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Religious Studies GCSE Revision Guide Ethics 2 Unit B604 Name___________________________________TG________
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ADVICE ON REVISION This guide has been produced to give you all the key information you will need to pass your RS G.C.S.E. The information is laid out in easy to read bullet points with quotations to support the information. Each section contains the teachings of Christianity on the units you have covered in class. It is important to remember that there is rarely a simple teaching accepted by all believers, especially in Christianity. If you do not understand any of the words or information it is important that you look it up or ask for help. HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE The booklet has been laid out clearly into different sections corresponding to the units you have covered and will answer in the exam. You will find the information laid out in bullet points. This is the bare bones of what you will need. You must refer to your exercise book and any other revision guide (GCSE BBC Bitesize, the VLE or revision books published by OCR) that you have access to. If you are not familiar with any of the terms used it is important that you ask. At the end of each set of bullet points you will find a series of quotations. By learning these you will develop a better understanding of the religious teachings. Failing that, it is a good idea to know where the teachings come from, so try to learn the references. HOW TO REMEMBER There are many different ways to revise but the best way is to be active in what you are doing. Don’t just read through your notes and the guide Don’t just pick it up, do 3 minutes and then put it down Don’t leave everything to the last minute Don’t revise without breaks Don’t punish yourself if you get something wrong Don’t revise where you know you will get disturbed Do make a plan of what you will revise and when Do test the information you have learned each time Do give yourself rewards when you have worked hard Do put up post it notes around the house containing key terms, dates, concepts, etc. Especially in places you visit a lot, e.g. the fridge, toilet, light switches etc Do play quiet music if it helps you to concentrate Do tell your friends that you are serious about doing well Do get other people to help you parents, friends etc
Do revise with friends if you know that they are serious too
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THE EXAM In the exam it is important not to panic. Take your time to read through the questions and select the ones that you are confident with. Make sure that you understand what every part of the paper is asking you. You will have lots of time to plan your answers so don’t just rush straight in. Set yourself 30 minutes for each question and make sure that you do not over run. You can always add more at the end if you have time. Try to ensure you are not repeating yourself. Always write in full sentences. If you are running out of time and have not included everything, jot down in bullet points what you wanted to say. You will get credit for this. If you have finished before time is up, take care to read through your answers, correct any mistakes and add any more information that you may think of. You must choose 2 Christianity questions from the choice of 3. Each question is in 5 parts (a, b, c, d and e) which add up to 24 marks. A – 1 mark. This will ask for the meaning of a religious word related to the topic. One sentence will do. B – 2 marks. This will ask for 2 facts about an idea related to the topic so be specific and think in terms of your knowledge of Christianity. Do not over simplify. C – 3 marks. This will ask for a description of Christian beliefs about an issue. Try to give 3 ideas. D – 6 marks. More detail is needed here. The examiner marks this answer on a system of levels to assess the quality of your answer. They are looking for a comprehensive answer, structure and use of specialist (religious) terms. E – 12 marks. (That’s 50% of the marks in case you needed that pointing out) Again this is marked on levels. You must make sure you are answering the question. A top level answer will show you have given your opinion and explained your reasons for it and included a range of other possible points of view. You must also show you know what a possible Christian response would be. It is a discussion, on paper. Write as much as you possibly can. Refer back to the question in your answer to retain focus and you will be fine.
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Topic 1- Religion, Peace and Justice Christian Attitudes towards War What is war? • War is defined as “a period of hostile relations between
countries, states or factions that leads to fighting between armed forces, especially in land, air or sea battles.”
What are the Christian attitudes toward war? There are three Christian attitudes towards War. These are - • Holy War • No War • Just War No War Many people, whether they are religious or not, believe that all war and fighting is wrong regardless of the purpose or eventual outcome. These people would be considered pacifists. Pacifists will never approve of fighting although there are some who might say that this is justified in self-defence.
