Hardest A Level RS Topics & How To Tackle Them

Many students choose A Level Religious Studies because they enjoy debating life’s biggest questions about belief, morality, and the nature of reality. But once you get into abstract theories and long essays, the subject can feel much tougher than expected. If you’ve ever looked at a passage on meta-ethics or religious language and thought, “I understand the words but not what they mean,” you’re not alone. 

The good news is that every complex topic can be broken down and mastered with the right strategies. This guide highlights the hardest A Level RS topics, explains why they cause difficulty, and gives you practical, classroom-tested ways to tackle them with confidence.

Key Takeaways

• The hardest A Level RS topics include meta-ethics, religious language, Plato vs Aristotle, and free will and determinism, plus the synoptic skill of linking ideas across philosophy, ethics, and theology.

• These topics feel difficult because they combine abstract reasoning, dense scholarship, and essay-based evaluation.

• Visual revision tools, scholar comparison tables, and short, timed essay plans make abstract ideas easier to understand and remember.

• Focusing early on your weakest or most abstract areas builds confidence and helps you write clear, balanced arguments in the final exams.

Why A Level RS Is So Challenging

A Level Religious Studies takes everything you learned at GCSE and pushes it several steps further. Instead of just knowing what philosophers and theologians said, you are expected to explain why they said it, how their ideas connect, and whether those ideas still stand up to criticism today.

Many students find the course difficult because it combines three demanding disciplines: philosophy, ethics, and theology. Each has its own vocabulary, methods, and abstract theories. You’ll move quickly between Aristotle’s metaphysics, Kant’s ethics, and Aquinas’ theology, which takes practice and organisation.

It’s also heavily essay-based, so success depends on how well you structure and evaluate arguments. Examiner reports often note that students lose marks by describing theories without analysing them, or by not linking ideas clearly to the question.

If you want to understand the challenges in more detail and find out how to navigate them, read our guide, Is A Level Religious Studies Hard?

These hurdles do not mean you are not capable. Once you learn to unpack complex ideas step by step, use examples to illustrate them, and evaluate opposing viewpoints, even the hardest RS topics become manageable.

Commonly Struggled-With Topics in A Level Religious Studies

In my experience of teaching the course, some A Level RS topics consistently stand out as the hardest. They’re generally the ones that involve abstract reasoning, multiple scholars, or a mix of philosophical and theological thinking. 

Meta-Ethics

Why it feels hard: 

Meta-ethics explores what moral language actually means. Instead of asking “What should we do?”, it asks “What do words like right or wrong even mean?” This shift from decision-making to definition is what makes the topic feel so abstract.

Students often struggle because meta-ethics works on a different level from normal ethics. Theories such as emotivism, intuitionism, and prescriptivism use complex language to describe familiar ideas.

For example:

• Emotivism (A.J. Ayer) sees moral statements as expressions of emotion, not facts.

• Intuitionism (G.E. Moore) suggests we recognise good and bad through moral intuition.

• Prescriptivism (R.M. Hare) views moral claims as universal commands.

How to tackle it:

To simplify, make a table with three columns: 

• What the theory says

• What it means in practice

• One key criticism. 

Link each theory to a real example, such as how emotivism might explain disagreement about capital punishment.

Teacher tip: 

Use colour coding when revising. Put cognitivist theories (e.g. naturalism) in one colour and non-cognitivist views (e.g. emotivism) in another to make patterns memorable.

Religious Language

Why it feels hard: 

Religious language is one of the most abstract topics in A Level RS because it questions whether statements about God actually mean anything at all. Students often find it confusing because it mixes philosophy of language with theology. Theories such as logical positivism, the verification principle, and analogical language can feel technical and disconnected from belief. 

Most teachers teach this topic towards the end of the course, once students are more confident in analysing abstract ideas. So if you’re finding it difficult at first, that’s normal. 

How to tackle it:

Separate each religious language theory’s main claim from its criticism. For example, A.J. Ayer’s verification principle argues that statements are only meaningful if they can be tested through experience. John Hick responded with eschatological verification, suggesting that religious statements could be verified after death.

Make a simple two-column table: one for the claim, one for its counter-argument. Include key scholars like Ayer, Hick, and Aquinas, and summarise their ideas in your own words. Add arrows showing which theories respond to which. This approach helps you see the dialogue between thinkers.

Teacher tip: 

Try explaining each theory and counter-argument aloud, as if you’re teaching a friend. If you can do that clearly, you’re ready to write confidently in the exam.

Plato vs Aristotle (Ancient Philosophical Influences)

Why it feels hard:

Plato and Aristotle form the foundation of A Level Philosophy. They’re usually the first philosophers you study at A Level, so their abstract ideas can make this topic feel like a challenging initiation. 

Plato’s Theory of Forms argues that the world we experience is only an imperfect copy of a higher, perfect reality. Aristotle disagreed, teaching that knowledge comes from experience and that everything can be understood through its Four Causes – what it’s made of, how it’s made, its structure, and its purpose (telos).

