NCEA L1 Religious Studies key terms

The overall set of beliefs, values and assumptions through which a person or community makes sense of life, the world and what matters most.

A way of understanding life and reality that centres on belief in a sacred or spiritual dimension, often involving ritual, ethics and community.

An approach to life and meaning that does not rely on belief in God or the supernatural, often grounding values in reason, science or human welfare.

An organised set of ideas and convictions that a group or individual holds about reality, often shaping behaviour, values and how events are interpreted.

Something set apart as holy, worthy of deep respect and often connected with the divine; its opposite, the profane, is treated as ordinary.

The ordinary, everyday dimension of life that is not treated as holy or set apart, in contrast with what a tradition regards as sacred.

A patterned sequence of actions and words performed in a set way, often marking key moments, expressing belief or connecting people with the sacred.

A word, object, gesture or image that stands for something beyond itself, carrying shared meaning within a religious or cultural tradition.

A traditional story that a community treats as meaningful, explaining origins, values or the nature of the sacred rather than being simply a falsehood.

An official teaching or set of beliefs formally held and taught by a religious community, often used to define orthodoxy.

Belief or practice that conforms to the officially accepted teaching of a religious tradition, as distinct from views judged deviant.

A belief or opinion that a religious authority judges to contradict its official teaching, often leading to exclusion or condemnation.

Trust or confidence in something or someone, especially belief in the divine that may go beyond what can be proven by evidence.

The idea that truth about the divine is disclosed to humans, through texts, prophets, events or personal experience, rather than discovered only by reasoning.

A writing a religious community treats as authoritative or holy, such as a scripture, often used in worship, teaching and moral guidance.

The passing of stories, prayers, laws and teachings by word of mouth across generations, often central to cultures without written scriptures.

A traditional account of how the world and humanity came to be, often expressing a community's beliefs about origins, purpose and the sacred.

A tradition's or culture's understanding of how the universe is structured, its origins and humanity's place within it.

Belief in a single God, usually understood as the sole creator and ultimate reality, as found in traditions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Belief in or worship of many gods or deities, often each associated with particular aspects of nature, life or human activity.

The broad position that a god or gods exist and are real, covering both belief in one deity and belief in many.

The position of not believing in any god or gods, often because the person finds no sufficient reason to accept such claims.

The view that whether a god or gods exist is unknown or cannot be known, so belief is suspended rather than affirmed or denied.

A worldview holding that spirits or life-forces inhabit natural features, animals and places, common in many indigenous traditions.

A non-religious worldview that affirms human dignity and values, seeking meaning and ethics through reason, empathy and human responsibility rather than divine authority.

The spiritual beliefs and practices of a people native to a land, often tying the sacred to ancestors, land, seasons and community life.

The study of right and wrong conduct, and the moral principles a person or tradition uses to judge actions and guide behaviour.

The qualities and ideals a person or community considers important and worth pursuing, which shape priorities, choices and moral judgements.

A set of rules or guidelines a group uses to distinguish acceptable from unacceptable behaviour, often grounded in religious teaching.

A person believed to receive and communicate messages from the divine, often calling a community to change its beliefs or behaviour.

A ceremony marking a significant transition in a person's life, such as birth, coming of age, marriage or death, within a community.

A journey to a place of religious importance, undertaken for devotion, healing or spiritual renewal, often shared with other believers.

A group of people bound by shared beliefs, practices or identity, which supports members and transmits its tradition across generations.

Beliefs, practices and stories handed down across generations, giving continuity and identity to a religious or cultural group.

The shared language, customs, arts and ways of life of a group, which often shape and are shaped by that group's religious beliefs.

The range of different beliefs, practices and interpretations found within and between religious traditions, reflecting varied contexts and experiences.

A distinct branch or grouping within a larger religious tradition, sharing core beliefs but differing in practice, organisation or emphasis.

Discussion and cooperation between people of different religious or non-religious worldviews, aiming at mutual understanding and respect.

The willingness to accept and respect beliefs or practices different from one's own, even without agreeing with them.