HSC Studies of Religion Question Thread

[winstondarmawan]

Hello!
When quoting verses from the Bible and Quran, is it necessary to have the verse numbers? I don't think I am able to memorise all those numbers...

[dancing phalanges]

Hey asd987! Personally, I'd love to get this as a HSC question! It is a bit unusual, because it doesn't specify if it wants you to discuss the practice, the person/ideology, or the ethics! It only specifies the core teachings. So, flick back to the preliminary syllabus for an idea about the principal teachings, and then think about how these are lived out in practice, person, and ethics. A religious living system is about being dynamic, useful to current adherents, coherent, and, well, living. The ethics, person, and practice, work together to create a religious living tradition. You need to take what you know about the three elements and fuse it with the core teachings, and build an argument based on the "religious living tradition."

As for incorporating the quote as a stimulus, have a read of this guide here! Let me know if you have any questions

Hey Elyse I'm just looking at this question now - does core teachings relate to ethical teachings or principal beliefs? If ethical teachings for Christianity, they are:
 • the Ten Commandments
• New Testament ethics
– the Beatitudes
– Jesus’ commandment of love
I can link Jesus' commandment of love to sexual ethics, marriage and even a paragraph on Paul really well. For the 10 commandments and beatitudes, am I taking specific ones out eg. Thou shall not commit adultery etc. and using it for sexual ethical teachings on adultery for instance or more just looking at what the 10 commandments and beatitudes represent for Christian followers? I also just had a question R.E the stimulus quote as I am really not sure what it means in relation to the question! Thank you

[dancing phalanges]

Hello!
When quoting verses from the Bible and Quran, is it necessary to have the verse numbers? I don't think I am able to memorise all those numbers...

Hey, personally for the Bible (I only do 1 unit) I memorise the references. Don't think about it too much - treat it like you would memorising an essay - just keep practicing and it sinks into your head. I once put down a Bible quote without a reference and the marker wrote: reference? next to it so I would definitely recommend memorising them if you can.

[LegalEagle24/7]

Hi! As far as I can tell, these are all of the notes that Elyse has uploaded onto the Notes page:

A’isha Bint Abu Bakr – Study Notes
How does Islam work as a dynamic living tradition?
Significant Practice: Baptism
Essay: To what extent is Baptism the central rite of Christianity?
Paul of Tarsus: Significant Person in Christianity
Bioethics in Christianity
Sexual Ethics in Islam: Study Notes
Highly marked assignment: Christian bioethics
Highly marked assignment: Paul of Tarsus

Thanks so much!

Hey! The updated Census data you are referring to is on the product updates page, the exact URL should be in the front cover of your notes!

Edit: Here they are!

Thanks so much!!

Mod Edit: Post merge

[elysepopplewell]

Hello!
When quoting verses from the Bible and Quran, is it necessary to have the verse numbers? I don't think I am able to memorise all those numbers...

Heya! Just adding to dancing phalanges response: knowing them is the best case scenario. Lets take the story of creation from the Old Testament for example:
Genesis 1:1-31. Now, in an exam, if I cannot remember the 1-31 part - the answer is still a correct reference if I say Genesis 1, it's just not as precise. So if you're struggling to recall it in the situation of an exam, take comfort in knowing you could drop the end part and it not be incorrect. In the situation of not being able to remember the reference at all - I'd give it a crack anyway. As dancing phalanges said, a marker is more likely to have question marks popping up if they cannot see the reference at all, compared to an attempted reference that could even be correct (the markers will know the major references, but that's not to say they will know every single reference you use to know on the spot if it's right or wrong).

Hey Elyse I'm just looking at this question now - does core teachings relate to ethical teachings or principal beliefs? If ethical teachings for Christianity, they are:
 • the Ten Commandments
• New Testament ethics
– the Beatitudes
– Jesus’ commandment of love
I can link Jesus' commandment of love to sexual ethics, marriage and even a paragraph on Paul really well. For the 10 commandments and beatitudes, am I taking specific ones out eg. Thou shall not commit adultery etc. and using it for sexual ethical teachings on adultery for instance or more just looking at what the 10 commandments and beatitudes represent for Christian followers? I also just had a question R.E the stimulus quote as I am really not sure what it means in relation to the question! Thank you

Hi dancing phalanges You did some good looking to find this in the forums!

