What stands outside every gurdwara, and what does it signify?

The Nishan Sahib, a saffron triangular flag bearing the khanda, flies outside to mark the place as Sikh and to show that shelter, food and help may be sought there by anyone.

Describe the parts of the khanda emblem and their meaning.

The double-edged sword in the centre stands for the one God and for truth cutting through falsehood, the circle for the eternity and unity of God, and the two curved swords for miri and piri, temporal and spiritual authority.

What is a granthi, and how does the role differ from that of a priest?

A granthi is the reader and custodian of the Guru Granth Sahib who is often employed by a congregation, but the granthi is not ordained, has no sacramental power and does nothing another competent Sikh could not do.

How does the langar meet the material needs of those who come to the gurdwara?

A free cooked meal is available to anyone who arrives, regardless of religion or circumstances, so hunger is met on the spot without any test of who deserves it.

WJEC AS-Level Religious Studies 603-0277-X

Christianity: Religious Figures and Sacred TextsChristianity

Topic overview The birth narratives and the incarnation The resurrection: Bultmann, Wright and the afterlife The Bible as authority in daily life Evaluating the narratives, the resurrection and biblical guidance

Christianity: Key Religious ConceptsChristianity

Topic overview The nature of God: male language and divine suffering The doctrine of the Trinity Theories of the Atonement Evaluating God's nature, the Trinity and the Atonement

Christianity: Religious Life and Moral PrinciplesChristianity

Topic overview Faith, works and justification The community of believers and the role of churches Key moral principles of Christianity Evaluating justification, the Church and moral priorities

Christianity: Practices and Religious IdentityChristianity

Topic overview Diversity in baptism Diversity in the Eucharist Diversity in Christmas and Easter Evaluating baptism, Eucharist and festivals

Islam: Religious Figures and Sacred TextsIslam

Topic overview Muhammad in Makkah: jahiliyya and the Night of Power The Hijrah and Muhammad's leadership in Madinah The Qur'an as a source of wisdom and authority Evaluating Muhammad's leadership and the authority of the Qur'an

Islam: Key Religious ConceptsIslam

Topic overview Tawhid, shirk and the shahadah Nabi, rasul, nadir and risalah Malaikah and akhirah Evaluating the concepts of Allah, prophethood and judgement

Islam: Religious Life and Moral PrinciplesIslam

Topic overview Salah and the forms of Muslim prayer Zakah, sadaqah and the Hajj The five categories of action as a framework for living Evaluating prayer, giving and the categories of action

Islam: Practices and Religious IdentityIslam

Topic overview The role of the masjid Ashura and Shi'a identity Ramadan and Id-ul-Fitr Evaluating the masjid, Ashura and the value of fasting

Judaism: Religious Figures and Sacred TextsJudaism

Topic overview Abraham and the covenant of circumcision Moses and the covenant of law at Sinai The Torah as a source of wisdom and authority Debates about covenant and the authority of Torah

Judaism: Key Religious ConceptsJudaism

Topic overview The nature of God and the divine attributes Humanity, the sanctity of life and the Shema The Messiah, judgement and the afterlife Debates about God, the Shema and belief in judgement

Judaism: Religious Life and Moral PrinciplesJudaism

Topic overview Diversity of views about the 613 mitzvot Tefillah, the Amidah and tzedakah The Ten Sayings as a basis for religious and ethical life Debates about mitzvot, prayer and the Ten Sayings

Judaism: Practices and Religious IdentityJudaism

Topic overview The synagogue and its place in Jewish life Pesach, redemption and Jewish identity Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Debates about the synagogue, festivals and penitence

Buddhism: Religious Figures and Sacred TextsBuddhism

Topic overview The birth narratives and the Four Sights The Awakening of the Buddha under the Bodhi Tree The Patimokkha and the Four Parajikas Debating the Buddha's biography, Awakening and the monastic code

Buddhism: Key Religious ConceptsBuddhism

Topic overview The three lakshanas: dukkha, anicca and anatta Pratityasamutpada, karma and rebirth Arhat and bodhisattva Debating the marks of existence, rebirth and the goals of the path

Buddhism: Religious Life and Moral PrinciplesBuddhism

Topic overview The Four Noble Truths The Eightfold Path and the Middle Way The dasa sila and the lay and monastic sanghas Debating the truths, the path and the precepts

Buddhism: Practices and Religious IdentityBuddhism

Topic overview Going for refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and sangha Meditation: samatha, vipassana, metta bhavana and zazen Dana and punya Debating refuge, meditation and giving

Hinduism: Religious Figures and Sacred TextsHinduism

Topic overview The origins of Hinduism and vedic sources of authority Krishna and Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita Shruti, smriti and Hindu texts in daily life Evaluating origins, the Gita and the authority of texts

Hinduism: Key Religious ConceptsHinduism

Topic overview Brahman, atman and the nature of the self The Trimurti, cyclic time and Saguna Brahman Karma, samsara and reincarnation Evaluating Brahman, the Trimurti and karma

Hinduism: Religious Life and Moral PrinciplesHinduism

Topic overview Varnashramadharma: the four varnas and four ashramas The status of the Dalits Ahimsa, satyagraha and non-violence Evaluating duty, varna and ahimsa

Hinduism: Practices and Religious IdentityHinduism

Topic overview Puja in the home and the mandir Holi and the shaping of religious identity Durga Puja and the divine mother Evaluating puja, festivals and Durga

Sikhism: Religious Figures and Sacred TextsSikhism

Topic overview The life and teachings of Guru Nanak Guru Gobind Singh and the founding of the Khalsa The Guru Granth Sahib as living Guru Debates on the Gurus and the authority of scripture

