2024_AQA AS Religious Studies Paper 2B Christianity (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme) Thursday 23 May 2024.

2024_AQA AS Religious Studies Paper 2B Christianity (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme) Thursday 23 May 2024. AS RELIGIOUS STUDIES Paper 2B Christianity Thursday 23 May 2024 Materials For this paper you must have:  an AQA 8-page answer book. Instructions  Use black ink or black ball-point pen. Morning Time allowed: 1 hour  Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7061/2B.  Answer all questions.  Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information  The marks for questions are shown in brackets.  The maximum mark for this paper is 60.  In each question the first part tests your knowledge and understanding, while the second part tests your skills of analysis and evaluation.  You will be marked on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. AS Religious Studies: Paper 2B Christianity – Exam Preview sections This paper focuses on the key beliefs, teachings, practices, and historical development of Christianity. You’ll need to understand the core Christian doctrines, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and how Christianity has evolved and influenced society. Key Areas Covered: 1. The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ:  The Birth and Early Life: Key events like the Virgin Birth, the Nativity, and the significance of Jesus’ early years.  The Ministry of Jesus: His teachings, parables (e.g., the Parable of the Good Samaritan), and miracles (e.g., healing the sick, feeding the 5,000).  The Crucifixion and Resurrection: The theological significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection in Christian belief, including the concepts of atonement and salvation.  The Ascension and Second Coming: The belief that Jesus ascended to heaven and will return at the end of time to judge the living and the dead. 2. Key Christian Beliefs:  The Trinity: The belief in one God in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Understanding the theological basis for the Trinity.  Salvation: The Christian belief in salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, focusing on grace, forgiveness, and redemption.  Original Sin and Atonement: The concept of original sin and how Jesus’ death is seen as a means of atonement for humanity's sins.  Eschatology: Beliefs concerning life after death, including the concepts of heaven, hell, judgment, and resurrection. 3. The Bible and Christian Scripture:  The Old and New Testaments: The structure of the Christian Bible, with the Old Testament containing texts sacred to Judaism and the New Testament focusing on the life of Jesus and early Christian teachings.  The Gospels: The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and their portrayal of Jesus’ life and teachings.  Biblical Authority: The role of the Bible in guiding Christian beliefs and practices, including interpretations of scripture (literal, allegorical, and historical). 5. Christian Ethics and Morality:  The Ten Commandments: Their significance as moral guidelines and how they are applied in Christian life.  The Beatitudes: Teachings from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount that outline Christian attitudes towards poverty, mercy, purity, and peace.  Christian Views on Contemporary Issues: How Christianity addresses issues such as abortion, euthanasia, social justice, war, poverty, and the environment.  Love and Compassion: The central role of love (e.g., Jesus’ commandment to love one’s neighbor) in Christian ethics.  .IB/M/Jun24/G4002/V2 7061/2B 2 Christianity Answer both questions. Each question has two parts. Question 1 0 1 . 1 Explain different Christian perspectives about the authority of the Church. [15 marks] and 0 1 . 2 ‘The sanctity of life means Christians cannot support abortion or embryo research.’ Assess this view. [15 marks] Question 2 0 2 . 1 Explain why Christians have different understandings of the significance of Jesus’ actions at the last supper. [15 marks] and 0 2 . 2 ‘For Christians, the afterlife can only be spiritual.’ Assess this view. [15 marks] END OF QUESTIONS Copyright information For confidentiality purposes, all acknowledgements of third-party copyright material are published in a separate booklet. This booklet is published after each live examination series and is available for free download from . Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright-holders may have been unsuccessful and AQA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgements. If you have any queries please contact the Copyright Team. Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. IB/M/Jun24/7061/2B AS RELIGIOUS STUDIES 7061/2B Paper 2B Christianity Mark scheme June 2024 Version: 1.0 Final MARK SCHEME – AS RELIGIOUS STUDIES – 7061/2B – JUNE 2024 Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Examiner. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper. No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they refer to the gender identity of others in their exam responses. A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be credited in exam responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria. Further copies of this mark scheme are available from Copyright information AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre. Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. 2 MARK SCHEME – AS RELIGIOUS STUDIES – 7061/2B – JUNE 2024 Methods of Marking It is essential that, in fairness to students, all examiners use the same methods of marking. The advice given here may seem very obvious, but it is important that all examiners follow it as exactly as possible. 1. If you have any doubts about the mark to award, consult your Team Leader. 2. Refer constantly to the mark scheme throughout marking. It is extremely important that it is strictly adhered to. 3. Remember, you must always credit accurate, relevant and appropriate answers which are not given in the mark scheme. 4. Do not credit material that is irrelevant to the question or to the stated target, however impressive that material might be. 5. If a one-word answer is required and a list is given, take the first answer (unless this has been crossed out). 6. If you are wavering as to whether or not to award a mark, the criterion should be, ‘Is the student nearer those who have given a correct answer or those who have little idea?’ 7. Read the information below about using Levels of Response mark schemes. 8. Be prepared to award the full range of marks. Do not hesitate to give full marks when the answer merits full marks or to give no marks where there is nothing creditable in an answer. 9. No half marks or bonus marks are to be used under any circumstances. 10. Remember, the key to good and fair marking is consistency. Do not change the standard of your marking once you have started. Levels of Response Marking In AS Religious Studies, differentiation is largely achieved by outcome on the basis of students’ responses. To facilitate this, levels of response marking has been devised for many questions. Levels of response marking requires a quite different approach from the examiner than the traditional ‘point for point’ marking. It is essential that the whole response is read and then allocated to the level it best fits. If a student demonstrates knowledge, understanding and/or evaluation at a certain level, he/she must be credited at that level. Length of response or literary ability should not be confused with genuine religious studies skills. For example, a short answer which shows a high level of conceptual ability must be credited at that level. (If there is a band of marks allocated to a level, discrimination should be made with reference to the development of the answer.) Levels are tied to specific skills. Examiners should refer to the stated assessment target objective of a question (see mark scheme) when there is any doubt as to the relevance of a student’s response. Levels of response mark schemes include either examples of possible students’ responses or material which they might use. These are intended as a guide only. It is anticipated that students will produce a wide range of responses to each question. It is a feature of levels of response mark schemes that examiners are prepared to reward fully, responses which are obviously valid and of high ability but do not conform exactly to the requirements of a particular level. This should only be necessary occasionally and where this occurs examiners must indicate, by a brief written explanation, why their assessment does not conform to the levels of response laid down in the mark scheme. Such scripts should be referred to the Lead Examiner. 3 MARK SCHEME – AS RELIGIOUS STUDIES – 7061/2B – JUNE 2024 Assessment of Quality of Written Communication Quality of written communication will be assessed in all components and in relation to all assessment objectives. Where students are required to produce extended written material in English, they will be assessed on the quality of written communication. The quality of written communication skills of the student will be one of the factors influencing the actual mark awarded within the level of response. In reading an extended response, the examiner will therefore consider if it is cogently and coherently written, ie decide whether the answer:  presents relevant information in a form that suits its purposes  is legible and that spelling, punctuation and grammar are accurate, so that meaning is clear  is suitably structured and that the style of writing is appropriate. 4 MARK SCHEME – AS RELIGIOUS STUDIES – 7061/2B – JUNE 2024 LEVEL DESCRIPTORS Levels of Response: 15 marks AS-level – AO1 Level 5 13–15 Level 4 10–12 Level 3 7–9 Level 2 4–6 Level 1 1–3 0  Knowledge and understanding is accurate and relevant and is consistently applied to the question.  Very good use of detailed and relevant evidence which may include textual/scriptural references where appropriate.  The answer is clear and coherent and there is effective use of specialist language and terminology.  Knowledge and understanding is mostly accurate and relevant and is mostly applied to the question.  Good use of relevant evidence which may include textual/scriptural references where appropriate.  The answer is mostly clear and coherent and specialist language and terminology is used appropriately.  Knowledge and understanding is generally accurate and relevant and is generally applied to the question.  