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Year 8

Defining religion

I can explain why religion may be hard to define and apply one way that scholars have found to define it.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 8

Defining religion

I can explain why religion may be hard to define and apply one way that scholars have found to define it.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. It can be difficult to define religion.
  2. Several scholars have constructed their own definitions.
  3. The Three B's is one framework to classify religions.
  4. Lived experience of religion may not not align with these definitions.
  5. One way to study religion and worldviews is social science.

Keywords

  • Behaviour - how someone acts, the things they do

  • Belief - an acceptance that something is true without having to have proof. The verb of belief is believe

  • Belonging - being part of something bigger than yourself

  • Religion - a set of attitudes, beliefs and practices. People who follow a religion are known as religious

  • Ritual - a way of doing something with the same actions in the same way, each time

Common misconception

Religions are always to do with belief in a God or gods.

Not all religions have a belief in God or gods. For example, Buddhism does not have beliefs in God or gods.

Students can use different examples of religions to show the Three B's depending on their prior knowledge.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which religion has a belief that Jesus was killed and rose again after death?
Buddhism
Correct answer: Christianity
Islam
Judaism
Sikhi
Q2.
Which of these religions has Siddhartha Gautama as an important founder?
Correct answer: Buddhism
Christianity
Islam
Judaism
Sikhi
Q3.
Which of these buildings might a Muslim go to pray in with other Muslims?
church
mandir
Correct answer: mosque
synagogue
temple
Q4.
What name is often given to a being that created the entire universe and is all powerful, all loving and all knowing in religions?
alien
angel
Correct answer: God
prophet
sage
Q5.
What could we call a deep and meaningful question that doesn't have a straightforward answer?
complex question
long question
short question
simple question
Correct answer: ultimate question
Q6.
What term is this definition for: "A person's way of understanding, experiencing and responding to the world"?
belief
faith
religion
tradition
Correct answer: worldview

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the Three B's is missing from the list? belonging, behaviour and ...
Correct answer: belief
beloved
blessing
books
boundary
Q2.
Which of the Three B's could these activities be related to?
Correct Answer:accepting as true that God exists,belief

belief

Correct Answer:praying at home every day,behaviour

behaviour

Correct Answer:taking part in a big religious festival,belonging

belonging

Q3.
Which term means a way of doing something with the same actions in the same way, each time?
behaviour
belief
belonging
religion
Correct answer: ritual
Q4.
What do social scientists use to back up their claims about religion?
books
Correct answer: evidence
questions
scripture
teachings
Q5.
Which of these statements is most accurate about defining religion?
Religion is easy to define.
Religions always have belief in one God.
Everyone in a religion agrees on their beliefs.
Correct answer: Religion can be difficult to define.
All religious people dress in the same way.
Q6.
Which two of these statements are most accurate?
Correct answer: Some people in a religion may believe different things to one another.
Every person in a religion will believe the same things, but behave differently.
Correct answer: Some people in a religion may follow the teachings differently to others.
All the people in one religion will follow all the teachings of that religion.