One of the best-known groups of pacifists is the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Although they will drive ambulances and provide support services under fire in the frontline of a war they will not fight under any conditions; at times of war a Quaker will adopt the stance of conscientious objector, which is recognised under law. Quakers look to the teaching of Jesus in order to justify
their beliefs concerning war, and it is quite clear that Jesus stressed the need to peace over the use of violence: On a separate occasion towards the end of his life, Jesus also taught the need for peace- Jesus said this to one of his disciples who had attempted to prevent the soldiers who had come to arrest Jesus apprehending him. Quakers believe that these teachings from Jesus can never be reconciled to the idea of war and this has led to the establishment of the Quaker Peace Testimony which states the Quaker belief that war can never be justified.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
“Put your sword away, for he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword.” (Luke 26:51).
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How do Christians respond to beliefs about the treatment of criminals? Although many Christians believe that criminals should be treated in line with teachings regarding justice, other Christians are concerned that the rights of the victims of crime and their needs are not always met and that criminals should be punished appropriately In response to this many Christians would say
that Jesus was preaching a true justice so that people were not judged and punished by those who were themselves no better than the accused. The importance of not judging of us when we ourselves are not perfect is also seen in the Sermon on the Mount “First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (Matthew 7:5). What are the Christian attitudes towards capital punishment?
Capital punishment if the state sanctioned killing or execution of a person because of a crime that they have committed. It is otherwise known as the death penalty. In the Old Testament there are many examples of crimes to which the punishment is death. Some Christians believe that this is the only way to deal with the most serious crimes such as murder. Roman Catholics believe that the use of the death
penalty is justified in certain extreme situations where it is the only option available to protect society. The last pope, John Paul II, said that the state- “Ought not to go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society. However, the majority of Christians believe that Jesus’ teachings of forgiveness and agape mean that all human life must be treated as sacred and that although criminals must be punished it can never be right to take a life as punishment- “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times.” (Matthew 18:21-22)
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Christianity and Social Injustice What is social injustice? Social injustice is the belief that some individuals or groups in society are denied the rights and benefits of the majority of others in the society because of poverty or discrimination. The world we live in often lacks justice and many people are not treated fairly. There are many ways in which humans can discriminate and use this as a reason to be unfair, such as reasons of race, religion, sex, sexuality, wealth or class for example. How should Christians respond to social injustice? Many Christians take positive action against social injustice by joining organisations designed to fight for social equality. These might include: Anti-slavery International, the Howard league, Amnesty International or organisations Working to help disadvantaged people such as Mencap. Christians believe that God created all people- “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
Jesus’ parables stressed the idea of fairness and his personal treatment of women as well as members of other races should be an example of how to show love to different types of people. The Parable of the Good Samaritan is a good example of Jesus' teaching in this respect. The Old Testament is full of the works of prophets calling for justice such as Isaiah- “If you satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness” (Isaiah 58:10).
Great reforms in the UK such as the abolition of slavery, the introduction of free education and the development of the National Health Service can all be traced back to the involvement of Christians seeking a better world due to their beliefs. Some examples of famous Christians who have worked against social injustice are Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King.
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What is Liberation Theology? Liberation theology is a modern development in the Christian church which is particularly concerned with issues of equality for all. It maintains that people who follow the teachings of Jesus have an obligation to take positive action to oppose social injustice and governmental abuse of power. Liberation theology has supporters in both Protestant and Roman Catholic churches. The work of liberation theologians is seen most clearly in Latin America and in some parts of Asia and Africa. If the law of the country acts against the ordinary people in a way which can be seen as un-Christian then it must be opposed and, if necessary, broken. Jesus said: “He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed.” (Luke 4:18) The leaders of the movement in Latin America leave that people were being exploited by the government and forced into poverty. They believed that this treatment of the poor challenged Christian teachings about love and concern and also showed that Christianity was being used as a means of pacifying the people rather than to help them improve their condition. They decided that the only way in which this could be challenged was by direct action against the governments and people concerned.
One of the most famous priests of this movement in the 20th century was Archbishop Oscar Romero. Catholic leaders in Rome, including the current Pope, have criticised liberation theology as going too far. They do not approve of some of the methods used by the Liberation Theologists and consider that there are other ways of working to help the poor which do not contravene Christian teachings on peace.