Some use of appropriate evidence and/or examples which may include textual/scriptural references where appropriate.  The answer is generally clear and coherent with use of specialist language and terminology.  Knowledge and understanding is limited and there is limited application to the question.  Limited use of appropriate evidence and/or examples which may include textual/scriptural references where appropriate.  Limited clarity and coherence and limited use of specialist language and terminology.  Knowledge and understanding is basic.  Isolated elements of accurate and relevant information.  Basic use of appropriate subject vocabulary.  No accurate or relevant material to credit. 5 MARK SCHEME – AS RELIGIOUS STUDIES – 7061/2B – JUNE 2024 Levels of Response: 15 marks AS-level – AO2 Level 5 13–15 Level 4 10–12 Level 3 7–9 Level 2 4–6 Level 1 1–3 0  A very well-focused response to the issue(s) raised.  Reasoned and evidenced chains of reasoning supporting different points of view with critical analysis.  Evaluation is based on the reasoning presented.  The answer is clear and coherent and there is effective use of specialist language and terminology.  A well-focused response to the issue(s) raised.  Reasoned and evidenced chains of reasoning, with some critical analysis, supporting different points of view.  Evaluation based on some of the reasoning.  The answer is largely clear and coherent with specialist language and terminology used appropriately.  A general response to the issue(s) raised.  Different points of view supported by evidence and chains of reasoning.  The answer is generally clear and coherent with use of specialist language and terminology.  A limited response to the issue(s) raised.  A point of view relevant to the issue(s) with limited supporting evidence and chains of reasoning.  Limited clarity and coherence and limited use of specialist language and terminology.  A basic response to the issue(s) raised.  A point of view is stated with some evidence or reasons in support.  Some clarity and coherence and basic use of appropriate subject vocabulary.  No accurate or relevant material to credit. 6 MARK SCHEME – AS RELIGIOUS STUDIES – 7061/2B – JUNE 2024 Question 1 0 1 . 1 Explain different Christian perspectives about the authority of the Church. [15 marks] Target: AO1.1: Knowledge and understanding of religion and belief, including religious, philosophical and/or ethical thought and teaching. Note: This content is indicative rather than prescriptive and students are not obliged to refer to all the material contained in this mark scheme. Any legitimate answer will be assessed on its merits according to the generic levels of response. Note that answers may, but need not, be limited to the consideration of the following specification content: The Church: different perspectives of Protestant and Catholic traditions about relative authority of the Bible and the Church. For some Christians, for example those in the Catholic traditions, the Church has equal authority to scripture, since both are linked through the work of the Holy Spirit. After Jesus’ Ascension his work and teachings were continued by the Apostles under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In time, the Apostles appointed bishops to be their successors and gave them authority to teach and interpret scripture, and formulate tradition. Today, the authority of the Church, vested in the office and role of its bishops, is founded directly on this line of Apostolic succession. Other Christians, for example those in the Protestant traditions, regard the authority of the Church as less important than the authority of scripture. Since the Christian faith is revealed in scripture, without scripture there can be no Christian authority. Therefore, the authority of the Church which developed over time, is not equal, but subservient, to the authority of scripture. Scripture alone, and not the Church, is the principal source of authority for Christians. However, other Christians believe there is no need for the Church as either a source of authority or as an agent of salvation. They believe that through faith all believers have equal access to God, and by prayer and study of the scriptures they can develop a personal relationship with God. Whilst membership of a church may be beneficial, in terms of providing mutual support or a worshipping community, every person of faith has the right and authority to read, interpret, and apply the teachings of the Bible for themselves. [15 marks] AO1.1 7 MARK SCHEME – AS RELIGIOUS STUDIES – 7061/2B – JUNE 2024 0 1 . 2 ‘The sanctity of life means Christians cannot support abortion or embryo research.’ Assess this view. [15 marks] Target: AO2: Analyse and evaluate aspects of, and approaches to, religion and belief, including their significance, influence and study. Note: This content is indicative rather than prescriptive and students are not obliged to refer to all the material contained in this mark scheme. Any legitimate answer will be assessed on its merits according to the generic levels of response. Note that answers may, but need not, be limited to the consideration of the following specification content: Sanctity of life: the concept of sanctity of life; different views about its application to issu