RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Philosophy and Ethics
REVISION MATERIAL
B601
Answering Exam Questions
Religious and Spiritual Experience
Revision Ideas
Table of Contents
RELIGIOUS STUDIES Philosophy and Ethics REVISION MATERIAL ............................................................................. 1
Answering Exam Questions .................................................................................................................. 2
Religion and Spiritual Exoerience.......................................................................................................... 4
Key words and terms ................................................................................................................................... 4
What is worship?……………………………………………………………. ...................................................................................... 5
Christian symbols…………………………………………………………. ........................................................................................ 6
The use of art in worship……………………………………..................................................................................................... 6
The use of music in worship.............................................................................................................................. 7
The use of food in worship………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
Prayer ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
The Church …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8
Past Exam Questions ...................................................................................................................................... 9
Sources of Information: .................................................................................................................................. 10
Answering Exam Questions
In your exam you will have to answer on 4 different topics on one paper. Each topic is divided into 5 sub
questions. They are a), b), c), d) and e). You must answer all five for each topic from the same religion. You will
only answer questions on Christianity.
Question A)
This part of the question is worth one mark and your answer should show your knowledge and understanding of
a concept. So, for instance, you might be asked ‘What is pacifism?’ and your answer should show that you know
what ‘sacrament’ means.
Question B)
This part of the question is worth two marks and asks for two ideas within a concept. So, for instance, you might
be asked ‘What are Christian attitudes to fasting?’ and you would need to respond to the trigger word ‘attitudes’
by showing that some Christians would think it was a good idea and explain why and also that other Christians
would not agree to it and explain why.
Question C)
This part of the question is worth three marks and asks for three ideas within a concept. So, for instance, you
might be asked ‘What do Christians believe about the purpose of prayer?’ and you would need to give three
different ideas/ reasons why Christians believe marriage to be important.
Question D)
This part of the question is worth six marks and asks you to describe and explain a belief or attitude, while
analyzing the reasons Christians respond in this way. So, for instance, you might be asked to explain Christian
beliefs about using food in worship. You would need to include relevant Christian teachings to support the ideas
in your answer. Try to include biblical quotes, but you must make sure you explain what these mean in order to
show the examiner that you have understood the teaching. For example, ‘do this in remembrance of me’ means
that Jesus expected his followers to take communion together. You will also need to use specific religious words
in these answers when they are relevant. For example, when answering a question on prayer you may wish to
refer to the phrase ‘supplication’ which means asking God for something that you need.
Question E)
This part of the question is worth 12 marks and asks you to show different points of view in response to the
statement given. So, for instance, you might be given the statement Prayer is a waste of time’ and you would
need to refer to a Christian point of view in your answer, showing that there are different Christian approaches to
this statement and then give your own personal response. Try to make that response different, if you can, to the
ones you have mentioned previously. It is very important that you do give your own point of view otherwise you
will not achieve high marks. You will need to support the Christian ideas with reference to Christian teachings/
biblical quotes. Again, explain them in your own words to show your understanding.
Religion and Spiritual Experience
In this topic the examiners expect you to have considered:
o What is worship?
o Symbols in Christianity
o The use of art in worship
o The use of music in worship
o The use of food in worship
o Prayer
o The church
Key words and terms