Sikhism: Key Religious ConceptsSikhism

Topic overview The Sikh understanding of God The nature and journey of the soul Karma, rebirth and mukti Debates on God, the soul and liberation

Sikhism: Religious Life and Moral PrinciplesSikhism

Topic overview Sewa and selfless service Kirat karo, naam japo and vand chhako Sant sipahi and dharam yudh Debates on Sikh moral principles

Sikhism: Practices and Religious IdentitySikhism

Topic overview The gurdwara and the expression of Sikh identity Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas Vaisakhi and the birth of the Khalsa Debates on the gurdwara and Sikh festivals

Ethical Thought: Divine Command, Virtue and Egoism

Topic overview Divine Command Theory and its challenges Virtue Theory, Aristotle and the Beatitudes Ethical Egoism and Max Stirner Evaluating divine command, virtue and egoism

Aquinas and Natural Law

Topic overview The four levels of law and the precepts Virtues, acts and goods in Natural Law Natural Law applied to abortion and voluntary euthanasia Evaluating Aquinas' Natural Law

Fletcher and Situation Ethics

Topic overview Fletcher's rejection of legalism and antinomianism, and the turn to agape The working principles and the fundamental principles Situation Ethics applied to homosexual and polyamorous relationships Evaluating Situation Ethics

Utilitarianism

Topic overview Bentham's Act Utilitarianism and the hedonic calculus Mill's higher pleasures, the harm principle and rules Utilitarianism applied to animal experimentation and nuclear deterrence Evaluating Utilitarianism

Inductive Arguments for the Existence of God

Topic overview The cosmological argument The teleological argument Hume's challenges and scientific alternatives Debating the inductive arguments

Deductive Arguments for the Existence of God

Topic overview Anselm's ontological argument Descartes and Malcolm Gaunilo and Kant's objections Debating the ontological argument

The Problem of Evil and Suffering

Topic overview The types and the logical problem of evil Augustinian type theodicy Irenaean type theodicy Debating the problem of evil

The Nature of Religious Experience

Topic overview Types of religious experience Mystical experience: James and Otto Challenges to religious experience Debating religious experience

Sikhism: Practices and Religious Identity

4 subtopics
12 things to know
AS Unit 1
Sikhism, one religion of six studied in AS Unit 1

What Sikhism: Practices and Religious Identity covers

Sikhism: Practices and Religious Identity is examined in AS Unit 1, An Introduction to the Study of Religion — the Sikhism option, studied instead of the other five. It covers the gurdwara and the expression of Sikh identity, Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas, Vaisakhi and the birth of the Khalsa and debates on the gurdwara and Sikh festivals.

Where it is assessed

AS Unit 1

An Introduction to the Study of Religion — one religion of six.

Check the WJEC specification ↗

The 4 subtopics

Each one has its own page. WJEC AS Religious Studies students sit this topic in the first year.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

Outline what happens in a gurdwara service.

Key term

Describe how Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas today

Key term

How do Sikhs distinguish their festival from the Hindu Diwali celebrated on the same day?

Key term

Describe a nagar kirtan.

Key term

What is done with the Nishan Sahib at Vaisakhi?

Key term

Give the case that the gurdwara is not essential to Sikh religion.

Key term

What does the word gurdwara mean, and what makes a building one?

Key term

How might a Sikh settle the question of whether the gurdwara is essential?

Key term

Explain the principle of freedom of worship as the gurdwara expresses it.

Key term

What spiritual themes does Bandi Chhor Divas focus attention on?

Key term

What virtues of Sikh living does Vaisakhi set before the community?

Key term

Give the case that worship before the Guru Granth Sahib is the most important activity in a gurdwara.

Take Sikhism: Practices and Religious Identity further

The same content, four other ways.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What does the word gurdwara mean, and what makes a building one?
Model answer
Gurdwara means the door or gateway of the Guru, and any building becomes one when the Guru Granth Sahib is installed in it with proper respect, whatever its architecture.
2
What stands outside every gurdwara, and what does it signify?
Model answer
The Nishan Sahib, a saffron triangular flag bearing the khanda, flies outside to mark the place as Sikh and to show that shelter, food and help may be sought there by anyone.
3
Describe the parts of the khanda emblem and their meaning.
Model answer
The double-edged sword in the centre stands for the one God and for truth cutting through falsehood, the circle for the eternity and unity of God, and the two curved swords for miri and piri, temporal and spiritual authority.
4
Explain the principle of freedom of worship as the gurdwara expresses it.
Model answer
There is no priesthood in Sikhi, so any Sikh who is competent may read the scripture, lead the singing or say the Ardas, and neither caste nor sex bars a person from doing so.
5
What is a granthi, and how does the role differ from that of a priest?
Model answer
A granthi is the reader and custodian of the Guru Granth Sahib who is often employed by a congregation, but the granthi is not ordained, has no sacramental power and does nothing another competent Sikh could not do.
6
How does the langar meet the material needs of those who come to the gurdwara?
Model answer
A free cooked meal is available to anyone who arrives, regardless of religion or circumstances, so hunger is met on the spot without any test of who deserves it.

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Sikhism: Practices and Religious Identity revision questions

Is Sikhism: Practices and Religious Identity examined at AS in WJEC Religious Studies?: Yes. It sits in AS Unit 1, which you take in the first year, so it is on the AS paper as well as counting towards the full A level.
What does Sikhism: Practices and Religious Identity cover in WJEC AS-Level Religious Studies?: 4 subtopics: the gurdwara and the expression of sikh identity, diwali and bandi chhor divas, vaisakhi and the birth of the khalsa and debates on the gurdwara and sikh festivals. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
How is Sikhism: Practices and Religious Identity organised?: By the WJEC 603-0277-X specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.

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