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b01 revision guide
GCSE
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Table of Contents
How to answer the questions
Belief about Deity
Christianity
End of Life
Key words:
Key Definitions:
Body and soul
What do Christians believe about God?
Life after death
The Trinity
Why do Christians believe in God?
Hinduism
How does the belief in reincarnation affect the life of a Hindu?
The Four Varnas (castes)
The Design Argument
The Four Ashramas (stages of life)
The First Cause Argument
The Four Yogas (paths)
The Religious Experience Argument
Miracles
Reasons for believing in miracles
Reasons not to believe in miracles
Example Questions
Hindu Funeral Rites
Hindu funerals in India
Hindu funerals in the UK
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
Belief about Deity
Christianity
Key Definitions:
A belief is a statement that is accepted as true
Monotheism is belief in one God
A deity is a god or goddess
Revelation refers to God making something known
to people (e.g. His laws in the Bible)
What do Christians believe about God?
Christians believe that God is:
 Omnipotent – all powerful
 Omniscient – all knowing
 Omnibenevolent – all loving
 Omnipresent – all seeing
The Trinity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion. However, for Christians, this one God exists
Father
rr
as three persons, which they call the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
 Father – the Creator of the world
 Son – the Saviour of the world. Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the
God
Son
Holy
Spirit
Incarnation of God the Son. Jesus died on a cross on Good Friday to save the
world from the effects of sin. After his death he was resurrected on Easter Sunday.

Holy Spirit – the Power of God at work in the world. Christians talk about the Spirit of God indwelling them, to guide
and inspire them to be like Christ. They believe the Spirit of God came upon the first Christians on the Day of Pentecost,
which is regarded as the Birthday of the Church.
Why do Christians believe in God?
When asked why they believe in God, Christians often give the following arguments:
The Design Argument
This argument is based on the idea that the universe (or world) is too well designed to have come about by
chance. The 18th century scientist, William Paley, compared the workings of the universe to those of a watch.
He argued that just as a watch must have a watchmaker, the world must have a world-maker (i.e. God).
The First Cause Argument
Everything that begins to exist must have a cause. The universe had a beginning (the Big Bang), so it too must have a
cause, as something cannot come from nothing. Therefore, the universe must have a cause – a ‘first cause’. For
Christians, this ‘first cause’ must be God.
The Religious Experience Argument
Many Christians claim to have had some kind of religious experience of God, which leads them to a belief in God. Types of
religious experiences include visions, miracles and conversions. One famous conversion is:
Nicky Cruz
Nicky Cruz was the leader of the Mau Mau gang in New York. After meeting a preacher, Nicky had a
conversion experience marked by his throat being healed. After he became a preacher himself, he worked
among the gangs helping young people overcome their drug addiction.
This argument states that these different religious experiences cannot all be false; therefore, there must be a
God to explain these events.
Miracles
 Miracle – a supernatural act of God
 Miracles are one way that God intervenes in the world
 The Bible contains many miracle stories (e.g. Moses dividing the Red Sea, Jesus feeding 5000 people):
Two Main Christian Responses to these Miracles
Fundamentalist Christians
Liberal Christians
These believe that the Bible is the Word of
These believe that the Bible is the Word of God
God and is literally true. This means that
only in the sense that it is about God. It should
the miracles in the Bible happened exactly
not be taken literally. Miracle stories should be
as they are written.
interpreted in a metaphorical way.


Jesus actually fed 5000 people with
five loaves and two fish.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand is to be
interpreted metaphorically –
it encourages people to share what they
have and not to waste food.
Reasons for believing in miracles
o The resurrection of Jesus is viewed by Christians as the most important miracle. Saint Paul argued that if this
miracle did not happen, then Christianity is false.
o God is omnipotent therefore can do anything.
o There have been 67 miracles at Lourdes in France where a girl called Bernadette saw visions of the Virgin Mary.
These miracles have been confirmed by the Roman Catholic Church after investigations could find no scientific
explanation for these healings.
