On this page you will find Religion Studies Grade 12 Exam Guidelines Scope for 2025 final exams.
The guidelines cover both papers and provide the structure, focus areas, and types of questions learners can expect. Learners will write Paper 1 on 31 October 2025 and Paper 2 on 5 November 2025. Each paper is 3 hours long and marked externally, with questions assessing knowledge, interpretation, comparison, and critical engagement with religion in society.
Religion Studies Grade 12 Exam Guidelines Scope 2025 – What to Expect
The Religion Studies final examination has two papers, each testing different approaches:
- Paper 1: Source-based and comparative (short and structured answers).
- Paper 2: Analytical and interpretive (essay-style questions).
Paper 1 – Short, Source-Based, and Comparative Questions
Date: Friday, 31 October 2025
Duration: 3 hours
Marks: 150
Structure of Paper 1:
- Section A (Compulsory – 50 marks):
- Short questions (one-word answers, matching, true/false with reasons, multiple-choice).
- Covers definitions, key distinctions, and basic conceptual understanding.
- Section B (Answer TWO of three or four questions – 2 × 50 = 100 marks):
- Longer questions based on sources (texts, graphs, maps, media extracts).
- Requires explanations, comparisons, and structured short essays.
Key Topics in Paper 1:
- Conceptual distinctions: identity, unity, uniqueness, similarity, difference, comparability.
- Appreciation of the uniqueness of various religions.
- Religious teachings and ethics.
- Religion, freedom, human rights, and responsibilities.
- Media and religion: coverage of public issues, factors influencing religious debates.
- Religion in areas of recent conflict (South Africa, Africa, the world) – analysing causes and solutions.
Paper 2 – Analytical and Essay-Based Questions
Date: Wednesday, 5 November 2025
Duration: 3 hours
Marks: 150
Structure of Paper 2:
- Consists of four or five questions.
- Learners must answer only three questions (3 × 50 = 150 marks).
- Questions focus on analysis, interpretation, and critical discussion of religion in context.
Key Topics in Paper 2:
- Central teachings of one religion (specialisation):
- Divinity, humanity, evil, life after death, human responsibility in the world.
- The role of rituals in religion.
- Internal differences in religions (teachings, governance, practice).
- Interreligious relationships in South Africa and globally (colonialism, imperialism, liberation, transformation).
- Normative sources in religions and hermeneutical interpretation (including interpretation of one specific source).
- Religion and the sciences: debates around creation, evolution, and modern science.
- Secular worldviews: atheism, agnosticism, humanism, materialism (origins, purposes, and influences).
- Religion and social issues (cycle of three years – 2025 repeats the 2023 set):
- Teenage pregnancy
- Crime and corruption
- Marriage and divorce
Conclusion
The Religion Studies Grade 12 Exam Guidelines Scope for 2025 confirms that learners will write two papers. Paper 1 on 31 October tests short, source-based, and comparative responses, while Paper 2 on 5 November focuses on analytical essay-style questions. Both papers require learners to apply religious concepts to real-world contexts, compare traditions, interpret sources, and critically evaluate social and moral issues. Preparation should combine factual knowledge, comparative analysis, and structured essay writing practice.
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