Religious Studies Autumn 2022/23 Flashcards
1.1 omnipotent
the belief that God is all-powerful.
1.2 omniscience
the belief that God is all-knowing.
1.3 omnibenevolence
the belief that God is all-loving and good.
1.4 transcendent
the belief that God exists outside of time and space, beyond the human realm.
1.5 immanent
the belief that God is close to humanity and involved in the world.
1.6 faith
complete trust or belief in someone or something, especially God, even without proof.
1.7 Plato
a Greek philosopher from the 4th century BC. One of the most influential philosophers in history.
1.8 Plato’s cave analogy
an analogy that Plato uses to suggest that the world around us is not as it seems; it is like we are trapped in a cave and the real world is outside the cave.
1.9 analogy
a comparison between one thing and another, usually with the aim of explaining or clarifying a tricky concept.
1.1 justice
bringing about what is right and fair, according to the law, or making up for a wrong that has been committed.
1.11 philosophy
a subject that tries to understand and answer key questions about life, death, knowledge, and the universe.
1.12 human reason
the use of logic, evidence and thought to figure out the answer to difficult questions.
2.1 teleological argument
an argument that suggests that the universe is so complex that it must have a designer, and the designer must be a god.
2.2 Paley’s watch analogy
an analogy by William Paley that compares a watch to the universe to suggest something so complicated must have a creator.
2.3 cosmological argument
an argument that suggests that something must have caused the universe, many believe this to be a god.
2.4 evolution
the process by which species adapt over time in response to their changing environment.
2.5 big bang theory
a scientific theory that suggests the universe began as just a single point of particles that expanded to grow into the size our universe is today.
2.6 quantum physics
a branch of science that investigates the behaviour of matter and activity that happens inside atoms.
2.7 the law of cause and effect
the law of cause and effect is the idea that every single action in the universe produces a reaction no matter what.
2.8 old earth creationist
Christians who believe that God created the world and life but who do not believe creation happened exactly as it says in the Bible. They may also believe in evolution but think it is part of God’s plan.
2.9 young earth creationist
Christians who believe the creation story in the Bible literally and do not accept evolution or the big bang theory.
2.1 atheist
someone who does not believe that a god exists.
2.11 theist
someone who does believe that a god exists.
2.12 agnostic
someone who thinks there is not enough evidence either way to say there is or is not a god.
3.1 Sigmund Freud
20th Century psychologist who claimed that humans invented religion.
3.2 wish fulfilment hypothesis
Freud’s theory that religion is invented by humans in order to satisfy our desire for a father, fairness and for immortality.
3.3 afterlife
a belief that either your body or your soul (or both) lives on in some way after your death.
3.4 Karl Marx
19th Century German philosopher who thought that religion was used by the ruling class to exploit and oppress the working class.
3.5 ruing classes
the wealthy people in positions of power during the 1900s.
3.6 working classes
the people who did low paid manual jobs during the 1900s.
3.7 oppress(ion)
using power to keep people in a bad situation.
3.8 opium
a powerful and addictive drug.
3.9 secular
non-religious.
3.1 humanism
the name for a group of people with a shared belief system; that science or a shared human reason and compassion should guide how we live the one life we have.
3.11 the Atheist Church
a non-religious organisation where people can take part in the collective elements of a religion without need for belief in God.
3.12 spirituality
a sense of connection to something higher than yourself, not necessarily a god.
3.13 mindfulness
taking the time to sit and focus on your thoughts, feelings and sensations.
3.14 morality
ideas surrounding whether people’s behaviours are considered right or wrong.