Cambridge International · International A Level · 9484
Religious Studies — Keywords & Key Terms — Definitions Glossary (2026)
Cambridge International A Level Religious Studies (9484)
Topic-by-topic keywords, key terms and definitions for precise exam language—separate from our revision checklists (topic coverage) and formula sheets (equations).
Keywords & Key Terms — definitions
Examiner-style keywords and definitions organised by syllabus topic. Terms are tagged Essential (start here), Core (typical exam standard), and Advanced for harder distinctions — tick each row when you can recall it. Your progress is saved in this browser for this list.
Cambridge International International A Level Religious Studies (9484)
Cambridge International International A Level Religious Studies (9484)
Cambridge International A Level Religious Studies (9484)
Cambridge 9484 (2026) covers philosophy of religion, religious experience and language, and ethical theory with applied issues — A Level adds extended evaluative essays drawing on named philosophers and texts.
Mark schemes: Cambridge A Level Religious Studies rewards precise philosophical terminology, accurate attribution to named thinkers (Aquinas, Anselm, Kant, Mill), and balanced evaluation of arguments; assertion without textual or philosophical evidence loses A02 marks.
Active recall: 0 / 21 terms ticked
| Recalled | Topic | Level | Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacred texts & beliefs about God | Core | Revelation | God's self-disclosure through scripture, prophets, or experience. | |
| Sacred texts & beliefs about God | Core | Prophecy | Divinely inspired message communicated through a chosen messenger. | |
| Sacred texts & beliefs about God | Core | Omnipotence | The attribute of being all-powerful. | |
| Sacred texts & beliefs about God | Core | Omniscience & omnibenevolence | All-knowing and all-loving divine attributes. | |
| Sacred texts & beliefs about God | Advanced | Immutability | God's unchanging nature — debated against personal/responsive theism. | |
| Arguments for God | Core | Cosmological argument | Aquinas's Five Ways — motion, causation, contingency point to a necessary first cause. | |
| Arguments for God | Core | Ontological argument | Anselm/Descartes — God as 'that than which nothing greater can be conceived' must exist. | |
| Arguments for God | Core | Teleological argument | Paley's watchmaker and Mill — design in nature implies a designer. | |
| Arguments for God | Core | Problem of evil | Logical inconsistency between an omnipotent, omnibenevolent God and existence of evil. | |
| Arguments for God | Advanced | Theodicies | Augustine (free will/Fall), Irenaeus, and Hick (soul-making) defend God against evil. | |
| Religious experience & language | Core | William James types | Passivity, ineffability, noetic quality, transiency define mystical experience. | |
| Religious experience & language | Core | Falsification (Flew) | Religious claims that nothing could count against are meaningless. | |
| Religious experience & language | Core | Verification (Ayer) | Logical positivism — only empirically or analytically testable claims are meaningful. | |
| Religious experience & language | Core | Wittgenstein language games | Religious language meaningful within its own form of life. | |
| Religious experience & language | Advanced | Via negativa & analogy (Aquinas) | Speak of God by negation, or by analogy of attribution and proportion. | |
| Ethical issues | Core | Utilitarianism (Bentham/Mill) | Greatest happiness principle — Bentham's hedonic calculus, Mill's higher/lower pleasures. | |
| Ethical issues | Core | Kantian deontology | Categorical imperative — act only on maxims you could universalise. | |
| Ethical issues | Core | Virtue ethics (Aristotle) | Eudaimonia achieved through cultivating virtues as the mean between extremes. | |
| Ethical issues | Core | Natural law (Aquinas) | Five primary precepts: preserve life, reproduce, educate, live in society, worship God. | |
| Ethical issues | Core | Situation ethics (Fletcher) | Agape love is the only absolute — context determines the loving act. | |
| Ethical issues | Advanced | Sanctity of life | Applied principle that human life is sacred — informs debates on abortion and euthanasia. |
Pair this with our revision checklists, formula sheets hub and past paper finder.
Religious Studies (9484) — Keywords & Key Terms FAQ
- What is on this Cambridge International A Level Religious Studies keywords and key terms list?
- It is a topic-organised glossary of important religious studies terms with short, exam-style definitions aligned to Cambridge International A Level Religious Studies (9484) (9484). It is designed for “define”, “state”, “outline” and “explain” questions where precise vocabulary earns marks.
- How should I use this Religious Studies glossary alongside past papers?
- Tick terms when you can recall them without reading the answer, then check your wording against mark schemes. Pair vocabulary practice with past papers for A Level Religious Studies (9484) so you apply terms in context.
- Is this the same as a revision checklist or a formula sheet?
- No. Revision checklists help you track which syllabus topics you have covered and your confidence—separate pages on Tutopiya. Formula sheets summarise equations and quantitative relationships. This page is only a definitions and key-terms glossary for Religious Studies.
- Can I download this Religious Studies keywords and key terms list for free?
- Yes. After a quick free sign-up you can download a UTF-8 CSV (opens in Excel or Google Sheets) or open a print-friendly page and save as PDF. Browsing the list on the page is free.
- Is this Religious Studies list aligned to the 9484 specification?
- Topic groupings and wording follow Cambridge International A Level Religious Studies (9484) for Cambridge International A Level. Always confirm final learning objectives and any regional options in your official specification and recent examiner reports for your exam session.
- Why focus on definitions instead of full notes?
- Mark schemes reward correct technical terms and clear links between ideas. A compact glossary lets you drill the exact language examiners expect for Religious Studies at A Level, separate from longer notes or topic trackers.