Free Practice Questions for LC Religious Education
Exam-style questions and explanations by OpenExamPrep.
Loading practice questions...
Explore More Irish Leaving Certificate & Junior Cycle
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
Key Facts: LC Religious Education Exam
20% + 80%
Coursework is 20% (80 marks); written examination is 80% (320 marks); total 400 marks
NCCA Leaving Certificate Religious Education syllabus / SEC papers
2h 30m / 2h
Higher Level written paper is 2 hours 30 minutes; Ordinary Level is 2 hours
NCCA syllabus / SEC Religious Education papers
Section A compulsory
Unit One Section A (Search for meaning and values) is compulsory for all candidates
NCCA Leaving Certificate Religious Education syllabus
Any 2 of B–D
Unit Two requires study of any two of Christianity, World religions, and Moral decision-making
NCCA Leaving Certificate Religious Education syllabus
One of E–J
Unit Three: one section from E–J, excluding the two designated for coursework that year
NCCA syllabus / SEC coursework circulars
Part A + Part B
Coursework booklet: Part A investigation summary and Part B personal reflection (10% each)
SEC coursework circulars / Guidelines for Teachers
H1-H8 / O1-O8
Grades are awarded on the senior-cycle 90-point grading scale
State Examinations Commission - Grading
100
Free original multiple-choice practice questions in this bank
OpenExamPrep
Leaving Certificate Religious Education is an Irish senior-cycle subject examined by the SEC at Higher and Ordinary Level. Assessment is 20% coursework (80 marks: Part A investigation + Part B reflection on one prescribed title) and 80% written paper (320 marks; 2h 30m Higher / 2h Ordinary) covering compulsory Section A, two Unit Two sections and one Unit Three section. Students develop research, critical thinking and comparative skills across religious and non-religious worldviews. This free bank uses original single-best-answer questions on structure, skills and core concepts — the real SEC paper is not multiple choice.
Sample LC Religious Education Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the LC Religious Education exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Leaving Certificate Religious Education is assessed through which two main components?
2Approximately what share of the total marks is awarded to Religious Education coursework?
3How long does the Higher Level Leaving Certificate Religious Education written examination last?
4How long does the Ordinary Level Leaving Certificate Religious Education written examination last?
5What is the total mark allocation for Leaving Certificate Religious Education (coursework plus written paper)?
6Which syllabus section is compulsory for all Leaving Certificate Religious Education candidates?
7Unit Two of the Religious Education syllabus requires candidates to study how many of Sections B, C and D?
8How many pieces of Religious Education coursework must a candidate submit?
9Each year, how many Unit Three sections are designated for Religious Education coursework?
10The Religious Education coursework booklet is organised into which two parts?
About the LC Religious Education Exam
Leaving Certificate Religious Education is a senior-cycle subject in Ireland, examined by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) at Higher and Ordinary Level. The NCCA syllabus (introduced 2003, first examined 2005) has three units: Unit One compulsory Section A (The search for meaning and values); Unit Two any two of Section B (Christianity: origins and contemporary expressions), Section C (World religions) and Section D (Moral decision-making); Unit Three any one of Sections E–J excluding the two sections designated for coursework that year (Religion and gender; Issues of justice and peace; Worship, prayer and ritual; The Bible: literature and sacred text; Religion: the Irish experience; Religion and science). Assessment has two components: coursework (80 marks / 20%) with Part A research and Part B personal reflection on one prescribed title, and a terminal written examination (320 marks / 80%). Total 400 marks. Results are reported on the H1-H8 or O1-O8 grade scale.
Exam sponsor: State Examinations Commission (SEC), Ireland. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
Two components: (1) Coursework — 80 marks (20%): Part A investigation summary (10%) and Part B personal reflection (10%) on one prescribed title from two Unit Three sections designated each year; (2) terminal written examination — 320 marks (80%). Higher Level written paper 2 hours 30 minutes; Ordinary Level 2 hours. Written paper typically: Unit One (Section A, 80 marks), Unit Two (two sections at 80 marks each), Unit Three (one section, 80 marks). Question styles include short answers, paragraph responses and discursive essays. Higher Level expects greater range of sources, depth, multi-perspective analysis and critical personal reflection.
Time Limit
Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes (Higher Level) or 2 hours (Ordinary Level). Coursework completed and pre-submitted before the written examination (digital booklet submission from 2025 onward).
Passing Score
No pass/fail mark for the subject. Religious Education is graded H1-H8 (Higher) and O1-O8 (Ordinary); grades at or above H6/O6 award CAO points, and many third-level courses require specific minimum grades for entry.
Exam / Certification Fees
There is no separate fee for Religious Education alone; a single Leaving Certificate entry fee covers all subjects, with an exemption for medical-card holders. Confirm the current amount with your school and the State Examinations Commission.
