Students will study 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.
The incarnation and Jesus as the Son of God, the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension.
The means of salvation, including law, grace and Spirit. The role of Christ in salvation including the idea of atonement.
The event 40 days after the Resurrection, when Jesus returned to God, the Father, in heaven, recorded in Luke 24 and Acts 1.
Literally ‘at-one-ment’, it refers to the reconciliation between God and humanity that was sealed by the sacrificial death of Jesus.
Sacred book for Christians containing both the Old and New Testaments.
The tradition within the Christian Church which is led by the Pope.
The leader promised by God to the Jews. The word literally means 'Anointed One' in Greek; the Hebrew equivalent is Messiah. Christians believe Jesus to be the Christ.
Someone who believes in Jesus Christ and follows the religion based on his teachings.
Christians believe that the world is God’s loving creation.
Roman method of execution by which criminals were fixed to a cross. The execution and death of Jesus on Good Friday.
The opposite of good. A force that is seen in many traditions as destructive and against God.
The first Person of the Trinity, the creator and sustainer of the universe.
The unconditional and generous love that God shows to people who do not deserve it.
The state after death of being with and enjoying eternity with God.
The place of eternal suffering or the state after death of separation from God for those who want no relationship with him.
The third person of the Holy Trinity who descended like a dove on Jesus at his baptism. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is present and inspires them.
Literally 'in flesh', or 'enfleshed', the doctrine that God took the human form as Jesus.
First century Jewish teacher and holy man, believed by Christians to be the Son of God.
When God decides whether each person should receive eternal life or eternal punishment.
This refers to the nature of God as one who treats each individual human being fairly and equally.
The belief that God is ‘all powerful’.
The traditional belief that human nature is basically flawed, and so humans have a tendency to go against God’s will. Christians who think that the Bible is literally true believe that it has been passed down from Adam and Eve.
The most popular Christian tradition in some parts of Eastern Europe. There are two main Orthodox Churches – Greek and Russian.
The event celebrated on Easter Day of Jesus rising from the dead, recorded in all four gospels and the central belief of Christianity. The form that many Christians believe the afterlife will take, referring to either physical or spiritual bodies.
Saving the soul and deliverance from sin and admission to heaven brought about by Jesus.
Behaviour which is against God's laws and wishes/against principles of morality. A thought, word or action which is wrong, which people know is wrong and which people freely choose.
The belief that there are three Persons in the One God. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are separate, but are also one being.
The Churches that 'protested' against and broke away from the Catholic Church during the Reformation. Services are generally based more closely on the Bible than those of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
Expanding knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith.
Tolerance, respect and understanding of the Christian faith.
Students will study different forms of worship and their significance, including:
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 role and importance of pilgrimage and celebrations.
Students will study the role of the Church in the local community including:
• food banks
• street pastors
• the place of mission
• evangelism and Church growth.
They will also study the importance of the worldwide Church including:
• working for reconciliation
• how Christian churches respond to persecution
• the work of Christian Aid.
The sacrament through which people become members of the Church. Baptism involves the use of water as a symbol of the washing away of sin. It is a rite of initiation.
Initiation into the Church, by immersion in water, of people old enough to understand the ceremony/rite and willing to live a Christian life. Some denominations prefer this to infant baptism. Contains many similarities to the baptism of Jesus.
The Feast Day commemorating the birth of Jesus (25 December in most Churches).
The Holy People of God, also called the Body of Christ, among whom Christ is present and active. Members of a particular Christian denomination/tradition. A building in which Christians worship.
The religious season celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It starts on Easter Day and finishes with the feast of Pentecost.
Literally 'thanksgiving'. Another name for Holy Communion and a service in which the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus are celebrated, using bread and wine.
Preaching the gospel (the good news about God) to convert people to the Christian faith.
This relates to Christian charities collecting donated food to distribute to the poor in Britain.
Another name for the Eucharist in which the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus are celebrated using bread and wine.
Initiation of babies and young children into the Church, where promises are taken on their behalf by adults. The infant is freed from sin and introduced to the saving love of God and the support of the Christian community.