Adoration - Worshipping God for who he is and what he has done
Awe - A feeling of amazement and respect
Chi-rho -The first two letters of Jesus' name in Greek
Confession - When someone says sorry for their sins and asks for God's forgiveness
Crucifix - A cross with the figure of Jesus on it
Denomination - A branch of Christianity (eg Church of England)
Eucharist -The Christian ceremony that commemorates the Last Supper. Bread and Wine are
used to represent Jesus' body and blood (sometimes called Holy Communion or Mass)
Fasting -Abstaining from food for a religious reason
Hymn - A song of praise to God
Icthus - 'Fish' in Greek - symbolises the name of Jesus
Icon - A holy picture of Jesus or the Virgin Mary or a saint found in Orthodox churches
Lent - The period of 40 days leading up to Easter that recalls the time Jesus spent in the
wilderness
Liturgy - The formal arrangement of a Christian service of worship
Meditation - When someone deeply reflects on spiritual matters, sometimes concentrating on an
idea or object
Numinous - The feeling of the presence of a greater being in the universe
Prayer - Communication with God (privately or publically)
Rosary -A set of beads and prayers used in worship (especially by Roman Catholics)
Sacrament - An outward physical sign of an inward grace given by God
Sermon - A talk given by a priest which highlights an important topic
Service - An organised Christian worship
Stained glass window - A colourful window in a church that tells as Bible story
Supplication -Prayers asking for God's help with an issue (or to help with someone else's
problems)
Symbol - Using something to represent something else as a way of explaining the unexplainable
Thanksgiving -A prayer that gives thanks to God
WHAT IS WORSHIP?
 When a believer shows honour or respect to their God.
 Acts of worship can usually be divided into PUBLIC (communal), usually in a place of worship (church,
cathedral, chapel, or meeting house for Quakers), and PRIVATE, usually in one’s home, acts, though
these sometimes overlap.
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Private worship can also take many forms but tends to be ‘quiet time’ of focus on one’s faith. It helps
a Christian develop their own private relationship with God and can take the following forms:
o prayer before sleep, Lord’s Prayer – thanking God, seeking guidance
o private readings from the Bible
o Worship at home also takes many forms eg:
o Grace said before meal; ‘for what we are about to receive may the Lord make us truly
thankful’.
o Lord’s Prayer said before sleep.
o Bible readings/ groups
o Roman Catholics may use rosary beads to use during prayer
o Orthodox may use icons to focus on prayer
o Meditation – this allows silent reflection and to listen carefully to what God is saying.
o Intercessionary prayers are prayers which are said on behalf of someone else
o Prayers of penance are said when asking for forgiveness,
o TV programmes such as Songs of Praise allow people to worship at home
Communal worship is generally centred around the church and gives an opportunity for groups of
people to join together and share their beliefs, it can take many forms:
o singing of hymns unites the congregation, those such as ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ help
express a Christians belief about creation and God’s part in it.
o EUCHARIST – means ‘giving thanks’, and is the receiving bread and wine in memory of Jesus’ last
meal with his disciples and his sacrifice on the cross. AKA Holy Communion, Mass or Lord’s Supper.
In the Catholic Church Communion is a sacrament.
o Two main bodies of belief:
 TRANSUBSTANTIATION – the bread and wine transform into the body and blood of Christ
during the priest saying the Eucharist prayer
 CONSUBSTANTIATION – the bread and wine are representative of the body and blood of
Christ.
o Congregation listen to a sermon, the priest tries to relate this to their own lives.
o Prayers are said, sometimes silently, sometimes out loud with everyone joining
in. Prayers include the Lord’s Prayer and in the Catholic tradition the Hail Mary.
o HYMNS – Prayers set to music are sung by the congregation
o BIBLE READINGS
SYMBOLS IN CHRISTIANITY
 Symbols are used in various ways throughout Christianity:
o As a display of faith (cross/crucifix around neck; fish on car window)
o A focus for worship (pictures)
o Secret communication when early church was suffering persecution (Ichthus - fish)
o Reminder of events/belief (crucifix for Jesus’ sacrifice; empty cross for resurrection; alpha-omega
belief that God is everything)
 Some symbols which are significant in Christianity include the fish symbol (ΙΧΘYΣ are the Greek letters
that spell the word fish) seen commonly on cars. Early Christians used this symbol to identify themselves
during times of persecution.
 Alpha and Omega (A +Ω), Greek letters for the beginning and the end, indicating that God is the
beginning and the end.
 Chi-Rho – symbol made from Greek letters for Christ.
