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An a) style question! Explain what is meant by omnibenevolent. (2 marks) Definition & Example Omnibenevolent is the belief that God is all-loving. For example, God loves mankind so much that he sacrificed his one and only Son.
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A c) style question! Explain Christian beliefs about the nature of God. (8 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x4 Some Christians believe that God is omnipresent, meaning that God is everywhere. The Bible says, “I am with you always,” showing how God is always with his people. Christians also believe that God is transcendent, meaning that he is beyond understanding. This is shown in the problem of evil and suffering, where it is incompatible with the idea of a good God. This shows that Christians will trust in God’s plan, even if they don’t understand it. X4
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A d) style question! “The existence of evil proves there is no God.” Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view. (You must refer to religion and belief in your answer). (15 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Analysis x 4 Some Christians disagree with this because evil exists as a result of moral evil – humanity’s choice to disobey God and sin. Jesus suffered on the cross as a result of human evil, therefore evil is caused by humans. This is a good point because there is so much suffering in the world that comes about as a result of the free will of humans, for example, terrorists often cause suffering to others to promote their extreme message.
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A b) style question! Describe how Christians worship God. (5 marks)
Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x2 Christians worship God by going to church, which is the house of God. It is where God’s presence can be felt and therefore it helps Christians to focus on God whilst worshipping, e.g. through prayer or singing hymns. X2
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A d) style question! “The Spirit was involved in creation.” Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view. (You must refer to religion and belief in your answer). (15 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Analysis x 4 Some Christians agree with this statement because the Bible says that “the Spirit of God was hovering over the water” at creation, showing how the Spirit was present at the beginning of time. In addition, God is believed to be a triune God (a three-part God), showing that if God was present at creation, then so was the Spirit, because they are One. This is a good point because it also shows how Jesus (referred to as the ‘Word’) was also present during creation. If God has three distinct parts, but is still One, then all elements of God were present during creation.
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An a) style question! Explain what is meant by omnipotent. (2 marks) Definition & Example Omnipotent is the belief that God is all-powerful. For example, God used his power to create the world in 6 days.
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A c) style question! Explain the importance of prayer in Christianity. (8 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x 4 Prayer is important in Christianity because it is a direct line of communication with God. Christians pray to God for many reasons, for example to praise God or in order to show love (adoration) to God. The Bible says to, “Love the Lord thy God,” showing that it is a commandment to demonstrate love and adoration to God. Therefore, Church of England Christians will speak to God through prayer, either privately or publically, to express their love foe God. X4
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An a) style question! Explain what is meant by Trinity. (2 marks) Definition & Example The three persons of God. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
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A b) style question! Describe beliefs about the Fall. (5 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x2 Christians believe that the Fall is important because it explains how evil and suffering entered the world. As a result of Adam and Eve’s original choice to disobey God, sin entered the world. Because of sin, evil and suffering also exist in the world. X2
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A b) style question! Outline beliefs about Jesus’ incarnation. (5 marks)
Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x2 Christians believe that the incarnation is when God was born in human flesh. This is when Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem after the immaculate conception. Because God was able to come to earth and experience a human life, humans are able to atone with God and reconcile with him for their sins. X2
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An a) style question! Explain what is meant by incarnation. (2 marks) Definition & Example God becoming human in the form of Jesus. For example, Christians celebrate the incarnation at the festival of Christmas.
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A c) style question! Explain the importance of the afterlife in Christianity. (8 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x4 Roman Catholics believe that after Judgement Day, Christians can go to heaven, hell or purgatory. Purgatory is for the souls of those who have sinned and is a room of cleansing before moving on to heaven. People on earth can pray for the souls of those who are in purgatory to speed their journey to heaven. X4
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An a) style question! Explain what is meant by atonement. (2 marks) Definition & Example Atonement is the belief that Jesus’ death healed the broken relationship between humans and God. For example, Christians believe that because of this sacrifice, they can join God in heaven.
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An a) style question! Explain what is meant by resurrection. (2 marks) Definition & Example This is the belief that Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, conquering death. For example, Christians celebrate this event through the festival of Easter.
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A c) style question! Explain the importance of free will in Christianity. (8 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x4 Christians believe that free will was given to humans by God so that they could choose whether or not to obey him. Church of England Christians might use the example of Adam and Eve, who used their free will to sin and disobey God. As a result, Christians might use their free will to follow God’s rules as closely as possible, e.g. the Ten Commandments. X4
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A d) style question! “Salvation is important to Christians.” Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view. (You must refer to religion and belief in your answer). (15 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Analysis x 4 Some Christians agree with this statement because salvation is only possible because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for the sins of humanity. For Christians, this sacrifice heals the rift between God and humans, enabling people to build a relationship with God and be saved from their sin. This is a good point because salvation therefore means that a person can enter heaven because they have been given the chance to atone and reconcile for their sins, meaning they become saved if they are truly sorry for anything they have done wrong.
