Religion and Non-Religion (Studies of Religion II)

8 dot points across 7 inquiry questions, in syllabus order. Each dot point has a focused answer, with exam-style questions and worked answers where available.

How do religious and non-religious worldviews differ in the human search for meaning?

Non-religious worldviews and the difference between religious and non-religious worldviews: the human search for personal fulfilment through non-religious practices (Agnosticism, Atheism, Humanism); the response of ONE religious and ONE non-religious belief system to the concept of the transcendent, the human person and social responsibility (overview page)

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Non-Religion overview. How the topic fits together, what makes a worldview religious or non-religious, the essential features of Agnosticism, Atheism and Humanism, how people seek fulfilment through non-religious practices, the three comparison criteria, ABS Census context, and the verbatim 2019 to 2025 HSC questions on worldviews.

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How are the five major religious traditions distributed across the world today?

The global distribution of the five major religious traditions: investigate statistical data of the current global distribution of the five major religious traditions

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Non-Religion. Current statistical data on where the world's Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Jews live, the trends from 2010 to 2020, how the data are measured, and how to write the 5-mark global distribution answer, with verbatim 2023 to 2025 HSC questions.

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How has the religious dimension been expressed in human history, and what has been its significance?

The religious dimension in human history: identify the following expressions of the religious dimension in human history: animism, polytheism, monotheism; evaluate the place of the religious dimension in human history to provide meaning and purpose for the individual, social cohesion and social transformation

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Non-Religion. Animism, polytheism and monotheism as expressions of the religious dimension, and an evaluation of how religion has provided meaning and purpose, social cohesion and social transformation, with verbatim 2023 to 2025 HSC questions mapped to the marking guidelines.

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Why have non-religion and new religious expressions grown, and what has influenced their growth?

New religious expression: recognise the reasons for the rise of new religious expressions as people search for personal fulfilment, seek ethical guidelines and seek to clarify their relationship with society; explain how the rise of materialism, scientific progress, growth of ecological awareness and disenchantment with 'traditional' religious practice and guidance have influenced the growth of new religious expressions and spiritualities (with the rise of non-religion as context)

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Non-Religion. Why new religious expressions and spiritualities have grown (personal fulfilment, ethical guidelines, relationship with society), how materialism, scientific progress, ecological awareness and disenchantment with traditional religion have influenced them, and the rise of non-religion in Australia, with verbatim 2021 to 2025 HSC questions.

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What are the positions of Rational Humanism and Scientific Humanism, and how does humanism determine the aspirations and behaviour of individuals?

Non-religious worldviews: the human search for personal fulfilment through non-religious practices (Agnosticism, Atheism, Humanism); outline the positions of Rational Humanism and Scientific Humanism; discuss how Agnosticism, Atheism and Humanism determine the aspirations and behaviour of individuals (this page: humanism)

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Non-Religion. What humanism is, the positions of Rational Humanism and Scientific Humanism with their roots and key statements (the Amsterdam Declaration, the Humanist Manifestos), how humanism shapes the aspirations and behaviour of individuals, how it differs from atheism and agnosticism, and the 2023 to 2025 HSC questions on humanism.

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What is new atheism, and how does it challenge religious worldviews?

Non-religious worldviews: outline the essential features of Atheism and Agnosticism; discuss how Agnosticism, Atheism and Humanism determine the aspirations and behaviour of individuals (this page: atheism, including new atheism)

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Non-Religion. The essential features of Atheism and Agnosticism, the forms of each, new atheism (Dawkins, Harris, Dennett, Hitchens) and religious responses, how these worldviews shape aspirations and behaviour, and nine verbatim HSC questions from 2019 to 2025 with NESA answers.

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How do ONE religious and ONE non-religious belief system respond to the transcendent, the human person and social responsibility?

The difference between religious and non-religious worldviews: the response of ONE religious and ONE non-religious belief system to the concept of the transcendent, the human person and social responsibility; compare the response of ONE religious and ONE non-religious belief system to the concept of the transcendent, the human person and social responsibility (this page: Buddhism and Humanism)

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Non-Religion. A point-by-point comparison of Buddhism (a non-theistic religion) and Humanism on the three syllabus criteria, the transcendent, the human person and social responsibility, with Pali Canon and humanist sources, a comparison table, the traps that make this pair harder than it looks, and five HSC multiple-choice questions from 2019 to 2025.

15 min read →

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Non-Religion. A point-by-point comparison of ONE religious belief system (Christianity) and ONE non-religious belief system (Humanism) on the three syllabus criteria, the concept of the transcendent, the human person and social responsibility, with sources, denominational differences, a comparison table and the 2023 to 2025 HSC questions on this dot point.

15 min read →