GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES SPECIFICATION A Specimen Assessment Materials 136
ROMAN CATHOLICISM 2
1. (a) Describe the role of the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church.
Reference may be made to:
e papacy as a source and sign of unity,
Accept relevant responses. AO1 [4]
(b) Explain how the Bible might be used in Christian decision-making.
Reference may be made to:
lical figures, such as Paul, Mary
Magdalene, etc
Accept relevant responses. AO1 [4]
I Explain how a Roman Catholic Bishop serves the Church.
Reference may be made to:
d
traditions of the Apostles in a direct line of succession.
society to give guidance to Catholics.
functions,
Accept relevant responses. AO1 [4]
(d) 'Catholics should read the Bible every day.'
Do you agree or disagree? Give two reasons for your answer. You must include
reference to religious beliefs in your answer.
Reasons that may be given and explained include:
Word of God and believers should be familiar with it.
fore, counterproductive.
should be the priority.
Accept relevant responses. AO2 [4] GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES SPECIFICATION A Specimen
Assessment Materials 144
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(e) 'Catholics should always obey the Pope.'
Do you agree? Give reasons or evidence for your answer, showing you have
considered more than one point of view. You must include reference to religious
beliefs in your answer.
Points that could be discussed include:
.
n making, not obedience to another authority.
Accept relevant responses. AO2 [8+5]
2. (a) Describe the work of CAFOD.
Reference may be made to:
civil war.
term development work, such as schools and clinics to alleviate poverty.
-raising to help people understand the issues.
Accept relevant responses. AO1 [4]
(b) Explain the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church on justice and fairness.
Reference may be made to
The belief that God is the Creator of all people and that, therefore, all people are united
as children of God. There is a sense of the 'common good', i.e., all people should strive to
reduce suffering because all are united in God. 
The basis of the Church's teaching in the teaching and example of Jesus. Reference
may be made to relevant episodes in his life Short term emergency aid and long term
development work alleviate poverty, which all Catholics should strive to do.
Campaigning work to reduce debt and awareness-raising to help people understand the
issues, which are examples of how Roman Catholics may put their religious beliefs into
action.
Accept relevant responses. AO1 [4]
(c) Explain the Roman Catholic teaching on 'vocation'.
Reference may be made to:
God has for it,
share,
Accept relevant responses. AO1 [4] GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES SPECIFICATION A Specimen
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(d) 'The existence of poverty shows there is no God.'
Do you agree or disagree? Give two reasons for your answer. You must include
reference to religious beliefs in your answer.
Reasons that may be given and explained include:
God of love may not.
continued with the act of creation, yet poverty exists so God may not.
may not exist.
agents.
umans when they do not live in harmony with
God's will.
human free will or (in an everlasting sense of God rather than an eternal sense) know what
has not yet happened so God took a risk in the act of creation.
Accept relevant responses. AO2 [4]
(e) 'Being a monk or nun is the best way to serve God.'
Do you agree? Give reasons or evidence for your answer, showing you have
considered more than one point of view. You must include reference to religious
beliefs in your answer.
Points that could be discussed include:
God that only a few are called to.
the People of God.
es, such as monasteries, convents and abbeys are powerhouses of prayer
for the Church and the world.
Each person's vocation is unique and has equal dignity.
Accept relevant responses. AO2 [8]
3. (a) Describe how Roman Catholics show devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Reference may be made to:
nunciation
Accept relevant responses. AO1 [4] GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES SPECIFICATION A Specimen
Assessment Materials 147
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(b) Explain why Mary is given honour in the Roman Catholic Church.
Reference may be made to:
in Jesus' birth,
general resurrection of the dead (the Assumption).
Accept relevant responses. AO1 [4]
(c) Explain how Roman Catholics can show self respect.
Reference may be made to:
development and well-being of society.
Accept relevant responses. AO1 [4]
(d) 'It is wrong to pray to statues.'
Do you agree or disagree? Give two reasons for your answer. You must include
reference to religious beliefs in your answer.
Reasons that may be given and explained include:
ctual statue.
Accept relevant responses. AO2 [4]
(e) 'Mary should not be prayed to.'
Do you agree? Give reasons or evidence for your answer, showing you have
considered more than one point of view. You must include reference to religious
beliefs in your answer.
Points that could be discussed include:
Gods.
answer prayers.
rshipped. Prayer to Mary is often
misunderstood outside of those traditions: she is given honour and devotion as the Mother of
Jesus Christ.
so rooted in the doctrine of the Communion of
Saints: that those in heaven/purgatory and those on earth are united in the Body of Christ
and can support each other.
Accept relevant responses. AO2 [8] GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES SPECIFICATION A Specimen
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4. (a) Describe how Roman Catholics can show they are responsible citizens in the
world.
Reference may be made to:
and injustice
Credit relevant responses. AO1 [4]
(b) Explain the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church about how criminals should be
treated.
Reference should be made to:
Creator and that, therefore, all people should be treated with
respect as children of God,
e.g. the story of the woman caught committing adultery
aling with the causes of crime,
-entering society productively.
Accept relevant responses. AO1 [4]
(c) Explain why some Roman Catholics agree with Capital Punishment.
justifiable.
others from committing such serious crimes as murder, rape drug dealing etc.
system. They would suggest that it would be only right and proper for someone to forfeit their
own life if they have taken the life of another and by doing so they are in fact making
reparation for the crime committed.
they only way that this could happen is to eliminate those who are a threat to society.
Scripture itself. They have suggested that in Leviticus it allows for Capital Punishment "An
eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth".
Accept all relevant responses. AO1 [4] GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES SPECIFICATION A
Specimen Assessment Materials 149
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
(d) 'Punishment does very little to change a criminal.'
Do you agree or disagree? Give two reasons for your answer. You must include
reference to religious beliefs in your answer.
and unless these factors are changes the person is unable to change.
the criminal justice system even contributes towards more
crime being committed where inmates learn bad habits from one another.
– to enable a person to
reflect on his/her behaviour and to change.
– to make up for the wrongs done, this can enable a person to start again
with a 'clean slate'.
Accept all relevant responses. AO2 [4]
(e) 'Capital Punishment is always wrong.'
Do you agree? Give reasons or evidence for your answer, showing you have
considered more than one point of view.
Points that could be discussed include:
cent people may die if there has been a mistrial or mistake.
has not been proven.
argument that the State should retain the right to protect its citizens from violent
criminals.
the criminal.
n the victims of serious crime.