GCE EXAMINERS' REPORTS

GCE EXAMINERS' REPORTS GCE (LEGACY) RELIGIOUS STUDIES AS/Advanced SUMMER 2017

Grade boundary information for this subject is available on the WJEC public website at: https://www.wjecservices.co.uk/marktoums/default.aspx?l=en Online Results Analysis WJEC provides information to examination centres via the WJEC secure website. This is restricted to centre staff only. Access is granted to centre staff by the Examinations Officer at the centre. Annual Statistical Report The annual Statistical Report (issued in the second half of the Autumn Term) gives overall outcomes of all examinations administered by WJEC. Unit Page 1341 Introduction to Contemporary Society 1 1342 Introduction to Religion and Ethics 4 1343 Introduction to Philosophy of Religion 8 1344 Introduction to Biblical Studies 11 1345 Introduction to Christianity 12 1346 Introduction to Eastern Religions 13 1347 Introduction to Western Religions 16 1348/01 Studies in Religion in Contemporary Society 20 1348/02 Studies in Religion and Ethics 22 1348/03 Studies in Philosophy of Religion 25 1348/04 Studies in Biblical Studies 28 148/05 Studies in Christianity 29 1348/06 Studies in Eastern Religions 30 1348/07 Studies in Western Religions 36 1349 Religion and Human Experience 39

GCE RELIGIOUS STUDIES (LEGACY) Summer 2017 Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced INTRODUCTION TO RELIGION IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY The majority of students answered question 1, with questions 3 and 4 attracting a broadly equal audience. Few did question 2. There were some excellent answers at the top end and some fairly poor responses at the bottom. Overall the standard was good and appeared similar to previous years. 1. (a) Examine what is meant by speciesism and stewardship with reference to animal rights. [30] Most students knew the basics of stewardship and speciesism and were able to refer to dominion, vegetarianism and the need to care for creation. Many used the Genesis narrative and a good number made mention of the views of other religions, most notably Islam and Buddhism and at the top end there were useful discussions on the moral differences between humans and animals. However, only the very best answers attracted serious scholarship from, for example, Vardy and Singer. Aristotle had a few vague mentions. The problem many candidates encountered was their lack of scholarly material and a considerable number resorted to accounts of how animals are killed for meat. A number did not properly distinguish between speciesism and stewardship and tended to treat the two concepts as the same thing. 1. (b) Animals have no rights as far as religion is concerned. Assess this view. [15] Good responses referred to the intrinsic value of animals and the need not to mistreat them. Some focussed on the pros and cons of killing animals for food as opposed to fox hunting, bear-baiting and other types of animal cruelty. The best responses were able to talk about the argument for animal equality, but, as in (a), a number simply wrote lengthy narratives, for instance on experimentation. There were rather muddled references and few were prepared to offer a valid and supported argument. In the mid-range there was a considerable number of general answers, many repeating what had already been said in (a). 1

2. (a) Examine the ways in which religion has been portrayed in two or more episodes of The Simpsons. [15] In recent years, the Simpsons question has declined in popularity and this year followed the trend. Most of the answers received were limited in scope, with only the best offering any serious scholarly debate. The best responses correctly identified what religious aspects and ideas were contained in the broadcast and used appropriate material in support, including the argument of breath vs depth and the use of religious leaders, sacred texts and religious festivals and practices. However, perhaps the majority of answers relied on re-telling events from the show and few made really successful links between religion and the programme. At the lower end, candidates resorted to narrative re-telling of events in the programme and contented themselves with rather vague comments about religious or moral dilemmas. 2. (b) The Simpsons is not an effective way of educating people about religion. Assess this view. [15] There were few good answers to this question. The best candidates were able to offer a reasoned analysis, using Simpsons material, but overall there were too many stereotyped responses about comedy ( Vicar of Dibley ) or humorous asides from other shows. The better responses commented on issues such as stereotyping, love, worship and judgement. There was a lot of repetition from (a) though most candidates were able to offer some kind of conclusion. 3. (a) Outline the concept of secularisation and how it might be challenged. [30] The highest scoring candidates made useful reference to the six indicators of secularism and issues of belief, value-systems and community. Good responses highlighted the transformation of society and the growth of rationalism. Elsewhere, most responses in the mid-range talked about some of the indicators, faith schools, New Religious Movements and organised religion. They highlighted the decline in moral standards and, consequently, the decline of the Church. Weaker responses wrote about a couple of the indicators, but their comments lacked scholarly support and most responses in this range offered generalised notions of what secularism really is. The weakest responses got tangled up with issues of media, race or religious diversity. Some made reference to the UK becoming multi-faith on the one hand and secular on the other. 3. (b) Religion is dying out in Britain. Assess this view. [15] There were very few good responses. Most mid-upper range candidates wrote about the rise of fundamentalism and materialism, but few were able to develop this further in a scholarly way. Few answered the question head-on and often repeated arguments used in (a).there were a number of anecdotes and homilies, but little meaningful analysis. In the lower range, differing viewpoints were mentioned, but more links could have been made. 2

