The aims of IB World Religions SL are to develop an inquiring, analytical and empathetic understanding of religions, their internal diversity and their influence on human life. The course studies religion academically rather than promoting or rejecting any religious belief.
The Main Course Aims
The aims combine the general aims of an IB Group 3 subject with six aims specific to World Religions.
| Area | What the course aims to develop |
|---|---|
| Systematic study | The ability to study religions critically, examine evidence and analyse different interpretations. |
| Methodology | Understanding that methods and evidence may be contestable, especially when investigating belief, experience and practice. |
| Cultural understanding | Awareness of how religions operate within different historical, social, political and cultural contexts. |
| Inquiry and empathy | An analytical approach combined with respect for what beliefs and practices mean to adherents. |
| Religious diversity | Informed understanding of diversity between religions and within denominations, schools, cultures and geographical settings. |
| Lived religion | Understanding of how religious beliefs shape behaviour, identity, ritual, ethics and relationships. |
| Contemporary awareness | Appreciation of current controversies and movements involving religious and spiritual beliefs. |
| Global responsibility | Development of responsible and informed international citizenship. |
These aims explain why the course connects belief to behaviour. For example, students should not merely define Sikh sewa as altruistic service; they should explain how it is expressed through langar and service within and beyond the gurdwara.
A common misconception is that the course aims to decide whether religious claims are true. It does not. Students report beliefs accurately, analyse their expression and recognize internal diversity without preaching or dismissing a tradition.
Exam Technique
Do not confuse the course aims with the assessment objectives AO1-AO4. In examinations, the aims are reflected through accurate terminology, attributed beliefs, links between doctrine and practice, and examples contextualized by denomination, culture and geography. Paper 2 responses especially should combine knowledge with analysis, evaluation and empathetic academic objectivity.