2025 CCEA GCSE Religious Studies 4610 Practice Paper with Answers

(i) Acts 2: 1 places the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Jewish festival of Pentecost. (ii) Acts 2: 42–47 describes the Early Church devoting itself to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, prayer, and sharing possessions with those in need. (iii) St Patrick is credited, through his life and missionary work, with bringing Christianity to Ireland. (iv) In 1 Corinthians 12: 1–11, 14–22, 25–27, Paul compares the Church to a human body made up of many different parts, each with its own necessary function.
Final answers as listed above.

1 mark per correct point, to a maximum of 5: (i) 1 mark for 'Pentecost'; (ii) 1 mark each for any two valid characteristics (max 2); (iii) 1 mark for 'St Patrick'; (iv) 1 mark for 'a body (with many parts/members)'. Accept reasonable paraphrase; reject invented or unsupported detail.

(i) The Pope is the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. (ii) A parish priest's roles include celebrating Mass and administering the sacraments, hearing confessions, providing pastoral care to parishioners, and teaching and preaching. (iii) Ordination is the ceremony by which a man is made a priest in the Catholic Church. (iv) A bishop leads a diocese, overseeing the priests and parishes within it.
Final answers as listed above.

1 mark per correct point, to a maximum of 5: (i) 1 mark for 'the Pope'; (ii) 1 mark each for any two valid roles (max 2); (iii) 1 mark for 'ordination'; (iv) 1 mark for 'a bishop'. Accept reasonable paraphrase; reject invented or unsupported detail.

(i) Christian teaching values marriage as a lifelong, faithful commitment made before God that provides a stable environment for a couple and, often, for raising children, reflecting Genesis 2: 24's description of a couple becoming 'one flesh'. (ii) Alternatives to marriage in wider society include cohabitation (living together without marrying) and civil partnership, as well as remaining single. (iii) In Mark 10: 9, Jesus teaches, 'what God has joined together, let no one separate', emphasising the permanence of marriage. (iv) Family structures today include single-parent families, step-families/blended families, extended families and same-sex-parent families, alongside the traditional nuclear family.
Final answers as listed above.

1 mark per correct point, to a maximum of 5: (i) 1 mark for any valid reason; (ii) 1 mark each for any two valid alternatives (max 2); (iii) 1 mark for 'what God has joined together, let no one separate' or equivalent; (iv) 1 mark for any valid alternative family structure. Accept reasonable paraphrase; reject unsupported or invented detail.

(i) Pro-life groups typically argue from the sanctity of life — that life is a sacred gift from God from the moment of conception, and the unborn child has a right to life that abortion violates. (ii) Pro-choice groups typically argue for a woman's right to bodily autonomy, to make decisions about her own body and circumstances, and may argue quality of life should be weighed alongside sanctity of life. (iii) Active euthanasia is a deliberate act to end life (for example, giving a lethal injection), while passive euthanasia is allowing death to occur by withholding or withdrawing life-prolonging treatment, without a direct act to cause death. (iv) The Hospice movement provides holistic care for people who are terminally ill, including pain relief and palliative care, alongside emotional and spiritual support for patients and their families.
Final answers as listed above.

1 mark per correct point, to a maximum of 5: (i) 1 mark for a valid pro-life argument; (ii) 1 mark for a valid pro-choice argument; (iii) 1 mark for correctly defining active euthanasia AND 1 mark for correctly defining passive euthanasia (max 2); (iv) 1 mark for any valid type of hospice care. Accept reasonable paraphrase; reject answers that confuse active and passive euthanasia.

