RE Revision Day

Thinking time

What do you want to learn today?

What topics from medical ethics and human relationships are you confident with?

What topics do you need to improve on?

Grade boundaries

Grade Mark

★ 21

A 18

B 16

Command words

State - Be specific

Describe – Make sure you give a description

Explain – you need to use the word because

Discuss – The question will ask you two viewpoints so do what it is asking. Use words like however, on the other hand, furthermore, and although

Religious Studies GCSEOCR Syllabus B

Philosophy and Applied Ethics

A reminder of the key skills involved in

answering Part (e) Questions

The Statement / Viewpoint• All part (e) questions require you to discuss a

statement / viewpoint.• These statements / viewpoints are about issues

that affect the world.• For example:

'Animals are just as important as humans.'• This statement / viewpoint tells us that some

people believe that animals deserve the same rights as human beings and that to treat them any differently is like a type of racism (species-ism!).

Explain / Reflect on the Importance of the Issue / Viewpoint

• At the beginning of your answer, you should explain the issue (say why something is a problem) and show the examiner that you have thought about why this issue is important.

• THINK: which key words / terms do you need to include / explain?

• This statement is about…• The main problem with this viewpoint

is…• Many people have different views

about this statement because…

Personal Viewpoint• Explain your personal views about

this statement. • Support your viewpoint with

evidence. • Evidence is about showing the reader

why they should believe your idea (or at least think seriously about what you’ve got to say…).

• Evidence can be in the form of quotes, explanations or examples.

• Remember to use beliefs, connectives, reasons and examples.

Structuring your view• I think the statement… (describe your belief about the

issues in the statement)

• The reason for this is… (give reasons for your belief using explanations and

examples)

• An example of this is… (give an example that shows how your view works)

• I also feel… (describe your belief /views about the issues in the statement)

• This is because… (give reasons for your belief using explanations and examples)

• If we look at… (give an example that shows how your view works)

Include a Range of Views• Show that you have thought

about a range of different views that can be supported by evidence (justified argument) in the same way as your own viewpoint.

• As this is Religious Studies, you MUST include (at least) two different Christian viewpoints and a non- Christian viewpoint.

• If you don’t do this, you cannot gain the highest levels and you will lose most of the available marks.

Structuring a range of views• Some Christians believe… (describe a Christian belief about the

issues within the statement)• This is because… (give reasons why Christians believe

this. Use quotations, explanations and examples where appropriate)

• Other Christians believe… (describe a different Christian belief about the issues within the statement)

• This is because… (give reasons why Christians believe this. Use quotations, explanations and examples where appropriate)

• Other people believe… (describe a non-Christian belief about the issues within the statement)

• This is because… (give reasons why they believe this. Use quotations explanations and examples where appropriate)

Clear and OrganisedYour answer should read well and move from point to point in a

logical manner.Aim to use phrases such as:• On the one hand, …• This is because…• On the other hand… some think… because…• Not everyone would agree with this because…• For example, … might believe… because…• It may be argued… because…• There are problems with these arguments…

because…Try to be accurate with spelling, punctuation and grammar…

Conclusion• End with a short paragraph that sums up how you

answered the question.• You do NOT have to have reached a definite answer.

You can remain unsure / undecided / able to see both sides of the argument.

• Try to give a sense that you have taken the reader closer to the end of the discussion by using phrases such as:

• On the whole , I think…• To summarise, …• In conclusion, I believe…

Structure

To access level 4 marks:- Have an introduction- A body with each viewpoint (Roman Catholic,

Church of England/ Modern Christians/ Quakers)

- Your personal viewpoint- Support your discussion… This is seen in…

Human Relationships Terminology - Every mark counts

Annulment

Civil partnership

promiscuity

sacrament

Human Relationships Terminology - Every mark counts

Annulment A marriage that is terminated by the church because it is not valid

Civil partnership Legal recognition of a same sex marriage with a registry office ceremony

promiscuity Having a number of sexual partners without commitment

sacrament A special action which brings Christians closer to God.

How might a Christian Marriage ceremony reflect belief? 6 marks

How might a Christian Marriage ceremony reflect belief?

‘Divorce is wrong.’ Discuss this statement. You should include different supported viewpoints and a personal viewpoint. Refer

to Christianity. 12 marks

High level response

• To score very high marks you must explain what different Christian denominations think about divorce. A clear attempt to reflect on the significance of divorce must also be demonstrated. Viewpoints need to be supported (facts/ biblical references) as this will reflect a deep understanding.

• A personal viewpoint which shows a wider understanding of some of the issues surrounding divorce needs to be included. Furthermore, acknowledging that the Christian Church does not actively encourage divorce and pointing out that it should be a last resort after methods of reconciliation such as counselling have been tried will further strenthen your response. The answer also needs to be written in a clear and organised manner, with points being made that have supporting evidence.

Introduction

Divorce is the official ending of a marriage. Most Christian churches regard divorce as a last resort - only when all else has failed.

The Christian ideal is that marriage is a lifelong commitment, where a man and a woman make a promise to join in holy matrimony forever in front of God and their families. The Christian marriage vows include “until death do us part” signifying the lifelong intention of their promise.

Roman Catholic ViewpointThe Roman Catholic church does not accept divorce at all, as it views this

as a breaking of the marriage sacrament. Its view is that couples may live apart but that they should remain married. In some very rare cases a marriage may be annulled (for example if the marriage has not been consummated or if one partner had been forced to marry). This annulment is essentially saying that the marriage never took place. The Roman Catholic view is therefore very clear that divorce is wrong whatever the circumstances. Examples of Biblical teachings which reinforce this view are: No human being must separate what God has joined together" [Mark 10:9]. Couples having marital difficulties are encouraged to seek spiritual guidance from their church or one of the counselling services run by the Roman Catholic church.