This all sounds great. "Core teachings" in a question, without it specifying person, practice, or ethics, makes me think you can tap into ethical teachings and charge it that way, or relate it to the principal beliefs and connect that to other teachings of the religion - but they overlap so heavily there's almost no difference in how you wish to approach it.

As for the stimulus: "It has been often said very truly that religion is the thing that makes the ordinary person feel extraordinary. it is an equally important truth that religion is the thing that makes the extraordinary person feel ordinary. "

I DON'T like this stimulus because it uses strange descriptive words like "extraordinary" but whatever, the essence of it I like. So, that first part of focusing on the adherent - how does the core teachings make the ADHERENT feel a certain positive way? Then, the second part of the quote is focusing on a humbling experience for the adherent. So religion can be charged to make someone feel special, important, etc. But, it can also serve as a reminder for humility to serve in a religion. I hope this makes sense, ping back if not

[dancing phalanges]

Hi dancing phalanges You did some good looking to find this in the forums!

This all sounds great. "Core teachings" in a question, without it specifying person, practice, or ethics, makes me think you can tap into ethical teachings and charge it that way, or relate it to the principal beliefs and connect that to other teachings of the religion - but they overlap so heavily there's almost no difference in how you wish to approach it.

As for the stimulus: "It has been often said very truly that religion is the thing that makes the ordinary person feel extraordinary. it is an equally important truth that religion is the thing that makes the extraordinary person feel ordinary. "

I DON'T like this stimulus because it uses strange descriptive words like "extraordinary" but whatever, the essence of it I like. So, that first part of focusing on the adherent - how does the core teachings make the ADHERENT feel a certain positive way? Then, the second part of the quote is focusing on a humbling experience for the adherent. So religion can be charged to make someone feel special, important, etc. But, it can also serve as a reminder for humility to serve in a religion. I hope this makes sense, ping back if not

Hey I understand now that I can use both principal beliefs and the core ethical teachings.
For the first part of the stimulus these are the thoughts I had:
1. How Paul revolutionised the way Christians viewed the Eucharist to instead be a more deeper and fulfilling practice intimately tied with the symbolic significance of Christ's death and resurrection and saving grace.
2. How Paul argued that the saving grace of God (something extraordinary for Christians) could be received through faith alone.
3. How marriage transforms the couple (the type of love it involves, the added responsibility of a family etc.)
For the second part of the stimulus I was thinking maybe the sexual ethical teachings on homosexuality, contraception, adultery etc. in terms of the saving Grace of God is the really extraordinary part but in order to receive this they need to demonstrate their faith and they do so in their 'ordinary' lives through following sexual ethical teachings in the Bible and the teachings of teaching authorities which make the sexual ethical teachings more relevant to today (living religious tradition)
Does that make sense? Thanks heaps

[elysepopplewell]

Hey I understand now that I can use both principal beliefs and the core ethical teachings.
For the first part of the stimulus these are the thoughts I had:
1. How Paul revolutionised the way Christians viewed the Eucharist to instead be a more deeper and fulfilling practice intimately tied with the symbolic significance of Christ's death and resurrection and saving grace.
2. How Paul argued that the saving grace of God (something extraordinary for Christians) could be received through faith alone.
3. How marriage transforms the couple (the type of love it involves, the added responsibility of a family etc.)
For the second part of the stimulus I was thinking maybe the sexual ethical teachings on homosexuality, contraception, adultery etc. in terms of the saving Grace of God is the really extraordinary part but in order to receive this they need to demonstrate their faith and they do so in their 'ordinary' lives through following sexual ethical teachings in the Bible and the teachings of teaching authorities which make the sexual ethical teachings more relevant to today (living religious tradition)
Does that make sense? Thanks heaps

This all sounds great. I'd also recommend for Christianity the idea that there is a stewardship in adherence - that adherents are individually significant and given autonomy, but there is a greater, grander, plan in God as it is the world created by God. So it is a humbling experience as an adherent to be a witness to the wonder of things like marriages, acts of faith, receiving Christ in Eucharist, etc.

