I remember when I was doing my GCSEs there weren't a whole lot of resources particularly when it came to exam practice. So I compiled the key areas that I focused on to achieve a Grade 9 in AQA GCSE RS in 2022, saving you the trouble of having to look for good quotes, model answers, or practice que...
AQA GCSE SPECIFICATION CHECKLIST:
You must be able to explain contrasting beliefs on the following three issues with reference to the main
religious tradition in Britain (Christianity) and non-religious beliefs such as atheism and humanism:
Visions
Miracles
Nature as general revelation
Section A: Philosophical Arguments For & Against the Existence of God
The Design argument, including its strengths and weaknesses
The First Cause argument, including its strengths and weaknesses
The argument from miracles, including its strengths and weaknesses, and one example of a miracle
Evil and suffering as an argument against the existence of God
Arguments based on science against the existence of God
Section B: The Nature of the Divine and Revelation
Special revelation as a source of knowledge about the divine (God, gods or ultimate reality) including
visions and one example of a vision
Enlightenment as a source of knowledge about the divine
General revelation: nature and scripture as a way of understanding the divine
Different ideas about the divine that come from these sources:
Omnipotent and omniscient
Personal and impersonal
Immanent and transcendent
The value of general & special revelation & enlightenment as sources of knowledge about the divine:
The problems of different ideas about the divine arising from these experiences
Alternative explanations for the experiences, and the possibility that the people who claimed to
have them were lying or mistaken
KEY TERMS GLOSSARY
Agnostic A person who believes there are reasons for and against God’s existence, hence is unsure.
Atheist A person who believes God does not exist.
Big Bang Theory Accepted by science as describing how the world came into existence 13.7 billion years ago.
Design Argument For God’s existence based upon evidence of design in the world (William Paley/Newton).
Enlightenment Gaining true knowledge of God or the self and ultimate reality, discovered through prayer or meditation.
First Cause Argument for the existence of God, based on God as First Cause of the world (Aquinas).
Argument
General God makes himself known through indirect and ordinary common human experiences.
Revelation
Holy Books Texts, which can be believed to be either general or special revelation.
Illusion False belief.
Immanent God is presently involved with life on earth.
Impersonal God has no human qualities and is more like a force. This means that God's nature is more mysterious.
, Lourdes Roman Catholic place of pilgrimage where miracles are argued to have happened.
Miracle An event that is contradictory to the laws of nature, brought about by God’s intervention.
Nature as The physical world includes animals and plants and can reveal God as the Creator.
Revelation
Omnipotent God is all powerful.
Omniscient God is all knowing.
Padre Pio A monk who received stigmata (marks resembling the wounds on the crucified body of Christ).
Personal God is like a person with qualities and can have a relationship with his creation.
Revelation God showing himself to believers.
Special Revelation God making himself known through a direct and personal experience.
Strong Anthropic A modern form of design argument that uses scientific evidence to point to an intelligent designer who
Principle fine-tuned the universe so life may evolve.
Theist A person who believes that God exists.
Transcendent God is separate and distinct from this world.
Vision Seeing something, like in a dream/trance, that shows something about the nature of God or the afterlife.
, THEME C: The Existence of God & Revelation Past Exam Questions
1 Mark 2 Marks 4 Marks 5 Marks 12 Markers
Specimen 1 Which one of the following best Give two types of Explain two contrasting beliefs Explain two religious “The design
expresses the idea that the divine general revelation. in contemporary British society beliefs about miracles. argument proves
(God, gods or ultimate reality) is about visions. In your answer Refer to sacred writings that God exists.”
beyond this world? you should refer to the main or another source of
A) Omnipotent religious tradition of Great religious belief and
B) Omniscient Britain and non-religious beliefs. teaching in your answer.
C) Transcendent
D) Immanent
Specimen 2 Which one of the following is an Give two Explain two contrasting religious Explain two religious “Those who claim
argument against the existence of weaknesses of the beliefs about scripture as a way beliefs about the nature of to have special
God? First Cause of understanding the divine. In the divine. Refer to revelations are
A) Design argument for God’s your answer you must refer to sacred writings or another mistaken.”
B) Suffering existence. one or more religious traditions. source of religious belief
C) Revelation and teaching in your
D) Miracles answer.
2018 Which one of the following Give two reasons Explain two contrasting views Explain two beliefs about “God cannot be
describes God as all-knowing? why some people about the strengths of the First nature as a source of both transcendent
A) Omnipotent believe that God Cause argument for The knowledge about the (beyond the world)
B) Personal does not exist. existence of God. In your divine. Refer to sacred and immanent
C) Omniscient answer you must refer to one or writings or another source (within the
D) Impersonal more religious traditions. of religious belief and world).”
teaching in your answer.
2019 Which one of the following is the Give two reasons Explain two similar beliefs about Explain two religious “Miracles prove
meaning of ‘omnipotent’ when why some religious religious visions. In your answer beliefs about general that God exists.”
describing God? believers think of you must refer to one or more revelation as a way of
A) All-powerful God as personal. religious traditions. understanding the divine.
B) Eternal Refer to sacred writings
C) All-loving or another source of
D) Immanent religious belief and
teaching in your answer.
2020 Which one of the following means Give two Explain two contrasting beliefs Explain two religious “It is impossible to
to have a close relationship with arguments which in contemporary British society views about the belief that prove God
God? claim to prove the about religious visions. In your God is omniscient. Refer exists.”’
A) Eternal existence of God. answer you should refer to the to sacred writings or
B) Impersonal main religious tradition of Great another source of
C) Omnipotent Britain and non-religious beliefs. religious belief and
D) Personal teaching in your answer.
2021 Which one of the following Give two reasons Explain two contrasting beliefs Explain two beliefs about “The First Cause
describes the realisation or why many religious about evil and suffering as an Special Revelation as a Argument is a
understanding of a religious truth? people believe that argument against the existence source of knowledge of weak argument for
A) Enlightenment God is of God. In your answer you must the divine (God). Refer to the existence of
B )Immanence transcendent. refer to one or more religious sacred writings or another God.”
C) Miracle traditions. source of religious belief
D) Omnipotence + teaching in your answer
2022 Which one of the following is not Give two strengths Explain two similar beliefs from Explain two religious “General
used as an argument against the of the Design contemporary British society beliefs about the revelation is not
existence of God? Argument for the about miracles. In your answer immanence of God. an important
A) Existence of evil existence of God. you must refer to the main Refer to sacred writings source of
B) Experiencing suffering religious tradition of Great or another source of knowledge about
C) First Cause Argument Britain and non-religious beliefs. religious belief and God.”
D) Science and scientific teaching in your answer.
knowledge
2023 Which one of the following is a Give two reasons Explain two contrasting beliefs Explain two religious “The only way to
form of special revelation? why some people about miracles. In your answer beliefs about the know God is by
A) Being brought up to believe in do not believe that you must refer to one or more omnipotence of God. being
God revelations about religious traditions. Refer to sacred writings enlightened.”
B) Learning of God through what God are real. or another source of
humans do religious belief and
C) Meeting God directly teaching in your answer.
D) Seeing God through nature
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