4. (a) Explain the views of either Freud or Jung on the role of religion for individuals. [30] Although not very popular, this was probably the best-answered question of all with most upper-range responses referring quite impressively to Freud s views, including wish-fulfilment, primal horde, illusion, neurosis, the finality of death and, inevitably, the Oedipus Complex. Fewer candidates opted for Jung, but those that did offered interesting exposition on the psychic and unconscious and the importance of symbolism. There were also useful references to archetypes, myths and psychic truth. At the lowest end, candidates just wrote all they knew about Freud or Jung. 4. (b) Psychology has clearly shown that religion is all in the mind.' Assess this view. [15] There were many brief responses to this question. The best responses offered examples and scholarly analysis, comparing Freud particularly to Jung and linking them to psychological health. In the mid-range, candidates wrote more generally on Freud or Jung themselves and few questioned scientific methodology, verifiability or the physical evidence of religion acting in the world. At the lowest end, arguments were unsubstantiated or simplistic, with considerable repetition from (a). 3

GCE RELIGIOUS STUDIES (LEGACY) Summer 2017 Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced INTRODUCTION TO RELIGION AND ETHICS General A very broad range of responses were seen in each question and it appeared that the questions were accessible to candidates with a wide range of abilities. As with last year, candidates were clearly trying to answer the question set in the majority of cases and not relying on pre-prepared answers. AO1 responses showed very good preparation with high levels of understanding and explanation from candidates and a good grasp of key ethical vocabulary. One key weakness across the range of AO1 responses was the lack of relevant examples illustrating the theories and key ideas. There were some very strong AO2 responses, with candidates able to argue and evaluate the issues highly effectively. Weaker AO2 responses tended to feature lists of strengths and weaknesses with very superficial engagement with the question. Question 1(a) Explain how Aquinas Natural Law theory might help humans to achieve the highest good. [30] Good answers here discussed Aquinas understanding of the highest good and referred back to this idea throughout their essays, showing how each feature of Natural Law would lead to the highest good. Some candidates also looked at Aristotle s work on Natural Law and were able to explain Aquinas adaptation of Aristotle s concept of Eudaimonia. Candidates had clearly worked hard to develop their understanding of the virtues and precepts of Natural Law and could clearly show how these allowed humans to work toward the highest good. Many candidates referred to Aquinas 4 levels of law, but few understood how Natural Law itself fits into the hierarchy of laws with some candidates mixing up divine and Natural Law and explaining Natural Law as identical to Divine Command Theory. Better responses made good use of examples to illustrate the features of Natural Law and to support the explanation of how these helped humans to achieve the highest good. Weaker responses were unclear about the idea of the highest good and made only brief reference to this aspect of the question, with some answers failing to mention this aspect at all, often giving lengthy introductions defining other terms related to Natural Law. Weaker responses also failed to distinguish between good and acts, with some candidates stating that interior acts were those with good intentions and exterior acts those with bad intentions. Aristotle was mentioned in many weaker responses without linking his thought to that of Aquinas in order to make the information relevant. Weaker responses also tended to list the primary precepts and did not always give examples of secondary precepts which could be derived from these. Care should be taken when candidates consider the absolutist nature of the theory as many candidates state that the theory gives absolute rules then describe the secondary precepts as flexible and relativist, which is not an entirely accurate presentation of Aquinas thought. 4

Question 1(b) Using Natural Law to make moral decisions could lead to injustice. Assess this view. [15] Good answers clearly focused on the concept of injustice and made good use of examples to illustrate both sides of the argument. Some candidates made exceptional use of scholarship to support their points and, while this is not a requirement at AS, shows excellent preparation for A2. Some excellent responses were seen where reference was made to the key features of Natural Law e.g. the virtue of justice, and the principle of double effect was used well as part of many evaluations. Many candidates were able to identify the relevant issues in this question, however not all were able to develop their points sufficiently to gain the highest levels. Weaker responses simply tended to list strengths and weaknesses of Natural Law with a little reference to the idea of injustice. Some candidates did not refer to injustice at all, and others were only able to offer one side of the argument. In very weak answers candidates confused Natural Law with the other ethical theories studied. Question 2(a) Explain how Situation Ethics can be used to make moral decisions. [30] Most candidates were able to explain the theory of Situation Ethics, including the four working and six fundamental principles and the role of agape. The fundamental principles were often explained very clearly. It was surprising that far fewer candidates applied these to case studies or examples to show how the theory can be used. Good answers explained the principles clearly making effective links to case studies such as Fletcher s example of Mrs Bergmeier or cases of conjoined twins. A lot of good responses that showed clear understanding of the theory focused more on why the theory should be used to make moral decisions, giving Biblical justification for the principles, rather than how it can be used. However very good responses were able to use Biblical support to illustrate how Jesus applied the principles. Weaker responses simply attempted to explain everything they could remember about Situation Ethics. Candidates could explain that Fletcher rejected legalism and antinomianism, but were not able to relate this information to the question in any way. Candidates could usually explain the working principles of personalism and relativism, but struggled more with pragmatism and particularly with positivism, often stating that it means looking for a positive outcome. In weaker responses, the principles were listed without being explained in any way and little use was made of case studies or examples to show how these could be used. Question 2 (b) Situation Ethics is not adequate as a religious approach to moral decision making. Assess this view. [15] There were some excellent answers to this question and candidates were clearly very well prepared. Good answers made use of a wide range of biblical teachings and stories to support their points, often contrasting Situation Ethics with Natural Law approaches to moral decision making. Candidates also drew on quotations from a wide range of scholars and religious leaders to support their arguments, with effective and well-structured essays leading to strong conclusions. 5

