Component 2: Thematic Studies
AQA GCSE Religious Studies A Component 2 covers ethical and philosophical themes that are studied with reference to the two religions learned in Component 1. Schools choose four out of six themes.
The six themes
| Theme | Focus |
|---|---|
| A — Relationships and families | Sex, marriage, divorce, gender equality |
| B — Religion and life | Origins (Big Bang/evolution vs creation), value of life, abortion, euthanasia |
| C — Existence of God and revelation | Arguments for God; problem of evil; types of revelation |
| D — Religion, peace and conflict | War, terrorism, pacifism, just war, weapons of mass destruction |
| E — Religion, crime and punishment | Crime, punishment aims, capital punishment, forgiveness |
| F — Religion, human rights and social justice | Human rights, prejudice, wealth and poverty |
What you need for each theme
For every theme you must be able to:
- Explain the key issues and arguments
- Apply religious teachings from both religions you studied
- Include non-religious (humanist, secular) perspectives
- Evaluate different viewpoints
Exam technique for Component 2
The question format is the same as Component 1:
- 1 mark, 2 marks, 4 marks, 5 marks, 12 marks
However, in Component 2 the 12-mark question requires you to consider religious and non-religious views explicitly. Both of your studied religions should be referenced in extended answers.
Key skills
- Comparison: identify similarities and differences between the two religions on each theme
- Application: use specific teachings, quotations and stories rather than vague statements ("Christianity says...")
- Secular contrast: bring in humanist, utilitarian or other philosophical perspectives to balance religious views
Revision tip
For each of your four themes, produce a comparison table: Religion 1 vs Religion 2 vs Secular/Humanist on each sub-issue. Then practise writing full 12-mark answers to past paper questions.
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