Church of England viewpoint

Other Christian denominations, such as the Church of England, have a position which is less clear cut. They realise that in society today that some relationships do break down for various reasons and that while not desirable divorce is acceptable, although it should be a last resort and is not encouraged. They take the view that if the marriage becomes destructive, such as when there is abuse, it is not in the best interest of those involved for it to continue and therefore allow a divorce to take place. Some churches are reluctant to remarry divorcees.

Personal ViewpointMy own view is that whilst divorce is a sad event, it is better than couples

who are not happy having to stay together. By divorcing both have an opportunity to find new love in their lives and be happy again. I therefore do not agree that divorce is wrong.

However, these days it is too easy to get divorced and I think that some

couples should spend time, perhaps with a counsellor, to try and work their relationship out if possible. Divorce has become accepted by society in a way that it was not a generation ago and now there is no stigma attached to divorcing. The divorce laws, which only became law from 1970 onwards, have slowly reduced the hurdle for couples to get divorced. Whilst I do not think that these laws should be withdrawn, I do think that as a society we should not make it any easier. It is sad to think that over 40% of marriages breakdown.

Medical Ethics Terminology - Every mark counts

Medical Ethics

Sacred / Sanctity

Sanctity of life

Suicide

Medical Ethics Questions of morality that are raised by medical situations.

Sacred / Sanctity

Holy, having something of God or the divine.

Sanctity of life The belief that life is given by God and is therefore sacred (special).

Suicide Deliberately ending one's own life.

Abortion

Clone

Embryo

Euthanasia

Fertility Treatment

Genetic Engineering

Abortion Deliberate termination of pregnancy by removal and destruction of the foetus.

Clone An individual organism or cell produced asexually from one ancestor to which they are genetically identical.

Embryo A foetus before it is four months old.

Euthanasia When someone is helped to die without pain before they would have died naturally.

Fertility Treatment

Medical treatment to help a woman become pregnant.

Genetic Engineering

The deliberate modification of the characteristics of an organism by manipulating its genetic material.

Explain Christian attitudes towards the use of animals in medical research – 6 Marks

Explain Christian attitudes towards the use of animals in medical research – 6 Marks

“Every woman has the right to have a baby.” Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of

view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. 12 Marks

High level response• To score very high marks you must understand the key issue

that, according to Christian teaching, children are a gift or blessing from God and cannot be treated as a possession. You must include relevant information about fertility treatments and explain what different Christian denominations think about this. Viewpoints must be supported

• Furthermore, your awareness of wider issues relating to fertility treatment and the effects it could have on society if not ethically regulated must be shown. Your personal viewpoint needs to highlight the issue raised by the question and point to the stark reality that some couples might not be able to have a baby even with fertility treatment.

One of the purposes of a Christian marriage is for the couple is to have a family. Having a baby is considered to be the natural result of the couple’s sexual union.

In biblical times if a couple did not have a baby then this was

considered to be the will of God. The following quote from the Old Testament shows this “Hannah had no children ... because the Lord had closed her womb.”

The key question is therefore if a couple are unable to conceive a baby naturally, whether other means to have a baby are acceptable such as fertility treatment, adoption or surrogacy.

Introduction

Roman Catholics

• The Roman Catholic view is that babies are a gift from God and therefore that a woman does not have the right to have a baby. It is God who decides whether this will happen.

• Roman Catholics do not approve of any form of fertility treatment with intervention e.g. IVF or donor eggs and condemns any procedure that involves conception without sexual intercourse. They do not believe that couples have a right to children. Roman Catholics do approve of childless couples adopting children.

Church of England

• Other Christian churches, such as the Church of England, do believe that intervention to assist with conception is the most loving way to behave. They see this helps to create further human life and saves couples from the unhappiness of being childless if they want a family.

• There are lots of different types of intervention, but the general Christian view is that it is acceptable as long as the husband’s sperm and the wife’s eggs are used. Some types of interventions such as donor eggs or donor sperm may therefore not be acceptable to Christians. There is also the issue of what happens to any spare embryos and whether they can be disposed of.

Personal viewpoint• My own view is that it is not a right for a woman to have a

baby. Babies are not a possession like a house or car. Whilst I think that every woman should have the right to choose if they want to try for a baby, it is a natural process and some people will simply not be able to have babies even with fertility treatment.

• Fertility treatment on the whole is good and has helped millions of couples to have children. However, as a society we do need to make sure that the methods used are ethically sound. For example, there have been some interesting legal cases around the ownership of frozen eggs following a divorce or death of one of the couple.

Mr examiner

Hey Mr examiner… Check out what I know

A human being will be marking this. They want to read a sophisticated answer. Make your answer stand out. It will make them smile.

Grade studio

Past paper questions…. Peer marked

Feedback

Here are some POSSIBLE Part (e) Questions

'People do not have the right to end their own lives.'Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a

personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)'Every unborn baby has the right to live.'Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a

personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)'It is up to God to decide whether a woman has a baby.'Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a

personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)'All life is worth living.'Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a

personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)'Testing medicines on animals is a good thing to do.'Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a

personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)

Here are some POSSIBLE Part (e) Questions

'Every Christian should get married.'Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a

personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)'People should not have any kind of sexual relationship outside marriage.'Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a

personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)'Homosexuality should be just as acceptable as heterosexuality.'Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a

personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)'Women should always obey their husbands.'Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a

personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)'Everyone is equal.'Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a

personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (12 marks)

Review time

What key aspect will you remember from this session?

What did you learn that you didn’t know before?

How are you going to remember this learning?

Commit yourself