Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies key terms

The absence of belief in God or gods.

A person who does not believe in God or gods.

The eternal self or soul, which survives the death of the physical body.

Making amends for wrongdoing and seeking reconciliation with God.

Clinging to possessions, pleasures or experiences as though lasting satisfaction depends on keeping them.

A source of guidance regarded as trustworthy and entitled to shape beliefs or behaviour.

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

A divine descent or incarnation into a living form on earth.

‘Do not destroy’: a Jewish principle prohibiting needless destruction and waste.

The Sikh celebration of Guru Hargobind’s release from imprisonment alongside 52 other prisoners, associated with Divali.

A Christian initiation ceremony using water, marking entry into the Church and new life in Christ.

An intermediate state between death and rebirth in Tibetan Buddhist belief.

Literally ‘son of the commandment’: the status of a Jewish boy who reaches religious responsibility at 13, and the celebration marking this change.

The intermediate state between a person’s death and resurrection for judgement.

Literally ‘daughter of worth’: a coming-of-age celebration used in some Orthodox communities to recognise a girl’s religious maturity, usually at 12.

Literally ‘daughter of the commandment’: the status of a Jewish girl who reaches religious responsibility, traditionally at 12 in Orthodox Judaism and at 13 in British Reform Judaism, and the celebration marking this change.

A Jewish religious court, involved in matters such as religious divorce.

Baptism of someone who personally professes Christian faith, usually involving full immersion in water.

Goodness, kindness and generosity; the belief that God cares for and provides for creation.

A name or title for the supreme personal God, with whom a devotee can have a loving relationship.

A devotional song expressing praise, love or longing for God.

Loving devotion to God, expressed through worship, trust and service.

A fully ordained Buddhist monk.

A fully ordained Buddhist nun.

The scientific explanation that the universe expanded and cooled from an early hot, dense state.

A raised platform with a reading desk from which the Torah scroll is read during synagogue worship.

The variety of living organisms in an environment.

In Mahayana Buddhism, a being on the path to Buddhahood who seeks enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.