How to Revise Practices — AQA GCSE Religious Studies
Religious practices constitute the lived expression of theological doctrines, manifesting through structured rituals, private devotions, and communal celebrations. This study area investigates the mechanisms of orthopraxy across major world religions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. It prioritizes the analysis of how physical actions—such as pilgrimage, prayer, and sacraments—facilitate spiritual experiences and reinforce social cohesion. Candidates must evaluate the tension between traditional observance and contemporary adaptations, considering the geographical and historical factors that shape religious identity and the impact of secularization on ritual frequency and form.
Key Marking Points
- Nature, use and importance of Buddhist places of worship (temples, shrines, monasteries/viharas, halls for meditation/learning/gompas)
- Key features of places of worship (Buddha rupa, artefacts, offerings)
- Significance and role of puja/devotional ritual (home and temple, chanting, mantra recitation, use of malas)
- Aims, significance and methods of meditation (Samatha, Vipassana, visualisation of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas)
- Ceremonies and rituals associated with death and mourning in Theravada communities, Japan and Tibet
- Festivals and retreats (Wesak, Parinirvana Day) including celebrations, origins and significance