What do religions teach about crime, punishment, forgiveness and suffering?
Religious and non-religious teachings on crime and punishment, the aims of punishment, the treatment of criminals, forgiveness, and the problem of suffering and evil.
An Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) Component 1 answer on issues of good and evil, covering crime and punishment, the aims of punishment, the treatment of criminals, forgiveness, and the problem of suffering and evil, from Christian, Islamic and non-religious perspectives, with sources of wisdom and authority.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to explain religious and non-religious teachings on crime and punishment, the aims of punishment, the treatment of criminals, forgiveness, and the problem of suffering and evil, from Christian, Islamic and non-religious perspectives. This is the Issues of Good and Evil theme. It feeds 15-mark evaluation questions on forgiveness and on punishment, so you need the content, both religions' views, the range within each, and the sources of wisdom and authority Eduqas rewards.
Crime, sin and the aims of punishment
Most Christians emphasise reformation and the hope that offenders can change, because all people sin and Jesus came to save sinners. Many also accept retribution and protection as part of justice. Humanists focus on deterrence, protection and reformation, the aims that reduce harm.
The treatment of criminals and forgiveness
Religions also teach humane treatment of prisoners (they keep their human dignity) and oppose cruelty. But forgiveness does not mean no punishment: justice, protection and reformation still matter. This tension is exactly what the evaluation question on forgiving criminals explores.
The problem of suffering and evil
Believers face the problem of evil: why a good, all-powerful God allows suffering. They respond with the free will defence (moral evil is the price of genuine freedom), the idea that suffering can build character, the example of Jesus who shared suffering, and trust that God brings good out of evil. Humanists do not see suffering as a religious problem at all: it is a natural fact, and the right response is to reduce it through compassion, medicine and justice. This links the theme to Christian beliefs about evil and suffering.
Common and divergent views
The common view is that wrongdoing must be answered with justice, that criminals keep their dignity, and that forgiveness is valuable. The divergences are over the balance of the aims of punishment (retribution versus reformation), over how far forgiveness goes (especially for terrible crimes), and over the death penalty (some accept it on retribution and protection grounds, many reject it). Humanists judge by harm reduction. For the exam, present justice-with-mercy as shared and use these differences when evaluating.
Try this
Q1. Name the four aims of punishment. [a-style recall]
- Cue. Retribution (paying back), deterrence (putting people off), protection (keeping society safe) and reformation (changing the offender).
Q2. Explain why many Christians stress reformation in punishment. [b-style short explanation]
- Cue. Because Christians believe all people sin and can change, and Jesus came to save sinners and taught forgiveness, so they hope punishment will help offenders reform and return to society, not just pay them back.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas C120 2019 (style)2 marks[a] What is meant by retribution?Show worked answer →
This is the 2-mark (a) AO1 definition question. Define the term precisely: retribution is the aim of punishment that the criminal should "pay back" for the wrong they have done. A short developed phrase secures both marks, for example "the idea that an offender deserves to be punished in proportion to their crime, getting what they deserve". A single word risks only one mark.
Eduqas C120 2021 (style)8 marks[c] Explain religious teachings about the aims of punishment. Refer to sources of wisdom and authority in your answer.Show worked answer →
This is the 8-mark (c) extended AO1 question, and referring to sources is required for the top band. Explain the main aims: retribution (paying back, "an eye for an eye", Exodus 21:24), deterrence (putting people off crime), protection (keeping society safe), and reformation (changing the offender for the better). Develop that most Christians stress reformation and forgiveness (Jesus' teaching to forgive, and "let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone", John 8:7), while justice still matters; Islam balances justice and mercy, allowing retribution but praising forgiveness. The top band rewards developed points each tied to a named source.
Eduqas C120 2022 (style)15 marks[d] "Religious believers should always forgive criminals." Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should refer to religious beliefs and teachings, give reasoned arguments to support this statement, give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view, and reach a justified conclusion.Show worked answer →
This is the 15-mark (d) AO2 evaluation question, where SPaG is assessed, so write in continuous prose with specialist terms. Arguments to support: Jesus taught radical forgiveness, "forgive ... seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:22) and forgave from the cross; Islam praises those who forgive (Surah 42:40), so believers should forgive. Arguments for a different view: forgiveness does not mean no punishment; justice, protection of society and reformation still matter, and victims should not be pressured to forgive; some crimes are so serious that justice must come first. Use specialist terms (forgiveness, retribution, reformation, justice). A justified conclusion weighs the call to forgive against the need for justice, often arguing that forgiveness and punishment can go together.
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies specification (C120, from 2016) — WJEC Eduqas (2016)