Weaker responses were often still able to make references to Biblical support for Situation Ethics, although this was often simply stated rather than used effectively to support the points being made. Some candidates did not spot the religious focus in the question and simply assessed the adequacy of Situation Ethics in general. Candidates who argued for and against the view in the question throughout the essay often did better than those who presented the for and against sides separately, as this seemed to encourage listing of points rather than actual evaluation in this particular question. Question 3(a) Explain why Utilitarianism is considered to be a relativistic and teleological theory. [30] This was the most popular question on the paper with the vast majority of candidates being able to accurately define the terms relativistic and teleological and relate these to features of Utilitarianism. Most candidates discussed both Bentham and Mill, although candidates who concentrated on Bentham and Act Utilitarianism only were still able to access the higher levels provided that they engaged with the material in sufficient depth. A positive feature of many good answers was the ability to accurately explain the concepts of strong and weak rule utilitarianism and to discuss whether each form was relativistic and/or teleological. Some stronger answers used Bentham s phrase nonsense on stilts to refer to theories with absolute rules. It should be noted that Bentham made this comment in the context of humans having natural rights rather than it being specifically related to absolutist ethical theories. Weaker responses could give generic definitions of relativistic and teleological, but then struggled to relate these to Utilitarianism. This type of answer tended to have a brief definition at the start of the essay and then an explanation of Utilitarianism in general with no further reference made to the terms. Again in this question, examples to illustrate understanding were lacking in many otherwise fairly good answers. Weaker answers also mixed up Bentham and Mill or did not understand how Mill s concept of the quality of pleasure related to the principle of utility. Very weak responses did not refer at all to the terms teleological and relativistic or clearly had a very limited grasp of the meaning of these terms. Question 3(b) The weaknesses of Utilitarianism outweigh its strengths. Assess this view. [15] Most candidates were clearly able to identify strengths and weaknesses of Utilitarianism and many different approaches were taken to the evaluation of this statement. Some good responses compared the relative merits of Bentham and Mill, arguing that the improvements made by Mill addressed the weaknesses in Bentham s theory. Very good responses then offered counter-arguments to this claim, looking at whether Mill s version lost the essential spirit of Utilitarianism. Good answers often made reference to modern uses of Utilitarianism in organisations such as the NHS and evaluated its effectiveness. Some candidates made reference to further versions of the theory such as Preference Utilitarianism, which was seen to solve some of the weaknesses identified and an excellent answer was seen using Singer s ideas about speciesism. Weaker responses could usually still identify strength and weaknesses, but tended to either juxtapose these, asserting that one side was better without any real reasoning, or to list points without much engagement with their relative merits. Some candidates still confused Utilitarianism with Situation Ethics. 6

Question 4(a) Examine the religious principles involved in the response of ONE major world religion to the issue of gay (same sex) marriage. [30] This question seemed a little more popular than usual, with a very wide range in the quality of answers. Candidates who had clearly prepared well for this topic showed a good grasp of religious principles drawn from sacred texts, religious leaders and relevant ethical theories which could be applied to the issue of gay (same sex) marriage. Common approaches were to consider the issue of gay or lesbian sex being condemned in scripture; the idea of marriage as a sacrament between a man and a woman and the importance of agape and compassion in religious decision making. Good answers made accurate reference to the official stance of different Christian denominations regarding same sex marriage, while recognising that diversity exists within as well as between denominations. Some candidates, while not always recognising this diversity, were able to draw on the views of Anglicans and Quakers in particular to answer this question. Some answers which were strong in other areas, failed to recognise the importance of leaders and tradition in the Roman Catholic church, stating that the denomination takes a fundamentalist and literal approach to the Bible as its sole moral guide. Weaker responses tended to offer a generic response about homosexuality in general rather than focusing specifically on same sex marriage. The views of different denominations were often misrepresented, or comments were made about Christians with little recognition of the range of approaches to the issue within the religion. A few candidates included the responses of more than one religion, which meant that part of their answer could not be credited. Question 4 (b) As same sex marriage is now legal in the UK, religious responses to this issue are irrelevant. Assess this view. [15] Good answers focused on the role of religion in society and the importance of religious principles to individuals, regardless of the views of society as a whole. Candidates also considered the diversity within religious responses, arguing that some are more relevant than others depending on their stance towards same sex marriage. Candidates were able to support their arguments with accurate reference to religious teachings. Some candidates looked at the relevance for same sex couples who wish to marry, while others considered the relevance for religious communities themselves or the broader society. Some used other religious theories such as Utilitarianism as a more relevant, secular response. Weaker answers did not engage with the legality of same sex marriage and focused on whether religious views about homosexuality in general were relevant in a secular society. Some candidates ignored same sex marriage and homosexuality completely and simply considered the role of religion in modern society in general. Weaker responses tended to repeat information from the first part of the essay without engaging in critical analysis or evaluation. 7