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There is also much symbolism during baptism eg: water symbolises the cleansing of original sin,
Catholics rub oil on the babies forehead symbolising the coming of the Holy Spirit. Candles are also lit to
symbolise moving from darkness into light.
Holy Communion also has much symbolism as already mentioned – see section above.
The priest during services will also wear vestments with symbolic use of colour. For example white is
seen as purity and is worn during Christmas and Easter and red is worn on Passion Sunday and Good
Friday.
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Different denominations will use symbols to various degrees in their places of worship.
ART IN WORSHIP:
 Many Christians represent their faith through artistic displays.
 In the Orthodox and Catholic tradition art is very important, richly decorated churches, icons, stained glass,
paintings, carvings, tapestries – some find this helpful, gives them a focus, others feel there is too much
decoration and it can distract people from worship.
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Orthodox and Roman Catholic branches are very keen on elaborately decorated
pictures of saints, Jesus or the Virgin Mary.
Famous artists from Michelangelo (Sistene Chapel / La Pieta), to Salvador Dali (The
crucifixion) have chosen to use art to express religious themes.
Stained glass windows depict stories from Gospels, particularly important in times
when people could not read.
Film as an art form has attempted to depict the stories of Jesus, from animated
films (Miracle Maker) to feature films (Mel Gibson’s ‘Passion of the Christ’). Some believe these are
valuable ways of sharing the messages behind the Bible. Others believe it is wrong as
Depictions of God will naturally have human characteristics and cannot truly depict the messages in
their purest form.
In some churches an absence of art is an expression of belief about God. Some may believe that God
is beyond anything we have experienced and no art form can represent the wonder of God.
MUSIC IN WORSHIP:
 Traditionally hymns have been sung accompanied by an organ in praise of God and Jesus and recounting the
various Bible stories.
 Nowadays, many Christians listen to Christian rock/pop music and this is frequently used at large gatherings
as a way of praising together.
o Hymns are most common music form in churches, contemporary singers also produce music which
expresses their own personal beliefs eg: Kanye West ‘Jesus Walks’, Cliff Richard’s ‘Millenium Prayer’
and many others.
o Famous composers such as Handel, Elgar and Bach produced work to express something of the
splendour and majesty of God.
 Some Orthodox churches and monastic orders chant during worship which acts as a focus and calming
element.
 Quakers believe in silent worship so would not use music in worship.
FOOD IN WORSHIP
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Unlike other religions, Christianity does not have any religious laws telling them to avoid or consume certain
foods
In the Acts of the Apostles Peter had a vision which came from God. It said that all kinds of food could be
eaten. This overturned the food laws of the Old Testament which are still followed today by Jews. However,
overtime certain items have become associated with various points in Christian worship (symbolic):
o Bread and wine during the Eucharist = blood and body of Christ.
o Fish = eaten by Christ and provided by Jesus to his followers. Some Catholics only eat fish on Friday
and do not eat meat as this was the day Jesus was crucified.
o Hot Cross buns at Easter
o Fasting during lent or at times of seeking forgiveness. Christians give up certain foods (fast) during 40
days of Lent. This represents Jesus going without food whilst in the wilderness. Jesus did not give into
temptation from the devil and in the same way Christians who fast will have to be strong.
Some Christians will be vegetarians as a sign of their responsibility to animals in the world and their role of
stewards. However, Jesus himself ate meat and it is well told how he provided fish for people.
Some Christians will see supporting Fairtrade organisations as part of their Christian duty.
Christians will frequently give thanks for their food and acknowledge that it has been given to them and not
everybody is so lucky to have food readily available to them.
Some Christians may fast to show their dependence on God. Jesus stated that when people fast they must
do so privately. It is a matter between God and the individual that God himself will reward. (Matthew 6:12)
PRAYER
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Prayer is an attempt to communicate with God and is often thought to build a personal relationship. Many
prayers are appeals to God and can be part of both public and private worship
Lord’s Prayer is the most commonly used set prayer in worship and involves giving thanks, requesting
