CCEA AS-Level · Analysis & Prediction

2025 CCEA AS-Level Religious Studies 4610 Past Paper: Analysis & Answers

The CCEA GCE AS Religious Studies (4610) 2025 examination series maintains its rigorous, essay-based two-tier structure. Candidates choose two 50-mark questions (one from Section A and one from Section B), each divided equally into a 25-mark AO1 textual/theological exposition and a 25-mark AO2 critical evaluation. The papers reward precise scholarly engagement, command of historical context, and in Section B(b), the robust integration of contemporary and historical human experience.

Updated: 31 Aug 2026

Analysis Sample paper

Difficulty 3.4/5

Total marks

100

Duration

80 mins

Most tested

Critical evaluation and application of religious principles to other aspects of human experience (AO2 Section B)

Paper breakdown

AS 1: An Introduction to the Gospel of Luke [SRE11]: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 2: An Introduction to the Acts of the Apostles [SRE21]: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 4: The Origins and Development of the Early Christian Church to AD 325 [SRE41]: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 5: The Celtic Church in Ireland [SRE51]: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 6: An Introduction to Islam [SRE61]: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 7: Foundations of Ethics with Special Reference to Issues in Medical Ethics [SRE71]: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 8: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion [SRE81]: 100 marks · 80 mins

Top chapters

Other aspects of human experience (Ethics / Medical Ethics) · 50 marksDeontological approaches to moral decision making · 25 marksLife and death issues (Abortion / Euthanasia) · 50 marksArguments for the existence of God · 50 marksUnderstanding the Gospel of Luke · 50 marks

Overall Exam Overview & Difficulty Verdict

The CCEA AS Religious Studies series tests candidate depth across biblical, historical, Islamic, philosophical, and ethical modules. Rated at a solid 3.4 / 5 in difficulty, the paper structure remains highly predictable in format but uncompromising in analytical rigor. Candidates are required to produce two comprehensive, multi-page essay responses within 1 hour 20 minutes (80 minutes total), allowing exactly 40 minutes per 50-mark question.

Where the Marks Are Won and Lost

Every chosen question is split into two equal 25-mark components:

Part (a) [AO1 - 25 Marks]: Assesses knowledge, textual fluency, and understanding of religious teachings, historical narratives, or philosophical arguments. High-scoring responses deploy precise scholarly references (e.g., Conzelmann, Marshall, Streeter in Luke; Swinburne, Otto, and James in Philosophy; Fletcher, Singer, and McCarthy in Ethics) and detailed textual/scriptural grounding.
Part (b) [AO2 - 25 Marks]: Evaluates critical assessment, debate, and balanced justification. In Section B, part (b) carries the explicit mandate to engage with ‘other aspects of human experience’. Scripts that fail to provide breadth beyond the core text into contemporary secular, multi-faith, or historical case studies are restricted to Band 2 (maximum 10/25 marks).

Examiner Pitfalls & Common Traps

Examiners routinely highlight that lower-scoring candidates produce purely descriptive summaries rather than analytical arguments in part (b). In Section B(b), candidates frequently treat the 'human experience' aspect as an afterthought or a concluding paragraph rather than weaving sustained contemporary evidence throughout the debate. In textual papers (Luke and Acts), a recurring issue is vagueness regarding chapter and verse references and treating theological narratives merely as secular history.

Preparation & Exam Strategy

Time Management: Strictly divide time into 40 minutes for Question 1/2 (Section A) and 40 minutes for Question 3/4 (Section B). Aim for 18-20 minutes on part (a) and 20-22 minutes on part (b).
Human Experience Synthesis: Prepare versatile, modern case studies (e.g., Peter Singer on preference utilitarianism/poverty, restorative justice initiatives, contemporary medical breakthroughs, secularisation statistics) that map directly across broad thematic areas.
Scholarly Quotations: Anchor critical debates in established theological and philosophical scholarship rather than presenting unsubstantiated personal assertions.