GCE RELIGIOUS STUDIES (LEGACY) Summer 2017 Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION General Comments With this effectively being a resit paper the responses tended to be fairly polarised with excellent or poor responses being the norm, with not much in between. Any of the issues that characterised excellent or poor performance, have been echoed in previous incarnations of this paper there were no particular surprises in terms of candidates responses. The paper was clearly accessible as there was a good spread of responses across all four questions. It is good to see, where candidates achieved particularly well, that centres clearly have got to grips with the demands of this specification and have provided clearly challenging yet accessible experiences for their candidates, resulting in these experiences being translated into well written and clearly thought out responses. Q1 (a) Examine objections to the cosmological argument including those raised by Hume, Russell and Kenny. [30] Either very well answered or completely missed the point of the question. Most candidates gave confident answers reflecting the main criticisms from scholars asked for. Most centres did recognise the objections raised by Hume and Russell. The use of terms such as inductive leap and fallacy of composition were useful and added to the feel of the essay. Kenny s theories, however seemed to be unfamiliar to a lot of students and examples were lacking to illustrate the principle of inertia. A minority of students either examined the cosmological argument in detail and neglected criticisms or wrote paragraphs outlining it with one criticism at the end of each paragraph. This resulted in not enough time directed at the actual question and so only lower level marks were available. Q1 (b) The cosmological argument has more weaknesses than strengths. Assess this view. [15] Largely well evaluated if students had not missed the point of part (a). The cumulative case as opposed to the leaky bucket arguments were commonly repeated and worked well especially in conclusions. Many cited universal witness to cause and effect, the logic of rejecting infinite regression and the simplicity of the cosmological arguments as reasons for supporting the argument. Craig s potential infinites and library analogy were also used well to counter arguments against. 8

Q2 (a) Explain how the teleological argument has been challenged with reference to Hume, Kant, natural selection and the problem of evil. [30] An accessible question for candidates who understood the rubric of the question. Those who presented the criticisms were effective with many presenting a depth and breadth of Hume s arguments really well including apt use of the many examples he used. It was pleasing to see that students were familiar with J. S. Mill and Kant s criticisms again with sound examples given including Rowe s deer example. Where not misrepresented, Darwin s adaptation argument was very well done, with excellent examples used. Most able candidates went on to write about Dawkin s development although many candidates still demonstrate a lack of understanding of his key ideas. Again some candidates missed the point and so a review of the teleological argument was presented which was largely irrelevant and therefore received no credit. Q2 (b) The teleological argument is completely ineffective as a proof for the existence of God. Assess this view. [15] In many responses, Tennant s anthropic and aesthetic arguments and references to Behe, Polkinghorne, Brown etc., made this a well answered question with excellent examples. The counter arguments were also generally well done and very specific in their focus which highlighted how well students knew this material. Some students listed the main points of the teleological argument as a counter rather than analyse the argument itself which resulted in a fairly inadequate response. Q3 (a) Explain why evil is a problem for religious believers. [30] This was an accessible question to most with some truly outstanding responses that reflected a good body of knowledge associated with the problem of evil. Quotes from Epicurus and Mackie were frequently seen and well used. Answers were wide ranging and examples for natural/moral/immense/innocent and animal suffering were contextualised and many. Rowe and Paul were often used in the best answers. Weaker students did not appreciate what the problem of evil was and instead offered a basic description of moral/natural suffering in the world. Q3 (b) The problem of evil can be solved easily by a theodicy. Assess this view. [15] Knowledge of the two main theodicies was rather good. It is encouraging to read how candidates are able to pick out specific strengths and weakness in both theodicies and thereby evaluate which parts of each theodicy were successful. However, some inaccuracies involved such things as neither theodicy addresses innocent suffering which could not really be credited due to its misunderstanding of Augustine s theodicy. 9

