Religious Studies key terms

The ability to govern one's desires, emotions and actions rather than being ruled by them.

Protecting yourself or others against an attack.

Putting faithfulness to Jesus and the needs of others before selfish desires and personal advantage.

The ability to control desires and actions rather than immediately giving in to them.

Excluding oneself through one’s own choices; in Christian teaching about hell, rejecting communion with God through sin.

The ability to meet one's needs through one's own resources or livelihood rather than relying on continuing aid.

The feelings that arise through sense experience, such as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral feelings.

The ability to experience feelings such as pain and pleasure.

Able to experience feelings such as pain, pleasure or distress.

Living apart as a couple without legally ending the marriage.

A talk explaining religious teachings, often based on a Bible passage, and their relevance to believers’ lives.

Acting to meet other people’s needs rather than seeking personal power or recognition.

A prayer with established words, often learned and repeated by believers.

Selfless service to others, expressing Sikh commitment to God and the good of humanity.

The seven wedding blessings, also called sheva brachot, which praise God and celebrate creation, marriage and the couple's happiness.

Selfless service to others, performed without seeking personal reward.

Sexual activity between people who are not yet married to each other.

Sexual behaviour that causes harm or involves betrayal or exploitation, such as adultery.

A person's pattern of sexual attraction, for example towards people of the same sex, another sex or more than one sex.

The Guru’s divine Word or teaching, which guides a Sikh’s understanding and way of life.

The weekly Jewish day of rest and worship, observed from sunset on Friday to nightfall on Saturday.

The Muslim declaration of faith: there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

A Hindu whose principal focus of devotion is Shiva.

A Hindu tradition that worships Shiva as supreme.

Divine feminine power or energy, worshipped through goddess forms including Parvati, Durga and Kali.

Islamic law and guidance, based on religious teachings.

Islamic guidance and law based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, governing conduct and including principles of justice and punishment.