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Key Words
Capital Punishment Executing a criminal convicted of murder or other crimes Conscientious Objector
Someone who refuses to fight in a war based on their conscience
Judge The Christian idea that God acting as judge to determine whether a person goes to heaven, hell or purgatory.
Just War Theory The belief that wars can be morally justified if they follow certain criteria
Justice Fairness in society and the world Nuclear Pacifism Belief that nuclear weapons can never be justified Pacifism The belief that peace should be the most important value that
people follow Proportionality The belief that force can only be met with equal force Quaker A member of the Christian denomination also known as The Religious
Society of Friends. Revenge Seeking to repay a wrong by a harmful action. Sin An act which goes against God. Social justice The belief that people should be treated fairly and with respect
within society Social injustice Where people are denied rights as a result of poverty or
discrimination. Violence The use of physical force with intention to hurt or harm.
Exam questions a) What is pacifism? (1 mark) b) Give two examples of what a Christian might consider to be social injustice.
(2 marks) c) Why might Christians work for peace? (3 marks) d) What are Christian attitudes towards war? (6 marks) 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 marks)
a) What is capital punishment? (1 mark) b) Give two aims of punishment. (2 marks) c) Describe what the attitudes of Christians might be towards capital
punishment. (3 marks) d) Explain what Christians might believe about the treatment of criminals (6
marks) 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 marks)
a) What is justice? (1 mark) b) What is meant by proportionality in war? (2 marks) c) Describe what Christians mean by ‘just war’. (3 marks) d) Explain Christian teachings about social justice. (6 marks) e) ‘Everyone should be treated the same by society.’ Discuss this
statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)
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Topic 2 - Religion and Equality Biblical Teaching about Equality What is equality? • Equality is a principle which basically means “fairness” in that people in
a society are treated equally no matter what their characteristics might be.
• Prejudice means, “Judging before”. We often do this; we judge something before we have found out anything about it, we make up our minds before we know the facts.
• Discrimination goes a stage further and is where people allow their prejudiced thoughts to influence their actions, which leads them to behave in unfair ways to either an individual or a specific group.
What is the Biblical teaching about equality?
The Bible teaches that all people are equally valuable to God, because they are made “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27). Acts of the Apostles (which is in the New Testament straight after the gospels) teaches that God does not have favourites-
“Then Peter began to speak: “I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” (Acts 10:34) Christians believe that God loves all of humanity unconditionally; it does not matter whether the people are men or women, black or white, rich or poor, attractive or unattractive. They believe that it is important that people should show the same kind of love for each other. They should be concerned about other people’s welfare, whoever they are. In the letter to the Galatians, Paul teaches people that they should not look for differences between people but should recognise that their Christian faith unites them- “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are al one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
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Christian Attitudes to Race and Gender How do Christians respond to racism? • Racism is the belief that some
people are better than others because of the colour of their skin or their ethnic origin.
• Christianity was for centuries strongest amongst white, Western people, but today there are Christians of all different colours and nationalities.
• According to Christianity, because all people are made by God and are equally valued by God, they should all be treated as equally important and Christianity teaches that racism can never be right.
Jesus was once asked what a man could do to inherit eternal life. He asked the man what the Jewish law said on the subject, and the man told him- “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind: and love your neighbour as yourself.” (Luke 10:27) The person asking the question was still; confused; he wanted to know which people he should treat as his neighbours, and which people were not important, and which people could be ignored.
Jesus answered by telling the Parable of the Good Samaritan. At the time of Jesus, Samaritans were treated as an inferior race, and no one wanted to mix with them. The Parable of the Good Samaritan teaches that people should treat each other as neighbours and look after them, even if they are strangers or from a different nationality. This does not mean that Christianity has always taken a firm stand against racism.
Sometimes, people who call themselves Christians have been responsible for encouraging racist attitudes; for example, some Christians in the past have been slave-owners or enthusiastic supporters of apartheid in South Africa. The Dutch Reformed Church is a denomination of Christianity in South Africa that has actively supported apartheid and racist attitudes. But there have also been many Christians who have devoted their lives to the struggle against racism, because they believed that helping to get rid of racism is an important way of putting Christian beliefs into practice.
