Zambia School Certificate / GCE — Religious Education (2046)

In Luke 1, after the angel announced John’s birth, what happened when Zechariah questioned how Elizabeth could have a son?

• AHe was sent into the wilderness to prepare the way
• BHe was struck mute until the child was named John
• CHe was told to divorce Elizabeth and marry again
• DHe was commanded to offer incense twice each day

According to Luke 1:16–17 and the Old Testament texts listed in the 2046 syllabus, what was the purpose of John’s life and ministry?

• ATo replace the temple priesthood in Jerusalem
• BTo prepare the nation for the coming of the Messiah and heal discord
• CTo lead an armed revolt against Roman rule in Galilee
• DTo write a new law that would replace the Torah

Which Gospel scene does the 2046 syllabus list for the announcement of Jesus’ birth to Mary?

• AMatthew 2:1–12, the visit of the magi
• BLuke 2:1–7, the birth in Bethlehem
• CLuke 1:26–38, Gabriel’s announcement to Mary
• DLuke 2:41–52, Jesus in the temple at twelve

Micah 5:2, listed among the 2046 Old Testament prophecies of Jesus’ birth, is used in the syllabus to support which claim?

• AThe Messiah would be named Immanuel by Joseph
• BThe Messiah would be born in Bethlehem
• CThe Messiah would live as a refugee in Egypt
• DThe Messiah would be announced first to shepherds

How does the 2046 syllabus say God directs people in Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism?

• AChristianity through ancestral spirits; Islam through life-cycle rites; Hinduism through…
• BChristianity through the Bible, the Holy Spirit, friends, and circumstances; Islam throug…
• CAll three traditions say God speaks only through a single living prophet
• DAll three traditions reject written scripture as a means of guidance

What does the 2046 syllabus identify as the main message of John the Baptist in Luke 3:1–20?

• ASecret knowledge reserved for temple priests
• BRepentance, change of behaviour, and baptism
• CPaying the temple tax twice each year
• DWithdrawing from all contact with Gentiles

Which contrast does the 2046 syllabus draw between the work of John and the work of Jesus?

• AJohn healed the sick; Jesus only preached in synagogues
• BJohn forgave sins; Jesus could not forgive sins
• CJohn challenged people to repent and baptized with water; Jesus forgave sins, healed, and…
• DJohn baptized with the Holy Spirit; Jesus baptized only with water

How does the 2046 syllabus apply John the Baptist’s instructions about right behaviour to Zambia today?

• AChristians should bribe officials if the cause is religious
• BPeople in authority may take advantage of office if they tithe
• CShow good examples, be honest and upright, and neither give nor accept bribes
• DPublic moral messages should be left only to political parties

The 2046 syllabus cites Mark 6:17–29 for John’s imprisonment and death. Why was John killed in that account?

• AHe refused to pay the Roman poll tax
• BHe had criticized Herod’s marriage to Herodias, and Herodias secured his death after her…
• CHe led a riot in the Jerusalem temple courts
• DHe claimed to be the Messiah before Pilate

Which methods of Christian baptism does the 2046 syllabus list?

• AFasting, incense, and pilgrimage only
• BImmersion, pouring, and sprinkling
• CCircumcision, sacred thread, and tattooing
• DConfession to ancestral spirits only

What significance does the 2046 syllabus give to Jesus’ baptism by John?

• AJesus needed forgiveness for his own sins before he could preach
• BJesus identified himself with humanity and gave an open sign to all
• CJesus replaced water baptism with circumcision from that day
• DJesus ended John’s ministry by forbidding any further baptisms

Genesis 17:10–14 is listed in the 2046 baptism unit. What meaning does the syllabus give circumcision in the Old Testament?

• AA private medical custom with no covenant meaning
• BA sign of the covenant between God and the people, marking entry and given as God’s comma…
• CA replacement for later Christian baptism in the New Testament church
• DA rite that automatically forgave all future sins

In the 2046 comparison of admission practices, what does the syllabus list for Hinduism and for Zambian tradition?

• AHinduism: five daily prayers; Zambian tradition: baptism by immersion only
• BHinduism: the sacred thread of initiation as a sign of adult status; Zambian tradition: p…
• CHinduism: cremation of infants; Zambian tradition: a written baptismal register
• DHinduism: the Lord’s Supper; Zambian tradition: the five pillars

The 2046 syllabus states that baptism does not bring forgiveness of sins. What does it say must come first?

• AA pilgrimage to Jerusalem
• BRepentance and conversion to Christ, following Christ’s command (Matthew 28:18–20; Mark 1…
• CPayment of a church membership fee
• DApproval from ancestral spirits

Which passages does the 2046 syllabus use to distinguish temptation, testing, and sin?

• ATemptation: Acts 2 only; testing: Romans 13 only; sin: Exodus 20 only
• BAll three ideas are illustrated only from the book of Revelation
• CTemptation: Genesis 3:1–19 and James 1:13–14; testing: Genesis 22:1–13, Job 1:6–22, and J…
• DTemptation and testing are treated as identical and are given no Bible texts

In Luke 4:1–13, how did Jesus resist the three temptations immediately after his baptism?

