Clarification details
Updated June 2016. This document has been updated in its entirety to address new issues that have arisen from moderation.
The specific branch of the religious tradition needs to be specified
For many religious traditions, there are broad terms, and then branches of the tradition that do not necessarily share the same beliefs. For example, Christianity is a broad term that covers many aspects of that religious tradition, but the different denominations within Christianity do not necessarily share the same beliefs as one another. It is important to clearly identify which branch of the religious tradition is being assessed, either for or by the student, during the assessment activity.
Explaining a significant theme
A person cannot be a significant theme as they are not ‘a significant message in a sacred text’ as defined in Explanatory Note 7. A person may bring, carry, proclaim or show an example of a message through their actions, but they themselves are not the message.
For example:
- In Christianity (all branches), Jesus is a person who is the Son of God but he is not a theme. The message he proclaims of God’s salvation could be a theme.
- In Islam, Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the person whom Allah revealed his will to. The message of what Allah wills’ could be a theme.
Wider implications
Students need to focus on at least two implications, and their selection could be determined by the significant theme being explained. All implications can be from within one or a combination of the suggested areas. For example, if the significant theme is salvation in the New Testament, the explanation may involve social, historical and personal implications rather than political or geographical implications.