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Charts

Marks by chapter

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Question type mix

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AO1 Knowledge and Understanding Essay700 marks · 28 questions
AO2 Critical Evaluation & Human Experience Essay700 marks · 28 questions

Mark accessibility

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70%within easy or medium reach

easy: 20 marksmedium: 50 markshard: 30 marks

Difficulty trend

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Command word frequency

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Skill weighting

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Study ROI

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Other Aspects of Human Experience Synthesis (AO2)

50 marks · Difficulty 3.6 · recurrence 100%

Foundational Ethical Frameworks & Medical Issues (AS 7)

100 marks · Difficulty 3.2 · recurrence 95%

Classical & Modern Arguments for God / Religious Experience (AS 8)

100 marks · Difficulty 3.3 · recurrence 95%

Key Theological Themes & Critical Scholarship in Gospel of Luke (AS 1)

100 marks · Difficulty 3.4 · recurrence 95%

Early Church Developments & Imperial Relations (AS 4)

100 marks · Difficulty 3.5 · recurrence 90%

Time vs marks

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marksmins

Next-year prediction

Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.

Natural Moral Law and Euthanasia (Ethics Unit AS 7)90%

With 2025 assessing Decalogue, Situation Ethics, and Utilitarianism with NRTs/Abortion, Aquinas's Natural Moral Law applied to End of Life Care / Euthanasia is highly likely.

Teleological and Cosmological Arguments (Philosophy Unit AS 8)85%

The 2025 AS 8 paper focused on the Ontological argument and Religious Experiences in Section A, making Teleological/Cosmological arguments primed for inclusion in subsequent papers.

Luke's Passion and Resurrection Narratives (Luke Unit AS 1)85%

Temptations and Call narratives were featured in 2025; Passion/Crucifixion and Emmaus narratives are key recurring syllabus components.

Irenaean Theodicy vs Augustinian Theodicy (Philosophy Unit AS 8)80%

Augustinian theodicy was examined in Section B; John Hick/Irenaeus soul-making theodicy is a major alternative cycle topic.

Cumulative marks ladder

The line is your running mark total question by question; dashed lines are the estimated grade cut-offs. See which question the line crosses your target grade at, so you know how far you must answer cleanly and which questions decide a band.

Topic-year heatmap

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Jun 2022

Jun 2023

Jun 2024

Jun 2025

Understanding & Themes in the Gospel of Luke / Acts (AS 1 & AS 2)

Foundations of Ethics / Bioethics & Philosophy (AS 7 & AS 8)

Church History / Celtic Church / Islam (AS 4, AS 5, AS 6)

Other aspects of human experience (Section B Synoptic AO2)

Core Textual / Theoretical Foundations (Section A, Part a)

Ethical / Thematic Evaluation (Section A, Part b)

Historical / Scriptural Analysis (Section B, Part a)

Other Aspects of Human Experience Evaluation (Section B, Part b)

Understanding & Key Narratives / Themes (Section A / Unit Core)

Other Aspects of Human Experience & Contextual Studies (Section B)

Examiner insights

Official report

Common pitfalls

Failing to explicitly address 'other aspects of human experience' in Section B(b), which automatically caps the mark at Band 2 (maximum 10/25).
Writing one-sided polemics or purely descriptive narratives in part (b) rather than evaluating opposing scholarly and ethical viewpoints.
Imbalance in time management: over-writing on Section A part (a) and rushing Section B part (b), sacrificing easy evaluation marks.
Superficial scriptural/scholarly citation, such as mentioning names without explaining their precise theoretical contribution or context.

Misconceptions

Assuming that 'other aspects of human experience' means only writing personal autobiographical anecdotes rather than referencing recognized historical, sociological, legal, or philosophical examples.
Believing that agreeing with the prompt quote in part (b) is required; examiners reward well-substantiated counter-arguments equally.
Confusing AO1 exposition with AO2 critique by introducing critical scholar commentary into part (a) where descriptive precision is demanded.

Where marks are lost

Lack of specific textual references, Greek/Hebrew terms, and historical dates in AO1 responses.
Omitting clear, justified conclusions at the end of 25-mark evaluation essays.
Generalised assertions in ethics papers without applying specific normative theories (e.g. Utilitarianism, Kantian Ethics, Natural Moral Law, Situation Ethics).

Estimated grade boundary

Updated: 31 Aug 2026

Source: CCEA

Grade	Mark	Percentage
A	—	80%
B	—	70%
C	—	60%
D	—	50%
E	—	40%

Official grade boundaries published by CCEA.

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