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Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies (9RS0): how Philosophy, Ethics, Christianity and the textual paper fit together

A complete guide to Pearson Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies (specification 9RS0). Explains the four papers (Philosophy of Religion, Religion and Ethics, the study of a religion such as Christianity, and New Testament Studies), the two assessment objectives and their equal weighting, the anthology and textual-reasoning question, and how to revise for the extended-essay style the board rewards.

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Pearson Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies (specification 9RS0) is a rigorous, scholar-led course in philosophy, ethics and the systematic study of religion. It is not a faith course: it asks you to understand religious ideas precisely and then analyse and evaluate them. This page explains how the four papers fit together and how this site is organised around them.

The four papers

Each paper is a two-hour written exam worth 80 marks. Every candidate sits the first two; the third exam is chosen by the centre.

Paper 1: Philosophy of Religion (9RS0/01)
Arguments for the existence of God (design, cosmological, ontological), the problem of evil and suffering, religious experience, miracles, philosophical language and the work of scholars.
Paper 2: Religion and Ethics (9RS0/02)
Significant ethical concepts, three ethical theories (natural moral law, situation ethics, virtue ethics), deontology and utilitarianism, applied ethics (war, sexual ethics, medical ethics), ethical language and meta-ethics.
Paper 3: New Testament Studies (9RS0/03)
The first-century context of the Gospels, the person of Jesus, the Kingdom of God, the death and resurrection, and the critical methods used to interpret the text.
Paper 4: Study of a religion (for example 9RS0/4B Christianity)
A systematic study of one whole religion: its beliefs, sources of wisdom and authority, practices, social and historical developments, and its relationship with society. A candidate cannot take both Paper 3 and Paper 4B Christianity.

The two assessment objectives

  • AO1 (50%). Knowledge and understanding of religion and belief: ideas, practices, sources, scholarship and the influence of religion.
  • AO2 (50%). Analysis and evaluation: weighing arguments and approaches and reaching a justified conclusion.

Because AO2 is half the marks, the single biggest lever is evaluation. A list of facts caps low; an argued case that sets scholar against scholar and judges climbs the levels.

The anthology and textual reasoning

Edexcel uniquely sets an Anthology of prescribed extracts (Anselm, Aquinas, Mackie, Fletcher, New Testament passages and more). One section of each exam prints an extract and asks a textual-reasoning question: explain the author's argument, then evaluate it. You revise the texts in advance; the extract is supplied in the paper.

The modules on this site

This site covers the whole specification through four modules, each with a matching overview guide and quiz:

  • Philosophy of Religion: the arguments for God, the problem of evil and religious experience, and religious language and miracles.
  • Religion and Ethics: the three ethical theories, utilitarianism and Kantian ethics, and applied ethics with meta-ethics.
  • The study of Christianity (Paper 4B): beliefs about God and the self, sources of wisdom and practices, and Christianity, society and developments.
  • New Testament and developments (Paper 3): the historical context and person of Jesus, the Kingdom of God and the resurrection, and interpreting scripture with the work of scholars.

How to study for 9RS0

Build an argument bank per topic: the named scholars, what each claims, and the strongest objection to each. Then practise AO2 by writing paragraphs that put two views in tension and conclude. Learn the anthology extracts well enough to explain and assess them cold. Rehearse the extended essay against Edexcel past papers, because the levels-based mark scheme rewards sustained, supported argument over coverage.

Religious Studies guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

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Religious Studies practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The A-LEVEL-EDEXCEL system, explained

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Common questions about Religious Studies

How is Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies (9RS0) structured?
Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies has four papers, each a two-hour written exam worth 80 marks and a third of the qualification. Paper 1 is Philosophy of Religion. Paper 2 is Religion and Ethics. Paper 3 is New Testament Studies. Paper 4 is a systematic study of one religion, most commonly Option 4B Christianity. Every candidate sits Paper 1 and Paper 2; for the third exam a centre chooses either Paper 3 (New Testament Studies) or a Paper 4 religion, and a candidate cannot be entered for both Paper 3 and Paper 4B Christianity because the content overlaps.
What are the assessment objectives in Edexcel Religious Studies?
There are two, weighted equally at 50 per cent each across the A-level. AO1 is demonstrating knowledge and understanding of religion and belief, including ideas, practices and ways of thinking, and the influence of religion. AO2 is analysing and evaluating aspects of, and approaches to, religion and belief, reaching a justified conclusion. Because AO2 is half the marks, a strong answer is never just description: it argues, weighs scholarship and judges.
What is the anthology and the textual-reasoning question?
Edexcel publishes an Anthology of prescribed extracts from set scholars, unique to this specification. One section of each exam is a question on a printed excerpt from that anthology (for example Anselm, Aquinas, Mackie, Fletcher or a New Testament passage). You are not allowed to take the anthology into the exam because the extract is printed on the paper, but you must know the texts in advance to explain the author's argument and evaluate it. This is the AO2-heavy textual-reasoning element.
Which scholars does Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies require?
The specification names scholars for comparison in each paper. Philosophy of Religion draws on Anselm and Russell (ontological argument), Aquinas, Hume and Kant (cosmological argument), Mackie (problem of evil), and Ayer, Flew, Hare and Mitchell (philosophical language). Religion and Ethics draws on Aquinas (natural moral law), Fletcher (situation ethics), Aristotle, Foot and MacIntyre (virtue ethics), Bentham and Mill (utilitarianism) and Kant (deontology). The textual papers draw on critical scholars such as Bultmann, Dodd, Sanders and Wright.
What is the difference between Paper 3 and Paper 4 in Edexcel Religious Studies?
Paper 3 is New Testament Studies, an extended textual study of the Gospels in their first-century context, the person of Jesus, the Kingdom of God, the death and resurrection, and the historical-critical methods scholars use. Paper 4 is a systematic study of one whole religion (Option 4A Buddhism, 4B Christianity, 4C Hinduism, 4D Islam, 4E Judaism or 4F Sikhism), covering its beliefs, sources of authority, practices, social developments and relationship with society. A centre cannot combine Paper 3 with Paper 4B Christianity.
How should I revise Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies?
Revise each paper as an argument bank, not a content dump. For every topic learn the named scholars and what they actually argue, then drill AO2 by writing evaluative paragraphs that put one view against another and reach a judgement. Master the anthology extracts so you can explain and assess them under pressure. Practise the extended essay under timed conditions with Edexcel past papers and mark schemes, because the levels-based marking rewards sustained, well-supported argument far more than coverage.