GCSE Religious Studies: Christian Practices

Every GCSE Religious Studies course that includes Christianity asks about practices as well as beliefs, and the DfE subject content lists worship, sacraments, pilgrimage, festivals and the role of the Church in the community and the world (for example, the Christianity practices section of AQA's specification). This material covers those practices, leaving out the forms of worship and Holy Communion, which another material in this category already deals with.

It starts with prayer: the Lord's Prayer and what its words mean, set prayers and informal prayer, and private worship. Next come the sacraments. You learn why the Catholic and Orthodox churches recognise seven, most Protestant churches two and Quakers and the Salvation Army none, and you compare infant baptism with believers' baptism: what happens, what each means and why Christians disagree about them.

Pilgrimage is studied through the two contrasting examples most often set: Lourdes, with Bernadette's visions and the hope of healing, and Iona, with St Columba's monastery and the quiet, justice-minded life of the Iona Community, together with the Protestant view that pilgrimage is not necessary. Christmas and Easter are covered through their meaning, from the incarnation to the resurrection, and the days of Holy Week.

The last part looks outward. You learn how local churches serve their communities through food banks and Street Pastors, what mission and evangelism mean and why the Church is growing in some parts of the world, how Christians work for reconciliation at Coventry and Corrymeela, how they respond to persecution, and what agencies such as CAFOD, Christian Aid and Tearfund do.

The material offers a quiz with explanations for every answer, flashcards for the key terms and the days of Holy Week, a printable written sheet of explain-and-evaluate tasks with reference answers, and an oral practice exam in which the examiner asks one question at a time and gives brief feedback at the end.

Differences between Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Christians are presented accurately and neutrally throughout. Use the material to learn the practices and their meaning, then to practise explaining why they matter and weighing statements about them.

• Explain the Lord's Prayer and the place of set, informal and private prayer
• Explain the meaning of sacrament and why churches recognise different numbers
• Compare infant and believers' baptism and the reasons given for each
• Compare pilgrimage to Lourdes and to Iona, and views on the importance of pilgrimage
• Explain the meaning of Christmas and Easter for Christians in Britain today
• Describe the Church's work in the local community, in mission, reconciliation and response to persecution

Practice material written by Zestly, based on the DfE GCSE religious studies subject content for Christianity (practices) and, for example, AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062), Christianity: practices.