[dancing phalanges]

This all sounds great. I'd also recommend for Christianity the idea that there is a stewardship in adherence - that adherents are individually significant and given autonomy, but there is a greater, grander, plan in God as it is the world created by God. So it is a humbling experience as an adherent to be a witness to the wonder of things like marriages, acts of faith, receiving Christ in Eucharist, etc.

That's a seriously good idea - thanks Elyse!

[16Elias]

How should i go about these three days before HSC Studies of Religion Exam? I have all my notes should i try and memorise them or just do past paper questions?

[dancing phalanges]

How should i go about these three days before HSC Studies of Religion Exam? I have all my notes should i try and memorise them or just do past paper questions?

First thing for the essay is you really should memorise all your quotes, scripture references etc.! For the short answer questions (5 marker, and section 2) just do as many past paper questions as you can! for multiple choice you can do them online here which is a nice break: http://mcq.nesa.nsw.edu.au/course/higher-school-certificate/studies-of-religion/
For your essays, I've pretty much done practice essays to all the hsc questions but since there's not long left you can do detailed essay plans. Just make sure you know how to adapt to different styles of questions eg. whether you need to integrate all 3 elements of your depth study into the response, how to integrate stimulus' which elyse went through here: https://atarnotes.com/stimulus-in-sor/ and also knowing key words like living religious tradition and what they mean! hope that helps

[elysepopplewell]

How should i go about these three days before HSC Studies of Religion Exam? I have all my notes should i try and memorise them or just do past paper questions?

If you're confident with your notes and you don't think there's any sections of the syllabus left untouched, then I suggest going through past papers now and applying that knowledge so you learn the patterns of the paper and learn to build up a bit of a strategy for the different sections of the exam

Edit: Dancing Phalanges you beat me every time! Love it!

[dancing phalanges]

If you're confident with your notes and you don't think there's any sections of the syllabus left untouched, then I suggest going through past papers now and applying that knowledge so you learn the patterns of the paper and learn to build up a bit of a strategy for the different sections of the exam

Edit: Dancing Phalanges you beat me every time! Love it!

Haha Just wondering Elyse with SOR and Extension English - for SOR I can keep making sure I know all the content for the 5 markers, practicing short answer responses etc. and doing heaps of essay plans and creative adaption exercises for Extension but at times it feels like I'm doing it for the sake of it if you get my drift. It is as if I wish Sor was tomorrow and Extension the day after because I really don't need all this time continually doing stuff over and over haha. Any suggestions? (Don't worry, I won't beat you to it this time and answer my own question!)

[16Elias]

First thing for the essay is you really should memorise all your quotes, scripture references etc.! For the short answer questions (5 marker, and section 2) just do as many past paper questions as you can! for multiple choice you can do them online here which is a nice break: http://mcq.nesa.nsw.edu.au/course/higher-school-certificate/studies-of-religion/
For your essays, I've pretty much done practice essays to all the hsc questions but since there's not long left you can do detailed essay plans. Just make sure you know how to adapt to different styles of questions eg. whether you need to integrate all 3 elements of your depth study into the response, how to integrate stimulus' which elyse went through here: https://atarnotes.com/stimulus-in-sor/ and also knowing key words like living religious tradition and what they mean! hope that helps

Awesome! Sounds like a plan! Do you recon i could get your notes off you just to do a comparrison and see if i need to include or alter anything ?

[dancing phalanges]

Awesome! Sounds like a plan! Do you recon i could get your notes off you just to do a comparrison and see if i need to include or alter anything ?

Which topics do you do?

[16Elias]

Which topics do you do?

Islam, Christianity, Post 1945