Specification points
WJEC A-level Religious Studies A120QS
232 points in 3 topics, with WJEC's codes and titles.
Grade boundaries·WJEC command words
Codes and titles are read by a script from WJEC's published specification and have not been checked by a person. What each point covers is in the specification itself: WJEC’s specification.
C1 Component 1: A Study of Religion
- C1.A Option A: Christianity
- C1.A.1 Religious figures and sacred texts
- C1.A.1.A Jesus – his birth
- C1.A.1.B Jesus – his resurrection
- C1.A.1.C The Bible as a source of wisdom and authority in daily life
- C1.A.1.D The Bible as a source of wisdom and authority
- C1.A.1.E The early church (in Acts of the Apostles)
- C1.A.1.F Two views of Jesus
- C1.A.2 Religious concepts and religious life
- C1.A.2.A Religious concepts – the nature of God
- C1.A.2.B Religious concepts – the Trinity
- C1.A.2.C Religious concepts – the Atonement
- C1.A.2.D Religious life – faith and works
- C1.A.2.E Religious life – the community of believers
- C1.A.2.F Religious life – key moral principles
- C1.A.3 Significant social and historical developments in religious thought
- C1.A.3.A Social developments in religious thought – attitudes towards wealth
- C1.A.3.B Social developments in religious thought – migration and Christianity in the UK
- C1.A.3.C The relationship between religion and society: religion, equality and discrimination
- C1.A.3.D Christianity and the challenge of secularisation
- C1.A.3.E Christianity and the challenge of science
- C1.A.3.F Pluralism and diversity within a tradition
- C1.A.4 Religious practices that shape religious identity
- C1.A.4.A Religious identity through diversity in baptism
- C1.A.4.B Religious identity through diversity in Eucharist
- C1.A.4.C Religious identity through diversity in festivals
- C1.A.4.D Religious identity through unification
- C1.A.4.E Religious identity through religious experience
- C1.A.4.F Religious identity through responses to poverty and injustice
- C1.B Option B: Islam
- C1.B.1 Religious figures and sacred texts
- C1.B.1.A Muhammad in Makkah after the Night of Power
- C1.B.1.B The Hijrah and Muhammad in Madinah
- C1.B.1.C The Qur'an as a source of wisdom and authority
- C1.B.1.D Sources of shari'a
- C1.B.1.E The role of shari’a and its importance for Muslims
- C1.B.1.F Muslim understandings of jihad
- C1.B.2 Religious concepts and religious life
- C1.B.2.A The concept of Allah – tawhid (oneness) and shahadah (bearing witness)
- C1.B.2.B Muslim beliefs about prophethood
- C1.B.2.C Malaikah (angels) and Akhirah (the Day of Final Judgement)
- C1.B.2.D Three pillars for Muslims and the Ummah
- C1.B.2.E Zakah (purification through giving) and Hajj (pilgrimage)
- C1.B.2.F The five categories of ethical action in Islam
- C1.B.3 Significant social and historical developments in religious thought
- C1.B.3.A The Islamic state as a challenge to secularisation
- C1.B.3.B Islam and scientific views of the universe's origins
- C1.B.3.C Islamic attitudes towards pluralism
- C1.B.3.D The relationship between religion and society: religion, equality and discrimination
- C1.B.3.E Islam and migration: the challenges of being a Muslim in Britain today
- C1.B.3.F Western perceptions of Islam
- C1.B.4 Religious practices that shape religious identity
- C1.B.4.A The role of the masjid (mosque) in Islam
- C1.B.4.B Festivals and Muslim identity
- C1.B.4.C Ramadan and Id-ul-Fitr
- C1.B.4.D Diversity within Islam
- C1.B.4.E Islam and change
- C1.B.4.F Ethical debate on crime and punishment in Islam
- C1.C Option C: Judaism
- C1.C.1 Religious figures and sacred texts
- C1.C.1.A Abraham and the establishment of the covenant of circumcision
- C1.C.1.B Moses and the establishment of the covenant of law
- C1.C.1.C The Torah as a source of wisdom and authority
- C1.C.1.D The structure and development of the Talmud and its importance within Judaism
- C1.C.1.E Midrash in Judaism: the distinction between Halakhah and Aggadah
- C1.C.1.F Rashi and Maimonides
- C1.C.2 Religious concepts and religious life
- C1.C.2.A Beliefs about the nature of God/concept of God
- C1.C.2.B Beliefs about God and humanity, the meaning and purpose of life
- C1.C.2.C Beliefs about judgement-the Messiah and the afterlife