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Martin Luther King Martin Luther King was a Christian who lived in America at a time when black people and white people were often kept apart and not allowed to mix (segregation). Martin Luther King was black and his Christian beliefs led him to campaign against racism by leading non-violent protests against racist rules. Trevor Huddleston and Desmond Tutu campaigned in South Africa to try and break down the system of apartheid.
How do Christians respond to sexism?
Sexism is another form of prejudice. It is the belief that one gender is inferior to the other. In practice, this is nearly always the belief that women are inferior to men. Sex discrimination is when sexist attitudes are put into practice, so that women, or sometimes men, are disadvantaged because of their gender. For example, a woman might be overlooked for promotion and the job might be given to a man even though the woman might be more experienced and better qualified. In 1975, the Sex Discrimination Act was passed, which made it illegal to discriminate against job applicants because of their gender. Within Christianity there are many different opinions about whether men and women should have different roles, duties and responsibilities, or whether they should be the same. The Bible is not completely consistent in its teaching about gender. In many passages, it is accepted that men have more rights than women. Society in the Old and New Testament times was patriarchal- men had the dominant role, and women were treated as their property.
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In the Ten Commandments, for example, when people are told not to envy each other’s property, wives are included in a list of a man’s belongings, alongside houses and donkeys. In the New Testament too, women are sometimes expected to follow the orders of men and not express their opinions- Some Christians believe that men and women were always intended to be partners for each other, but that they have different skills and abilities, which compliment each other
Other Christians, however, hold different views. They believe that God created men and women to be equal, to share the same opportunities and to use the talents that they have been given, whether they are male or female-
It is quite clear from the Gospels that Jesus took notice of women as well as men. It was the women who were the first to see Jesus after the resurrection. The Roman Catholics believe that women should not be allowed to become priests. Some people have drawn attention to the fact that Jesus chose men as his apostles, but not women. They argue that this proves that men were always meant to be the leaders in a church, not women. In other churches, women have always been allowed to take leadership roles. The Salvation Army, for example, has always argued that if someone is right for the job, it doesn’t matter if they are male or female. Other denominations, such as The Church of England have changed their views during the twentieth century, perhaps because it is during the last century that women have become more equal to men in society.
Women should remain silent in the churches. They are no allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as then Law says. If they want to enquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35
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Christian Attitudes to Other Religions How do Christians respond to members of other religions? This has been a very problematic question for Christians over the centuries. Many Christians believe that the only way to gain salvation is to accept Jesus Christ as the saviour and follow the path that he laid down for the benefit of everyone in the New Testament and his teachings- “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Some Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church do still hold the view that other religions provide nothing more than an obstacle to salvation. This is a quote from Pope Benedict XVI before he became the present pope- “Religions other than Christianity are considered to be "gravely deficient." Their rituals can constitute "an obstacle to salvation" for their followers.” Some Christians interpret these quotes to mean that eternal life with God is only for Christian believers. They say that there would be no point in the death and resurrection of Jesus if there were already lots of other ways to reach God, and therefore Christianity is the only true religion. There are three typical responses to other religions by Christians- 1. Missionary work 2. Evangelism 3. Ecumenism
1. What is a missionary? Missionary work is the act of fulfilling the teachings of Jesus through following in his footsteps. Christians used to travel to other countries as missionaries, with the aim of changing the religion of the people they met and persuading them to become Christians instead.
There are still missionaries and missionary societies today, and although they still believe that they must spread the message of Jesus wherever they go, many of them are now in more concerned with helping people in developing countries rather than trying to convert them: they serve their mission by showing the example of Jesus in their lives. Nevertheless, Christianity remains a religion that sees itself as having an obligation to lead other people towards Christianity.