At Pentecost, the disciples, gathered together after Jesus' ascension, experience the coming of the Holy Spirit, described as tongues of fire and a sound like a rushing wind, and are enabled to speak in other languages so that Jews from many nations gathered in Jerusalem understand them. Peter then preaches boldly to the crowd, and Acts records about three thousand people being baptised that day. This event is significant because it transforms the disciples from a small, frightened group hiding after the crucifixion into confident public witnesses, and it is traditionally regarded as the birth of the Christian Church as an outward-looking community empowered to spread its message beyond a single place or language group.
Final answer: Pentecost is significant as the empowering, founding moment of the Church, when the Holy Spirit transformed the disciples into confident witnesses, leading to the rapid growth of the early Christian community.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO1): Level 1 (1 mark) — a brief, undeveloped statement. Level 2 (2–3 marks) — some explanation with limited development, e.g. mentions the Holy Spirit without full development of significance. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a well-developed explanation referring to at least two of: the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples' transformation into confident witnesses, and the growth/founding of the Church community. Accept any theologically accurate development.

In the Catholic Church's structure, a bishop is responsible for overseeing a diocese, which is made up of a number of parishes, each usually led by a priest. The bishop provides teaching authority, ensuring church teaching is upheld consistently across the diocese, and pastoral leadership, including ordaining new priests and deacons and confirming young Catholics. Bishops are understood to stand in a line of apostolic succession going back to the original apostles, which gives their teaching and leadership role particular authority, and they act as a visible link between individual parishes and the wider, worldwide Church under the leadership of the Pope, helping to maintain unity of belief and practice across different regions.
Final answer: the bishop provides teaching authority and pastoral leadership for a diocese, ordains clergy, and links local parishes to the worldwide Church through apostolic succession.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO1): Level 1 (1 mark) — a brief, undeveloped statement, e.g. 'a bishop is in charge of an area.' Level 2 (2–3 marks) — some explanation with limited development. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a well-developed explanation referring to at least two of: oversight of a diocese, ordaining clergy, and the link to the wider Church/apostolic succession. Accept any theologically accurate development.

Christian teaching generally presents marriage as a lifelong, exclusive commitment between two people, made before God, reflecting the 'one flesh' union described in Genesis 2: 24 and reinforced by Jesus' teaching that what God has joined together should not be separated (Mark 10: 9); it is seen as providing emotional and practical stability, mutual support, and a secure setting for raising children. On divorce, however, Christian views differ: the Catholic Church traditionally holds marriage to be indissoluble once validly made, permitting an annulment only where a marriage is judged never to have been valid, while other denominations recognise that relationships can genuinely break down and permit divorce and remarriage, sometimes citing Jesus' own qualification about marital unfaithfulness (Matt. 19: 7–9) or emphasising compassion for those in irretrievably broken marriages. This diversity shows that, while all Christians value marriage highly, they do not agree on how to respond when a marriage fails.
Final answer: Christian teaching values marriage as a lifelong, God-given commitment (Genesis 2: 24, Mark 10: 9), but Christians differ on divorce — some (e.g. Catholic teaching) treat it as indissoluble, others permit divorce/remarriage in some circumstances.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO1): Level 1 (1 mark) — a brief, undeveloped statement about marriage or divorce. Level 2 (2–3 marks) — some explanation of Christian teaching with limited development or reference to diversity of views. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a well-developed explanation of Christian teaching on marriage, showing clear awareness of differing Christian views on divorce. Accept any theologically accurate development.

The sanctity of life is the belief, held widely across Christianity, that human life is a sacred gift from God, made in his image (Genesis 1: 27), and therefore has inherent worth and dignity from conception, not dependent on ability, usefulness or stage of development. Applied to abortion, many Christians use this principle to argue the unborn child already possesses value and a right to life that should not be deliberately ended, opposing abortion except perhaps in the most extreme circumstances, such as serious threat to the mother's life. Other Christians who accept the sanctity of life may still argue that it must be weighed against compassion for the mother's own life and circumstances (for example in cases of rape or severe foetal abnormality), showing that even Christians who share the same underlying belief can reach different conclusions about specific, difficult cases.
Final answer: sanctity of life holds that life is sacred and God-given from conception, leading most Christians to view abortion as seriously wrong, though views differ on whether or how this applies in extreme circumstances.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO1): Level 1 (1 mark) — a brief, undeveloped statement. Level 2 (2–3 marks) — some explanation with limited development or application to abortion. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a well-developed explanation of sanctity of life clearly applied to the abortion debate, showing awareness that Christians may still differ in extreme cases. Accept any theologically accurate development.

