Edexcel RE GCSE Revision What modules will I

Edexcel RE GCSE Revision What modules will I need to revise? • • Believing in God Matters of life and death Marriage & Family Social Harmony

Key Terms Causation The idea that everything has been caused (started off) by something else. Design When things are connected & seem to have a purpose, i. e. , eye for seeing. Atheist Someone who does not believe in God. Agnostic Someone who is not sure if they believe in God. Conversion When your life/religion is changed. Miracle Something which breaks the law of science & only explanation seems to be God. Numinous Feeling of the presence of something greater than you. Prayer Communicating with God.

Why do some people believe in Allah? Religious upbringing Causation Search for meaning & purpose Reasons why people believe in Allah. Presence of religion Appearance of design in the world Religious experience

Why do some people not believe in Allah? Non religious explanations Of the world Non religious explanations of miracles Reasons why some people don’t Believe in Allah. Unanswered prayers Evil & suffering

Main features of a religious upbringing • • Aqiqa Khitan Halal, Madrassah Salah, Adhan, Iqamah, Qu’ran

Explain how a religious upbringing may lead to a belief in Allah. • Appear normal to you. Always told God exists. People you respect believe in God. As a child, will have no reason NOT to believe in God. Muslim parents have a responsibility to teach their children about Islam. • Muslim children begin their formal education about Islam after the bismillah ceremony. • Living in a halal home, attending madrassah and learning about Islam are all part of a Muslim upbringing which leads to belief in Allah

Types of religious experience. Feeling of the presence of something greater than you. Numinous When your life/religion is changed. Conversion Something which breaks the law of science & only explanation seems to be God. Miracle Communicating with God. Prayer

Numinous • Feeling of presence of God: - In religious building. - Beautiful Place. - Stars on a clear night. • Filled with awareness of Something greater than you. (God)

Conversion When your life/religion changes. Experience God and so want to change your life…. or… Change your religion…or… Change from agnosticism/atheism to believing in God.

Miracle An event which breaks the law of science, only explanation is God. Means God has acted on the earth… …and that people witnessing the miracle have had direct contact with God.

Prayer Communicating with God: - formal prayers in worship, Holy Communion/Salah. - informal prayers, talk to God in private. Feel that God listens to them. When prayer is answered.

Laws of science: A main reason why some people think the universe has been designed is because the universe works according to laws: The laws of electricity, gravity, Magnetism all involve complex things working together.

What things in our world can be used for evidence of design in the world: Laws of Science DNA Evolution Beauty of Nature

Paley’s watch. Paley argued that if he were to find a watch lying on the ground, he would assume that it was the product of a designer for, unlike a stone, he would see at once that it was made up of many different parts which worked together to produce movement. If any of these parts was ordered slightly differently then the whole structure would not work.

Paley argued that, in the same way, the world is like a machine, and if the world is like a machine, it must have a designer. Paley concluded that this designer is God.

Explain how seeing design in the world can lead to belief in God. - Anything that has been designed needs a designer. - Evidence of design (Laws of science, DNA, evolution, beauty of nature. ) - If the world has been designed, the world must have a designer. - This designer must be God. (Paley’s watch. ) - Therefore the design of the world proves that God exists.

Causation is…the idea that everything has been caused (Started off) by something else.

First Cause Argument Things in the world have a cause, for example, ice is caused by the temperature falling and water becoming solid at 0°C. Anything caused to exist must be caused to exist by something else because to cause your own existence, you would have to exist before you exist, which is nonsense. In any chain you have to have a beginning, for example, you have to have water to produce ice. There must be a First Cause for the universe. The only possible First Cause of the universe is God, therefore God must exist.

Explain why the appearance of causation in the world may lead to a belief in God. • Known as First Cause argument. • Universe must have come from somewhere/must have had a cause. • God only logical cause of universe. • Therefore God exists.

How does the search for meaning and purpose in life lead to a belief in God? This search leads people to think that this life cannot be all there is & that the purpose of this life involves the existence of life after death. They believe this because one of the purposes of life is justice (idea that good are rewarded and the evil are punished. ) This does not always happen on earth and so must take place after death. Only God can provide an afterlife. Therefore the search for meaning & purpose leads them to believe that God must exist.

How does the presence of religion in the world lead to a belief in God? - So much evidence of religion in the world (churches, etc) & so many people believe in a religion – must be true. - Why do so many people pray, follow strict rules, worship God if it isn’t true? - So many people can’t be wrong. - If so many important people follow a religion then it must be right. - If religion is true then God must exist. - If you study religion you see there are many similarities. (One God, life after death, worship, prayer. ) Must be a force behind it – God. - If this force is God then God must exist!

Explain why a person may come to believe in God. - Religious upbringing. - Religious experience: Numinous, conversion, miracle, prayer. - Evidence of design. - Causation. (First Cause Argument. ) - Search for meaning and purpose. - Presence of religion in the world.