Q4 (a) Examine how one mystic that you have studied has shown mysticism in practice. [30] Some well-constructed answers primarily using Teresa of Avila s example which were very engaging to read. (There were also references to Rumi and Eckhart evident, but these were far less frequent). Students had a thorough knowledge of the detail of Teresa s experiences and use of analogies and how the experiences linked to suggested criteria for religious experiences and William James and Rudolf Otto cited in a convincing manner brought the answers to life and were immensely readable. Q4 (b) Religious belief is dependent on mystical experience. Assess this view. [15] Developed responses that linked mysticism to religious life being dependent/impacted by religious experiences were usually in the affirmative and had excellent analysis of the impact using good examples from many major world religions meaning that candidates were able to achieve higher levels. Christianity was most often used, but references to Guru Nanak and the Buddha also reflected an awareness of the foundations of religious thought. However, there was confusion when candidates attempted to answer by saying that yes they are dependent as they strengthen faith. This does not answer the question. Also, saying that St. Paul was not at all religious until he had an experience was not helpful. 10

GCE RELIGIOUS STUDIES (LEGACY) Summer 2017 Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL STUDIES Due to the lack of script evidence and entries there is no report for this unit. 11

GCE RELIGIOUS STUDIES (LEGACY) Summer 2017 Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTANITY Due to the lack of script evidence and entries there is no report for this unit. 12

GCE RELIGIOUS STUDIES (LEGACY) Summer 2017 Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced INTRODUCTION TO EASTERN RELIGIONS General Comments Generally the overall standard was good and certainly on a par with performance in recent years. Most candidates had good knowledge of their subject, but varied in their understanding of that knowledge and their ability to select relevant material. Many candidates were able to draw on A2 knowledge, since they were re-sitting the paper, and this without doubt, enriched a number of the answers. However, even in this last examination the weaknesses that have been evident throughout the life of the specification were still to be seen. Some candidates are still adopting the write all you know about approach to answering questions, completely ignoring the trigger words, especially explain. Candidates who do not read the question carefully enough do not attain the higher levels simply because they are not answering the question set. Section A An Introduction to Buddhism 1. (a) Outline the most significant events in the Buddha s life story. [30] This was a very popular question which the majority of candidates chose to answer and generally the vast majority of candidates were able to identify and outline the main events in the life of the Buddha. However responses varied in the detail given. The question asked for the most significant events in the life of the Buddha, but a number of candidates for some reason made no reference to his enlightenment. One problem that arose from this question was that candidates tried to discuss all the events listed in the specification, maybe because they thought they could not gain the higher levels without doing so. The result was that candidates spent too much time on this question and therefore disadvantaged themselves with the rest of the paper. 1. (b) The Buddha s life story is just a myth. Assess this view. [15] Some candidates found it difficult to get to grips with the issue in this question because they did not take notice of the word just. This was crucial to the evaluation. However, there were many candidates who were able not only to discuss whether it was just a myth or not but also to evaluate whether it made any difference to Buddhism or Buddhists. 13

2. (a) Explain what the Buddha taught about suffering and impermanence. [30] On the whole this question was well answered with most candidates showing good knowledge and understanding of the Three Marks of existence. The discussion on dukkha was well informed and the better answers referred not only to the Three Marks of Existence but also to the Four Noble Truths and the Tibetan wheel of life. Anicca was also explained clearly and correctly. However, some candidates' explanation was very superficial and was not specific enough to answer the demands of the question. 2. (b) Buddhism views life exactly as it is. Assess this view. [15] There were some good responses to this question with candidates discussing in a mature way whether Buddhism is indeed realistic, optimistic or pessimistic in its outlook on life. A few candidates however failed to grasp the meaning of the question. 3. (a) Explain how the Noble Eightfold Path might affect the daily life of Buddhists. [30] On the whole this question was well answered with most candidates showing good knowledge and understanding of the Noble Eightfold Path. However the question was focused on the influence of the Noble Eightfold Path on the daily lifestyle of Buddhists. Some candidates chose to ignore this and wrote all they knew about the Four Noble Truths. Therefore they could not attain the higher grades because they simply did not answer the question set. 3. (b) The Noble Eightfold Path is not realistic in the modern world. Assess this view. [15] There were some good responses to this question with candidates discussing the value of the virtues expressed in the Noble Eightfold Path and the difficulties of living according to them in a material world. Again some candidates failed to get to grips with the real issue in the question. 4. (a) Examine the purposes of meditation with reference to vipassana, samatha and zazen. [30] The majority of the candidates who answered this question were well prepared. They were able to discuss in depth the purpose of the different types of meditation practiced within Buddhism and used appropriate examples to support their statements. However weaker candidates tended to focus on the practices without giving any consideration to their purpose. 4. (b) Buddhist meditation makes Buddhists unselfish. Assess this view. [15] The standards of response to this question were good. The best answers included strong arguments linked to specific types of meditation and what can be gained from them. Many identified Pureland Buddhism as a tradition which focuses on other practices because of the danger of becoming selfish. Weaker responses used irrelevant arguments within their work and did not focus on the issue in the question. 14