Agreeing: some might argue that modern churches, especially larger congregations, can feel less close-knit than the small, radically sharing community described in Acts 2, where believers shared possessions and ate together daily, and that individualism in modern society makes this kind of close community harder to sustain. Disagreeing: many churches today still show strong community through regular fellowship groups, shared meals, practical support for members in need, and organised charitable outreach to the wider community, suggesting the underlying spirit of Acts 2 continues even if its exact form (e.g. formally sharing all possessions) has changed with a very different modern context. A balanced answer might conclude the specific practices differ due to changed circumstances, but the underlying values of fellowship and mutual support remain present in many church communities today.
Final answer: either a reasoned 'agree', 'disagree', or balanced conclusion is acceptable, provided it is supported with developed reasoning.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO2): Level 1 (1 mark) — a simple opinion with little or no justification. Level 2 (2–3 marks) — an opinion supported by one relevant, reasonably developed argument. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a well-reasoned opinion supported by at least two developed points, showing awareness of an alternative view. Credit any well-argued position.

Agreeing: some Christians, particularly in traditions that emphasise 'the priesthood of all believers', argue that every believer has direct access to God and can play a full role in leading worship or ministry without needing an ordained hierarchy, and that a formal hierarchy can risk creating unnecessary distance between ordinary believers and God. Disagreeing: the Catholic Church would argue its hierarchy of bishops and priests provides trained, authorised leadership, ensures consistent teaching across the whole Church, and maintains a direct link, through apostolic succession, back to the apostles Jesus himself appointed; without this structure, some argue teaching and practice could fragment or lose authority. A balanced answer might note that different Christian traditions have made different, theologically consistent choices about church structure, so the value of hierarchy depends partly on which tradition's priorities are being considered.
Final answer: either a reasoned 'agree', 'disagree', or balanced conclusion is acceptable, provided it engages with the purpose of church hierarchy.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO2): Level 1 (1 mark) — a simple opinion with little or no justification. Level 2 (2–3 marks) — an opinion supported by one relevant, reasonably developed argument. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a well-reasoned opinion supported by at least two developed points, showing awareness of an alternative Christian tradition/view. Credit any well-argued position.

Agreeing: some argue that the strength of a relationship depends on the couple's love, honesty and commitment to one another, not on whether they have taken part in a legal or religious ceremony, and that many cohabiting couples build long, stable, loving relationships and families. Disagreeing: many Christians would argue marriage involves a public, lifelong vow made before God and witnessed by the community, which creates a distinctive level of formal commitment, accountability and security (including legal protection) that cohabitation does not provide in the same way, and that Christian teaching specifically links marriage, rather than cohabitation, to God's intended pattern for a couple in passages such as Genesis 2: 24. A balanced answer might accept that cohabiting couples can have strong personal relationships while still noting that Christian teaching values marriage as offering something distinctive.
Final answer: either a reasoned 'agree', 'disagree', or balanced conclusion is acceptable, provided it engages with Christian teaching on marriage.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO2): Level 1 (1 mark) — a simple opinion with little or no justification. Level 2 (2–3 marks) — an opinion supported by one relevant, reasonably developed argument. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a well-reasoned opinion supported by at least two developed points, showing awareness of an alternative view. Credit any well-argued position.

Agreeing: some argue there is a genuine moral difference between withholding or withdrawing treatment that is only prolonging dying (passive euthanasia), which allows a natural death to occur, and deliberately taking action to end a person's life (active euthanasia), which many Christians see as directly violating the sanctity of life and the command not to kill. Disagreeing: others argue this distinction is less clear-cut than it appears, since the intended outcome — the person's death — is the same in both cases, and that in some situations withholding treatment could cause a slower, more painful death than a quick, deliberate act, so compassion might sometimes favour active euthanasia over passive. A balanced answer might conclude that while many Christian traditions maintain the active/passive distinction as morally significant, it remains a genuinely contested ethical question even within Christianity.
Final answer: either a reasoned 'agree', 'disagree', or balanced conclusion is acceptable, provided it clearly engages with the moral distinction between active and passive euthanasia.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO2): Level 1 (1 mark) — a simple opinion with little or no justification. Level 2 (2–3 marks) — an opinion supported by one relevant, reasonably developed argument. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a well-reasoned opinion supported by at least two developed points, showing awareness of a counter-argument. Credit any well-argued position.

