘It is always wrong for religious believers to protest violently.’
 ‘Terrorism is never right.’
 ‘Greed is never a good reason for war.’
 ‘Peace is an impossible dream.’
 ‘There can be no such thing as a just war, because the innocent will always suffer.’
 ‘Religion does not cause war.’
 ‘Religion does not keep the peace.’
 ‘Religion cannot end war.’
Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should:
- refer to Christian teaching
- give developed arguments to support this statement
- give developed arguments to support a different point of view
- reach a justified conclusion

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