CCEA AS-Level · Analysis & Prediction

2022 CCEA AS-Level Religious Studies 4610 Past Paper: Analysis & Answers

The CCEA GCE AS Religious Studies examination comprises distinct module units (each 1 hour 20 minutes, 100 marks to answer out of 200 total available paper marks). Candidates select one question from Section A (50 marks) and one from Section B (50 marks). Each question is divided equally into a 25-mark AO1 knowledge and textual exposition task and a 25-mark AO2 critical evaluation task, with Section B part (b) requiring explicit engagement with 'Other Aspects of Human Experience'.

Updated: 31 Aug 2026

Analysis Sample paper

Difficulty 3.4/5

Total marks

100

Duration

80 mins

Most tested

Synoptic evaluation of religious principles applied to wider human experience and ethical/philosophical controversies

Paper breakdown

AS 1: An Introduction to the Gospel of Luke: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 2: An Introduction to the Acts of the Apostles: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 4: The Origins and Development of the Early Church to AD 325: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 5: The Celtic Church in Ireland in the 5th, 6th and 7th Centuries: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 6: An Introduction to Islam: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 7: Foundations of Ethics with Special Reference to Medical Issues: 100 marks · 80 minsAS 8: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion: 100 marks · 80 mins

Top chapters

Other aspects of human experience (Applied AO2) · 25 marksLife and death issues / Medical Bioethics · 25 marksArguments for the existence of God & Problem of Evil · 25 marksUnderstanding the Gospel of Luke & Acts of the Apostles · 25 marks

Structure and Difficulty Verdict

The CCEA AS Religious Studies modular examination suite adheres strictly to a standardized 100-mark format per unit (80 minutes). Across papers such as AS 1 (Luke), AS 2 (Acts), AS 4 (Early Church), AS 5 (Celtic Church), AS 6 (Islam), AS 7 (Ethics), and AS 8 (Philosophy of Religion), candidates face a choice: one two-part question from Section A and one from Section B. With an overall difficulty index of 3.4 / 5.0, the paper strikes a balanced standard between foundational textual/conceptual exposition and rigorous philosophical critique.

Where the Marks Are Won

Every chosen question yields exactly 50 marks, partitioned into a 25-mark Part (a) testing AO1 (Knowledge and Understanding) and a 25-mark Part (b) testing AO2 (Analysis and Evaluation):

AO1 (50%): Demands depth of scholarly debate (e.g., Conzelmann's three-era schema, Aquinas' Five Ways, or Fletcher's four working principles) coupled with precise textual citations and theological terminology.
AO2 (50%): High-scoring scripts require coherent critical engagement, balanced counter-arguments, and, particularly in Section B (b), sophisticated synthesis connecting the primary topic to other aspects of human experience (historical or contemporary case studies).

Examiner Pitfalls and Traps

Examiners routinely penalize two significant shortcomings:

The 'Human Experience' Vacuum: Under the CCEA banding descriptors, candidates who fail to engage meaningfully with broader human experience in Section B(b) cannot access Band 3 or higher (capping marks at 10/25).
Pure Narrative Retelling: In AO1 questions (e.g., the raising of the Widow's Son or Paul's first missionary journey), weaker candidates provide a superficial narrative recount rather than addressing the specific theological purpose, significance, or critical controversy.

Success Strategy & Revision Guidance

To reach Band 5 (21–25 marks per essay), candidates should master structured paragraphing using the P-E-E-L (Point, Evidence, Evaluation, Link) framework. Ensure standard philosophical and theological exemplars (such as modern secularism debates, euthanasia legalities, or contemporary civil rights comparisons) are pre-prepared for rapid synoptic application in Section B.

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Charts

Marks by chapter

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Question type mix

Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.

AO1 Knowledge and Understanding Essay50 marks · 2 questions
AO2 Critical Analysis and Evaluation Essay50 marks · 2 questions

Mark accessibility

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75%within easy or medium reach

easy: 30 marksmedium: 45 markshard: 25 marks

Command word frequency

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Skill weighting

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Study ROI

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Other Aspects of Human Experience (Section B Essay Synthesis)

25 marks · Difficulty 3 · recurrence 100%

Normative Ethical Theories (Natural Moral Law & Situation Ethics)

25 marks · Difficulty 2.5 · recurrence 90%

Classic Theodicies (Irenaeus vs Augustine) & Cosmological Arguments

25 marks · Difficulty 2.8 · recurrence 85%

Salvation History & Purpose of Luke-Acts (Conzelmann, Walaskay)

25 marks · Difficulty 3.5 · recurrence 80%

Time vs marks

Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.

marksmins

Next-year prediction

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

Augustinian Theodicy & Teleological/Design Argument (AS 8)88%

Irenaean theodicy and Aquinas' Cosmological ways appeared in this series, making Augustine's soul-deciding theodicy and Paley/Hume design arguments prime candidates for rotation.

Abortion & Sanctity of Life vs Quality of Life (AS 7)85%

With euthanasia and IVF explicitly tested here, primary focus on direct abortion legislation and personhood criteria is heavily favoured in forthcoming cycles.

Pauline Speeches & Council of Jerusalem (AS 2)82%

The early fellowship and first missionary journey were examined; the apostolic decision-making in Acts 15 and Athens speech remain major curriculum benchmarks.

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.

Examiner insights

Official report

Common pitfalls

Omitting explicit engagement with 'other aspects of human experience' in Section B(b), which automatically caps the script to Band 2 (maximum 10/25 marks).
Writing purely descriptive summaries for AO1 questions rather than addressing the specific analytical prompt (such as theological implications or scholarly critiques).
Providing one-sided evaluations in AO2 without exploring counter-perspectives, theological objections, or nuanced conclusions.

Misconceptions

Assuming Situation Ethics is purely antinomian, ignoring Fletcher's rigorous framework of four working and six fundamental principles rooted in agape.
Treating hagiographies (e.g., Cogitosus) purely as modern biographical histories rather than theological and political instruments of the monastic paruchia.
Conflating passive euthanasia with active intervention without referencing the Acts and Omissions Doctrine or Double Effect.

Where marks are lost

Imbalanced time management, spending disproportionately long on Section A and rushing the 25-mark synoptic Section B(b) human experience essay.
Lack of named scholarly engagement (e.g., failing to cite Conzelmann, Swinburne, Hume, Hick, or relevant denominational declarations).
Failing to define key technical terms at the outset of AO1 questions (e.g., deontology, sui generis, mysterium tremendum, abrogation).

Estimated grade cut-off

Updated: 31 Aug 2026

Source: CCEA

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

Official grade boundaries published by CCEA.

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