Reasons not to believe in miracles
o Science might not be able to explain every ‘miraculous’ event at present, but this does not mean that it will not be
able to in the future.
o If God is all-loving, then why doesn’t he heal everyone?
o Why does God heal individuals, and then leave thousands to die in natural disasters?
Example Questions
(a)
What is a god?
[1]
(b)
State two things which Christians might believe about miracles.
[2]
(c)
Describe Christian beliefs about God.
[3]
(d)
Explain why Christians believe in God.
[6]
(e)
‘If God existed we would know it.’
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 a miracle?
[1]
(b)
State TWO Christian beliefs about the nature of God.
[2]
(c)
What do Christians believe about Jesus?
[3]
(d)
Explain Christian beliefs about miracles.
[6]
(e)
“There is a lot of evidence to prove there is a God”.
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of views and a personal viewpoint. You must
refer to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What does monotheism mean?
(b)
(i) Give one word that describes the nature of God.
[1]
(ii) State what it means.
[2]
(c)
Describe how the Holy Spirit affects Christians.
[3]
(d)
Explain why Christians believe God exists.
[6]
(e)
“It is important for Christians to believe in miracles.”
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of views and a personal viewpoint. You must
refer to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is meant by the term ‘deity’?
[1]
(b)
Give two examples of Christian miracles.
[2]
(c)
Describe one reason a Christian might give for believing in God.
[3]
(d)
Explain why there are different beliefs about miracles within Christianity.
[6]
(e)
“God cannot be described”.
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of views and a personal viewpoint. You must
refer to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is meant by the term ‘belief’?
[1]
(b)
Give two examples of how God intervenes in the world.
[2]
(c)
Describe why some Christians believe that God chooses to intervene in the world .
[3]
(d)
Explain what Christians believe about the nature of God.
[6]
(e)
“Belief in God is not reasonable”.
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of views and a personal viewpoint. You must
refer to Christianity in your answer.
[12]
End of Life
Hinduism
Key words:
Reincarnation
-
the rebirth of the soul into another life form
Atman
-
the immortal soul in every living thing
Brahman
-
the universal spirit or soul, of which the atman is a part
Samsara
-
the cycle of birth, death and rebirth
Karma
-
the belief that your actions affect your rebirth
Moksha
-
escape from rebirth
Nirvana
-
the union of Atman and Brahman – perfect peace
Dharma
-
doing your duty
The Vedas
-
Hindu Scriptures
Body and soul
Hindus believe that every living thing, including plants and animals, has a soul – the atman. The atman is Brahman present
in all living things. The atman lives in one body and when that body dies, it is reborn into another body. Hindu Scriptures
compare the body to a set of clothes which can be replaced with another set when they are worn out. Therefore:

The body is mortal, whereas the soul (Atman) is immortal

The body is visible, whereas the soul (Atman) is invisible
Life after death
The aim of each atman is to achieve good karma through fulfilling one’s dharma. If, on death, the atman has achieved good
karma, it will receive a good (or higher) rebirth. This cycle of birth, death and rebirth, known as samsara, continues through
thousands of rebirths until the atman is not reborn again and is released from the cycle of samsara to rejoin Brahman, the
universal soul. This release is called moksha and the union of Atman and Brahman is called nirvana.
How does the belief in reincarnation affect the life of a Hindu?
In order to achieve good karma, Hindus must live a good life by fulfilling their dharma.
Varnashramadharma means that a person’s dharma depends on their
varna (caste) and their ashrama (stage of life)
The Four Varnas (castes)
A person’s dharma (duty) depends upon the varna (= caste) into which they were born. There are four main varnas (castes),
the highest one being the Brahmins (= Priests)
Below these main varnas (castes) are also the Untouchables, whom Mahatma Gandhi named ‘Children of God’, in order to
highlight their unjust treatment within Indian society.
The Four Ashramas (stages of life)
A person passes through four ashramas (= stages of life), each with its own duties. The first is the student stage when a
person is responsible for learning about their faith.
Throughout these stages Hindus must practise the Four Yogas.
The Four Yogas (paths)
For Hindus, release from the cycle of samsara is the ultimate aim in life. This release is called moksha. Hindus believe there
are four paths to moksha, known as the four yogas.