An island of the west coast of Scotland founded by Columba in the 4th century. It is used by Christians today as a centre for pilgrimage and religious retreat.
Worship which has no set structure It is usually spontaneous and sometimes charismatic in nature.
A church service which follows a set structure or ritual.
A town in France, where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette in a series of visions, and now a place of pilgrimage, where it is claimed that miraculous healings have taken place.
Literally ‘sent out’. It refers to the duty of Christians to spread the gospel (the good news about Jesus).
A service which does not follow a set text or ritual. This type of worship is sometimes spontaneous or charismatic in nature.
Throughout the centuries and still in some parts of the world, Christians face punishment and even death for adherence to their faith.
A journey by a Christian to a holy site, eg Lourdes, Iona. Pilgrimage is itself an act of worship and devotion.
Communicating with God through words of praise, thanksgiving or confession, or requests for his help or guidance. Listening to and speaking to God.
A believer giving God praise and worship on his or her own.
The process of restoring harmony after relationships between people has broken down. A sacrament in the Roman Catholic and some Anglican Churches.
The outward and visible sign of an invisible and spiritual grace. Baptism and the Eucharist are recognised as sacraments by most Christians.
A Christian organisation consisting of people who work mainly at night on city streets, caring for those who need help.
Offering to God the praise that he is due. This may be done in public or in private worship.
The prayer taught to the disciples by Jesus; also known as the 'Our Father'.
Expanding knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith.
Tolerance, respect and understanding of the Christian faith.
Students will study 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.
The concept of justice in Shi’a Islam.
The Islamic name for God.
Belief in life after death.
Literally ‘doing good’. One of the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah, it refers to the generosity that Allah shows to humans.
The foundations of the faith in Shi’a Islam. They consist of five key beliefs: Tawhid(the Oneness of Allah), Adalat (justice), prophethood (nubuwwah), imamate (leadership).
It means ‘leadership’ and refers in Shi’a Islam to the twelve imams who succeeded Muhammad as the leaders of Islam.
The belief that Allah is close to humanity ad involved in the world.
The name of the religion followed by Muslims. To surrender to the will of God. Peace.
The city where Muhammad was born. The spiritual centre of Islam, it is in Saudi Arabia.
The Muslim place of worship.
This is the idea that everything that happens has been decided already by Allah.
The Holy Book revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the angel Jibril. Allah’s final revelation to humankind.
A division (chapter) of the Qur an. There are 114 in all.
The oneness and unity of Allah. Islam is a monotheistic religion.
A religion that believes there is only one God.
Supreme power or authority; a quality of God.
The teachings and deeds of Muhammad.
Muslims who believe in the successorship to Muhammad of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali.
The idea that God is beyond and outside life on earth and the universe; a quality of God.
Almighty, having unlimited power; a quality of God.
The quality of God that shows compassion or forgiveness to humans, even though he has the power to punish them.
Spiritual beings believed to act as messengers of God.
A person who proclaims the message of God.
The belief that prophets are an important channel of communication between God and humans.
The annual pilgrimage to Makkah that every Muslim should try to make at least once in their life.
A person considered to be a political and religious successor to the prophet Muhammad, and the leader of the Sunni Muslim community.
Awareness and understanding of a major world faith.
Tolerance, respect and understanding of the Islamic faith.
Students will study the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam and the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam.
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.
The Five Pillars observed by Sunni Muslims which support Islam by encouraging the development of good character, attitude and behaviour. These are shahadah, salah, zakah, sawm and hajj.
Muslim declaration of faith. It is a statement of faith in Allah as the only God and in Muhammad as Allah’s prophet. The 1st of the Five Pillars for Sunni Muslims.
Prayer to and worship of Allah, performed under the conditions set by the Prophet Muhammad – five times a day. The 2nd of the Five Pillars.
Ablution. Ritual washing performed before salah and also when purification is needed.
The 3rd of the Five Pillars. It consists of the giving of alms to purify those who give it and the rest of their money.