Catholics practise private worship in several ways. They may read and reflect on the Bible individually, using it for guidance and spiritual growth. Personal prayer, whether using set prayers such as the Our Father or more spontaneous, personal prayer, allows a Catholic to communicate with God at any time. The rosary is a distinctive form of private prayer, using a string of beads to count a set sequence of prayers (including the Hail Mary and Our Father) while meditating on key events (the 'mysteries') in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Icons and statues of Christ, Mary or the saints are also used as visual aids in private devotion, helping a worshipper focus their thoughts and prayer, though Catholics teach that the images themselves are not worshipped, only used as an aid to worship God.
Final answer: private worship includes personal Bible reading, personal prayer, the rosary, and the use of icons/statues as aids to devotion.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO1): Level 1 (1 mark) — names one element with little development. Level 2 (2–3 marks) — describes some elements with limited development. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a clear, accurate description covering most of: Bible reading, prayer, the rosary, and icons/statues. Accept any accurate, relevant detail.

In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a Catholic confesses their sins privately to a priest, expresses genuine sorrow (contrition) and a firm intention to avoid sin in future, and the priest, acting on behalf of God and the Church, grants absolution — formal forgiveness of the confessed sins — often asking the person to carry out a penance, such as a set of prayers, as a sign of their commitment to change. In the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, a priest anoints a person who is seriously ill, dying, or facing surgery with blessed oil, usually on the forehead and hands, while praying for their physical healing where God wills it, and for spiritual strength, comfort and the forgiveness of sins; it is intended to bring the person closer to God at a time of vulnerability, rather than simply being reserved for the moment of death.
Final answer: Reconciliation involves confession, contrition and absolution through a priest; Anointing of the Sick involves anointing with oil and prayer for healing, comfort and forgiveness for someone seriously ill.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO1): Level 1 (1 mark) — names one sacrament with little development. Level 2 (2–3 marks) — describes one sacrament well, or both with limited development. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a clear, accurate description of both Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. Accept any accurate, relevant detail.

The Eucharist recalls Jesus' actions at the Last Supper, when he took bread and wine, gave thanks, and told his disciples this was his body and blood, given for them 'in remembrance' of him. In the Mass, the priest consecrates the bread and wine, and Catholic teaching holds that through transubstantiation they truly become the body and blood of Christ, while retaining the outward appearance of bread and wine. Receiving Communion is understood by Catholics as a genuine, personal encounter with Christ, nourishing their faith and uniting them with Christ and with the rest of the worshipping community, which is why the Eucharist forms the central act of every Mass rather than an occasional additional ceremony.
Final answer: the Eucharist recalls the Last Supper and, through transubstantiation, is believed to become the body and blood of Christ; receiving it nourishes and unites believers, making it central to Catholic public worship.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO1): Level 1 (1 mark) — a brief, undeveloped statement. Level 2 (2–3 marks) — some explanation with limited development. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a well-developed explanation referring to at least two of: the link to the Last Supper, transubstantiation, and the Eucharist's central/unifying role in worship. Accept any theologically accurate development.

Reconciliation is considered important because Catholic teaching holds that, while baptism removes original sin, people continue to sin throughout life, and Reconciliation provides a formal means of receiving God's forgiveness for these sins. The process requires honest self-examination and genuine sorrow (contrition), encouraging spiritual growth and moral responsibility rather than simply moving on from wrongdoing without reflection. Through absolution, the sacrament is believed to restore the person's relationship with God and with the wider Church community, which their sin may have damaged, and the priest can offer guidance and encouragement to help the person avoid repeating the same sin in future.
Final answer: Reconciliation matters because it provides formal forgiveness for sin, encourages honest repentance and moral growth, and restores the person's relationship with God and the Church.

