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b604 revision guide
GCSE
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Table of Contents
How to answer the questions
Religion, Peace and Justice
War
Attitudes to war
Crime and punishment
Christianity
Religion and Equality
Christianity
Equality
Principle of Equality
Attitudes to Racism
Aims of Punishment
Christians Attitudes to Racism
Capital Punishment
Key Christian Examples
The Treatment of Prisoners
Social Justice and Injustice
Example Questions
Attitudes to Sexism
Should women be priests?
Attitudes to Other Religions
Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Example Questions
How to answer the questions
 Parts a, b and c are point marked. This means that each mark requires one point to be made e.g. part
b is worth 2 marks, so make two points
Examples:
a) What is death? (1)
 Death is the end of life
One point made – one mark given
b) Give two examples of environmental issues. (2)
 Global warming and pollution.
Two points made – two marks given
c) Describe Christian beliefs about God. (3)
 Christians believe God is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-seeing) and God is the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, known as the Trinity.
Three points made – three marks given
 Parts d (6 marks) and e (12 marks) are level marked. This means you do not need to make 6 or 12
points, but you need to write a detailed answer. Spend most of your time on these questions.
o d) questions - in these questions, you need to give full explanations.
 Accurately state the beliefs and teachings you are explaining, using specialist terms
 Use quotes to back up these points of view
 Remember there are often different views / beliefs to be explained
o e) questions - in these questions, you need to discuss and evaluate different opinions. Examiners
are looking for THREE things:
 A range of different views. This means you have to explain opposing points of view.
 Religious views, giving supporting reasons for each one.
 A personal conclusion, clearly showing what you think of the
different views in your discussion, giving reasons for your decisions.
PLEASE NOTE that 3 marks are now awarded for your answers
in each unit for spelling, punctuation and grammar
Religion, Peace and Justice
Christianity
War
Definitions:
A war is a military conflict between two or more countries.
A civil war is a military conflict between two or more groups within a country.
 Examples: World War 2, Iraq War.
 Causes: War is caused by disputes over land, resources and religion.
Attitudes to war
There are three key Christian attitudes to war: Holy War, Just War and No War (Pacifism).
 Holy War – a religious war, often fought in the name of God.
The Crusades, fought in the Middle Ages, are examples of Holy Wars, fought by Christians between Christians and
Muslims over control of the Holy Land and Jerusalem.
 No War (pacifism)
o Pacifism is the belief that war is always wrong.
o Pacifists believe in non-violent protest (e.g. Martin Luther King)
o Pacifists believe that disputes should be solved by negotiations and trade boycotts
o Some Christian Churches are pacifist, such as the Quakers. During the two World Wars, Quakers were
conscientious objectors, meaning they protested against the war and refused to fight on the grounds of their
conscience (beliefs).
o Quakers point to the teachings of Jesus:
“Blessed are the peacemakers”
“Love your enemies”
 Just War – the belief that war is sometimes justifiable, that war is sometimes morally right
o The Just War Theory was put forward by the Christian philosopher Augustine. He argued that for a war to be
just (right) the following conditions had to be followed:
i.
The war must be started by a legal authority (e.g. President, Prime Minister)
ii.
There must be a just cause – a good reason (e.g. self-defence)
iii.
The war must be the last resort – all peaceful means to solve the dispute must be tried first.
iv.
Civilians must be protected – they must not be directly targeted.
Some Christians argue that the use of W.M.D.s (Weapons of Mass Destruction – e.g. nuclear weapons) in a
war fails the conditions because civilians cannot be protected.
o The Just War theory is supported by most churches, including the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of
England.
o Christians who support the Just War theory point to an incident in the life of Jesus, when he used force
to clear unjust traders out of the Jerusalem Temple. He accused the traders of cheating the poor.
Crime and punishment
Definitions: A crime is an action that breaks the law of the country
A sin is an action that breaks the law of God
 Causes of Crime – These include bad upbringing, alcohol and drug addiction, and mental illness
Aims of Punishment
 The Aims of Punishment are concerned with a just response to crime, and they include:

Retribution – criminals get what they deserve (Retaliation); the punishment must fit the crime

Deterrence – to put other people off committing crime

Protection – to protect society from criminals

Reform – to help the criminal change their ways and become a better person
(Rehabilitation)
 Types of Punishment used in the UK today – These include Prison, Fines, Community Service, ASBOs,
 Christian Responses to these Aims of Punishment – Christians are divided as to which is the most important aim:
Is it retribution or reform?

