CCEA GCSE Glossary Flashcards
Absolute morality
belief that something is morally right or wrong
regardless of what the circumstances are
Abstract
When something exists in thought or as an idea but does not actually have concrete or physical existence
Afterlife
refers to the belief in life after death
Agnostic
a person who is uncertain if God exists or not because there is insufficient evidence
Analysis
detailed examination of the elements or structure of something
Anglican
a person who is a member of the Church of England (or Ireland)
Attribute
a quality or feature which is regarded as a characteristic or inherent part of something or someone
Atheist
a person that believes there are convincing reasons or arguments to conclude that God does not exist
Belief
something that people accept to be true or exists when they may not necessarily have proof
Bible
holy book of the christian faith which is accepted as the final source of authority in belief and practice of christians
Big Bang Theory
scientific theory which seeks to provide an explanation for
the origins of the universe by reference to an initial ‘explosion.’
Charles Darwin
A British naturalist who lived from 1809 – 1882. He studied
Biology and is associated with the theory of evolution.
Contrasting
when two beliefs or ideas are compared in order to
highlight their differences
Conversion
The process of a person changing from one belief/religion to
another, e.g. someone who changes from being a Muslim to a Christian
Creationism
belief that God created the world as outlined in a sacred
text such as the book of Genesis in the Bible. It is sometimes
interpreted to denote rejection of evolution.
Design (argument)
An argument that claims the existence of God can be inferred
from the intricate design and complexity of the world in which
we live
Devil/Satan
A term which is used to describe a personal, spiritual
adversary of God, whose aim is to thwart God’s purpose and
plans.
Evolution
A scientific theory that claims that human life developed from
simple organisms through natural selection.
Existence
This term means the state or fact of existing. It is frequently
used when talking about God.
First Cause
The theory that everything has a cause apart from God, who is
the first cause, the “uncaused”. This feature is used to argue in
support of the existence of God
Free will
This is the belief that God has given each person the power to
perform actions for which he or she is fully responsible; the
ability to choose and act on the basis of one’s freedom, e.g.
Christians believe that God created humans with free will.
General Revelation
Knowledge of God available to everyone, e.g. through
reflection on nature
Genesis
The first book of the Bible, which includes the Christian
creation story of God being the one who made the world we
live in.
Hallucinations
This is a reference to an experience involving the apparent
perception of something which is not actually present at the
time.
Holy Spirit
He is the Third person of the Trinity; a gift to believers of the
early church at Pentecost. He indwells Christians today and
guides and empowers them
Illusion
A (false) belief that is not justified or warranted but which
possesses a certain quality that suggests to some (uncritical)
people that it is true
immanent
The belief that God is involved and present in his creation.
Impersonal
s the idea that God does not possess personal qualities
and does not enter into personal relationships with individuals.
Knowable
Able to be acquainted with; able to be known
Miracle
an extraordinary event that cannot be explained by
natural or scientific laws. It is usually regarded as a direct
action of God and provides evidence for his existence.
Monotheism
Belief in one God
Moral evil
Suffering or pain caused by the acts/words/choices of another
person, e.g. murder
Moral relativism
The belief that what is morally right or wrong depends on the
situation/circumstances of each case; people adhering to this
argue that there are no universal moral truths.
Natural suffering
Refers to suffering or pain which is caused by nature, e.g.
earthquake. There is no human involvement in the cause of
the suffering
Omnipotent
Means all powerful; it is a quality which is essential to the
nature of God. There is nothing which is beyond God or
impossible for him to do
Omnipresent
This term means present everywhere. It is an attribute of
God.
Omniscient
A term which means all knowing; a quality essential to the
nature of God.
Peace
This is when people live in a state where there is an absence
of conflict/war/violence.
Personal
Having personal qualities and the ability to interact with
others.
Polytheism
Refers to the belief in the existence of many gods. It can be
used to refer to people who worship more than one god. It is
viewed by many as the opposite of monotheism
Prayer
This is a way which people communicate with God either
personally or as a group.
Reason
Refers to the power to determine truth by rational means.
Religious experience
Can also be called a spiritual experience. It is an experience
which is caused by God rather than by ordinary or natural
processes. Religious believers argue that a miracle is a type of
religious experience
Sacrament
An outward and visible sign of a deeper spiritual reality. They
are practised in Protestant and Roman Catholic Churches, e.g.
baptism and communion
Sacred texts
A holy document used by a religion, e.g. the Bible which is
inspired by God and believed by Christians to be the final and
ultimate source of authority
Scripture
The holy writings of a religious group which contains
guidelines and instructions for living.
Special revelation
This refers to the knowledge of God that is not available to
everyone, but rather to an individual or a group of people.
Dreams, visions, prophecies and the Bible can be regarded as
special revelation by Christians.
Soul
The spiritual or immaterial part of a human being that
continues to exist after a person has died. The soul is the
essential part of someone that survives death
Theist
This term refers to a person who believes in the existence of
God
Tradition
Beliefs or practices that have been passed on from generation
to generation.
Transcendence
Comes from the Latin prefix trans meaning beyond. The belief
that God is beyond and not limited by the world which he has
created.
Unknowable
Cannot be known or understood. Beyond the limits of our
understanding.
Vision
A vision refers to something which is seen in a dream or
dream-like state and regarded by the subject as a revelation
from God.
William Paley
He lived from 1743 – 1805 and argued that the signs of design
in the world justifies belief in the existence of God.
Worship
A religious act of adoration; where people are freely
expressing and acknowledging the worth of God.