Section B An Introduction to Hinduism There was insufficient script evidence to be able draw any helpful conclusions regarding performance. Section C An Introduction to Sikhism There was insufficient script evidence to be able draw any helpful conclusions regarding performance. 15

GCE RELIGIOUS STUDIES (LEGACY) Summer 2017 Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced INTRODUCTION TO WESTERN RELIGIONS General Comments Generally the overall standard was disappointing with evidence that some candidates struggled to respond effectively to the paper. Most candidates had some knowledge of the chosen faith, albeit at a very basic level generally. Whilst it can be assumed that most candidates were attempting the paper for a second time, very few candidates showed the thoroughness of knowledge and understanding that is expected at this level. Some candidates did show accurate and detailed knowledge and understanding of either Islam or Judaism. Section A: Islam Question 1(a) Examine ways in which the Qur an is central to a Muslim s life. [30] This question was answered with varying degrees of success. Some of the most basic answers gave a very vague description of how the Qur an is used, such as during prayer and worship. A few responses included the way in which the Qur an would guide Muslims or show submission to Allah. Most did however discuss how it formed the basis for Shari a law. Question 1(b) The Qur an is no longer the main source of authority for Muslims. Assess this view. [15] Better responses were provided here in comparison to 1(a). Most were able to structure an argument that did focus on the demands of the question. Even the most basic responses were able to provide a counter argument. Most focused on the role of the Imam, that the Qur an remains a central part of Islam, and that Shari a Law is evident in many countries. Question 2(a) Explain the significance of Muhammad s life and teaching in Makkah between the Night of Power and the hijrah. [30] This question was answered in a narrative style on the whole. Weaker candidates decided to give a historical account of the life of Muhammad, without focusing on the requirements of the question. Most focused on the Hijrah and the night of power rather than any events in the interim. Although there was good information on the life of Muhammad, the question was generally not addressed. Question 2(b) Muhammad s preaching in Makkah was the main reason for the success of Islam. Assess this view. [15] This question on the whole was very poorly answered. Basic attempts were made to respond to this question. Some candidates choose to focus on Muhammad introducing a way of life and moral guidance. Most focused their responses on the functional aspects of the faith Muhammad established such as the first Mosque, prayer times and Zakah. 16

Questions 3(a) Examine Muslim beliefs and celebrations in relation to Id-ul-Fitr. [30] (b) Religious festivals keep Muslims focused on the most relevant aspects of Islam today. Assess this view. [15] Despite the accessibility, only one candidate responded to this question. Therefore, is not possible to make any appropriate judgement on performance here. Question 4(a) Examine ways in which the observance of halal and haram affect a Muslim s life. [30] Most candidates were able to discuss the correct meaning of Halal and Haram and were able to describe the effect this has on a Muslims life. Discussions mainly surrounded aspects of life such as school, socialising, being part of Western culture and the problems keeping Halal could entail. Question 4(b) Issues to do with food and clothing are not important for Muslims today. Assess this view. [15] Most responses concentrated on the influence of Western values and ideas as well as issues surrounding racism. The influence of a secular society was also referred to. Candidates discussed how all religious traditions should be upheld and for some these aspects are not open for discussion. Generally, it was noted that it was tradition and a way of life that was second nature and therefore did not pose a concern for Muslims, although the younger generation did want to fit in a little more to the environment in which they lived. Section B - Judaism Question 1(a) Examine how Orthodox and Reform attitudes to the Torah are reflected in Jewish life. [30] This question was generally answered well. Most candidates did respond to the requirements of the question and that the Torah was transmitted to Moses was the main focus for most. Orthodox practices as guided by the Torah were discussed as well as reference to reform views with regards to adaptations of the mitzvot. Most responses focused on the practical way in which the Torah guides practice with reference to Kosher, festivals and laws of family purity. Some did choose to discuss how the Torah itself is used in the Synagogue. Question 1(b) The Talmud is not nearly as important as the Torah for Jews today. Assess this view. [15] This was not a fully developed response in many cases, with basic appreciation of the demands of the question. Some candidates were not clear with regards to the content of the Talmud. Most decided to take the approach that the Torah was fundamentally essential as it was transmitted to Moses by God. Most did discuss that times have changed and that the Torah was therefore not written for our time and needed further explanation and analysis. 17

