Mark Scheme

Question 1 — Issues of Relationships

(a) (up to 2) Commitment = a promise or dedication to stay with and support one's partner, often for life; a binding sense of duty/faithfulness to the marriage. 2 for a clear definition, 1 for a partial idea. [2]

(b) (up to 5) Beliefs about the purpose of marriage, e.g.: to provide lifelong companionship and love; to provide a stable environment for raising children; to allow the couple to express love physically within a committed relationship; seen as a sacred bond/covenant made before God; a public commitment witnessed by the community. Award for a range of relevant points, developed. Levels: 5 = full, accurate range; 3–4 = several points, some development; 1–2 = limited. [5]

(c) (up to 8) Two traditions/viewpoints on divorce explained, e.g.:

• Some Christians (e.g. Roman Catholic) teach that marriage is a lifelong sacrament that cannot be dissolved ("what God has joined together, let no one separate"), so divorce is not accepted, though annulment may be possible.
• Other Christians accept divorce as a regrettable last resort where a marriage has broken down, emphasising forgiveness and compassion.
• (Or a second religion, e.g. Islam) divorce is permitted but strongly discouraged ("the most hateful of permitted things"), with procedures to allow reconciliation first. Award up to 4 per viewpoint (belief + teaching/reasoning). Two developed viewpoints needed for the top band. [8]

(d) (up to 15) Levels-marked evaluation.

• Level 4 (13–15): A well-structured discussion with developed arguments on both sides, supported by specific religious teaching, using specialist vocabulary; reaches a clear, justified conclusion.
• Level 3 (9–12): Reasoned arguments on both sides with some religious reference; a conclusion is reached.
• Level 2 (5–8): Some relevant arguments, mostly one-sided or with limited religious support.
• Level 1 (1–4): Simple or general statements; little religious content.
• 0: Nothing relevant. Indicative content — support: marriage vows are "till death do us part"; some traditions see it as an unbreakable sacred bond; commitment and the wellbeing of children. Other view: compassion where a marriage is harmful/broken down; forgiveness and a fresh start; many traditions permit divorce as a last resort. Credit any reasoned personal conclusion.

Question 2 — Issues of Life and Death

(a) (up to 2) Sanctity of life = the belief that life is holy/sacred and God-given, and therefore should be respected and protected. 2 for a clear definition, 1 for a partial idea. [2]

(b) (up to 5) Beliefs about life after death, e.g.: belief in a soul that survives death; resurrection of the body; judgement by God on how one has lived; heaven and hell (or paradise); for some, ideas of rebirth/reincarnation; some believers focus on this life and are less certain about the next. Range of relevant, developed points. Levels as above. [5]

(c) (up to 8) Two traditions/viewpoints on euthanasia explained, e.g.:

• Many religious believers oppose euthanasia because life is sacred/God-given and only God should decide when it ends; they may support hospice/palliative care instead.
• Some believers (or a more liberal view) may show compassion for those suffering and accept that easing suffering can be loving, while still being cautious; some distinguish between actively ending life and allowing a natural death. Award up to 4 per viewpoint (belief + teaching/reasoning). Two developed viewpoints for the top band. [8]

(d) (up to 15, including 6 marks for SPaG/quality of written communication) Levels-marked evaluation as for 1(d). Indicative content — support: sanctity of life; life is God-given; "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away"; fear of abuse if humans decide. Other view: free will and personal responsibility; compassion for unbearable suffering; quality of life; medical ability to prolong life raises new questions. Credit a reasoned, justified conclusion. Apply the SPaG bands: high (5–6) = accurate spelling/punctuation, wide specialist vocabulary; intermediate (3–4); threshold (1–2).

Sample Answers with Examiner Commentary

Question 1(c) — Sample Answers

Grade A response. "Attitudes towards divorce differ between religious traditions. Many Roman Catholic Christians believe that marriage is a sacrament — a holy, lifelong bond made before God. They point to the teaching 'What God has joined together, let no one separate', and so they do not accept divorce; the marriage is considered to last until death. In some cases an annulment may be granted if the marriage was never valid, but this is not the same as divorce.

Other Christians, such as many Protestants, take a more compassionate view. While they still believe marriage is meant to be lifelong, they accept that sometimes a marriage breaks down completely, and that divorce may be the most loving and realistic option. They emphasise forgiveness and the chance of a fresh start, and would not want someone to remain trapped in a harmful relationship."

Mark: 8/8. Examiner commentary: This reaches the top band because it does exactly what an 8-mark "explain from two traditions" question demands: two genuinely different viewpoints, each supported by religious reasoning and — in the first case — a specific teaching. The candidate does not merely state what each group thinks but explains why (marriage as a sacrament; compassion and forgiveness). The contrast between the Catholic and Protestant positions is precise and the use of the term "annulment" shows accurate subject knowledge.

