GCSE Religious Studies (AQA)

74 free revision lessons in 20 units. Open the course or go straight to a lesson.

Christianity: Beliefs

Key beliefs, teachings and practices of Christianity

1. The Nature of God & the Trinity
2. Creation, the Afterlife & Judgement
3. Incarnation, Crucifixion & Resurrection
4. Sin, Salvation & Atonement

Christianity: Practices

Worship, sacraments, pilgrimage and the role of the Church

1. Worship & Prayer
2. Sacraments: Baptism & Holy Communion
3. Pilgrimage & Festivals
4. Mission, Evangelism & the Worldwide Church

Islam: Beliefs

Key beliefs, teachings and practices of Islam

1. Core Beliefs: Six Articles & Five Roots
2. Tawhid, the Nature of Allah & Angels
3. Risalah, Holy Books & Prophethood
4. Al-Qadr, Akhirah & the Day of Judgement

Islam: Practices

The Five Pillars, festivals and expressions of faith

1. The Five Pillars, Ten Obligatory Acts & Shahadah
2. Salah & Sawm
3. Zakah & Hajj
4. Jihad & Islamic Festivals

Theme A: Relationships & Families

Religious and non-religious views on relationships and family life

1. Relationships, Marriage & Divorce
2. Families, Gender Roles & Equality
3. Contraception & Same-Sex Relationships

Theme B: Religion & Life

Origins, environment, abortion and euthanasia

1. Origins of the Universe & Human Life
2. The Environment & Animal Rights
3. Abortion & Euthanasia

Theme D: Peace & Conflict

Peace, justice, war and weapons of mass destruction

1. Peace, Justice & Forgiveness
2. War: Just War, Holy War & Pacifism
3. Weapons of Mass Destruction & Peacemaking

Theme E: Crime & Punishment

Good, evil, crime, punishment and forgiveness

1. Good, Evil & Reasons for Crime
2. Punishment: Aims, Types & the Death Penalty
3. Forgiveness & Corporal Punishment

Buddhism: Beliefs and Teachings

The Dhamma, the Buddha and the Four Noble Truths

1. The Dhamma and the Three Marks of Existence
2. The Human Personality and Human Destiny
3. The Buddha and the Four Noble Truths
4. The Eightfold Path and Buddhist Ethics

Buddhism: Practices

Worship, meditation, festivals and the moral life

1. Places of Worship and Puja
2. Meditation: Samatha, Vipassana and Visualisation
3. Death, Funeral Rites and Festivals
4. Ethics in Daily Life: Precepts and Perfections

Catholic Christianity: Beliefs and Teachings

The Trinity, creation, incarnation, redemption and life after death

1. The Trinity and the Nicene Creed
2. Creation and the Dignity of the Human Person
3. Incarnation and Redemption
4. Life After Death and the Seven Sacraments

Catholic Christianity: Practices

Prayer, popular piety, pilgrimage and the work of the Church

1. Prayer and Popular Piety
2. Pilgrimage and the Funeral Rite
3. Catholic Social Teaching: Loving Our Neighbour
4. Mission, Evangelism and Catholic Charities

Hinduism: Beliefs and Teachings

Brahman, the divine, atman and the four aims of human life

1. Brahman and the Three Features of the Divine
2. The Tri-murti, Deities and Avatars
3. Atman, Samsara, Karma and Moksha
4. The Four Aims of Life and Dharma

Hinduism: Practices

Worship, festivals, the four yogas and pilgrimage

1. Worship at Home and the Mandir
2. Focuses of Worship and the Murti
3. Festivals: Diwali and Holi
4. The Four Yogas, Pilgrimage and Hindu Charities

Judaism: Beliefs and Teachings

God, the Covenant, the mitzvot and the sanctity of life

1. The Nature of God and the Shekhinah
2. Life After Death and the Messiah
3. The Covenant: Abraham, Moses and the Promised Land
4. Moral Principles, Mitzvot and Pikuach Nefesh

Judaism: Practices

The synagogue, Shabbat, family rituals and festivals

1. The Synagogue and Public Worship
2. Shabbat, Home Worship and Sacred Texts
3. Family Life: Birth, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, Marriage and Mourning
4. Dietary Laws and Festivals

Sikhism: Beliefs and Teachings

The Mool Mantra, mukti, equality and the priority of sewa

1. The Nature of God and the Mool Mantra
2. Human Life, Sikh Virtues and Mukti
3. The Oneness of Humanity and Equality
4. Sewa and the Sangat

Sikhism: Practices

The gurdwara, langar, festivals and the Khalsa

1. The Gurdwara: Worship and Community
2. Akhand Path, Langar and Nam Japna
3. Festivals, Birth and Naming Ceremonies
4. Amrit Sanskar, the Khalsa and the Five Ks

Theme C: The Existence of God & Revelation

Philosophical arguments for and against God, and the nature of revelation

1. Arguments For the Existence of God
2. Arguments Against the Existence of God
3. Revelation: Visions, Miracles and Nature

Theme F: Religion, Human Rights & Social Justice

Equality, prejudice, freedom of religion, wealth and poverty

1. Human Rights, Equality and Freedom of Religion
2. Social Justice and Racial Discrimination
3. Wealth, Poverty and the Uses of Money

How to revise Religious Studies

• Retrieval Practice
• Dual Coding
• Elaborative Interrogation
• Quote Flashcards
• Comparison Tables
• Argument Planning
• Mind Mapping
• Past Paper Practice

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