What does the Christianity Beliefs unit cover?

It covers the nature of God as omnipotent, loving and just, the problem of evil, the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), creation, the incarnation and life of Jesus, his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, sin and salvation, grace and atonement, and beliefs about the afterlife including resurrection, judgement, heaven and hell.

How is this unit assessed in AQA GCSE Religious Studies A?

Christianity Beliefs and teachings is examined in Paper 1, alongside Christianity Practices and the two studied religions. Each religion section is worth around 24 marks, and questions follow the 1, 2, 4, 5 and 12 mark pattern, including a 12 mark evaluation question that uses a quotation and assesses arguments for and against.

How many religions do students study?

Students study two religions for Paper 1. The most common combination is Christianity and Islam. The beliefs and practices of each religion are examined, so this unit is one of four religion sections in Paper 1.

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Christianity: Beliefs and teachings overview - AQA GCSE Religious Studies A

An overview of the Christianity Beliefs and teachings unit for AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062), covering the nature of God, the Trinity, creation, Jesus, salvation and the afterlife.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.87 min readChristianity: BeliefsUpdated 2026-06-02

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What the unit covers
How it is assessed
How to study it
For the official specification

This unit, Christianity: Beliefs and teachings, is one of the two Christianity sections examined on Paper 1 of AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062). It sets out what Christians believe about God, Jesus and life after death, and underpins the practices unit and the four thematic studies.

What the unit covers

The unit moves from beliefs about God to beliefs about Jesus and then the afterlife.

The nature of God: God as one, omnipotent, loving and just, and the problem of evil and suffering this creates.
Creation and the Trinity: God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the role of the Word and Spirit in creation.
Jesus and salvation: the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, and how Jesus brings salvation.
The afterlife: resurrection, judgement, heaven, hell and how these beliefs shape life now.
Key Christian beliefs: incarnation, sin, the Fall, grace and atonement drawn together.

How it is assessed

This is one section of Paper 1, which examines the beliefs and practices of two religions. Expect short knowledge questions, a 5 mark explanation using a source of authority, and a 12 mark evaluation question that asks you to weigh arguments for and against a statement, with reference to Christianity.

How to study it

Learn precise definitions (omnipotent, incarnation, atonement) and a short scriptural quotation for each belief. Practise linking belief to practice, and rehearse the 12 mark evaluation structure with developed arguments on both sides and a justified conclusion.

For the official specification

AQA publishes the full specification, past papers and mark schemes at aqa.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and AQA past papers.

Sources & how we know this

AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062) specification — AQA (2016)