GCSE RS at STM

My Year 11s have seen plenty of domino videos as we have been learning about the Argument for the Existence of God from Causation. So I thought of you all when I read about the new world record that was set today.

Homework is due in by Thursday 20 November.

Answer the following questions:

a) What is the paranormal? (2 marks)
b) Outline Catholic teaching on the Sanctity of Life. (6 marks)
c) Explain why some non-religious people believe in life after death. (8 marks)
d) “Ghosts and mediums prove that there is life after death.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion, showing that you have considered another point of view. (4 marks)

You will be given a worksheet on which to write your answers. However, you can also submit your answers via this blog, by clicking on “comments“. You will need to include your email address, but that will not be published. Include your first name only.

Homework is due in by Thursday 13 November.

Answer the following questions:

a) What is the immortality of the soul? (2 marks)
b) Outline non-religious reasons for believing in life after death. (6 marks)
c) Explain why Catholics believe in life after death. (8 marks)
d) “All good people will go to heaven whatever they believe.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion, showing that you have considered another point of view. (4 marks)

You will be given a worksheet on which to write your answers. However, you can also submit your answers via this blog, by clicking on “comments“. You will need to include your email address, but that will not be published. Include your first name only.

Homework is due in by Thursday 6 November.

Answer the following questions:

a) What does purgatory mean? (2 marks)
b) Outline Catholic beliefs about life after death. (6 marks)
c) Explain why there are different attitudes towards life after death among Christians. (8 marks)
d) “When you’re dead, you’re dead. That’s it.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion, showing that you have considered another point of view. (4 marks)

You will be given a worksheet on which to write your answers. However, you can also submit your answers via this blog, by clicking on “comments“. You will need to include your email address, but that will not be published. Include your first name only.

During lessons last week, I did not hand out the exam questions, but instead set the homework as revision for this week’s end of unit assessment. The homework this week, therefore, will be to complete the set of exam questions as set for last week.

In the meantime, the key words that you need to know can be downloaded here, from the Edexcel website.

The words are:

agnosticism - not being sure whether God exists
atheism - believing that God does not exist
benevolent - the belief that God is good/kind
causation - the idea that everything has been caused (started off) by something else
conversion - when someone’s life is changed by giving themselves to God
design - when things are connected and seem to have a purpose (eg the eye is designed for seeing)
miracle - something which seems to break a law of science and for which God seems the only explanation
moral evil - actions done by humans which cause suffering
natural evil - things which cause suffering but which have nothing to do with humans eg earthquakes
numinous - the feeling of the presence of something greater than you eg in a church or looking up at the stars
omnipotent - the belief that God is all-powerful
omniscient - the belief that God knows everything that has happened and everything that will happen
prayer - an attempt to communicate with God, usually through prayer

We have the dates for your exams!

The Year 11 (Unit J) paper is on 12 May. The Year 10 (Unit C) paper is on the 18 May. As you can see, the first paper is on the very first day of the exams, and you will not have a lot of time to revise in between the two papers if you are having to resit the paper from last year! So do the very best you can now, to make it easier later on!

Homework is due by Wednesday 15 October.

Answer the following exam questions:

a) Give one example of a natural evil. (2 marks)
b) Outline THREE types of religious experience. (6 marks)
c) Explain how the existence of evil and suffering may lead some people to deny God’s existence. (8 marks)
d) “There is plenty of evidence that God exists.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion, showing that you have considered another point of view. (4 marks)

You will be given a worksheet to complete. However, you can also submit your answers here, by clicking on the comments link.

Homework is due by Wednesday 8 October.

Answer the following exam questions:

a) What does benevolent mean? (2 marks)
b) Outline the Argument from Causation. (6 marks)
c) Explain how the search for meaning and purpose in life may lead to or support belief in God. (8 marks)
d) “The theory of evolution proves that God does not exist.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion, showing that you have considered another point of view. (4 marks)

You will be given a worksheet to complete. However, you can also submit your answers here, by clicking on the comments link.

Answer the following exam questions:

a) What is causation? (2 marks)
b) Outline the Argument from Design. (6 marks)
c) Explain why some people do not believe in God. (8 marks)
d) “Miracles do not happen today.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion, showing that you have considered another point of view. (4 marks)

You will be given a worksheet to complete. However, you can also submit your answers here, by clicking on the comments link.

Answer the following exam questions:

a) What is agnosticism? (2 marks)
b) Describe ONE religious experience. (6 marks)
c) Explain how a Catholic upbringing may lead to or support belief in God. (8 marks)
d) “All children need to be taught about Christianity.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion, showing that you have considered another point of view. (4 marks)

You will be given a worksheet to complete. However, you can also submit your answers here, by clicking on the comments link.