Retribution – Those Christians who argue that retribution is the most important aim of punishment point to the
importance of justice in sentencing a criminal. This is supported by the Law of Moses which states:
‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
This teaches that the punishment should fit the crime.

Reform – Those Christians who argue that reform is the most important aim of punishment point to the importance
of mercy (or forgiveness). This is supported by the teachings of Jesus:
‘Blessed are the merciful’
This teaching is illustrated by Jesus’ Parable of the Lost Son and the Woman caught in the act of Adultery,
which emphasise the importance of forgiveness. This means that we should be willing to look at the person’s
background and the situation that led them to commit a crime (e.g. drug addiction).
Capital Punishment
 Capital Punishment – Capital punishment is also known as the death penalty. It is the act of executing a criminal as
a punishment for crime.
Capital punishment is no longer legal in the UK, though there are many countries that still use it as a punishment, such
as the USA and China.
Some arguments concerning capital punishment:
For


It is an effective deterrence; it will
prevent other murders
It is the only just punishment for murder.
If you kill someone, then you deserve to
be killed.

The Bible teaches ‘A life for a life’ and
‘You shall not murder.’
Against

Mistakes are made and innocent people
have been executed in the past

There is no chance of reform if we
execute the criminal

It is wrong to show that killing is wrong
by killing someone as a punishment.
The Treatment of Prisoners
Christians have for a long time been involved in campaigns to improve the treatment of prisoners:
1. Elizabeth Fry
Elizabeth Fry was a Quaker Christian who successfully campaigned in the early 19 th century to improve the conditions in
prisons, especially for women and children.
2. The Salvation Army
This Christian group works to provide support and hostel accommodation for people who are in need, including the
homeless, drug addicts, alcoholics and ex-prisoners.
Social Justice and Injustice
 Justice is about ‘fairness’; injustice is about unfairness.
The word ‘social’ concerns society, so social justice is when people in a society are treated fairly, especially by the
government
 Examples of social injustice include racial segregation, no right to vote, religious persecution, unfair trials, and an
unjust distribution of wealth.
 The international organization Amnesty International fights for the rights of people who have
been imprisoned for speaking out against an unjust government.
 Christians believe that all people should be treated equally, because they are all created equally
in the Image of God
 Jesus believed that he had been sent ‘to proclaim good news to the poor…and to set the oppressed free’.
 In his Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus told his followers to care for the poor and needy, including those
who are starving, homeless and in prison
 Christian groups / people working against social injustice include:

The Salvation Army – works to help the homeless, drug addicts, the poor etc

Christian Aid – works throughout the world to help victims of famine, war, poverty, environmental problems

