Religion, matters of life and death overview - Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A

This theme, Religion, matters of life and death, applies the beliefs of Christianity and Islam to questions about the beginning and end of life. It rests on the sanctity of life and weighs it against the quality of life, producing rich moral debates assessed in the same way as the rest of Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A (1RA0).

What the theme covers

The theme moves from the origins and value of life to abortion, euthanasia and the afterlife.

• Origins and value of life: religious and scientific accounts (creation, the Big Bang, evolution), the sanctity of life, and the value of human and animal life.
• Abortion: religious and non-religious attitudes, when life begins, and the sanctity of life versus the quality of life.
• Euthanasia and life after death: attitudes to euthanasia, palliative care and hospices, and beliefs about resurrection, judgement and the afterlife.

How it is assessed

This ethics theme uses the same (a) to (d) pattern as the rest of the course: Outline three (3 marks), Explain two (4 marks), Explain two and refer to a source of wisdom and authority (5 marks), and Evaluate a statement (12 marks plus, on Paper 1, 3 for spelling, punctuation and grammar).

How to study it

For each issue, learn the religious teaching, a source for part (c), and the contrasting views (religious and non-religious such as Humanist, and divergent views within each faith). Be precise with the key terms (sanctity of life, quality of life, conception, ensoulment, palliative care), treat these sensitive topics with respect, and rehearse the Evaluate structure with arguments on both sides and a justified conclusion.

For the official specification

Pearson publishes the full specification (1RA0), past papers and mark schemes at qualifications.pearson.com. Always revise from the current specification and Edexcel past papers.