RE paper 1

• • Salvation: Grace and Spirit
• Christian Beliefs:

  • The Nature of God: Omnipotent, Loving and Just
  • The Problem of Evil and the Christian response to this
  • The Oneness of God and the Holy Trinity
  • Christian beliefs about creation and the different interpretations
  • Christian beliefs on the afterlife: Resurrection, Judgement, Heaven and Hell and the different interpretations of each
  • The incarnation of Jesus- Biblical scripture and the importance of this belief
  • The crucifixion of Jesus and the reasons for his death
  • Christian beliefs on the role of Christ in salvation
  • The importance of the resurrection and ascension
• • Poverty in LEDCs: How and why do Christians help?
• Christian Practices:

  • Different forms of worship- liturgical, non-liturgical and private
  • Prayer- what is it? Why is it important?
  • The Sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion and the importance
  • The different practices of Baptism and Holy Communion
  • What is pilgrimage? Iona and Lourdes
  • Why is pilgrimage important?
  • What festivals do Christians celebrate? How are Easter and Christmas celebrated?
  • The role of the church in the local community: Food Banks and Street Pastors
  • Mission and Evangelism in the UK and the World
  • How does the New Testament respond to persecution?
• • What impact does Prophet Muhammad have on Muslims today? Individual, Leader, Family Man and Teacher
  • The Qur’an - its revelation and compilation
  • The Qur’an - its authority and the basis for Shariah Law
  • Other Holy Books, including the Tawrat
  • Angels- Jibril and Mika’il
  • Beliefs on the afterlife and Al-Qadr and Human Freedom
• Islamic Beliefs:

  • Differences within Islam: Sunni and Shi’a
  • The Six Articles of Faith and why they are important
  • The Five Roots of Usul ad-Din and why they are important
  • Nature of Allah- Oneness and Omnipotence, Immanence and Transcendence, Beneficence and Mercy and Fairness and Justice
  • How does the Nature of Allah influence Muslims today?
  • Authority: the Concept of Risalah
  • Prophet Adam- What did he do? Why is he important?
  • Prophet Ibrahim- What did he do? Why is he important?
  • The Life of Prophet Muhammad- Why was he chosen as prophet? What did he do?
• • What happens during Eid-ul-Fitr? Why is it celebrated?
  • What happens during Eid-ul-Adha? Why is it celebrated?
  • The festival of Ashura: How do Sunni and Shi’a Muslims celebrate it?
• Islamic Practices:

  • The Five Pillars of Islam: Shahadah, Salah, Zakah, Sawm and Hajj
  • Salah: Preparation, Zakah and recitations, Jumu’ah prayer and the importance of prayer for Muslims
  • Sawm: Fasting during Ramadan and the duties
  • Zakah- What is it? How is it given? What are the benefits of giving?
  • Hajj: Pilgrimage to Makkah. What is the significance of the places visited?
  • How does Hajj influence the lives of Muslims?
  • Ten Obligatory Acts in Shi’a Islam
  • Different practices of the 5 Pillars within Shi’a and Sunni Islam
  • Jihad: Greater and Lesser
• Christian Beliefs and Teachings:

  • The Nature of God: Omnipotent, Loving and Just
  • The problem of evil and suffering
  • The Oneness of God and the Trinity
• Christian Practices:

  • Prayer
  • Baptism
  • Street Pastors / Food Banks
  • Poverty
• Muslim Beliefs and Teachings:

  • Nature of God
  • Prophet hood
  • Predestination / Life after Death
  • Angels
• Muslim Practices:

  • Shahadah
  • Salah
  • Sawm
  • Zakah
  • Hajj
  • Jihad
  • Festivals
• Christian Beliefs about Creation
• Christians believe that God created the earth and all living things on the earth (Genesis Chapter One)
• Many Christians believe that the account of creation in Genesis may not be scientifically accurate, but it contains religious truth
• The main messages in the Genesis creation story are:

  • God is the sole and omnipotent Creator
  • God created an ordered universe, not chaotic, showing that human lives have meaning and purpose
  • Humans are made in God's image, so they should treat all human life with potential and respect
  • Humans have been given authority over the rest of the created world, leading to the idea of stewardship
• The Trinity and the New Testament
• In the New Testament, John's Gospel opens with "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1-3)
• Many Christians believe that "The Word" refers to God the Son, who entered history as Jesus, linking to the idea of the Trinity
• The Trinity consists of God the Father as the creator, the Holy Spirit already active in the world, and God the Son, Jesus
• Resurrection, Judgement Day, Heaven, and Hell
• Resurrection: The dead will be restored to life before Judgement Day, where all will be judged by Jesus according to their behavior
• Heaven: Being with God, the best moments in a person's life

  • Hell: A place of intense fire, eternal separation from God
• Teachings include beliefs in the resurrection of the body, life everlasting, and rewards for those who look on the Son and believe in Him
• Jesus Christ and Salvation
• The incarnation: Jesus was God in human form, fully God yet fully human, part of the Trinity
• The Crucifixion: Jesus had to die to fulfill God's commands, atoning for human separation from God
• The resurrection of Jesus Christ: Proof of Jesus as the Son of God, showing God's triumph over evil and death
• Sin & Salvation
• Original sin: Adam and Eve's disobedience led to the concept of original sin, but Christ offered salvation and eternal life
• Grace: Unconditional love from God, shown through Jesus' actions and atoning death for the sins of the world
• Salvation: Acceptance by God, assured eternal life, achieved through faith or works, inspired by Jesus' actions
• Christian Practices
• Types of Worship:

  • Liturgical Worship: Formal, ritual-based worship with set prayers and responses
  • Non-liturgical Worship: Less formal, focused on Bible readings, may vary in structure
  • Private Worship: Worshiping alone, important for personal connection with God
• Prayer:

  • Communicating with God in silence or aloud, alone or with others, using set prayers or informal prayer
  • Types of prayer: Adoration (praising God), Confession (acknowledging sins), Thanksgiving, Supplication (asking for help)
• Main types of prayer:

  • Adoration: where Christians praise God
  • Confession: where Christians ask for forgiveness
  • Thanksgiving: thanking God for things
  • Supplication: asking for God's help
• Prayers said on behalf of others are called prayers of 'intercession'
• Sacraments:

  • Rites and rituals through which the believer receives a special gift of grace
  • For Catholics, Anglicans, and many Protestants, sacraments are 'outward signs' of 'inward grace'
  • Especially important in the Roman Catholic Church as they show God's grace and gifts offered at appropriate times in their lives
• Holy Communion:

  • Celebrated by almost all denominations
  • Also known as The Lords Supper, Holy Communion, and The breaking of bread
  • Remembers the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples, his death, the sacrifice, and the miracle of his resurrection
  • Christians give thanks to God for sending Jesus to save people from sin and enable them to experience God's love for all eternity
• How Holy Communion is celebrated:

  • Divine Liturgy in the Orthodox Church recreates heaven on earth
  • Liturgy of the Word includes hymns, prayers, and a reading from the Bible
  • Liturgy of the Faithful involves the priest receiving wine and bread from the congregation
  • Different practices in the Anglican Church and the Catholic Mass
  • Non-Conformist churches have a service with readings, a sermon, prayers, and an open table for communion