Lisnagarvey High School

Year 12 - Key Words for Religious Education

Abortion                                 Deliberate ending of a pregnancy; intentional destruction of the foetus from the womb to cause its death.

Acid Rain                              Rain becomes acid through pollution.

Accord                                   A marriage guidance service for Catholics.

Addiction                               A habit of doing something or taking something (like a drug) because of a mental or physical craving.

Adoption                               The legal process by which a child gains new parents other than his or her natural parents.

Adultery                                 Sex outside marriage when at least one parents is already married.

Agape                                   The Greek word for ’love’; a Christian love which is practical and requires effort.

Ageism                                 Discrimination against someone because of (old) age.

Annulment                           To declare that a marriage never actually took place.

Animal Experiments          Testing on animals.

Animal Rights                     The notion that animals have the right to life and care.

Atheist                                   Someone who does not believe in the existence of God.

Baptismal vows                  Promises made at a baptism either by a child’s parents or by a candidate for baptism.

Big bang theory                   The scientific theory that the origin of the universe can be traced to an orginal explosion.

Capital punishment           To be sentenced and put to death for a crime.

Celibacy                                Remaining unmarried and without sexual relations for religious reasons

Chastity                                 To abstain from sexual relations.

Cloning                                 To reproduce a genetically identical plant, animal or human from a single ancestor or parent.

Co-habitation                       The term used when a couple live together.

Conscience                         A sense of right and wrong that influences how a person behaves.

Conservation                       To look after the earth and protect the animals.

Contraception                     Used to prevent a pregnancy by physical or other means.

Corrymeela                         A community which aims to bring peace and reconciliation to the people of Northern Ireland and beyond.

Creation                               The idea that the universe was created by God.

Crime                                    An act that breaks the law of the land.

Discrimination                     To act unfairly towards a person or group; to put prejudice into action;exclude people from equal treatment.

Divorce                                  The legal ending of a marriage.

Ecumenical                          Co-operation between Christian denominations.

Embryo                                  The earliest stage of development in a human life; a fertilised egg in its first weeks.

Environmental Issues        Matters and questions concerning the environment.

Eros                                        The greek word for love; sexual love or desire.

Ethics                                      The principles or morals by which people live.

Equality                                   The idea that everyone should be treated equally and given the same rights.

Euthanasia                             The intentional ending of a life; usually with the purpose to relieve suffering.

Evil                                            Badness; act against God.

Exploitation                             To abuse/use someone or something for your own ends.

Feminism                                The belief that women should have equal rights; the movement that promotes gender equality.

Fidelity                                      Being faithful to one sexual partner.

Foetus                                      A stage of human development in the womb; between the embryonic stage and birth.

Fossil Fuel                              Coal, oil etc.

Fostering                                 Temporarily looking after a child until the child returns to their own family or a suitable adoptive parent.

Heterosexual                          A person who is sexually attracted to a member of the opposite sex.

Holy War                                  A religious war.

Homosexual                           A male who has same sex relationships/attractions.

Hospice                                   A place that cares for the terminally ill.

Inter-church marriage           A Christian marriage between a man and a woman who belong to different denominations.

IVF                                             The fertilisation of an egg (ovum) with a sperm in a test tube.

Just War                                   The idea that war in certain circumstances is acceptable; must meet certain criteria.

Lesbian                                    A female who has same sex relationships/attractions.

Liberation Theology               A Christian movement which began in Third World countries seeking to free the oppressed.

Marginalised                           People who do not fit in with the rest of society and are pushed to one side and not treated equally.

Marriage                                   The legal binding of a relationship between a man and a woman.

Mercy killing                             A term used for euthanasia.

Miscarriage                             The premature birth of a baby too young to survive.

Monogamy                               The idea of having only one sexual partner.

Morality                                      An ethical belief system of right and wrong.

Original Sin                             The Christian belief that humans are born sinful and are alienated from God because of Adam’s sin.

Pacifism                                   The belief that war is wrong.

Pollution                                   The contamination of the environment, e.g. the air.

Prejudice                                  A negative view of someone based on an unfounded or unreasonable idea; can lead onto acts of discrimination.

Pre-marital sex                       Sex before marriage.

Pro-Choice                               The view that abortion should be legal and freely available to those who wish to terminate their pregnancy.

Pro-Life                                     The view that abortion is wrong and that all human life must be valued, including the lives of unborn children.

Racism                                     To show hatred, unfairness or even violence to people because of their race.

Rape                                         To force a person to have sex against his or her will.

Registrar                                   A person who makes an official record of births; marriages and deaths.

Reform                                      To make better; one of the aims of punishment.

Relate                                        A marriage guidance association.

Reparation                                To make amends for something you have done wrong.

Repentance                              To admit to a wrongdoing and to say sorry.

Retribution                                 A punishment that fits the crime and equals the injury inflicted.

Right to life                                 The belief that people or animals have a right to be born and kept alive.

Salvation army                           A Christian Church which is run along military lines, known for its work with the poor or destitute.

Sanctity of life                             The belief that all life is precious and sacred.

Sceptic                                         Someone who does not believe in something.

Sexism                                         To show unfairness or hatred to someone because of their gender.

Simon Community                     A charity organisation for homeless people.

Singleness                                  To be without a sexual or marriage partner.

Situation Ethics                           The belief that no action is ever completely wrong or completely right; depends on the situation.

Stereotype                                     The idea that a person shares (usually negative) characteristics of a group to which it is assumed they belong

Stewardship                                 The belief that humans must care for God’s creation.

Tearfund                                        A Christian charity.

Vegetarian                                     A person who does not eat meat.

Utilitarianism                                The belief to act in such a way as to bring the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people.

Virgin                                               Someone who has never had sexual relations.

Vocation                                          The Christian belief that God calls people to do a certain job.

Vows                                                Promises, usually relating to baptism or marriage.

Wedding                                          A ceremony carried out in church or registry office through which two people become married.

Western World                               Europe and North America.