One of these is Good Works. This path includes ahimsa, not harming any living thing. Many Hindus are vegetarian.
Hindu Funeral Rites
A rite is a special custom to mark the importance of an event.
The rites at a Hindu funeral show the beliefs that Hindus have about life after death. Some of these rites are for the benefit of
the deceased, to help them in the next life, while others are mainly for the benefit of the bereaved, to comfort them as they
mourn the loss of a loved one.
Hindu funerals in India
Rites for the Benefit of the Deceased
Funeral Rite
Meaning of the Rite
The body is washed and wrapped in a new shroud.
This signifies the change to a new life for the atman.
Flowers are placed on the body.
Flowers represent their good karma
The body is taken to be cremated on a funeral pyre, ideally by the river
Ganges.
The body is destroyed as it is no longer needed as the
atman will be reincarnated
As the fire burns the body, the skull is cracked.
This symbolises the release of the atman to continue on its
journey.
The closest male relative collects the ashes and scatters them in the river.
The river is always flowing, just like the atman is always
moving along the cycle of rebirth.
The kriya ceremony marks the end of the funeral rites, 10-12 days after the It is believed that the soul has then passed to another life.
death.
Rites for the Benefit of the Bereaved
Funeral Rite
Meaning of the Rite
Sandalwood is often used for the pyre
The smell of this wood as it burns hides the smell of the cremation
Prayers are said and readings from the Hindu Scriptures are read
These comfort the relatives and increase their hope in a good
rebirth for their loved one
The eldest son walks around the funeral pyre three times and then This one of his important dharmas, to ensure that the cremation is
lights the fire
done properly
A period of mourning is observed, when friends can call to comfort
This strengthens the relationships within the community
those who grieve
Hindu funerals in the UK
While Hindus in the UK will try to keep funerals close the traditional Indian pattern, there are a few important differences.
o Firstly, UK funerals must use coffins, though the shroud and flowers will still be placed on the body inside the coffin.
o Secondly, bodies are cremated at a crematorium. Since cremations are indoor, the eldest son cannot light a fire, but he
is allowed to turn on the cremation oven.
o Finally, while some Hindus have the ashes of their relative flown to India to be scattered in the river Ganges, others will
scatter them on rivers in the UK, such as the River Ribble, near Preston.
Example Questions
(a)
What is death?
[1]
(b)
What is meant by ‘soul’?
[2]
(c)
What do Hindus believe about life after death?
[3]
(d)
How may Hindu funeral rites reflect beliefs about life after death?
[6]
(e)
‘When people die that is the end.’
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer
to Hinduism in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is the meaning of ‘rites’?
[1]
(b)
Give TWO examples of Hindu funeral rites.
[2]
(c)
Describe the relationship between the body and the soul for a Hindu.
[3]
(d)
Explain how beliefs about life after death could affect a Hindu’s moral behaviour.
[6]
(e)
“We only have one life and it is on earth.”
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of views and a personal viewpoint. You must
refer to Hinduism in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is ‘dharma’?
[1]
(b)
State two things that happen in a Hindu funeral service.
[2]
(c)
Describe one Hindu belief about the atman.
[3]
(d)
Explain how Hindu funerals might support the bereaved.
[6]
(e)
“It’s my life so I can do what I want.”
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of views and a personal viewpoint. You must
refer to Hinduism in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What word means ‘soul’?
[1]
(b)
State two ways Hindus can achieve moksha.
[2]
(c)
Describe Hindu belief about varnashramadharma.
[3]
(d)
Explain the importance of the soul to Hindus.
[6]
(e)
“Nirvana can be reached by everyone.”
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of views and a personal viewpoint. You must
refer to Hinduism in your answer.
[12]
(a)
What is meant by the term ‘moksha’?
[1]
(b)
Give two ways in which Hindus might follow their dharma.
[2]
(c)
Describe one Hindu belief reflected in a Hindu funeral ceremony
[3]
(d)
Explain the link between karma and samsara for a Hindu.
[6]
(e)
“There is no difference between the body and the soul.”
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of views and a personal viewpoint. You must
refer to Hinduism in your answer.
[12]