Explain why some people do not believe in miracles. • Eyewitnesses. Some people are easily duped, others are prepared to make false claims if it will help them. • Many miracles recorded in holy books. Why should they be believed? They contradict each other. • Scientific explanations for miracles. • All evidence for miracles is written by believers. • Why does God perform miracles for wealthy people in the West but not for the starving in the third world?

Describe, with examples, what is meant by unanswered prayers. If people belong to a religion, they will have been told of people whose prayers have been answered by God. This is a reason for believing in God. If they pray and their prayer is not answered they may begin to question a God who answers some people’s prayers and not others.

If what they have prayed for is silly they may accept that it is not part of God’s plan. However, if prayers continue to be unanswered, especially if the person prays for good things (food, water) then the unanswered prayers can become evidence that there is no God to answer them.

How do non religious explanations of the world lead to agnosticism or atheism? Science can explain where the world and heavens came from without any reference to God. The argument that you need God to explain why we are here is no longer valid. Other people would say that the scientific explanation of the world and heavens without any reference to God is proof that God does not exist.

Matters of life and death Revision. What do I need to know for matters of life and death? - Abortion - Euthanasia - Life after death

What does the law say about abortion? 1967 Abortion Act. 2 or more doctors consent: - Mental/physical health of woman/existing children at risk. - When child is born it will be severely mentally/physically handicapped. 28 weeks 1990 Abortion Act 24 weeks

Outline the teaching of Islam on Sanctity of Life and euthanasia. - Allah created life therefore only he can end it. No one has the right to take theirs or anyone else’s life. - Life is precious/holy/scared. - Life is a gift from God. - To take life (euthanasia/suicide/abortion) is a sin. - Qur’an says murder is wrong. - Every soul created by Allah. - Life is a test, to end life early is cheating in this test. (hell) But…Some Muslim lawyers agree that if the person is already brain dead then it is acceptable to turn off the machine. The person is already dead So Allah has already taken their life.

Life after death in Islam • Muslims believe in life after death, this is called akhirah • Muslims believe they will be judged on what they have believed & what they have done on earth. • Angels will have recorded a person’s deeds during their lifetime. • This evidence will be used on the Day of Judgement. • Allah knows the time of a person’s birth & death. • Straight after death the soul is released. It is taken by the Angel of Death to a state of waiting until the Day of Judgement. • Muslims will either go to Paradise - which is described as a beautiful garden with rivers of milk & honey or they will go to hell - a terrifying place of heat & torment.

Why do Muslims believe in life after death? • Qur’an teaches there is life after death. Qur’an is word of God so must be believed. • Muhammad taught there is life after death. Muhammad is a prophet of God so must be believed. • Akhirah is a belief that Muslims must believe in. • Muslims believe life is a test. If a test needs to be judgement which means must afterlife (paradise or hell. ) • Gives their life meaning and purpose. (rewarded or punished. )

Near Death Experience This is when people are clinically dead for a period of time and then come back to life. People who have near death experiences report feelings of pleasure and joy, feelings of floating above the body, seeing a bright lights, entering another world and meeting dead relatives.

Evidence for a spiritual world. Some people use ghosts and ouija boards as evidence of spirits or souls of the dead surviving death. The clearest evidence seems to be mediums. A medium is a person who has the gift of communicating between this world and the spirit world.

Mediums claim to have evidence for life after death by contacting people’s dead relatives and telling them things that only their relatives could tell them.

Marriage and Family Revision. What do I need to learn for this module? - Sex outside marriage. Marriage. Divorce. Family life.

Before… Now… Usually wait until married Most people have sex for sex. before marriage. Usually 1 or 2 sexual partners. More sexual partners. Usually married by 25. Usually married by 30. Most households nuclear. Most households not nuclear. Cohabitation seen as a ‘sin. Cohabitation seen as ‘norm. ’ Usually married in church. More secular marriages.

Outline how attitudes to divorce have changed. • It is now cheaper to get divorced. • It is easier to get divorced. (legally) • Women no longer prepared to accept unequal treatment from men. (changing expectations) • Women no longer financially dependant on men. • Lots of women used to die in childbirth so many men usually had more than one wife. Most divorces occur after 10 years of marriage which was average length of marriage 100 years ago.

Key Terms: Faithfulness staying with your marriage partner & having sex only with them. Remarriage – Marrying again after being divorced. Annulment – A declaration that the marriage never was a true marriage. Sacrament - Outward sign of an inward blessing, ie, baptism, marriage.

Purpose of marriage in Islam. - Share love and comfort. Enjoy sex in the way Allah intended. Procreation Bring up a Muslim family. Follow example of Mohammed.

Prayers for the future of the marriage & gift of children. Wedding feast with lots of guests to make the wedding public. Declaration from each partner that they are freely entering into the marriage. Readings from the Qur’an. Features of a Muslim marriage ceremony. Agreement of mahr in front of witnesses. Signing of nikah (wedding contract. ) Khutbah – talk by the imam on the nature of marriage.

