GCSE Religious Studies: Religion and Life – the Universe, the Environment and Animals

Religion and life is one of the ethical themes set out in the DfE subject content for GCSE Religious Studies, and every board offers a version of it (for example, Theme B in AQA's specification). This material covers its first half: the origins and value of the universe, the use and abuse of the environment, and the use and abuse of animals.

You begin with the question of how the universe came to be. The Big Bang theory is explained with its two main pieces of evidence, red shift and the cosmic microwave background, alongside the fact that it was first proposed by a Catholic priest. You compare reading Genesis 1 literally, as a six-day creation, with reading it as a theological account of why the world exists, and you meet a Muslim reading of Qur'an 21:30, a Hindu cyclical view of the universe and the humanist position that the universe needs no creator.

The second part asks why the world has value. You distinguish dominion from stewardship, using Genesis 1:28 and 2:15, and learn the Muslim ideas of khalifah and amanah, together with the place of awe and wonder. These ideas are then applied to real problems: using up natural resources, pollution and climate change, and the responses of believers and non-believers.

The last part deals with animals. You weigh the arguments for and against animal experimentation, learn how it is regulated in the UK and what the 3Rs mean, and compare attitudes to eating animals: ahimsa and vegetarianism in Hinduism and Buddhism, halal and kosher rules, and the Christian view that animals may be used but not treated cruelly.

The material offers a quiz with explanations for every answer, including questions that ask which argument supports or challenges a statement; flashcards for the key terms; 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.

Each religion is presented accurately and neutrally, with the differences of opinion that exist inside traditions as well as between them. Use it to secure the knowledge you need, then to practise building arguments on both sides of a statement and reaching a justified conclusion.

• Explain the Big Bang theory and the evidence for it
• Compare literal and non-literal readings of Genesis 1 and explain why many believers see no conflict with science
• Distinguish dominion from stewardship and explain khalifah and amanah in Islam
• Describe religious and humanist responses to pollution, climate change and the use of natural resources
• Weigh the arguments for and against animal experimentation and the use of animals for food
• Evaluate statements about the environment and animals using religious and non-religious arguments

Practice material written by Zestly, based on the DfE GCSE religious studies subject content (theme: religion and life) and, for example, AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062) Theme B: the origins and value of the universe.