OCR GCSE Religious Studies Religion, Philosophy and Ethics Themes: a complete J625 overview

What this paper demands

Religion, philosophy and ethics in the modern world is the big 2-hour, 126-mark paper (50% of the GCSE), taken from the perspective of one religion (Christianity, J625/06, or Islam, J625/07). It applies a religious worldview to four contemporary themes and is heavy on AO2 evaluation: each theme ends with a 15-mark "Discuss this statement" question. As always, OCR rewards sources of wisdom and authority and balanced argument, and the paper's 6 SPaG marks are awarded on a named evaluation question. This overview ties the dot-point pages together.

Theme 1: Relationships and families

This theme covers marriage (its nature and purpose), sexual relationships (sex before and outside marriage, same-sex relationships), contraception, divorce and remarriage, the nature and purpose of families and gender (equality, prejudice and discrimination). Believers value lifelong, faithful marriage and the family, but differ (for example Catholic and Protestant views on divorce and contraception), and most teach gender equality of worth while debating roles. Non-religious humanists judge by consent, love and wellbeing.

Theme 2: The existence of God and revelation

This theme covers the design and cosmological arguments for God, the arguments from miracles and revelation, the relationship between science and religion on the origins of the universe, and the problem of evil as an argument against God. You must know each argument, its weaknesses, and how believers and non-believers respond, and be ready to evaluate whether evil disproves God or is a challenge believers can answer.

Theme 3: Religion, peace and conflict

This theme covers peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation, the causes of war (greed, self-defence, retaliation), the just war theory, holy war, pacifism, weapons of mass destruction and religion and terrorism, plus responses to the victims of war. Believers range from pacifists (never fight) to just war supporters (fight only under strict conditions), and both Christianity and Islam condemn terrorism. The two paired dot points cover this theme in full.

Theme 4: Dialogue between religious and non-religious beliefs

This theme covers attitudes to other religions and none (exclusivism, inclusivism, pluralism), freedom of religious expression, interfaith dialogue, the science and religion relationship, and how religious and non-religious people approach moral questions. Believers use sources of wisdom and authority; humanists use reason, empathy and human wellbeing. They often agree on core values while differing on the source of authority and some issues.

Check your knowledge

A mix of recall questions covering the whole paper. Attempt them, then check the solutions.

1. Name the four philosophy and ethics themes. (4 marks)
2. Give two purposes of marriage. (2 marks)
3. Name the two main philosophical arguments for the existence of God. (2 marks)
4. What is the inconsistent triad? (2 marks)
5. Name three conditions of the just war theory. (3 marks)
6. What is pacifism? (1 mark)
7. What is humanism? (1 mark)
8. Give two aims of interfaith dialogue. (2 marks)