Divorce is allowed in Islam but only as a last resort. The husband must state 3 times, in front of witnesses that the marriage is over. There is a 3 month waiting time known as iddah which gives the couple a chance to reconcile. The family will try and help with this reconciliation. If this fails, the couple are free to divorce. They must remain civil to each other afterwards.

Muslim parents should… Muslim children should… …provide for their children & set a good example …respect and obey their parents …make sure the home is …look after their parents halal when they can no longer look after themselves …teach the children about Islam, 5 Pillars …send their children to madrasah to learn how to read Qur’an in Arabic

Why family life is important in Islam… - Family created by God as a basic unit of society. - Place where children should be brought up. - Follow example of Muhammad who had a family & raised a family. - Where children introduced to Islam. - Judged on how well brought up children.

- How mosques help with the upbringing of children. - Most mosques run Madrasahs in the evenings to teach young children about their faith. This teaches them right from wrong. - Many mosques also provide social activities including groups for children and young people. This can keep them away from bad infliuences. - Muslim day schools where Muslims can follow the National Curriculum in a Muslim way. - Many mosques have family committees that help Muslim families with debt or financial problems. - Some mosques use their Zakat funds to help families experiencing financial difficulties.

Social Harmony What do I need to know for Social Harmony? - Religious Harmony - Racial Harmony - Roles of men & women

Multi-Ethnic Society Key Terms: Multi-Ethnic Society: Many different races and cultures living together in one society. Prejudice: Prejudging someone before you know anything about them. Discrimination: Treating someone differently because of race, gender, etc. Racism: The belief that some ethnic groups are superior to others. Racial Harmony: Different ethnic groups living together peacefully.

Islam & Racial harmony Islam promotes racial harmony. Has members in most ethnic groups & countries. Ummah – worldwide community of Muslims. Qur’an teaches all races are equal in eyes of Allah created all humans from one pair of humans therefore all equal. • Many hadith which promote racial harmony. • Muhammad’s final sermon: every Muslim is a brother to every other Muslim and so there should be no racism among Muslims. • Muhammad’s first prayer caller was a black Muslim (Bilal) whereas Muhammad was Middle Eastern. • • •

Religious Harmony • Religious Freedom: Right to practise & change your religion. • Religious pluralism: Accepting all religions have an equal right to exist. • Multi-faith Society: Many different religions living together in one society

Explain how the presence of many different religions in society may cause problems for religious believers. Conversion • Muslims see it as their duty to convert others to their religion. • Is this a form of prejudice to regard other religions as wrong? • Can lead to arguments & even violence when people are told their religion is wrong. Bringing up children • What religion do they follow? • What faith school? Sunday school? Madrassah? • Baptised or other initiation ceremony? • Parents may worry won’t see their child after death. Mixed marriages • In a multi-faith society people of different faiths are going to meet, fall in love & want to marry. • Which religious ceremony? Or no religious ceremony? • Which religion will the children be brought up in? • Death – will they have to be buried in separate parts of the cemetery? • Parents may feel their child has betrayed their roots.

Islam & other religions. • All believe in religious freedom. • Everyone has the right to follow any religion they choose. • Some…Islam is only religion but Judaism & Christianity may lead to God. • Other religions have a right to exist. • Why. . ? Qur’an says no one should be forced into following a religion. • Qur’an mentions Jews & Christians. • But others…only Muslims will go to Paradise. • Only Islam has the truth. • Duty to convert others to Islam so they go to Paradise. • Why. . ? Qur’an teaches only Muslims will go to heaven. • Others. . . there is truth in all religions. • Each religion is a different path to God. • Why. . . ? Qur’an says Allah is merciful so won’t allow non-believers t go to hell.

Outline the growth of equal rights for women in the UK • Women always had the right to own property & earn own living. • In the past. . . when married, husbands had right to use their property. • Married women’s Act 1882 allowed married women to keep their property separate from their husbands. • Equal voting rights. (1928) • Right to stand as an MP. (1928) • 1970 – Equal rights in employment. Equal Pay Act. • 1975 – Sex Discrimination Act made it illegal to discriminate on grounds of gender or whether someone is married.

Islam • Traditional attitude & modern attitude. Traditional Attitude: Men & women should have different roles in life & religion. Role of women: create halal home, bring children up as good Muslims. Role of men: provide for family by working, Worship Allah in mosque with sons. Because…Qur’an teaches men should support women as they are stronger. Qur’an teaches women created to bear children. Qur’an teaches women should only inherit half what a man inherits showing men need more money to provide for family.

Modern attitude. • Men & women should have completely equal roles in religion & education. • Women should have careers but their role as mother should take priority. • Some would accept women leaders. • Because…Qur’an teaches men & women are equal in religion and education. • Muhammad encouraged both men & women to worship in the mosque. • There women leaders during early stages of Islam.