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A year ago, on 30th March 2025, Dawn was tragically taken from us in a car accident. It was a huge loss to us, her friends, to the RE community as a whole, but mostly to her partner Roy. I catch up with Roy to find out what life as been like over the last year. Amoung the poignant moments of grief we also discuss cats, Marakesh decor, bell ringing, the Green party, life after death, teacher pensions and kindness. Roys advice to us all is to be able to look ourselves in the mirror at the end of the day.

Read Roy's article in RE Today

https://www.retoday.org.uk/school-support/publications/samples/retoday-magazine-vol-43-no-2-now-available/

What makes this moment even more poignant is we are about to find out whether a consensus has been reached for a National Curriculum for RE - something Dawn campaigned tirelessly for. The joy at this landmark moment is tinged with sadness that Dawn cannot see her dream realised, but her fingerprints will be on each page if it is agreed by the DfE.

A NEW DAWN FOR RE (c) Sarah Dennis

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In this episode I unpack Theme F: Religion, human rights and social justice Students should study religious teachings, and religious, philosophical and ethical arguments, relating to the issues that follow, and their impact and influence in the modern world. They should be aware of contrasting perspectives in contemporary British society on all of these issues.
They must be able to explain contrasting beliefs on the following three issues with reference to the main religious tradition in Britain (Christianity) and one or more other religious traditions:
Status of women in religion.
The uses of wealth.
Freedom of religious expression.

Human rights

• Prejudice and discrimination in religion and belief, including the status and treatment within religion of women and those in same sex relationships.
• Issues of equality, freedom of religion and belief including freedom of religious expression.
• Human rights and the responsibilities that come with rights, including the responsibility to respect the rights of others.
• Social justice.
• Racial prejudice and discrimination.
• Ethical arguments related to racial discrimination (including positive discrimination), including those based on the ideals of equality and justice.

Wealth and poverty

• Wealth, including:
  • the right attitude to wealth
  • the uses of wealth.
• The responsibilities of wealth, including the duty to tackle poverty and its causes.
• Exploitation of those living in poverty including issues relating to:
  • fair pay
  • excessive interest on loans
  • people-trafficking.
• The responsibilities of those living in poverty to help themselves overcome the difficulties they face.
• Charity, including issues related to giving money to those living in poverty

We also look relate this to key exam questions;

06.1 Which one of the following best expresses the religious ideal that everyone should get what they deserve?
A Tolerance.
B Prejudice.
C Justice.
D Compassion.

06.2 Give one example of what religious believers would see as exploitation of those living in poverty.

unfair pay

4-marker

Explain two different beliefs in contemporary British society about the right of freedom of belief. In your answer you should refer to the main religious tradition of Great Britain and one or more other religious traditions.
Some Christians believe it is right to give people freedom of belief today because that is what God has given humans
In Genesis, God gave Adam and Eve free will over whether to obey his rules or not
However, fundamental Christians do not agree with giving people freedom of belief as it is not always a loving action
This is because they believe people will be condemned if they choose the wrong religion

6 marker.

Explain two religious beliefs about the status of women in religion. Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.
Some Christians believe women have equal status to men in religion as all humans are equal in the eyes of God
This is because the Bible says ‘there is no male, there is no female, we are all one in Christ.
This verse says that gender doesn’t matter as we are all the same in Jesus so men and women have equal status
However, other Christians think God made man and woman separately and differently so have di

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Religion, crime and the causes of crime

• Good and evil intentions and actions, including whether it can ever be good to cause suffering.
• Reasons for crime, including:
  • poverty and upbringing
  • mental health problems and addiction
  • greed and hate
  • opposition to an unjust law.
• Views about people who break the law for these reasons.
• Views about different types of crime, including hate crimes, theft and murder.

Religion and punishment

• The aims of punishment, including:
  • retribution
  • deterrence
  • reformation.
• The treatment of criminals, including:
  • prison
  • corporal punishment
  • community service.
• Forgiveness.
• The death penalty.
  • Ethical arguments related to the death penalty, including those based on the principle of utility and sanctity of life.

Which one of the following expresses the religious idea that one aim of punishment should be to encourage people not to commit any more crimes?
A Reformation.
B Protection.
C Deterrence.
D Reparation.

4 marker f

Explain two different beliefs in contemporary British society about the death penalty for murder. In your answer you should refer to the main religious tradition of Great Britain and one or more other religious traditions.

Some Christians disagree because of the sanctity of life which is a belief that all human life is sacred as we were made in God’s image

Therefore we shouldn’t kill anyone, even a murder as a punishment for their crime
However, some Christians think that the death penalty for murder is a loving action because it makes society safer

This is because there are less murderers in society if they are executed.

6-marker

Explain two religious beliefs about breaking the law in order to get a bad law changed. Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.

Some Christians agree with breaking the law in order to get a bad law changed because that is what Jesus did.
In the Bible Jesus healed someone on the Sabbath which was against the law at the time.
This shows that Jesus thinks doing the right thing is more important that following the law
As such Christians like Martin Luther King were willing to break segregation laws as they were unjust.
However, other Christians think it is always wrong to break the law even if it is bad
This is because they believe Christians should follow the law as all authorities are from God
Therefore, if they want to change a bad law, they should do it legally.

12-marker ‘Corporal punishment can never be justified.’

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