Question 2(a) Examine the nature and importance of synagogue worship during Shabbat. [30] This focus of this question was lost for most. Some candidates chose to discuss Shabbat practices rather than Synagogue worship during Shabbat. Some weaker candidates gave a descriptive account of the preparation and celebration of Shabbat with discussions on the Synagogue as an afterthought. Most did discuss the weekly Torah portion and the role of the congregation. Most did mention the Havdalah service. There were no developed discussions of the role of Shabbat worship in the continuation of faith or community cohesion. Question 2(b) It is worship in the home that ensures the survival of Judaism. Assess this view. [15] This question was generally answered well with the majority of responses discussing the role the home plays in educating and the connotation of faith. Most touched upon ideas of teaching children through festival observance, prayer and study as well as the practices associated with various life cycles and celebrations. The role of the mother was also discussed by many. Synagogue worship was evaluated as being important after the destruction of the Temple and as a way of bringing the community together. Question 3(a) Examine the nature and role of Jewish celebrations during Pesach. [30] This was the most popular question and responses to this question were varied. Some were very detailed accounts of the festival of Pesach. Most discussed the links with the past and how this linked with the Seder meal. Most were able to discuss how families celebrated Pesach from preparing and greeting the festival through to the blessings and closing. The best responses included reference to the Exodus and used key terms such as the haggadah, deliverance and redemption. Candidates should be careful to avoid listing in this style of question. Question 3(b) Focussing on the past is pointless. Assess this view with reference to Jewish festivals. [15] Responses were varied. Some were a little vague with no definitive structure or line of reasoning. Most were focusing on remembering the past as a way of developing community cohesion and as a way of uniting different branches of Judaism. Basic responses included the idea that without the past, the present would not exist. Question 4(a) Examine the religious significance of Jewish life cycle rituals. [30] This was a popular question and was generally answered well. Some candidates did demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding. Most focused on brit milah, bar mitzvah and marriage. All responses included some correct reference to the life cycles, although only the best responses had included a detailed explanation of the significance of each. 18

Question 4(b) Jewish life cycle rituals have no relevance in the 21 st Century. Assess this view. [15] Most responses included reference to specific life cycles and what relevance these had to life. Most discussed the emphasis given to different rituals within different branches of Judaism, especially reform ideas surrounding brit milah and the introduction of bat mitzvah. Most discussions also surrounded issues of celebration rather than the significance of various acts and how some individuals would celebrate certain occasions without being observant generally in life. Some concentrated on the life cycles being important for Jewish identity and a way of maintaining tradition. 19

GCE RELIGIOUS STUDIES (LEGACY) Summer 2017 Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced STUDIES IN RELIGION IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY The most popular question was q.1 and the least was q.4. The results were in line with previous years. Q1 (a) Examine the role of religion in the government of the UK. [AO1 30] This was not a popular question, but nevertheless generally those who attempted it generally did well. The higher candidates gave detailed and descriptive accounts, particularly highlighting the role of the Church, Prayers and pressure groups. Most also mentioned the role of the Queen as Defender of the Faith. This was ably supported by comment on pressure groups and non-christian faiths. Weaker candidates were more descriptive and less critical and lacked either good examples or scholarly argument. Q1 (b) Religion should never be allowed to influence the workings of the State. Assess this view. [AO2 20] Higher candidates offered in-depth evaluation of secularism, spiritual development and the problems of becoming a multi-faith society. Weaker candidates offered little evaluation and concerned themselves more with description and broad comment on morality, the needy and hospitals. Greater use of scholarship would have helped to develop more effective arguments. Q2 (a) Examine how film is used to retell aspects of religious belief. [AO1 30] This topic has lost the popularity it once had. There were very few good answers, mainly to do with the lack of useful and relevant scholarship. It is also surprising that most centres still use the films recommended several years ago some more recent films such as Noah and Exodus would have been very useful. That said, the higher candidates offered useful analysis of religion, belief and symbolism in films like Star Wars and Little Princess. At the mid-low range, too much emphasis was given to narrative re-telling of the story, coupled with simple and obvious comments, lacking scholarly insight. 20

Q2 (b) Films do not teach complex religious ideas about the world. Assess this view. [AO2 20] Rather speculative answers here, most unsupported by scholarship. Bend it like Beckham was universally popular though few did more than retell the story and use the film s own comments on Sikh marriage customs to make useful points of insight. Again at the lower end, there was little more than a re-telling in the story. Q3 (a) Explain Marx s objections to religion. [AO1 30] A straightforward question which was attacked with relish by the higher candidates. There was, inevitably, lots of material on Marx s view of religion as illusion, fantasy, irrational and an opiate. However, only the highest candidates took their answers beyond this and offered comment on oppression. Q3 (b) Marx s views on religion were wrong. Assess this view. [AO2 20] Most candidates took the opportunities this question offered to unload all their criticisms of Marx. The higher candidates attempted good evaluation his misunderstanding of belief and faith and his unfair focus on the notion of Christ as Saviour. However, there was a noticeable lack of modern scholarship. Weaker candidates offered a couple of examples, such as false promises and how religion and the church are hypocritical being rich while the poor suffer. Q4 (a) Examine Fowler s theory concerning the six stages of faith. [AO1 30] The least-popular question, but answered well. There were very few poor answers. In general, the candidates were well-prepared, offering comprehensive understanding of the six stages of faith. Q4 (b) 'Humans are never really ready for religion. Assess this view. [AO2 20] Some very interesting answers here, looking at aspects such as self-interest, science over religion and authority within the self. Good use of religious language and examples, though more reference to a range of modern scholars would have given greater depth. 21