- C1.C.2.D The diversity of views within Judaism with regards to mitzvot (commandments)
- C1.C.2.E Tefillah (prayer) and tzedakah (charity)
- C1.C.2.F The Ten Sayings (Ten Commandments) in Judaism
- C1.C.3 Significant social and historical developments in religious thought
- C1.C.3.A Judaism and the challenge of secularisation
- C1.C.3.B Judaism and the challenge of science
- C1.C.3.C Reform Judaism and Jewish attitudes to pluralism
- C1.C.3.D The relationship between religion and society: religion, equality and discrimination
- C1.C.3.E Judaism and migration: being a minority in Britain
- C1.C.3.F Holocaust theology
- C1.C.4 Religious practices that shape religious identity
- C1.C.4.A Jewish practices shaping religious identity
- C1.C.4.B The role of festivals in shaping religious identity
- C1.C.4.C Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
- C1.C.4.D Beliefs and practices distinctive of Hasidic Judaism
- C1.C.4.E Kabbalah: God and religious experience
- C1.C.4.F Ethical debate on embryo research in Judaism
- C1.D Option D: Buddhism
- C1.D.1 Religious figures and sacred texts
- C1.D.1.A Accounts of the birth of the historical Buddha and the Four Sights
- C1.D.1.B The Awakening/Enlightenment of the Buddha
- C1.D.1.C Buddhist texts as sources of wisdom and authority
- C1.D.1.D The Pali Canon: its role in Buddhism as a whole
- C1.D.1.E The main themes and concepts in two Mahayana texts
- C1.D.1.F Contemporary Buddhist teachers
- C1.D.2 Religious concepts and religious life
- C1.D.2.A The three lakshanas: dukkha, anicca and anatta
- C1.D.2.B Pratityasamutpada, karma and rebirth
- C1.D.2.C Arhat and bodhisattva - Theravada and Mahayana teachings
- C1.D.2.D The Four Noble Truths
- C1.D.2.E The Eightfold Path – key moral principles
- C1.D.2.F The dasa sila (ten precepts) – key moral principles
- C1.D.3 Significant social and historical developments in religious thought
- C1.D.3.A Buddhist traditions in Japan: Zen, Pure Land and Nichiren
- C1.D.3.B Buddhist responses to the challenges from science
- C1.D.3.C Buddhist responses to the challenges from secularisation
- C1.D.3.D Buddhist responses to pluralism and diversity
- C1.D.3.E Heritage and convert Buddhism in Britain
- C1.D.3.F The relationship between religion and society: religion, equality and discrimination
- C1.D.4 Religious practices that shape religious identity
- C1.D.4.A Going for refuge
- C1.D.4.B Meditation
- C1.D.4.C The role and importance of dana (giving) and punya (merit)
- C1.D.4.D Tibetan Buddhism: mudra, mandala and mantra
- C1.D.4.E Buddhism and change
- C1.D.4.F Socially Engaged Buddhism - ‘liberationist’ traditions
- C1.E Option E: Hinduism
- C1.E.1 Religious figures and sacred texts
- C1.E.1.A Sources of authority-the origins of Hinduism
- C1.E.1.B Krishna and Arjuna
- C1.E.1.C Hindu texts as sources of wisdom and authority-their use in daily life
- C1.E.1.D Nature and significance of the Upanishads
- C1.E.1.E Gandhi and Ramakrishna compared
- C1.E.1.F Shri Paramahamsa Ramakrishna
- C1.E.2 Religious concepts and religious life
- C1.E.2.A Hindu teachings on self, death and afterlife
- C1.E.2.B Trimurti
- C1.E.2.C Key moral principles of karma and reincarnation
- C1.E.2.D Key moral principles of Varnashramadharma
- C1.E.2.E The status of the Dalits
- C1.E.2.F Key moral principle-the concept of ahimsa
- C1.E.3 Significant social and historical developments in religious thought
- C1.E.3.A The reasons for the development and growth of ISKCON
- C1.E.3.B Hinduism, secularisation and science
- C1.E.3.C Hindu liberationist thinking as defending the poor and oppressed
- C1.E.3.D Hinduism: diversity and pluralism
- C1.E.3.E Migration and Hindu identity in Britain
- C1.E.3.F The relationship between religion and society: religion, equality and discrimination
- C1.E.4 Religious practices that shape religious identity
- C1.E.4.A Hindu practices shaping religious identity
- C1.E.4.B Festivals and Hindu identity
- C1.E.4.C Durga Puja
- C1.E.4.D Bhakti movement
- C1.E.4.E Hinduism and change
- C1.E.4.F Hindu bioethics
- C1.F Option F: Sikhism
- C1.F.1 Religious figures and sacred texts
- C1.F.1.A The life and teachings of Guru Nanak
- C1.F.1.B Guru Gobind Singh's contribution to the development of Sikhism
- C1.F.1.C The Guru Granth Sahib as a source of authority
