The Six Major World Religions: A KS3 RE Overview

Most KS3 RE courses in England study six major world religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. They differ in beliefs about God, sacred texts and practices, but each answers the same big questions — where the world came from, how we should live, and what happens after death. Comparing them is the skill RE actually assesses.

Why does RE study these six?

Religious education is not the same as religious instruction. You are not being asked to believe anything; you are being asked to understand what believers hold to be true, why it matters to them, and how those beliefs shape behaviour.

These six are usually chosen because between them they cover the largest religious communities in the world and the largest faith communities in Britain, and because they fall into two natural families that make comparison easier:

• The Abrahamic religions — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — all trace their story back to the prophet Abraham, all believe in one God, and all share overlapping scripture and figures.
• The Dharmic religions — Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism — all emerged in the Indian subcontinent and share vocabulary such as dharma (duty or the way things are), karma (actions and their consequences) and rebirth.

Learning them in these two groups is far easier than learning six unconnected lists.

The three Abrahamic religions

Judaism is the oldest of the three. Jews believe God made a covenant — a binding two-way promise — first with Abraham and later with Moses at Mount Sinai, where the Torah was given. Jewish life is shaped by mitzvot (commandments) covering food, festivals, prayer and ethics.

Christianity grew out of Judaism in the first century CE. Christians believe Jesus was not only a teacher but the Son of God, that his death and resurrection made forgiveness of sin possible, and that God is one being in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That last belief is the sharpest difference between Christianity and the other two.

Islam began in seventh-century Arabia with the revelations Muslims believe Muhammad received from God through the angel Jibril. Muslims regard Muhammad as the final prophet in a line that includes Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Practice centres on the Five Pillars: the declaration of faith (Shahadah), prayer (Salah), charity (Zakah), fasting in Ramadan (Sawm) and pilgrimage to Makkah (Hajj).

The three Dharmic religions

Hinduism is the oldest living religion of the group and has no founder and no single founding moment. Hindus believe in Brahman, one ultimate reality, which is approached through many deities — Vishnu, Shiva, Lakshmi, Ganesha and others — each expressing a different aspect. Beliefs about karma and reincarnation shape the idea that actions in this life affect the next.

Buddhism began with Siddhartha Gautama, an Indian prince who, around the fifth century BCE, left a sheltered palace life after encountering old age, sickness and death. His teaching is summarised in the Four Noble Truths: suffering exists, it is caused by craving, it can end, and the way to end it is the Eightfold Path. Notably, Buddhism does not teach belief in a creator God — which is why some people call it a philosophy as much as a religion.

Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak in the Punjab, followed by nine further human Gurus. Sikhs believe in one God, reject caste distinctions, and treat service to others as worship. The langar — the free kitchen in every gurdwara where anyone of any background eats the same food sitting at the same level — is a direct expression of that belief.

Comparing beliefs about God

This is the comparison examiners most often ask for, and it is the one students most often blur.

• Strictly monotheistic: Judaism, Islam, Sikhism. One God, no divisions or incarnations.
• Monotheistic with a distinctive structure: Christianity. One God, understood as three persons.
• One reality, many forms: Hinduism. Brahman is one, but is worshipped through many deities.
• Non-theistic: Buddhism. No creator God; the focus is on the human path out of suffering.

Notice that "how many gods?" is not really the useful question. The useful question is what is God like, and what difference does that make to how believers live? A Muslim's belief that God is utterly indivisible is the reason Islamic art avoids depicting God. A Sikh's belief that God is in everyone is the reason the langar serves everyone.

How to revise six religions without muddling them

Students lose marks by attributing the Qur'an to Judaism or the gurdwara to Hinduism — not because they misunderstand the religion but because they revised six flat lists.

1. Learn in pairs, not in sixes. Judaism and Islam are strikingly similar on the oneness of God, food rules and prayer. Hinduism and Buddhism share karma and rebirth but split on God. Learning the contrast fixes both.
2. Build one comparison grid, not six sets of notes. Columns for the six religions, rows for God, founder, text, building, festival, and one key practice.
3. Anchor each religion to one concrete detail you find genuinely interesting — the langar, the Hajj, Shabbat candles, the Buddha under the tree. Recall works better from a vivid image than from a heading.
4. Practise the sentence stem "Believers in X hold that…, which is why they…" Every mark in RE comes from connecting belief to practice, not from listing either alone.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to believe in a religion to do well in RE?

No, and it makes no difference to your marks. RE assesses whether you can accurately describe what believers hold, explain why they hold it, and evaluate arguments on more than one side. A committed believer and a convinced atheist can both get full marks, and both can lose marks the same way — by writing what they personally think instead of what the religion teaches. If anything, the students who struggle most are those who assume everyone in a religion believes the same thing, because real traditions contain a great deal of internal disagreement.

Why is Buddhism called a religion if there is no God?

Because "religion" is a broader category than "belief in a god". Buddhism has sacred texts, a founder, monastic communities, temples, festivals, moral teaching, meditation practice and beliefs about what happens after death — nearly everything we associate with religion apart from a creator deity. Some Buddhists describe themselves as religious and some describe themselves as following a philosophy or a way of life. In RE it is entirely fair to note this debate; in fact, doing so is often worth marks, because it shows you understand that definitions themselves can be contested.

Which religions are largest in the UK?

Christianity remains the largest religious affiliation in England and Wales, though the proportion identifying as Christian has fallen over recent censuses, while the proportion reporting no religion has risen substantially. Islam is the second-largest religion, followed by Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism. For a specific figure, always cite the most recent census from the Office for National Statistics rather than an unsourced number — examiners give credit for accurate, dated evidence and none at all for vague claims about "most people".

How much detail do I need on each religion at KS3?

Enough to write a confident paragraph on beliefs about God, the sacred text, the place of worship, one major festival and one key practice, plus one example of how a belief changes daily behaviour. That last item is what separates a middling answer from a strong one. At GCSE you will go far deeper into two religions and into themes such as ethics and the existence of God, so a solid, well-organised KS3 foundation makes the step up much smaller.

Build a clear map of the world's religions with an RE tutor who asks the questions rather than handing over the answers — visit aitutors.me.