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This week I go through the main content and exam questions needed for GCSE AQA Paper 2 Theme D: Religion, Peace and Conflict
In theme D we should study religious teachings, and religious, philosophical and ethical arguments, relating to the issues that follow, and their impact and influence in the modern world. We should be aware of contrasting perspectives in contemporary British society on all of the issues. 
Our three special topics are Violence, weapons of mass destruction and pacifism. For these we must be able to explain contrasting beliefs with reference to the main religious tradition in Britain (Christianity) and one or more other religious traditions:
The specification is separated into two sections as are the other themes. The first section is Religion, violence, terrorism and war and the second section is Religion and belief in 21st century conflict.

Give one way in which religious believers help victims of war. 
Raise money
4-marker
Explain two different beliefs in contemporary British society about weapons of mass destruction. In your answer you should refer to the main religious tradition of Great Britain and one or more other religious traditions.
One Christian belief is that weapons of mass destruction should be owned but not used.
This prevents war therefore saves human lives which is important because they believe in the sanctity of life
A different Christian belief is that they should not be used because they go against the Just War Theory
This states that war should be proportional and using nuclear weapons is not proportional

6 marker
Explain two religious beliefs about forgiveness. Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.
One Christian belief about forgiveness is that it is an important part of being Christian as it is what Jesus did
This means that in a war, Christians must forgive the enemy
This is shown in the Bible when Jesus said ‘forgive them father for they do not know what they do’.
This shows that like Jesus forgave those who tortured and killed him, Christians must forgive people who kill in a war
Another belief about forgiveness is that it can lead to peace and prevent war
This is because if you have forgiven someone, you will not want to fight them.

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In this episode I will unpack; 
3.2.1.3 Theme C: The existence of God and revelation
Philosophical arguments for and against the existence of God
The Design argument, including its strengths and weaknesses.
The First Cause argument, including its strengths and weaknesses.
The argument from miracles, including its strengths and weaknesses, and one example of a miracle.
Evil and suffering as an argument against the existence of God.
Arguments based on science against the existence of God.
The nature of the divine and revelation
Special revelation as a source of knowledge about the divine (God, gods or ultimate reality) including visions and one example of a vision.
Enlightenment as a source of knowledge about the divine.
General revelation: nature and scripture as a way of understanding the divine.
Different ideas about the divine that come from these sources:omnipotent and omniscient
personal and impersonal
immanent and transcendent.

The value of general and special revelation and enlightenment as sources of knowledge about the divine, including:the problems of different ideas about the divine arising from these experiences
alternative explanations for the experiences, and the possibility that the people who claimed to have them were lying or mistaken.

https://www.lourdes-france.com/en/antonietta-raco-72nd-lourdes-miracle/
Explain two different beliefs in contemporary British society about visions. In your answer you should refer to the main religious tradition of Great Britain and non-religious beliefs.
Most Christians believe visions are a valid way that God reveals truth to his people.
This is because there is evidence of visions in the Bible for example when Mary saw a vision of an angel who told her she would give birth to Jesus
However, most non-religious people do not think visions are a valid way of understanding what is true
This is because there is no proof of that vision happening and the person's account may be unreliable
Explain two religious beliefs about miracles. Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.
One Christian belief is that miracles demonstrate God’s omnipotence which means he is all powerful.
This is because only an all powerful God could perform miracles
An example of a miracle that shows God’s power is the resurrection of Jesus in the Bible
This shows the miracle of Jesus coming back to life after death which could only be done though the power of God
Another belief is that miracles show God’s omnibenevolence which means he is all loving
This is because an all loving God would want to heal people as an expression of that love.

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Last year, Ofsted published it's new inspection framework and the word that weaves through everything is INCLUSION. It is now a separate area of inspection. And the list of students we need to include is broader than before.
So how do we help ALL students in our classrooms to achieve, belong and thrive - the three words in the back of every Ofsted Inspectors mind.
Surprisingly, very little research has been done into how to support SEND in our mainstream RE classrooms.  Luckily, the answer isn't as difficult or as time consuming as you might think.
'If we get it right for vulnerable students, we get it right for all' This quote by Sir Martyn Oliver sums up the message in this episode.  Quality First Teaching is what helps ALL students, particularly those with barriers to learning.
In this episode I give the current stats on SEND student, look at the areas in the renewed Ofsted guidelines that are relevant to inclusion, look at how to plan for SEND students, how to resource for them, design powerpoints for them, support them with the right pedagogy and when to give bespoke support.  I also look at how you can create an atmosphere in your class that promotes students with poor mental health.
And I give specific examples of what that might look like in RE.
I really hope this is a practical episode which positively impacts your RE classrooms.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/200-million-landmark-send-teacher-training-programme

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68b9a6b8b0a373a01819fe4b/Schools_inspection_toolkit.pdf
https://news.sky.com/story/how-children-with-send-from-poorer-families-are-being-left-behind-at-school-13450800

EEF Blog: Five evidence-based strategies to support high-quality teaching for pupils with SEND
EEF Blog: Supporting pupils with SEND – 3 key messages for schools

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcb85ed915d2ac884d995/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-arrangements-for-gcse-as-and-a-level-2024-to-2025-academic-year/access-arrangements-for-gcse-as-and-a-level-2024-to-2025-academic-year
https://www.kialo-edu.com/p/470f6228-2213-467d-bbdb-dcb915057db8/356549

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Fiona Moss is back on the podcast to tell us all about the leadership scholarship programme run by Culham St Gabriel.
If you are a leader of RE with a role wider than your school and you want to take the next steps in your career then this is the programme for you

We discuss how and why it started,  who should consider applying, some of the recent developments in the programme. Plus we hear from past and current educators from the programme. They will tell us how the programme has shaped or transformed their development as a leader, what they found most valuable about the programme, where the programme has taken them and why they think people should apply to the Leadership Scholarship programme.

If you want to find out more, sign up for the webinar on 10th February, website
https://www.cstg.org.uk/events/leadership-scholarship-programme-introductory-webinar-registration/
More information can be found at;
https://www.cstg.org.uk/scholarship-programmes/leadership/
In the episode we will give out dates and deadlines.

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This week I am look at GCSE AQA Theme B Religion and Life. I will go through the main content, and apply this to a 4, 6, and 12-mark questions.
I think the following Bible passage is the foundation of Theme B;
“Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

4-marker
Explain two similar religious beliefs in contemporary British society that are used to oppose animal experimentation. In your answer you must refer to the main religious tradition of Great Britain and one or more other religious traditions.
Some Christians oppose animals experimentation because of their belief in stewardship which is a belief that they have a duty to care for God’s creation
This is because God created everything and said it was good so they should not harm it
A similar Christian belief is that experimenting on animals for cosmetics is wrong because it is currently against the law in the UK
This is because Christians believe they should follow the law of the land
4-marker
Explain two reasons why many religious people protect the environment. Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.
Some Christians may protect the environment because they believe in stewardship - the duty to care and protect the earth.
This is because they believe the earth belongs to God
In The Bible it says ‘the earth is the Lord's and everything in it’
This means that if the earth and everything in it belongs to God, it doesn’t belong to humans so Christians must protect it out of respect to God
Another Christian belief is that we should protect the environment in order to protect human life
This is because humans can only survive if we look after the planet that sustains us.

12-marker
People who value and protect human life will be rewarded in the afterlife.’
Evaluate this statement.
In your answer you:
• should give reasoned arguments in support of this statement
• should give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view
• should refer to religious arguments
• may refer to non-religious arguments
• should reach a justified conclusion

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