Grade C response. "Some religious people don't agree with divorce because they think marriage should be forever. Other religious people think divorce is okay if the couple aren't happy anymore. It depends on the religion and the person."

Mark: 4/8. Examiner commentary: The candidate identifies two contrasting attitudes, which places the answer in the middle band, but neither is developed with religious teaching or reasoning. Why do some believe marriage should be "forever"? A reference to the vow or to marriage as a sacred/lifelong bond is needed. Why do others accept divorce? Ideas such as compassion, forgiveness or divorce as a last resort would strengthen it. The final sentence is true but adds nothing. Naming a tradition and quoting or paraphrasing a teaching for each side would lift this into the higher bands.

Question 2(d) — Sample Answers

Grade A response (extract). "Many religious believers would strongly support the statement that only God has the right to end a human life. This follows from the principle of the sanctity of life: life is holy and God-given, so it is not for humans to decide when it ends. Believers might point to teachings such as 'the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away', and argue that euthanasia or suicide takes a decision that belongs to God alone. They may also fear that allowing people to end life would be open to abuse.

However, others would disagree. They might argue that God gave humans free will and the responsibility to make moral choices, including compassionate ones. Where a person is suffering unbearably, some would say that helping to end that suffering is the loving thing to do, and that a God of love would not want prolonged agony. Advances in medicine, which can keep people alive far longer than before, also raise new questions the old teachings did not face.

In conclusion, while I understand the compassionate argument, I think the sanctity-of-life principle provides the stronger case, because it protects the vulnerable and treats every life as valuable; but this should go hand in hand with excellent care to reduce suffering."

Mark: 14/15 (including strong SPaG). Examiner commentary: A Level 4 answer. It presents developed arguments on both sides, each grounded in religious teaching (sanctity of life and a specific quotation on one side; free will and compassion on the other), and it reaches a genuinely justified conclusion rather than simply asserting a preference. Specialist terms ("sanctity of life", "euthanasia", "free will") are used accurately, and the writing is well organised with secure spelling and punctuation, earning high SPaG marks. It is just short of full marks because the compassionate side could have named a specific tradition or teaching to match the strength of the opening argument.

Question 1(d) — Sample Answers

Grade C response (extract). "I think religious believers should try to stay married because they made a promise. In a wedding they say vows like 'till death do us part', so they promised God and each other to stay together forever. Divorce breaks that promise. Also, if they have children, divorce can upset the children, so it is better to stay together.

On the other hand, some people think divorce is okay if the couple are really unhappy or if one of them is being treated badly. It would not be fair to make someone stay in a marriage where they are miserable. So it depends on the situation.

In conclusion, I think believers should try hard to stay together, but sometimes divorce is the only answer."

Mark: 9/15. Examiner commentary: This is a competent Level 3 answer that just reaches the middle of the band. It offers arguments on both sides and reaches a conclusion, and there is one piece of genuine religious support (the marriage vow, "till death do us part"). What holds it back from the higher levels is the thinness of the religious content: the "other side" relies on general fairness rather than any religious teaching about compassion, forgiveness or divorce as a last resort, and no specific tradition is named. Bringing in named religious viewpoints and teachings for both sides, and using more specialist vocabulary, would move this towards Level 4. The structure and clear conclusion are strengths to build on.

Grade A response (extract). "Many believers would agree that a marriage should not be ended, because in most religious traditions marriage is a sacred, lifelong commitment. In Christianity the couple promise before God to stay together 'till death do us part', and Roman Catholics in particular regard marriage as a sacrament that cannot be dissolved, citing the teaching 'What God has joined together, let no one separate.' From this viewpoint, keeping the promise and providing stability, especially for children, matters more than personal happiness.

However, other believers would argue that this is too rigid. Many Christians accept divorce as a regrettable last resort, emphasising Jesus's teaching on compassion and forgiveness, and would not want a person to remain in an abusive or broken marriage. In Islam, divorce is permitted, though discouraged as 'the most hateful of permitted things', with steps taken to attempt reconciliation first — showing that even traditions which value marriage highly can allow it to end.

In conclusion, while the ideal in most religions is a lifelong marriage, I think the compassionate view is more realistic: believers should work hard to save a marriage, but where it has genuinely broken down, ending it can be the more loving and responsible choice."

Mark: 14/15. Examiner commentary: A Level 4 response. Both sides are developed with specific religious teaching and named traditions (Catholic sacramental view with a quotation; Christian compassion and the Islamic position with its teaching), which is exactly what lifts an evaluation into the top band. The conclusion is justified and follows from the argument rather than being tacked on. Accurate specialist vocabulary and clear organisation complete a very strong answer.