Levels of response (5 marks, AO1): Level 1 (1 mark) — a brief, undeveloped statement. Level 2 (2–3 marks) — some explanation with limited development. Level 3 (4–5 marks) — a well-developed explanation referring to at least two of: formal forgiveness, genuine repentance/self-examination, and restoring relationship with God/the Church. Accept any theologically accurate development.

Those who value private prayer more highly might argue it allows a Catholic unhurried, personal time with God, tailored entirely to their own needs and struggles, using practices such as the rosary or quiet Bible reading to deepen a genuinely individual relationship with God, free from distraction. Those who value public worship more highly might argue that, for Catholics, the Mass provides access to the Eucharist, believed to be a real encounter with Christ through transubstantiation, which private prayer alone cannot offer; public worship also expresses and strengthens the believer's place within the wider community of the Church, fulfilling the communal dimension of Catholic faith that private prayer, however sincere, cannot replace on its own. A well-argued response should weigh both, perhaps concluding that private prayer and public worship serve different, complementary purposes rather than one being simply 'more valuable' than the other, while still reaching a clear, supported personal judgement.
Final answer: either a reasoned 'agree', 'disagree', or balanced conclusion is acceptable, provided both private prayer and public worship are considered with developed, accurate reasoning.

Levels of response (10 marks, AO2): Level 1 (1–2 marks) — a simple, undeveloped opinion with little or no justification. Level 2 (3–4 marks) — a one-sided opinion with some relevant, developed reasoning but little or no consideration of an alternative view. Level 3 (5–6 marks) — a reasoned opinion showing some awareness of a different point of view, though development may be uneven. Level 4 (7–8 marks) — a well-argued response that explicitly considers different points of view (private prayer and public worship) in a balanced, developed way, reaching a supported conclusion. Level 5 (9–10 marks) — a sophisticated, mature response with well-formed arguments on both sides, insightful religious justification, a clearly supported conclusion, and excellent spelling, punctuation and grammar (QWC).

Those who agree confession to a priest is unnecessary might argue that, since God can see a person's heart directly, sincere personal prayer expressing genuine sorrow should be sufficient to receive forgiveness, without needing a priest as an intermediary; this view is closer to positions found in some Protestant traditions, which do not treat confession to a priest as a required sacrament. Those who disagree, reflecting Catholic teaching, would argue the Sacrament of Reconciliation offers something distinct from private prayer: formal, assured absolution given through the authority the Church believes Christ gave to the apostles (and their successors, priests and bishops) to forgive sins in his name; it also requires the honesty of speaking sins aloud to another person, which can encourage more genuine self-examination and accountability than private prayer alone, and the priest can offer pastoral guidance to help the person avoid repeating the sin. A well-argued response should weigh both positions, perhaps noting they reflect a real difference in how Catholic and other Christian traditions understand the role of the priesthood, reaching a clear, supported personal judgement.
Final answer: either a reasoned 'agree', 'disagree', or balanced conclusion is acceptable, provided both the value of private prayer and the distinctive Catholic understanding of Reconciliation are considered with developed, accurate reasoning.

Levels of response (10 marks, AO2): Level 1 (1–2 marks) — a simple, undeveloped opinion with little or no justification. Level 2 (3–4 marks) — a one-sided opinion with some relevant, developed reasoning but little or no consideration of an alternative view. Level 3 (5–6 marks) — a reasoned opinion showing some awareness of a different point of view, though development may be uneven. Level 4 (7–8 marks) — a well-argued response that explicitly considers different points of view in a balanced, developed way, reaching a supported conclusion. Level 5 (9–10 marks) — a sophisticated, mature response with well-formed arguments on both sides, insightful religious justification, a clearly supported conclusion, and excellent spelling, punctuation and grammar (QWC).