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2. What is Evangelism? Evangelism is the spreading of the teachings of Jesus from the Gospels or “good news”. The Salvation Army is an example of a Christian group who believe it is their mission to spread Jesus' teachings as well is to carry out essential work to help the poor and disadvantaged. Some Christians however, believe that God would not be willing to punish someone who was a devoted follower of a non-Christian religion as that person was born in a region where Christianity is not the dominant religion and therefore was not brought Christianity. 3. What is ecumenism?
This is the belief that all religions and denominations within a religion should work together for the good of mankind.
Within Christianity itself, there are differences and prejudices. Sometimes, Roman Catholics and Protestants have serious disagreements about issues like the authority of the Pope, or whether women should be allowed to be priests. There are many thousands of denominations within Christianity and many of these groups are now working together with joint services and community work because they believe that although there may be differences between them they still share the same essential beliefs. Taize is a small Christian community in a village in France founded in 1940 during the Second World War by a Catholic monk called Roger Schutz. The original purpose of Taize was to offer hospitality to refugees, in particular Jews who were escaping from Nazi Germany. Since the late 1960s the community has been working towards improving relationships between Protestants and Catholics.
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Christian Beliefs about Forgiveness and Reconciliation What does Christianity teach about forgiveness and reconciliation? • Forgiveness is when we forgive people or something they have done
wrong. • Reconciliation is the ending of a dispute between people and the
restoring of a good relationship. Christianity teaches that people should not hold grudges, and should not keep remembering their differences and arguments. The Lord’s Prayer, taught by Jesus and used everyday by Christians around the world, reminds people that they should be forgiving if they expect God to forgive them- “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” (Matthew 6).
The Old Testament is very different in its view and teaches that it is necessary for a balance to be restored when a crime has been committed- “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” (Exodus 21:23)
However, Jesus says he had come to replace this old attitude with an attitude of love and forgiveness- “Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39) Jesus showed that he was more concerned with getting people to change than with exacting revenge. Christians try to put this teaching of Jesus into practice when they can, even though it is often hard to do this.
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Christians who feel that they need to be forgiven for something that they have done can go to their priest or minister to seek help. Reconciliation is the act of attempting to make up for something as a process of seeking forgiveness. This is the case particularly in the Roman Catholic Church where there is Sacrament of Reconciliation. Catholics believe that because Jesus gave the power to forgive people their sins this has been passed on to priests. The priest helps them make amends for their actions through prayer and repentance.
For many Christians the central act of forgiveness and reconciliation is the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Christians believe that God sent Jesus to be sacrificed on the cross in order to reconcile God with humanity. Humans are forgiven at the death and resurrection of Jesus and this is remembered at the Eucharist.
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Key words
Discrimination Unjust or prejudicial treatment because of race, age, gender or disability
Ecumenical Different Christian denominations working together Equality Treating people as equals regardless of gender, race or religious
beliefs Eucharist The Christian ceremony commemorating the Last Supper, in which
bread and wine are consecrated and consumed Evangelism Persuading others to share your faith Forgiveness Forgiving someone for something they have done wrong Prejudice Making judgements not based on reason or actual experience Proselytising Trying to convert people from their religion to yours Racism Prejudice, discrimination or ill treatment of someone because of
their race Reconciliation Restoring friendly relations Repentance Sincere regret or remorse from one’s actions Sexism Prejudice, stereotyping or discrimination, typically against women on
the basis of their sex.
Exam questions
a) What is meant by ‘equality’? (1 mark) b) What do Christians believe about reconciliation? (2 marks) c) Describe Christian beliefs about equality. (3 marks) d) Explain Christian teaching about the role of women in society. (6 marks) 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 marks)
f) What does the word ‘racist’ mean? (1 mark) g) Give two examples of prejudice (2 marks) h) Suggest how Christians might work to stop racism. (3 marks) i) Explain Christian teachings about equality. (6 marks) j) ‘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 marks)
a) What is meant by ‘ecumenism’? (1 mark) b) What do Christians mean by ‘missionary work’? (2 marks) c) Describe Christian teachings about forgiveness. (3 marks) d) Explain Christian beliefs about forgiveness and reconciliation. (6 marks) e) ‘People should always forgive.’ Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)