GCE RELIGIOUS STUDIES (LEGACY) Summer 2017 Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced STUDIES IN RELIGION AND ETHICS General Comments The paper was accessible to the majority of candidates, with only a few very weak responses. There was an increase in outstanding scripts from candidates who illustrated thorough knowledge and understanding in the part A responses and analytical and evaluative part B responses. Good candidates were able to provide evidence of independent learning, accurate use of specialist vocabulary and high levels of SPaG. However, weaker candidates, in the part A responses, often failed to address the questions set, often as a result writing out a rote learnt answer that did not fit the question set. Furthermore, weaker responses often addressed the questions with only a basic and/or patchy knowledge and/or lacking the detail expected at this level. Weaker part B responses either listed strengths and weaknesses that were not particularly relevant to the question or listed relevant, but only briefly that do not allow them to develop any analysis and/or evaluation. There were a number of scripts that were almost illegible. It would be a great help if centres could make better use of the available provision. Q1 (a) Explain Aristotle s use of the moral virtues and the doctrine of the mean in his Virtue Theory. [AO1 30] This question was generally answered well. Most candidates realised that the thrust of the question was the need to emphases Aristotle s moral virtues and the doctrine of the mean. Good responses tended to only give a brief a background to Aristotle s Virtue Theory and were able to focus their answer on the question set rather than write everything they knew about Aristotle s Virtue Theory. Weaker responses spent far too long giving an almost biographical overview of Aristotle. Elements of Aristotle s Virtue Theory, such as the intellectual virtues, were given credit if they were linked into Aristotle s moral virtues or the doctrine of the mean. Q1 (b) Aristotle s Virtue Theory provides an excellent basis for making ethical decisions. Assess this view [AO2 20] Mainly well answered by candidates. Most candidates recognised the main thrust of the question and successfully linked the arguments they had learnt to the question set; rather than just firing out generic strengths and weaknesses of Aristotle s Virtue Theory. There was a pleasing improvement in the amount of analysis and evaluation in many candidate s responses. Candidates were not just accepting the traditional responses to a question, but instead they were also analysing them by questioning their validity. It was also good to see candidates evaluating arguments as they went through their answer rather than just leaving it to the end of their response. Good responses also used scholarly arguments to support their analysis and evaluation. 22

Q2 (a) Examine how W.D. Ross attempted to improve Kant s Moral Theory by introducing the idea of prima facie duties. [AO1 30] There were many good responses to this question. Candidates were confident and knowledgeable on Ross development of Kant s Moral Theory. Good responses tended to give an overview of Kant s Moral Theory, particularly his categorical imperative which Ross developed with his prima facie duties. Some very good responses were able to weave Ross development of Kant s Moral Theory as they explained Kant s Theory. However, weaker responses spent far too long going over Kant s Moral Theory and left little or no time to address Ross development of the theory. Some candidates unfortunately did not address Ross at all and just wrote about Kant thus missing the point of the question. Q2 (b) Kant s insistence on using rational thought strengthens his moral theory. Assess this view. [AO2 20] Many responses clearly illustrated that candidates understood the statement in the question and presented a relevant line of argument. Good candidates clearly understood the meaning of rational thought and Aquinas, Aristotle and Ross were commonly employed to show that rational thought can strengthen moral theories. Divine Command Theory and Sola Scriptura were often used well to counter the assertion in the question. Weaker responses tended to try and adapt the strengths and weaknesses they had learnt to the question set. Usually with only limited success because these arguments usually were not relevant to this question. Q3 (a) Examine ethical and religious arguments against the use of nuclear weapons. [AO1 30] This question had a mixed response. Good candidates successfully addressed both sides aspects of the question. However, several candidates only addressed either religious or ethical arguments and therefore limited the mark they were able to achieve. The vast majority of candidates, when considering religious arguments focussed on Christianity, with a few examples of Islamic teaching, where good use was made of appropriate quotes from the Qur an. The ideas of a Just War were successfully used by many candidates. On the ethical side many responses successfully used normative ethics, like Natural Law, to develop their arguments. Weaker responses tended to either focus on simple points or drift into what can only be described as a rant against nuclear weapons. Q3 (b) The sale of weapons is always wrong. Assess this view with reference to one of more ethical approaches you have studied. [AO2 20] There were some excellent responses, where candidates made successful use of ethical approaches like Natural Law, Kant s Moral Theory, etc. They were often countered by other ethical theories to justify the sale of weapons; such as Act Utilitarianism. Weaker responses unfortunately made no reference to ethical approaches and again some responses descended into an unnecessary rant. 23