• AHe called down fire on the devil
• BHe asked John to baptize him a second time
• CHe used Old Testament scripture to refuse each suggestion
• DHe agreed to turn stones into bread but refused the other two tests

Which 2046 syllabus examples illustrate people who faced temptation in the Bible?

• ASimeon and Anna in the temple only
• BThe Ethiopian eunuch and Cornelius only
• CDaniel’s three friends (Daniel 3:14–18) and Peter (Luke 22:54–62)
• DAnanias and Sapphira as models of successful resistance

How does the 2046 syllabus say Christians can overcome temptation, and what comparison does it give for Islam and Zambian tradition?

• AChristians: ignore scripture; Islam: deny a day of judgement; Zambian tradition: there is…
• BChristians: prayer, firm resistance, repentance, and confession; Islam: remember the day…
• CAll four traditions teach that temptation cannot be resisted at all
• DChristians: charms and tattoos; Islam: the sacred thread; Zambian tradition: the five pil…

Which Zambia-today temptations does the 2046 syllabus name for Christians?

• AOnly the temptation to skip school examinations
• BLust (including adultery, divorce, and corruption), envy, desperation, and lack of basic…
• COnly the temptation to pray too often
• DOnly foreign-language study

How does the 2046 syllabus define a miracle?

• AAny unusual event that scientists have already fully explained
• BA supernatural happening that cannot be explained by ordinary human reasoning
• CA political speech that changes public opinion
• DA traditional initiation ceremony at puberty

Which healing stories from Luke does the 2046 syllabus require candidates to relate?

• AOnly the raising of Lazarus in John 11
• BOnly Paul’s shipwreck in Acts 27
• CThe paralytic (Luke 5:17–26), the man with a withered hand (Luke 6:6–10), the man with dr…
• DOnly the conversion of Saul in Acts 9

In Luke 5:17–26, what did Jesus do first for the paralytic lowered through the roof?

• AHe sent the man to the priest with a sin offering
• BHe declared the man’s sins forgiven, then told him to rise and walk
• CHe refused to help because it was the Sabbath
• DHe asked the crowd to pay the man’s hospital bill

What Jewish attitudes and rules about lepers does the 2046 syllabus expect candidates to state?

• ALepers were honoured as priests and lived in the temple
• BLeprosy was thought to be caused by the sufferer’s or a relative’s sin; lepers were treat…
• CLepers were required to sit on the Sanhedrin
• DJewish law ignored skin disease entirely

Which two nature miracles does the 2046 syllabus pair, and why does it say Jesus performed miracles?

• AOnly turning water into wine; to raise money for the disciples
• BOnly walking on the palace roof; to impress Herod
• CCalming the storm (Luke 8:22–25) and feeding five thousand (Luke 9:12–17); to show the Ki…
• DOnly cursing a Roman garrison; to start a revolt

Which kinds of spirits does the 2046 syllabus list in indigenous Zambian tradition?

• AOnly the Holy Spirit as defined in the Nicene Creed
• BAncestral spirits, bad spirits, good spirits, and dissatisfied spirits
• COnly angels listed in the book of Hebrews
• DOnly the household gods of Rome

Which methods of keeping spirits away does the 2046 syllabus list for Zambian tradition?

• AInfant baptism by sprinkling only
• BFive daily prayers facing Mecca
• CCharms, lotions, and tattoos
• DThe sacred thread ceremony only

Which Lukan stories of Jesus casting out demons does the 2046 syllabus require?

• AOnly the conversion of Lydia in Acts 16
• BOnly the parable of the sower
• CThe Gerasene demoniac (Luke 8:26–39), the man in the synagogue (Luke 4:31–38), and the de…
• DOnly the visit of the magi

Which forms of occult practice does the 2046 syllabus say Christians should avoid, with the passages it cites?

• AOnly skipping church on Sunday, with no Bible texts
• BDivination (Jeremiah 29:8–9), witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23), magic (Acts 19:18–20), spells…
• COnly reading the Quran or the Vedas
• DOnly working on a farm after harvest

What meaning does the 2046 syllabus give the phrase “the Kingdom of God,” citing Luke 17:21 and Mark 1:14–15?

• AA modern political party with a cabinet and elected representatives
• BGod’s rule brought into the world by Jesus, not merely a place on a map
• CThe territory of Herod Antipas only
• DThe buildings of the Jerusalem temple only

According to the 2046 syllabus, how does a person enter the Kingdom of God?

• ABy paying a fixed cash offering to the state
• BBy repentance, faith in Jesus, and obedience to Jesus
• CBy inheriting a chiefly title
• DBy memorising the five pillars only

For whom does the 2046 syllabus say the Kingdom of God is, using Luke 1:51–53, 6:20–26, and 14:7–12?

• AOnly the already rich and powerful
• BThe humble, the hungry, the poor, and the persecuted
• COnly Roman citizens
• DOnly people who never pray

Which pair of Lukan images does the 2046 syllabus use to show that the Kingdom is present and growing in the world?

