Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies key terms

God’s judgement of an individual immediately after death.

A large candle lit during Easter worship, particularly in Catholic and Anglican churches, symbolising the risen Christ.

A system in which men hold most authority and leadership positions.

The event described in Acts 2 when Jesus’s followers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages.

Mistreatment of people because of their beliefs or identity.

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

A strongly held personal belief that can guide a person’s choices and behaviour.

Passover: the Jewish festival remembering God’s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

The Jewish principle of saving or preserving human life, which takes priority over almost all other religious duties when life is in danger.

A journey to a place of religious significance, undertaken for religious reasons.

A Hindu ritual performed for deceased ancestors, commonly practised at Varanasi.

The coexistence of different religions and worldviews within a society.

A Buddhist name given after death by a monk or priest, especially in Japanese funeral traditions; known as a kaimyō.

A lack of the resources needed to meet basic needs, such as food, clothing and shelter.

The material nature from which the changing universe and physical bodies are formed.

An offering, often food, received back by worshippers as blessed after being presented to a deity.

Food offered to a deity and then shared as blessed food.

Dependent arising: experiences arise through causes and conditions rather than existing independently. Short for pratityasamutpada, also called paticcasamuppada.

Dependent arising: the teaching that things exist because of other things and conditions, rather than independently.

The Buddhist teaching that things arise in dependence on causes and conditions; also called dependent arising or dependent origination.

Penance or expiation undertaken to address wrongdoing, for example through charity, fasting or pilgrimage.

Communication with God, including speaking, listening and opening one’s mind and heart to God.

An opinion formed about a person or group before knowing them, often based on stereotypes rather than evidence.

A fundamental principle in Aquinas' Natural Law from which more specific moral rules are derived.

A person who provides pastoral and, where appropriate, religious support to prisoners, their families and prison staff.

Spiritual and pastoral support offered to people in prison, including guidance in religious teaching and practice.

Changes to the prison system intended to improve prisoners' treatment and conditions and make the system more just, humane and effective.