Oscar Romero – Roman Catholic Archbishop of El Salvador, who spoke out against the oppression of the poor
population by the government. Oscar Romero was killed by the government.
Example Questions
(a)
What is pacifism?
[1]
(b)
Give two examples of what Christians might consider to be social injustice .
[2]
(c)
Why might Christians work for peace?
[3]
(d)
What are Christian attitudes towards war?
[6]
(e)
‘All people must be pacifists.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is capital punishment?
[1]
(b)
Give two aims of punishment.
[2]
(c)
Describe what the attitude of Christians might be towards capital punishment.
[3]
(d)
Explain what Christians might believe about the treatment of criminals.
[6]
(e)
‘Putting people into prison is a waste of money.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is meant by the term ‘social justice’?
[1]
(b)
Give two reasons why Christians might be pacifists.
[2]
(c)
Give three ways in which Christians might respond to social injustice.
[3]
(d)
Explain what Christians might believe about Just War.
[6]
(e)
‘You should always stand up to unjust governments.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is meant by the term ‘Just War’?
[1]
(b)
Give two examples of social justice.
[2]
(c)
What do Christians believe about pacifism?
[3]
(d)
Explain why working towards social justice is important for some Christians.
[6]
(e)
‘Capital punishment can never be justified.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is meant by the term ‘pacifism’?
(b)
(i)
[1]
Name one of the aims of punishment.
(ii) State what this means.
[2]
(c)
Describe one way Christians might put the concept of justice into practice.
[3]
(d)
Explain why some Christians believe they should not use violence.
[6]
(e)
‘Punishment is not the best way to deal with criminals.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is meant by the term ‘capital punishment?
[1]
(b)
Give two aims of capital punishment.
[2]
(c)
Give three reasons why Christians might work for peace?
[3]
(d)
Explain different Christian beliefs about going to war.
[6]
(e)
‘Prison is the best place for criminals.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
Religion and Equality
Christianity
Equality
Definitions:
1. Equality means people have the same value and opportunities
2. Prejudice means to think badly of people because they are different
3. Discrimination means to treat people badly because they are different
4. Racism is prejudice and discrimination on the grounds of race
5. Sexism is prejudice and discrimination on the grounds of gender
Principle of Equality
Christians believe in the principle of equality because:
 The Genesis Creation Story teaches that all people were created equally in the Image of God
 The Great Commandment states: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’
 The Golden Rule states: ‘Treat others as you would want them to treat you’
 Saint Paul tells Christians that the Church should treat all people equally and should not discriminate against people on
the grounds of race, sex or class
Attitudes to Racism
 Examples of Racism – These include:

Holocaust in Nazi Germany

Racial Segregation in America

Apartheid in South Africa

Murder of Stephen Lawrence by a white gang in London

Abuse of black football players
Christians Attitudes to Racism

Most Christians today believe that racism is wrong. They would argue that all humans were created in the ‘Image of
God’, so all humans are equal.

The Great Commandment states: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’

Jesus told the Parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate the Great Commandment.
In this story a Jewish man is robbed and left for dead. Both a Jewish Priest and Levite (i.e. lawyer) walk past the
man, but a Samaritan (enemies of the Jews) stops to help. This story teaches that your neighbour is anyone in need,
including your enemy, regardless of their race, colour or religion
Key Christian Examples

Martin Luther King – He dedicated his life to fighting for equal rights for blacks in America in the 1950–60s. As the
leader of the Civil Rights Movement he used peaceful protests (e.g. bus boycott) to fight against racial segregation.
The election of Barack Obama as the first black President of the United States is testimony to the work of Martin
Luther King

Desmond Tutu – As an Archbishop in South Africa, he campaigned peacefully for the end of apartheid.
The election of Nelson Mandela as the first black president of South Africa is again testimony to the work of
Desmond Tutu
Attitudes to Sexism
 Some Facts

In the past, women were expected to look after her husband, keep the family home and bear children. Only the men
went out to work

