AQA GCSE Religious Studies A key terms

A devotional hymn sung to express adoration of God.

Loving devotion to God, expressed through activities such as prayer, singing and service.

A spiritual path of loving devotion to a deity.

The offence of entering another legal marriage while already legally married.

The scientific explanation that the universe expanded from an extremely hot, dense early state about 13.8 billion years ago.

The reading platform or area in a synagogue from which the Torah is read aloud.

A weapon that uses disease-causing organisms, such as bacteria or viruses, or toxins produced by organisms, to cause harm.

An action, statement or claim considered insulting to God or to take authority that belongs to God alone.

A family that includes children from one or both partners’ previous relationships; also called a reconstituted family.

An act or prayer asking for God’s favour and care.

In Mahayana Buddhism, a being committed to achieving enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

The tree at Bodh Gaya beneath which Siddhartha Gautama meditated and attained Enlightenment.

A person's ability and right to make decisions about their own body.

A description of the Church as a united community whose members have different roles, with Christ as its head.

A refusal to buy goods or take part in activities in order to put pressure on those responsible for an injustice.

The creator deity in the Tri-murti.

The ultimate divine reality in Hinduism.

A Hindu sacred text containing philosophical teachings, including discussion of the relationship between many gods and one ultimate reality.

A ceremony welcoming a baby girl into the Jewish community and covenant, often including naming and blessings.

The Jewish ceremony of male circumcision, traditionally performed when a baby is eight days old, as a sign of the covenant with Abraham.

A title meaning ‘awakened one’ or ‘enlightened one’, given to Siddhartha Gautama after he attained Enlightenment.

The state of being a Buddha: full enlightenment, involving perfected wisdom and compassion.

The potential of all beings to become enlightened and attain Buddhahood.

An image or statue of the Buddha used as a focus for respect, reflection and Buddhist practice.

A hereditary social group within a traditional South Asian system of social ranking. Sikh teaching rejects the idea that caste determines spiritual worth.

A system of inherited social groups in which people’s birth can determine their perceived rank and lead to discrimination.

The Church’s teaching about how people and societies should act, including respect for human dignity, justice and care for those in need.