Religious Studies key terms

A Qur’anic term referring to Jews and Christians, who are recognised as having received revelations from God.

Recruiting, moving or harbouring people for exploitation through means such as coercion, deception or abuse of vulnerability. For children, these means need not be present. Crossing an international border is not necessary.

Recognising and interpreting what is experienced; the meaning given to an experience.

Hostility or mistreatment directed at someone because of their religious beliefs or commitment.

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

A deeply held belief that influences a person’s decisions and actions.

A divine being with whom humans can have a relationship, who knows individuals and can communicate with them.

An individual’s inward acceptance of God’s rule, expressed through faith, attitudes and choices.

A morally good quality of character that a person develops and expresses through their actions.

Passover: the Jewish festival remembering the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt.

Peter’s rejection of the claim that he knew or belonged with Jesus, repeated three times after Jesus’s arrest.

A request made to God in prayer.

A member of a Jewish religious group concerned with observing and interpreting the religious law.

Devotion to God, expressed through religious belief and practice.

The Jewish obligation to save human life, which takes priority over most other religious commandments.

A person who makes a religious journey to a holy place.

A journey to a sacred place for religious reasons.

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

The coexistence of different religions and worldviews within a society.

Contamination of the environment with harmful substances.

Being married to more than one spouse at the same time.

A form of polygamy in which a man has more than one wife at the same time.

The Roman governor of Judea who questioned Jesus and authorised his execution.

Devotional practices through which believers express their faith, individually or together, such as the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross.

Measures intended to help a disadvantaged or underrepresented group overcome barriers and access opportunities.

Giving special help or preferential treatment to a group that has been disadvantaged or unfairly treated, to improve its opportunities and representation.

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