In the UK, women were given the right to vote in 1928

The Sex Discrimination Act (1975) gave women equal rights (e.g. equal pay) in the workplace
Should women be priests?
The Roman Catholic Church says ‘NO’, the Church of England says ‘YES’
- though it only passed a law allowing women to be ordained as priests in 1992
(The Vicar of Dibley series started in 1994) and more recently voted against women becoming bishops.
Arguments in favour of ‘NO’
Arguments in favour of ‘YES’
Genesis 2 – God created Adam first and then created Eve
Genesis 1 – Men and women were created equally in the
from Adam’s rib to be his helper
‘Image of God”
Saint Paul also wrote “I permit no woman to have authority
Saint Paul states in his letter to the Galatians that “there is
over a man.” Many Christians look at these writings of St.
neither male nor female . . . for you are all one in Christ
Paul and say that men and women are equal in importance,
Jesus.” This suggests that Paul thought that men and
but that they should have different roles.
women were to be seen as equal
Jesus chose twelve male disciples to be the leaders of the
Jesus had many female followers, one of whom (Mary
Church
Magdalene) was the first to witness his resurrection
Attitudes to Other Religions
There are TWO main views within Christianity about other religions.
 Fundamentalist Christians believe that only Christianity is the true religion

They point to the teaching of Jesus, who said ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me.’

They seek to convert people to the Christian faith through preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ (i.e. evangelism)
and missionary work in non-Christian countries.
 Liberal Christians believe that all religions are different but equal ways to God.

They promote the Ecumenical Movement which seeks to bring the different churches (e.g. Protestant and
Catholic) closer together. The peace settlement in Northern Ireland is an example of this approach.

They also promote a greater understanding between the World Religions through Inter-faith Dialogue, as all
religions have a lot in common, in order to promote world peace.
Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Forgiveness is a key theme in Jesus’ teaching and means to stop blaming someone. His Parable of the Lost Son teaches
the importance of forgiveness.
In this parable, Jesus tells the story of a father who shared his wealth with his two sons. The younger son left home and
wasted his money. He then found a job on a pig farm in order to survive. He was so desperate that he returned home and
apologised to his father. His father was in his rights to have his son put to death, for bringing disgrace on the family name
(i.e. an honour killing), but instead his father showed him forgiveness.
Reconciliation is about mending a broken relationship. It is about restoring peace and friendship. For Christians, this is a
crucial part of the Christian life, both in their relationships with other people and their relationship with God. Jesus said
‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ and ‘Blessed are the merciful’.
Both Martin Luther King and Desmond Tutu sought to bring peace in their divided communities by protesting peacefully
against injustice and by promoting forgiveness for the wrongs of the past. Without a willingness to ‘forgive and forget’, they
believed that their communities could easily descend into fighting and killing.
Example Questions
(a)
What does the word ‘racism’ mean?
[1]
(b)
Give two examples of prejudice.
[2]
(c)
Suggest how Christians might work to stop racism.
[3]
(d)
Explain Christian teachings about equality.
[6]
(e)
‘Religious people should treat everyone equally.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is meant by ‘equality’?
[1]
(b)
What do Christians believe about reconciliation?
[2]
(c)
Describe Christian beliefs about equality.
[3]
(d)
Explain Christian teaching about the role of women in society.
[6]
(e)
‘Men and women are not equal.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is meant by the term ‘sexism’?
[1]
(b)
Give two examples of sexism.
[2]
(c)
Describe Christian attitudes towards the role of women in society.
[3]
(d)
Explain Christian beliefs about forgiveness.
[6]
(e)
‘If Christianity is right, all the other religions must be wrong.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is meant by the term ‘prejudice’?
[1]
(b)
Give two examples of racism.
[2]
(c)
State three ways in which Christians might challenge inequality.
[3]
(d)
Explain why Christians might have different beliefs about the role of women.
[6]
(e)
‘Religious people have a duty to convert others.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is meant by the term ‘reconciliation’?
[1]
(b)
State two reasons why Christians might believe equality is important.
[2]
(c)
Describe one belief Christians might have about other religions.
[3]
(d)
Explain how beliefs about forgiveness might affect the life of a Christian.
[6]
(e)
‘Fighting racism is the most important thing a Christian can do.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
State the meaning of the term ‘racism?
[1]
(b)
Give two examples of inequality based on gender.
[2]
(c)
Describe one Christian belief about forgiveness.
[3]
(d)
Explain why equality might be important to Christians.
[6]
(e)
‘You should not change your religion.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Christianity in your answer.
[12]