Words you must know

Before we meet each religion's texts, learn the language examiners expect you to use:

• Scripture — a sacred, written text with authority for a religion.
• Revelation — knowledge or truth believed to be disclosed by God to humans (e.g. through a prophet). Contrasts with knowledge worked out by human reason.
• Canon — the fixed, agreed collection of texts a community accepts as authoritative scripture.
• Oral tradition — teachings passed on by word of mouth before (or alongside) being written down.
• Interpretation — how believers understand a text: reading it literally (word-for-word, exactly as stated) or non-literally (as symbol, metaphor or moral lesson).

Exam tip: "source of authority" is wider than "sacred text". Leaders, worship traditions and long-standing customs also carry authority.

Define a key term

The Bible

Christians regard the Bible as the sacred word of God, though views on how directly differ. It has two parts:

• The Old Testament — shared roots with Judaism, including creation, law and the prophets.
• The New Testament — the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, recording the life and teaching of Jesus), the Acts, letters (epistles) and Revelation.

Christians use the Bible for worship (readings and sermons), private study and prayer, and moral guidance (e.g. the teachings of Jesus and the Ten Commandments). The Gospels carry special authority because they record Jesus himself.

Interpretation varies: some Christians read passages such as the creation account literally; others read them non-literally, as conveying deeper spiritual truth.

The Qur'an, Hadith and Sunnah

For Muslims the Qur'an is the supreme authority: believed to be the direct, unaltered word of God (Allah), revealed in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Jibril (Gabriel).

• Qur'an — the highest source; treated with great reverence and recited in worship (salah) in its original Arabic.
• Hadith — recorded reports of what the Prophet Muhammad said, did or approved.
• Sunnah — the example, customs and practice of the Prophet, drawn largely from the Hadith, used as a model for living.

Muslims use these to guide belief, the Five Pillars, law and everyday conduct. Where the Qur'an is not explicit, believers look to the Sunnah and Hadith.

Common misconception: the Qur'an is not seen as one prophet's ideas — Muslims hold it to be the literal, direct word of God, unchanged since revelation.

Text ↔ religion

Tap a sacred text on the left, then tap the religion it belongs to on the right.

The Tenakh (Torah) and Talmud

The Jewish scriptures are the Tenakh, made of three parts — the Torah (Law), Nevi'im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings).

• The Torah (the first five books) is the most sacred, believed to have been given by God to Moses. Its scroll (Sefer Torah) is read in the synagogue with great honour.
• The Talmud is a vast record of rabbis' teachings, discussion and interpretation of the law — it explains how the Torah is applied to daily life.

Jews use the Torah for worship, festivals and the 613 mitzvot (commandments) that shape daily conduct. Written Torah and the oral tradition (later written as the Talmud) work together.

Explain how a source is used

The Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita

Hindu scriptures are traditionally divided into two types:

• Shruti ("that which is heard") — the oldest and most authoritative, held to be eternal truth received by ancient sages. This includes the Vedas and the Upanishads (philosophical teaching on Brahman and the self).
• Smriti ("that which is remembered") — texts of human authorship, including the great epics. The Bhagavad Gita, part of the Mahabharata, is a much-loved and widely used teaching on duty (dharma) and devotion.

The Vedas began as an oral tradition, carefully memorised and recited long before being written. Hindus draw on these texts for worship (puja), festivals and guidance on dharma.

Which is most authoritative?

The Tipitaka (Pali Canon)

Buddhism has no single creator-God revealing a text; authority rests above all on the teachings of the Buddha (the Dhamma). The most important early scripture is the Tipitaka, meaning "three baskets":

• Vinaya Pitaka — rules for the monastic community (the Sangha).
• Sutta Pitaka — discourses and teachings of the Buddha.
• Abhidhamma Pitaka — deeper philosophical and psychological analysis.

The Buddha's teachings were preserved by oral tradition and recitation for centuries before being written down in Pali. Buddhists also honour the Sangha (community and teachers) as a source of guidance. Different traditions (Theravada, Mahayana) value additional texts.

The Guru Granth Sahib

For Sikhs the Guru Granth Sahib is the supreme scripture. It contains hymns of the Sikh Gurus and other holy writers, compiled and finalised as the scripture of the faith.

Uniquely, Guru Gobind Singh declared that after the ten human Gurus there would be no further living Guru — the scripture itself would be the eternal Guru. So Sikhs treat the Guru Granth Sahib as a living Guru: it is placed on a throne (takht), given a canopy, and treated with the honour due to a Guru.

It is central to worship in the gurdwara, to naming ceremonies and weddings, and to daily guidance.

Common misconception: the Guru Granth Sahib is not treated as "just a book" — for Sikhs it holds the status and authority of a living Guru.

The living Guru

How the texts came to be

Sacred texts reach their community in different ways — this affects the authority believers give them:

• Directly revealed: the Qur'an is held to be God's exact words revealed to Muhammad. Shruti texts in Hinduism are held to be eternal truth "heard" by sages.
• Written under inspiration: many Christians see the Bible as written by human authors inspired by God.
• Compiled from oral tradition: the Tipitaka and the Vedas were memorised and recited for generations before being written; the Talmud records the rabbis' oral discussion.

Oral vs written: a text can be authoritative long before it is written down. Careful memorisation and recitation preserved many scriptures for centuries.

Scripture or non-text authority?

Tap a source, then tap the box it belongs in.

Authority beyond the page

Texts are not the only authority. Religions also look to leaders, teachers and long-standing tradition:

• Christianity — the Pope (for Roman Catholics), bishops, ministers and the teaching tradition of the Church help interpret the Bible.
• Islam — imams and scholars help apply the Qur'an and Sunnah; consensus of scholars can guide the community.
• Judaism — rabbis teach and interpret the law; the Talmud records this tradition of interpretation.
• Hinduism & Buddhism — a guru or teacher, and the community (Sangha), pass on and explain the teachings.

Why it matters: when a text is unclear or does not mention a modern issue, believers often turn to leaders and tradition to decide how to act.

When the text is silent

Literal vs non-literal

Believers do not all read a text the same way. Two broad approaches shape belief and action:

Common misconception: a religion is not one fixed reading. Within the same faith, believers can interpret the same text differently — literally or non-literally.

Which interpretation?

How a source guides belief → action

Sources of authority are not only read — they shape what believers do. The path runs from the source, to belief, to worship and daily action:

From text to daily life

Different status, shared role

Each community gives its texts a slightly different status, yet all use them to guide belief, worship and life:

• Qur'an (Islam) — the direct word of God; supreme authority.
• Guru Granth Sahib (Sikhism) — the eternal, living Guru.
• Bible (Christianity) — the word of God, read literally or non-literally by different Christians; Gospels central.
• Torah / Tenakh & Talmud (Judaism) — Torah most sacred; Talmud interprets it.
• Vedas / Upanishads / Bhagavad Gita (Hinduism) — shruti most authoritative; Gita widely loved.
• Tipitaka (Buddhism) — the Buddha's teaching (Dhamma), preserved from oral tradition.

Name the scripture

Three things to get right

• The Qur'an is regarded by Muslims as the direct word of God — not simply Muhammad's own words or ideas.
• The Guru Granth Sahib is treated as a living Guru, with the honour due to a Guru — not as an ordinary book.
• Texts are interpreted differently: within one religion, believers can read the same passage literally or non-literally, leading to different beliefs and actions.

Respect and accuracy matter: in the exam, describe each faith's own view fairly and use its own terms.

The sources to know

You've covered how each source is revealed or compiled, its status, how believers use it, and how interpretation shapes belief and action. Press Finish to see your score.