• AThe tower of Babel and Noah’s ark only
• BThe Roman census and the temple tax only
• CThe mustard seed (Luke 13:18–19) and the hidden yeast (Luke 13:20–21)
• DThe armour of God in Ephesians 6 only

In the 2046 four-faith comparison, what is listed as the Christian emphasis about God’s Kingdom?

• AIt is only for people who offer sacrifices to ancestral spirits
• BIt is for the poor, hungry, humble, and persecuted, and it requires sacrifice and true de…
• CIt is identical with the five pillars of Islam
• DIt is only a future political takeover of Lusaka

How does the 2046 syllabus define judgement?

• AA purely human court that God never uses
• BThe same thing as baptism
• CAssessment for reward or punishment
• DA Zambian initiation dance

Matthew 25:31–46, listed in the 2046 judgement unit, teaches that people will be judged especially by what?

• AHow many animals they sacrificed at the temple that year
• BWhether they held Roman citizenship
• CHow they treated the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned
• DWhether they could recite Roman law from memory

In the 2046 comparison of personal judgement, what is listed for Christianity and for Islam?

• AChristianity: there is no judgement at all; Islam: only ancestral spirits judge
• BBoth traditions deny any future judgement
• CChristianity: people are judged by response and obedience to God’s will; Islam: people ar…
• DIslam: judgement is only for angels; Christianity: judgement is only for animals

Why does the 2046 syllabus say teaching about Christ’s sudden return should lead Christians to witness and serve?

• ABecause Christ’s return cancels any need to help the poor
• BBecause only the Sanhedrin will be judged
• CBecause the time is unknown, so believers should be ready, tell others, and care for peop…
• DBecause prayer will no longer be allowed after Easter

What Christian pattern of prayer does the 2046 syllabus list?

• AOnly political campaign speeches
• BOnly reading business contracts aloud
• CWorship, confession, intercession, thanksgiving, and prayer for yourself
• DOnly consulting a nganga for charms

Which Lukan texts does the 2046 syllabus use for perseverance and humility in prayer?

• AOnly the feeding of the five thousand
• BOnly the visit of the magi
• CThe friend at midnight (Luke 11:5–13), the widow and the judge (Luke 18:1–8), and the Pha…
• DOnly Romans 13:1–7

According to the 2046 syllabus, in what ways may God answer prayer, and under what conditions?

• AOnly “yes,” and only if the person is rich
• B“Yes,” “no,” or “wait,” when people believe God, pray in Jesus’ name, pray according to G…
• CGod never answers prayer in any tradition
• DOnly through a paid charm from a traditional healer

How does the 2046 syllabus compare the nature of prayer in Zambian tradition, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism?

• AAll four traditions forbid prayer entirely
• BOnly Christians are allowed to pray; the other three have no prayer
• CZambian tradition: through ancestral spirits at special times; Christianity: in the name…
• DIslam: only once a year; Christianity: only through ancestral spirits

Which groups does the 2046 syllabus give as examples of despised people in Zambia?

• AOnly members of parliament
• BSex workers, street children, and criminals
• COnly ordained pastors
• DOnly foreign tourists

Which Lukan stories does the 2046 syllabus use to show Jesus’ attitude to despised people?

• AOnly the cleansing of the temple in John 2
• BOnly Paul’s collection for Jerusalem
• CMixing with lepers (Luke 5:12–14), accepting Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10), showing compassion…
• DOnly the list of food laws in Leviticus 11

What does the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) teach in the 2046 syllabus?

• AHelp should be given only to fellow priests and Levites
• BTravel on the Jericho road should be banned
• CKindness and compassion should be shown to anyone who needs help, including people outsid…
• DSamaritans must never be used as moral examples

What Christian teaching on love, forgiveness, and tolerance does the 2046 syllabus contrast with other religions?

• AChristians should never forgive anyone
• BOnly the rich deserve love
• CAll people are sinners and should ask forgiveness through Jesus Christ (with texts such a…
• DForgiveness is possible only after a blood feud

A 2046 question asks how Christians in Zambia should treat unpopular people. Which response best follows Jesus’ set examples?

• AIsolate street children so that the church remains respectable
• BMix with, help, and respect people others mock, as Jesus did with lepers, tax collectors,…
• CHelp only those who can pay a fee to the congregation
• DLeave all despised people to traditional healers and never show compassion

Which types of suffering in Zambia does the 2046 syllabus list?

• AOnly the suffering of Roman emperors
• BOnly the cost of school uniforms in one province
• CSickness, death, poverty, and loss of a job
• DOnly the suffering of angels

Which sources of suffering and which avoidable examples does the 2046 syllabus name?

• ASources: only good luck; avoidable examples: none
• BSources: only the official curriculum; avoidable examples: prayer
• CSources: a fallen world, ourselves, natural disasters, evil spirits, and other people; av…
• DSources: only angels; avoidable examples: reading the Bible