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A b) style question! Describe beliefs about judgment. (5 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x2 Christians believe that Judgement will happen on Judgement Day, when the dead will be resurrected and brought before Jesus to be judged. The good (or the sheep) will be divided from the bad (the goats) and the good will go to heaven because they have followed Jesus and God’s rules. The bad will go to hell because they used their free will to disobey God. X2
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A c) style question! Explain the importance of baptism. (8 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x4 Baptism is important to Baptist Christians because it is a declaration of faith, where a person states their belief in Jesus. They believe that Christians should have a believer’s baptism, instead of an infant baptism, because they are able to make the promises on their own behalf. This is important because they are using their free will to choose to follow the Christian faith and become part of the Christian Church for themselves. X4
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A c) style question! Explain how Christians celebrate Easter . (8 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x4 Christians celebrate Easter by attending Sunday service on Easter Sunday, to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus after his sacrifice for the sins of humanity on the cross. They might also exchange Easter eggs because eggs are a symbol of new life. The eggs also remind Christians of the boulder that was miraculously moved from the tomb where Jesus was laid. X4
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A d) style question! “The Eucharist is the most important sacrament.” Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view. (You must refer to religion and belief in your answer). (15Explain, marks)Analysis x 4 Point, Evidence, Some Christians agree because the Eucharist is a symbol of Jesus’ body and blood, which was sacrificed on the cross so that people could build a relationship and atone with God. Jesus said that he poured out the wine (blood) “for the sins of many,” showing the importance of the sacrament. This is a good point because Jesus said to his disciples to “do this in memory of me.” Therefore celebrating the Eucharist is the most important sacrament because Jesus commanded the disciples to do it during his last supper with them.
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An a) style question! Explain what is meant by sacraments. (2 marks) Definition & Example Sacraments are an outward sign of an invisible blessing or grace. For example, baptism.
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A c) style question! Explain the importance of pilgrimage. (8 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x4 Pilgrimage is important in Judaism because some sites, e.g. Lourdes, show God’s power on earth through the impact of the Holy Spirit. Roman Catholics will travel to Lourdes to experience miracles that often happen in these places, such as the miracle of the vision of the Virgin Mary that Saint Bernadette saw at the grotto. This will influence people to visit Lourdes in order to experience the Virgin Mary for themselves. X2
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A b) style question! Describe the role of the Church in the local community. (5 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x2 The Church is important in the local community because it has many functions beside being a place of worship, for example, churches often open as homeless shelters or temporary shelters in times of disaster. This is because the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats tells Christians to feed the hungry, clothe the homeless and to provide shelter when others need it. Therefore the church has an important role to carry out the actions and values that Jesus left with his disciples, “love thy neighbour.” X2
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An a) style question! Explain what is meant by evangelism. (2 marks) Definition & Example Evangelism is preaching the gospel to others. For example, missionaries go abroad to spread the word and convert others to Christianity.
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A b) style question! Describe the changing religious landscape in Britain. (5 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x2 In Britain, membership in religious communities is declining. In 2001, 72% of people said they belonged to the Christian faith. However in 2011, 59% of people said they belonged to the Christian faith, showing that Church membership is going down. This is because the country is becoming more diverse, introducing people from new countries and religions, and some people are becoming secular or Humanists, showing that Britain now accepts and promotes faith and non-faiths in all of their varieties. X2
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A d) style question! “Britain is a religious country.” Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view. (You must refer to religion and belief in your answer). (15 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Analysis x 4 Some Christians would agree with this because the UK is traditionally based on Christianity. The monarch is still head of the Church of England, showing how Britain is still a Christian country. Laws made in Parliament are discussed by the Lord’s Holy, who are Christian representatives of the Church. They have direct influence over the laws that are passed and therefore Britain is a Christian country. This is a good point because people often separate church and state, but this point shows how the two are joined. The Lords Holy have an input in the laws of Britain and therefore Britain must be a religious country.
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A c) style question! Explain the importance of mission and evangelism. (8 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x4 Christians believe that mission and evangelism because before the ascension Jesus said to his disciples to “Go and make disciples of all nations,” meaning that one of Jesus’ last acts was to entrust his followers with the command to convert others and spread the Gospel (‘good news’). X4
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A b) style question! Describe the work of Tearfund. (5 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x2 Tearfund are a Christian charity who fight against poverty worldwide. They do this out of agape (unconditional love) for others and to follow the command to “love thy neighbour” that Jesus asked us to do in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Tearfund aim to help those who need it the most in order to help people to help themselves out of the social injustice they experience. X2
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A d) style question! “Christians should work for reconciliation.” Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view. (You must refer to religion and belief in your answer). (15 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Analysis x 4 Some Christians agree with this because the World Council of Churches supports Christian reconciliation all over the world in over 110 countries. They bring together Churches from all over the world to unite as ‘Christians’ and sort out their conflicts or differences that have arisen between different Christian denominations. They believe that there should be one Christian faith, not many, in a celebration of differences rather than causing conflict because of these differences. This is a bad point because the Roman Catholics are not a part of the WCC, therefore not all Christians believe that reconciliation is a desirable goal.
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A c) style question! Explain Christian persecution. (8 marks) Point, Evidence, Explain, Action x 4 Christian are persecute all over the world simply because they are Christian. For example, in places where Christianity is the minority, Christians are jailed, tortured or killed simply because of their faith. Christians however are not afraid of standing up for their personal convictions and what they believe in. This is because all of Jesus’ disciples ended up being martyred for their faith, showing that people need to take strength from God and face their persecutors. Open Doors is a Christian charity who help Christians who are persecuted all over the world. X4
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