- C1.F.1.D The Mul Mantra and the Japji of Guru Nanak
- C1.F.1.E Contributions to the development of Sikh thought
- C1.F.1.F Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the founding of the Sikh empire
- C1.F.2 Religious concepts and religious life
- C1.F.2.A Sikh teachings on self, death and afterlife
- C1.F.2.B The soul
- C1.F.2.C Karma, rebirth and mukti
- C1.F.2.D Key moral principles for the Sikh community
- C1.F.2.E Kirat Karo and Vand Chhako
- C1.F.2.F The concepts of Sant Sipahi (saint-soldier)/Dharam Yudh (just war)
- C1.F.3 Significant social and historical developments in religious thought
- C1.F.3.A The aspiration for Khalistan
- C1.F.3.B The relationship between religion and society: religion, equality and discrimination
- C1.F.3.C Sikhism: diversity and pluralism
- C1.F.3.D Sikhism, science and secularisation
- C1.F.3.E Origins and development of the Sikh community in Britain
- C1.F.3.F Miri and piri: Sikhs as a minority in Britain
- C1.F.4 Religious practices that shape religious identity
- C1.F.4.A The expression of Sikh identity through the role of the gurdwara
- C1.F.4.B Diwali
- C1.F.4.C Vaisakhi
- C1.F.4.D The status and importance of Rahit Maryada and Rahit Namas
- C1.F.4.E Sikhism and change
- C1.F.4.F Sikhism and bioethics – infertility
C2 Component 2: Philosophy of Religion
- C2.1 Arguments for the existence of God – inductive
- C2.1.A Inductive arguments – cosmological
- C2.1.B Inductive arguments – teleological
- C2.1.C Challenges to inductive arguments
- C2.1.D Deductive arguments-origins of the ontological argument
- C2.1.E Deductive arguments-developments of the ontological argument
- C2.1.F Challenges to the ontological argument
- C2.2 Challenges to religious belief-the problem of evil and suffering
- C2.2.A The problem of evil and suffering
- C2.2.B Religious responses to the problem of evil (i)
- C2.2.C Religious responses to the problem of evil (ii)
- C2.2.D Religious belief as a product of the human mind – Sigmund Freud
- C2.2.E Religious belief as a product of the human mind – Carl Jung
- C2.2.F Issues relating to rejection of religion
- C2.3 Religious Experience
- C2.3.A The nature of religious experience
- C2.3.B Mystical experience
- C2.3.C Challenges to the objectivity and authenticity of religious experience
- C2.3.D The influence of religious experience on religious practice and faith
- C2.3.E Definitions of miracles
- C2.3.F Two scholars' views on miracles
- C2.4 Religious language
- C2.4.A Inherent problems of religious language
- C2.4.B Religious language as cognitive (traditional religious view), but meaningless (Logical Positivists' view)
- C2.4.C Religious language as non-cognitive and analogical
- C2.4.D Religious language as non-cognitive and symbolic
- C2.4.E Religious language as non-cognitive and mythical
- C2.4.F Religious language as a language game
C3 Component 3: Religion and Ethics
- C3.1 Ethical Thought
- C3.1.A Divine Command Theory
- C3.1.B Virtue Theory
- C3.1.C Ethical Egoism
- C3.1.D Meta-ethical approaches - Naturalism
- C3.1.E Meta-ethical approaches - Intuitionism
- C3.1.F Meta-ethical approaches – Emotivism
- C3.2 Deontological Ethics
- C3.2.A St Thomas Aquinas’ Natural Law-laws and precepts as the basis of morality
- C3.2.B Aquinas’ Natural Law-the role of virtues and goods in supporting moral behaviour
- C3.2.C Aquinas’ Natural Law-application of the theory
- C3.2.D John Finnis’ development of Natural Law
- C3.2.E Bernard Hoose's overview of the Proportionalist debate
- C3.2.F Finnis’ Natural Law and Proportionalism: application of the theory
- C3.3 Teleological ethics
- C3.3.A Fletcher's Situation Ethics: agape as the basis of morality
- C3.3.B Fletcher's Situation Ethics-the principles as a means of assessing morality
- C3.3.C Fletcher’s Situation Ethics-application of theory
- C3.3.D Bentham's Act Utilitarianism
- C3.3.E Mill's development of Utilitarianism
- C3.3.F Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism and Mill’s Rule Utilitarianism-application of the theory
- C3.4 Determinism and Free will – Determinism
- C3.4.A Religious concepts of predestination
- C3.4.B Concepts of determinism
- C3.4.C The implications of predestination / determinism
- C3.4.E Concepts of libertarianism
- C3.4.F The implications of libertarianism and free will