England · OCRSyllabus
Religious Studies syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the England Religious Studiessyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
Christianity: Beliefs and teachings
Module overview →- What do Christians believe about creation and the incarnation?The Christian belief in God as creator, the role of the Word and the Spirit in creation, and the incarnation as God becoming human in Jesus Christ.14 min answer →
- What do Christians believe about death, judgement and the afterlife?Christian eschatological beliefs about death, resurrection of the body, judgement, heaven, hell and (for some) purgatory, and the impact of these beliefs.14 min answer →
- What do Christians believe about sin, salvation and atonement?The Christian beliefs in sin and the Fall, salvation through grace, faith and good works, and atonement through the death of Jesus.14 min answer →
- What do Christians believe about the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus?The crucifixion of Jesus, his resurrection on the third day and his ascension into heaven, and what these events mean for Christians.14 min answer →
- What do Christians believe about the nature of God and the Trinity?The nature of God as omnipotent, loving and just, the oneness of God, and the doctrine of the Trinity as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.15 min answer →
Christianity: Practices
Module overview →- How and why do Christians worship and pray?Christian forms of worship, including liturgical, non-liturgical and informal worship, private worship, and the different types and importance of prayer.14 min answer →
- Why do Christians engage in mission, evangelism and reconciliation?The role of mission and evangelism (sharing the faith), the importance of the worldwide Church, and Christian work for reconciliation.14 min answer →
- Why do Christians go on pilgrimage and celebrate festivals?The role and importance of pilgrimage (including Lourdes and Iona) and the major festivals of Christmas and Easter for Christians.14 min answer →
- What is the role of the Church in the local and worldwide community?The role of the Church in the local community (food banks, street pastors, support) and in the worldwide community (charities such as Christian Aid and CAFOD).14 min answer →
- What do Christians believe about the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist?The meaning and practice of the sacraments, focusing on baptism (infant and believers') and the Eucharist (Holy Communion), and divergent Christian understandings of them.14 min answer →
Exam skills
Module overview →- How do I answer the 15-mark Discuss this statement question?How to plan and write the OCR 15-mark evaluation (Discuss this statement) question, including both-sides argument, sources and a justified conclusion, and how the SPaG marks are earned.14 min answer →
- How do I answer the short AO1 knowledge questions (1, 2, 3 and 6 marks)?How to answer the OCR short-answer AO1 questions (the 1, 2, 3 and 6 mark questions), matching each answer to its tariff and command word.13 min answer →
- How do I use sources of wisdom and authority to gain marks?What sources of wisdom and authority are, how to build a bank of Christian and Muslim sources, and how to use them to raise AO1 and AO2 marks.14 min answer →
Islam: Beliefs and teachings
Module overview →- What do Muslims believe about life after death?The belief in Akhirah (life after death), the Day of Judgement (Yawm ad-Din), and Paradise (Jannah) and Hell (Jahannam).14 min answer →
- What do Muslims believe about angels and predestination?The belief in angels (Malaikah) and their roles, and the belief in predestination (Al-Qadr) and its relationship to human free will.14 min answer →
- What do Muslims believe about the prophets and the holy books?The belief in Risalah (prophethood), the role of prophets including Adam, Ibrahim and Muhammad, and the holy books, especially the Qur'an.14 min answer →
- What do Muslims believe about Tawhid and the nature of Allah?The belief in Tawhid (the oneness of God), the nature and characteristics of Allah, and the importance of Tawhid for Muslims.14 min answer →
- What are the foundations of faith for Sunni and Shia Muslims?The six beliefs of Sunni Islam and the five roots of Usul ad-Din of Shia Islam, and how they shape Muslim faith.14 min answer →
Islam: Practices
Module overview →- What is Hajj, and why do Muslims make the pilgrimage to Makkah?Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah, including its origins, the main rituals (ihram, tawaf, Arafat, stoning the pillars) and its importance for Muslims.14 min answer →
- What do Muslims mean by jihad, and how do they celebrate their festivals?The meaning of jihad (greater and lesser), and the celebration and significance of the festivals Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Adha and Ashura.14 min answer →
- Why do Muslims fast in Ramadan and give Zakah?Sawm (fasting in Ramadan) and its purpose, and Zakah and khums (giving to charity) and their importance in Muslim life.14 min answer →
- What are the Shahadah and Salah, and why do Muslims perform them?The Shahadah (declaration of faith) as the first pillar, and Salah (prayer five times a day), including wudu, the rak'ah and Jummah prayer.14 min answer →
- What are the Five Pillars of Islam and the Ten Obligatory Acts?The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam, the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shia Islam, and their importance as the foundation of Muslim practice.14 min answer →
Religion, philosophy and ethics in the modern world
Module overview →- How do religious and non-religious people relate in a diverse society?Dialogue between religious and non-religious beliefs, including attitudes to other religions and none, freedom of religious expression, interfaith dialogue, and religious and non-religious approaches to moral questions.15 min answer →
- When, if ever, do religious believers think war is justified?The just war theory, holy war, pacifism, and religious attitudes to weapons of mass destruction.15 min answer →
- What do religious believers teach about marriage, divorce and sexuality?Religious teachings on the nature and purpose of marriage, sexual relationships, contraception, divorce and remarriage, and same-sex relationships.15 min answer →
- What do religious believers teach about families and gender?Religious teachings on the nature and purpose of families, the roles of parents and children, and gender equality, prejudice and discrimination.15 min answer →
- What do religious believers teach about peace, conflict and forgiveness?Religious teachings on peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation, the causes of war, religion and terrorism, and responses to the victims of war.15 min answer →
- What arguments are given for and against the existence of God?Philosophical arguments for the existence of God (design and cosmological), the argument from miracles and revelation, science and the origins of the universe, and the problem of evil as an argument against God.16 min answer →