guidance, requesting forgiveness, assistance to forgive others and adoration of God’s powers.
Types of prayer:
ACTS
o ADORATION - Praising God for his greatness
Some Christians pray in four parts which
o THANKS GIVING - Thanking God for his good gifts
they remember as ACTS:
o CONFESSION/PENITENTIAL - Asking for forgiveness of sins
A: Adoration-worshipping God
o PETITION - Praying for your own needs
C: Contrition-acknowledging they may
o INTERCESSION - Praying for other people in need
have done wrong
T: Thanksgiving – thanking God
Some Christians will pray silently with no formal set of prayer
S: Supplication-asking God for help
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The Jesus Prayer is a single line which is either used in times of imminent need or repeated as a form of
meditation: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner’.
THE CHURCH
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Since its beginning after Jesus’ death, the church has evolved to be a complex structure of different schools of
thought.
All the branches, or DENOMINATIONS, of Christianity have some similarities and so can justify being grouped
together under the umbrella term, ‘Christianity’, although there are frequently points of tension between the
different branches. The three areas of common ground are:
o Belief in one God
o Follow the teachings of Jesus
o Their holy book called a Bible.
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The two main reasons for the development of different denominations are:
a version ofdirections
this diagram all over the world,
o Different parts of the world: Christianity has grown Copy
in different
into your books to show the two
communication was difficult so ideas were not sharedbiggest divides in Christianity
o Differences in opinion about importance of teachings and practices means that differences also
occur in the same areas of the world = SCHISMS
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There have been two major points of disagreement:
 East-West Schism 1054: Disagreements between the Eastern Church and the church in Rome. Each
excommunicated the other.
 Reformation 1500s: Martin Luther objected to corruption in the Church and made the Bible available in
German so everyone could read the word themselves, meant people did not rely on priests. CatholicProtestant split. Also, Henry VIII decided he wanted to be head of the Church of England, creating the
Anglican Church and allowing him to get divorced and remarried.
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ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT - The campaign to bring all churches together into one united church is called the
Ecumenical Movement.
Past Exam Questions
(a) What is fasting? (1)
(b) List two symbols used by Christians in worship (2)
(c) State three ways Christians may worship in the home (3)
(d) Explain how prayer deepens the faith of a believer (6)
(e) ‘Art helps people to worship.’ (12)
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal view point. You
must refer to Christianity in your answer.
(a) Name a place of public worship for Christians (1)
(b) State two ways Christians show respect to Jesus when worshipping (2)
(c) Describe the use of food in festivals (3)
(d) Explain why Christians worship God (6)
(e) ‘It doesn’t matter where you worship (12)
Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal view point. You
must refer to Christianity in your answer.
Specimen answer for question d) Why do some Christians fast? (6 marks).
Some Christians fast because they believe that this will help them understand how people who live in
poverty and do not have enough to eat feel. Other Christians might choose to give up something special
during Lent, such as chocolate. They do this to remember the time when Jesus was in the wilderness and
was tempted by the devil. The forty days of Lent lead up to Easter and is a period of penitence (being
sorry for what you have done). It is also a time when Christians feel thankful for all that God has given
them.
Many Christians fast on certain days of the year and save the money that they would spend on
food to give to charities that support people in other countries who do not have enough to eat. So, as well
as helping others, they are also practising self-discipline.
Examiner’s comment- this is a good answer, the candidate
has shown a good understanding of the question. There is
good description and analysis. The information is presented
clearly with some technical terms.
Sources of Information:

Bible

Discovery: Philosophy and Ethics For OCR GCSE Religious Studies, Nelson Thornes, Jon
Mayled, Libby Ahluwalia

Religion in Focus: Christianity in Today’s World, Jon Murray

Examining Religions: Contemporary Moral Issues, Joe Jenkins

Philosophy Through Christianity, Lorraine Abbott

www.gcsere.org.uk

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/re/

www.re-xs.ucsm.ac.uk

www.bbc.co.uk/religion