Key Words

Question 1

symbol

Answer 1

something that represents, points towards or explains a more complex idea

Question 2

symbolism

Answer 2

the use of symbols, it’s a representation of ideas through actions and images

Question 3

imagery

Answer 3

similar to a symbol as it is something that represents or stands for something else eg. image of ‘God the Father’

Question 4

revelation

Answer 4

comes from the word ‘reveal’ and it means ‘to show’

Question 5

incarnation

Answer 5

God in flesh, when God came down to Earth in the form of Jesus

Question 6

faith

Answer 6

a belief, confidence and trust in God that goes beyond what humans can understand

Question 7

doubt

Answer 7

a feeling of uncertainty, being decided or unsure about something

Question 8

agnostic/agnosticism

Answer 8

people are unsure if God exists, an agnostic is someone who believes it isn’t possible to know whether God exists or not

Question 9

atheist

Answer 9

a person who believes there is no God or is convinced that God is not real

Question 10

secular society

Answer 10

a society which is not religious

Question 11

community

Answer 11

a group of people who share similar interests or have something in common or have common aims

Question 12

miracle

Answer 12

when something extraordinary happens which cannot be explained with science and which goes against the laws of nature

Question 13

awe

Answer 13

a sense of being completely overwhelmed or taken aback by God’s creation, to have great reverence and respect for God almost to the point of fear

Question 14

worship

Answer 14

acknowledging God’s worth and praising him for it

Question 15

prayer

Answer 15

when people lift their hearts and minds to God either to praise him or ask for something or ask for forgiveness

Question 16

sacred texts

Answer 16

‘holy books’ eg. The Bible, also known as scriptures which means writings

Question 17

vocation

Answer 17

a sense of calling people have to dedicate their lives in service to others eg. being a doctor, teacher, nurse etc. or becoming a priest or nun and joining a religious community

Question 18

pilgrimage

Answer 18

a journey people make which has spiritual or religious significance, very traditional way of responding to God eg. Christians may go to Lourdes where St. Bernadette saw the Virgin Mary, Muslims would go on ‘Hajj’ to the holy city of Mecca as the pilgrimage is the last of the Five Pillars of Islam

Question 19

afterlife

Answer 19

refers to another kind of existence that follows life with our human bodies

Question 20

heaven

Answer 20

not a place but a state of utter and total bliss where people enjoy the presence of God for eternity as a reward for being faithful to God

Question 21

hell

Answer 21

not a place but a state of tremendous suffering, coldness and darkness away from the light and love of God and therefore it’s a punishment, somewhere people who are willing to cut themselves from God go if they had refused God’s gift of forgiveness and love whilst on Earth

Question 22

purgatory

Answer 22

place where people who have repented and died in god’s friendship go after they die to make up for their wrong doings in this life, comes from the word ‘purge’ which mean ‘to clean’

Question 23

resurrection

Answer 23

when the body comes back to life

Question 24

omnipotent

Answer 24

all-powerful, he can do anything

Question 25

omniscient

Answer 25

all-knowing, he knows everything

Question 26

benevolent

Answer 26

all-loving, God is pure love

Question 27

eternal

Answer 27

always existed and always will

Question 28

transcendent

Answer 28

beyond human understanding and outside time and space

Question 29

immanent

Answer 29

working inside the world alongside people

Question 30

secular

Answer 30

refers to the way of life in countries where the government and general life are not led by or linked to religious people or organisations (not religious)

Question 31

karma

Answer 31

the name given to all the good and negative actions a person has done in their life

Question 32

samsara

Answer 32

the name given to the continuous cycle of birth, death, re-birth

Question 33

Nirvana

Answer 33

a perfect state of bliss and happiness which can be compared to the Christian idea of heaven