Exam sponsor websiteFees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Official sources
- State Examinations Commission - Examination material archive (Religious Education papers and marking schemes)
- Curriculum Online - Leaving Certificate Religious Education syllabus (PDF)
- Curriculum Online - Leaving Certificate Religious Education guidelines for teachers (PDF)
- State Examinations Commission - Home
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Section A — Search for meaning and values
Practice covers the human search for meaning; the nature and purpose of philosophy; monotheism and polytheism; classical and modern responses to ultimate questions; religious and non-religious interpretations of life (including secularism, atheism and humanism); and personal, community and societal values.
Section B — Christianity: origins and contemporary expressions
Practice covers Jesus of Nazareth in historical context; Jewish groups in the Roman period; the synoptic Gospels and early Christian communities; key teachings and parables; and how Christian belief finds contemporary expression in worship, ethics and community life.
Section C — World religions
Practice covers major living world religions (for example Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism) and other living traditions, focusing on origins, beliefs, practices of belonging, sacred texts, lifestyle and fair comparison across traditions.
Section D — Moral decision-making
Practice covers understandings of morality; conscience and moral development; religious and secular ethical codes; natural law, virtue and rights-based approaches; and applying moral reasoning to issues such as justice, war and peace, and the common good.
Unit Three topics (Sections E–J)
Practice covers religion and gender roles; justice and peace (including hunger, poverty and discrimination); worship, prayer and ritual; the Bible as literature and sacred text; religion in the Irish historical experience; and religion and science (dialogue, conflict and complementarity).
Assessment structure and coursework
Practice covers mark allocation (400 total; coursework 20% / written 80%), Higher vs Ordinary timing and expectations, syllabus choice rules, prescribed coursework titles, Part A and Part B booklet structure, sourcing and authentication, and honest use of MCQ practice versus past SEC papers.
Preparing for the LC Religious Education Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: No pass/fail mark for the subject. Religious Education is graded H1-H8 (Higher) and O1-O8 (Ordinary); grades at or above H6/O6 award CAO points, and many third-level courses require specific minimum grades for entry.
- Assessment: Two components: (1) Coursework — 80 marks (20%): Part A investigation summary (10%) and Part B personal reflection (10%) on one prescribed title from two Unit Three sections designated each year; (2) terminal written examination — 320 marks (80%). Higher Level written paper 2 hours 30 minutes; Ordinary Level 2 hours. Written paper typically: Unit One (Section A, 80 marks), Unit Two (two sections at 80 marks each), Unit Three (one section, 80 marks). Question styles include short answers, paragraph responses and discursive essays. Higher Level expects greater range of sources, depth, multi-perspective analysis and critical personal reflection.
- Time limit: Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes (Higher Level) or 2 hours (Ordinary Level). Coursework completed and pre-submitted before the written examination (digital booklet submission from 2025 onward).
- Exam / certification fees: There is no separate fee for Religious Education alone; a single Leaving Certificate entry fee covers all subjects, with an exemption for medical-card holders. Confirm the current amount with your school and the State Examinations Commission. Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
LC Religious Education: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Leaving Certificate Religious Education examined?
There are two components: coursework worth 80 marks (20%) and a terminal written examination worth 320 marks (80%). Higher Level written paper lasts 2 hours 30 minutes; Ordinary Level lasts 2 hours. Marks for both components are combined for a final grade out of 400.
What does the RE coursework involve?
Each year the SEC designates two Unit Three sections and publishes prescribed titles. You submit coursework on one title only. The digital booklet has Part A (summary of your investigation) and Part B (personal reflection on learning, skills and experience). Higher Level expects a wider source range, deeper multi-perspective understanding and stronger critical personal reflection.
Which sections must I study?
Section A (The search for meaning and values) is compulsory. You also study any two of Sections B, C and D, plus one Unit Three section from E–J excluding the two sections designated for coursework that year. Those two designated sections do not appear on the written paper for that sitting.
Is Leaving Cert Religious Education multiple choice?
No. The official SEC assessment uses coursework plus written short, paragraph and essay-style answers. This free bank uses single-best-answer multiple-choice questions on the same skills and content to check recall and understanding while you revise.
What is the difference between Higher and Ordinary Level?
Both levels share the same overall syllabus structure and coursework section designations. Higher Level has a longer written paper (2 hours 30 minutes vs 2 hours) and expects greater depth, range of sources, multi-perspective analysis and critical personal reflection in both coursework and written answers.
Are these official SEC questions?
No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions written to match the Leaving Certificate Religious Education syllabus structure and skills. Official past papers, marking schemes and prescribed coursework titles are available from the State Examinations Commission.