AQA GCSE Religious Studies Theme B

• 10. Wonder

  Marvelling at the complexity and beauty of the universe
• 9. Sanctity of life

  Life is special, holy and created by God.
• 8. Quality of life


  How good/comfortable life is
• 7. Natural resources

  The resources the earth provides without the aid of mankind.
• 6. Evolution

  The change in inherited traits in species
• 5. Euthanasia

  The 'painless' ending of life for someone who is terminally ill & suffering
• 4. Dominion

  The idea that humans have the right to control all of creation.
• 3. Awe

  An overwhelming feeling, often of respect to God.
• 2. Afterlife


  Beliefs about what happens after we die to our self/ soul.
• 1. Abortion

  Deliberate removal of the foetus from the womb with intention to destroy it.
• The Big Bang Theory is a description of how scientists believe the universe began
• Scientists say the universe began about 20 billion years ago
• The universe started with nothing, then a huge explosion occurred, forming a cloud of dust and gas
• The universe took a long time to form into what we know today, including the Sun, stars, planets, and the universe itself
• The earliest signs of life appeared millions of years ago, before the land and sea settled
• All other life, including humans, developed from these initial life forms
• Genesis 1 in the Bible describes how God created the universe in six days and then rested on the seventh
• For some Christians, the creation story in Genesis is considered literally true, reflecting an all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing God
• Liberal Christians view the creation story as more symbolic or parables, emphasizing that God brought the universe into being
• Genesis 1 focuses on the order of creation and the time it took God to create everything
• Genesis 2 describes how God created man, then woman, and their relationship, along with giving rules and tasks to humans
• Some Christians believe that God initiated the Big Bang and intended for humans to evolve over millions of years rather than 7 days
• Christians believe in stewardship, the responsibility to look after the Earth and prevent it from being ruined
• Stewardship involves respecting and managing the world, working with nature to preserve what God has given
• Christians teach that humans were given the power and authority to rule over the world, known as having dominion
• Key problems affecting the planet include pollution, deforestation, and global warming
• Christians support sustainable development and conservation to protect and conserve the planet and its habitats
• Christians generally support limited animal testing if there is no other safe way to develop medicines and it is carried out as caringly as possible
• The Bible teaches kindness towards animals and the care for their needs
• Different faiths have varying dietary restrictions, with some allowing meat consumption while others, like Hindus and Buddhists, are predominantly vegetarian
• Charles Darwin's theory of evolution explains how single-celled creatures evolved into different species over time through natural selection
• Individuals from the same species can be quite different due to the genes they inherit, with some having genes that increase their chance of survival
• Darwin acknowledged the involvement of God in the complexity and interdependence found in nature
• Darwin suggested that the process of evolution is based on the 'survival of the fittest'
• Humans have the responsibility of stewardship to look after the Earth, and this involves actions like recycling, campaigning for change, and using renewable energy
• Christians believe they will be accountable to God for how well they looked after the Earth
• Healing the planet involves working to heal and look after the environment, respecting all life and creation
• Conservation efforts include protecting habitats of endangered species and supporting sustainable development
• Sanctity of Life:

  • Christians believe that all life is sacred as it was created by God
  • Life is special and only begins and ends when God decides
• Quality of Life:

  • Refers to the general wellbeing of a person in relation to their health and happiness
  • The value of life depends on how good or satisfying it is
  • Includes comfort, daily living ease, pain levels, material possessions