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Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies

Christianity: practices — Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies revision

Free revision notes, key terms, common exam traps and 5 practice questions with answers. About 6 minutes to read.

Worship and prayer

  • Liturgical worship follows a set, structured order of service, often including set prayers, readings and rituals, common in Catholic and Orthodox churches.
  • Non-liturgical worship is less formally structured, often including spontaneous prayer, personal testimony and informal preaching, common in some Protestant churches.
  • Private worship includes personal prayer, Bible reading and quiet reflection, which believers can do anywhere at any time.
  • The Lord's Prayer, given by Jesus, is used by almost all Christian traditions and covers themes of praise, forgiveness and guidance.

Sacraments: baptism and the Eucharist

  • Baptism is the sacrament of initiation into the Christian faith, often involving water to symbolise cleansing from sin and new life.
  • Infant baptism, common in Catholic and Orthodox churches, is performed on babies with parents and godparents making promises on their behalf.
  • Believers' baptism, common in Baptist churches, is for adults or older children who can personally profess their faith, usually by full immersion.
  • The Eucharist (Holy Communion/Mass) remembers Jesus's Last Supper by sharing bread and wine.
  • Catholics believe in transubstantiation — the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ — while many Protestants see it as symbolic, representing Jesus's sacrifice.

Key terms

Liturgical worship
Structured worship following a set, fixed order of service.
Non-liturgical worship
Less formally structured worship, often spontaneous.
Sacrament
A religious ceremony seen as a channel of God's grace, such as baptism or the Eucharist.
Infant baptism
Baptism performed on babies, with promises made by parents and godparents.
Believers' baptism
Baptism for those old enough to personally declare their faith.
Transubstantiation
The Catholic belief that bread and wine literally become Christ's body and blood.

Common exam traps

  • Confusing liturgical worship (fixed, structured) with non-liturgical worship (informal, spontaneous).
  • Assuming all Christians hold the same view of the Eucharist — Catholic and Protestant interpretations differ significantly.
  • Mixing up infant baptism and believers' baptism and which denominations typically practise each.

Practice questions with answers

  1. 1. What is liturgical worship?

    • • Informal, spontaneous worship
    • • Worship following a fixed, structured order
    • • Worship done only at home
    • • Worship without any prayers

    Answer: Worship following a fixed, structured order

    Liturgical worship follows a set order of service, common in Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

  2. 2. Which is an example of non-liturgical worship?

    • • A set Catholic Mass
    • • Informal, spontaneous prayer meetings
    • • A fixed Orthodox liturgy
    • • A scripted, unchanging service

    Answer: Informal, spontaneous prayer meetings

    Non-liturgical worship is less formally structured and often more spontaneous.

  3. 3. Name the prayer taught by Jesus that is used across almost all Christian traditions.

    Answer: The Lord's Prayer

    The Lord's Prayer is a widely shared prayer taught by Jesus, used across denominations.

  4. 4. What does baptism symbolise?

    • • Marriage
    • • Cleansing from sin and new life
    • • Death only
    • • Punishment for wrongdoing

    Answer: Cleansing from sin and new life

    Baptism uses water to symbolise washing away sin and starting a new life in faith.

  5. 5. Believers' baptism is typically practised for:

    • • Babies only
    • • Those old enough to personally profess faith
    • • The dying only
    • • Only priests

    Answer: Those old enough to personally profess faith

    Believers' baptism is for people who can personally choose and declare their faith.

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