These are requirements for Shi’a Muslims. They include salah, sawm, zakah, hajj and jihad (duties also for Sunni Muslims) but the final five are not part of the Sunni tradition.
Fasting from dawn to dusk during Ramadan; sex and smoking are banned when the believer is engaged in this. The 4th of the Five Pillars.
Acts of reciting from memory texts from the Qur’an.
Month during which fasting from dawn to sunset is demanded (ninth month of the Islamic calendar).
Actions made during salah consisting of recitations, standing, bowing and prostration.
A journey made for religious reasons.
Place to be visited on hajj – stoning of pillars.
This refers to the military struggle to defend Islam. It is carried out according to strict and clear cut rules.
The black covered cube-shaped building in the centre of the grand mosque in Makkah. All Muslims face towards it when they pray.
Weekly communal salah performed after midday on a Friday.
'To struggle’. It refers to the effort made to obey Allah.
A celebration that comes at the end of Ramadan and marks the end of fasting.
Celebration of the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah. It comes at the end of the period of hajj.
Annual pilgrimage to Makkah, which all Muslims must undertake at least once in their lives, unless prevented by problems over wealth or health. The 5th of the Five Pillars.
This refers to the duty of every Muslim to live a good life, staying faithful to the beliefs and obeying the commands of Islam.
A key practice in Islam. Zakah is the 3rd of the Five Pillars. Giving alms means giving to those in need, e.g. money, food, time.
Not eating or drinking. It refers especially to sawm, which is the 4th of the Five Pillars. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.
A plain near to Makkah where pilgrims gather to worship, pray and ask for forgiveness. This takes place on the ninth day of the Islamic month, the day before Eid ul Adha.
Awareness and understanding of a major world faith and how they put their beliefs into practice.
Tolerance, respect and understanding of the Islamic faith.
Students begin their GCSE by exploring ‘The Right to Life’. They will study Christian and Islamic teachings that underpin a wealth of ethical dilemmas (such as the sanctity of life). Students will then consider how the choice to abort a pregnancy or end the suffering of a terminally ill person can be supported or dismissed using Christian and Islamic teachings.
Deliberate ending of a pregnancy, intended to prevent new life.
Beliefs about what happens to ‘us’ after our body has died.
Belief that animals should be treated with respect, so have rights to adequate food/water/shelter/rest/freedom.
Sense of wonderment, often linked to the feeling that God is involved/revealed.
Scientific theory about the origins of the universe – that the universe was created in a huge explosion.
The man who proposed the theory of evolution (19th century).
Belief that God created the world/universe from nothing, eg Genesis creation story.
Point at which sperm fertilises an egg to begin pregnancy.
The practice of repairing/protecting the natural environment and/or animal species.
Belief that humans have been given control/charge of the world.
The world around us, can be natural or artificial.
Mercy killing; ending the life of a person who is terminally ill or has degenerative illness. Can be voluntary or non-voluntary. Can be active or passive.
Scientific theory of the development of species, which comprises natural selection and survival of the fittest.
Coal, oil, gas – fuels that developed over millions of years beneath the earth’s surface.
Place of medical care for the dying, but which also gives emotional support to the dying and their families.
Resources which are found in nature – fossil fuels, plants etc.
Chemicals used to kill pests, especially on farmed crops.
Stance of being anti-abortion and/or anti-euthanasia; many pressure groups exist with this view, eg SPUC.
Stance of being for a woman’s right to decide what happens to her own body, which extends to the right to have an abortion.
How good or comfortable a person’s life is.
Belief that a human has the right to end their life, or seek it to be ended if they want that.
Belief that life is sacred/special, because it was created by God, or because we are each unique individuals.
Knowledge that comes from observed regularity in nature and experimentation.
Duty given by God to mankind to look after the created world, and all life within it.
Resources that are renewable and will not run out, eg solar, wind, etc.
Awareness and understanding of various ethical issues and religious responses to them.
Respect and empathy for the viewpoints of others. An awareness of actions and consequences.