Because their approaches to reality are so different, it’s easy to get lost when you first start comparing them. Many students only gain a deeper understanding and see how their ideas connect once they’ve revisited them later in the course, especially in topics like Natural Law or the soul.

How to tackle it:

Build a comparison chart with columns for:

• What they believe

• How they explain it

• One key criticism. 

For instance, Plato’s Form of the Good can be contrasted with Aristotle’s Prime Mover: both are ultimate realities, but Plato’s is beyond the world while Aristotle’s is part of it. Use colour-coding for reason vs experience to make differences clear.

Teacher tip: 

Picture Plato’s Forms as a design template and Aristotle’s approach as the real product built from that plan. Concrete examples like this make abstract ideas easier to understand and remember.

Free Will and Determinism

Why it feels hard: 

Free will and determinism is one of the most conceptually demanding topics in A Level Religious Studies. It asks whether human beings genuinely make free choices or whether our actions are determined by forces beyond our control. The challenge comes from keeping the different types of determinism distinct while also understanding how they overlap.

• Philosophical determinism links human actions to cause and effect. Every event is shaped by something that came before.

• Theological determinism suggests that God’s omniscience or predestination limits human freedom.

• Scientific determinism argues that genetics, environment, or brain activity influence what we choose.

Because all three deal with cause and consequence, students often confuse key thinkers such as Augustine, Calvin, and Locke, or mix up religious and scientific explanations.

How to tackle it:

Create a simple table with three columns: 

• Type of determinism

• Key thinkers

• Whether free will is possible. 

Populate it with summaries of all the key scholars so you can see at a glance how each explains human choice and causation.

Teacher tip: 

Link the theory to your own experience. Think of a time you made a difficult decision and ask how each thinker would explain it. Applying abstract theories to real-life examples cements understanding.

Synoptic Links and Evaluation

Why it feels hard: 

By A Level, Religious Studies isn’t just about understanding individual theories. You’re expected to connect ideas across philosophy, ethics, and theology. These are called synoptic links, and they can feel overwhelming at first. 

Many students know each topic separately but struggle to explain how they relate. For example, you’ll be linking Aristotle’s teleology to Aquinas’ Natural Law, or comparing Kantian ethics with Christian moral reasoning.

How to tackle it:

Revise topics by theme. Create brief notes showing how one thinker’s ideas influence or challenge another’s, such as Augustine on freedom and the problem of evil, or utilitarian outcomes versus Natural Law’s purpose.

Once you start spotting these links, you’ll be able to show higher-level understanding and write stronger, more integrated essays. You’ll be well on your way to getting an A* in A Level RS.

Teacher tip: Use one colour for ethics, one for philosophy, and one for theology when mapping ideas. Seeing where the subjects overlap helps you spot synoptic links naturally.

How To Tackle the Hardest RS Topics

• Use visual aids such as diagrams or flowcharts for abstract theories. Map Ayer’s verification steps or sketch how Plato’s Forms relate to Aristotle’s world.

• Master key scholars. Create flashcards with each thinker’s main idea, short quote, and one criticism. Group by theme.

• Practise planning, not only writing. Short, five-minute plans build structure under time pressure. Aim for a clear thesis, two or three arguments, and a balanced conclusion.

• Break topics by question type. Prepare for the different question styles your exam board uses. For example, ‘Explain’ questions demand accuracy and clarity, and ‘Evaluate’ questions involve argument, comparison, and reasoned judgement. Use SME past papers to see how the same content appears in different ways.

Revision Tips for Long-Term Success in RS

A Level Religious Studies rewards consistency more than last-minute cramming. Because the subject involves so many interlinked ideas, steady practice helps your understanding deepen over time.

Space Out Your Revision

Review one topic at a time, then return to it a few days later. Spaced repetition boosts your memory and helps you build connections between scholars and theories.

Use Active Recall

Test yourself rather than rereading notes. Write down everything you can remember about a theory, then check what you missed. Active recall builds your subject knowledge, making you far better prepared to tackle essay questions.

Discuss and Debate

As you’ll know from your A Level RS lessons, talking through arguments with classmates or teachers can clarify ideas faster than silent study. Hearing other viewpoints trains you to evaluate and respond effectively. So keep this practice up in your revision sessions.

Mix Hard and Familiar Topics

Balancing difficult areas like meta-ethics with topics you enjoy keeps motivation high and prevents burnout.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Hardest Topic in A Level RS?

Many students say meta-ethics and religious language are the hardest topics because both involve abstract thinking and unfamiliar terminology. 

Once you understand the core question each theory tries to answer: what moral language means, or whether statements about God are meaningful, they become far more manageable.

How Can I Improve My RS Essay Writing?

Plan before you write. Build a clear argument, support each point with scholarship, and end with a comparative, evaluative conclusion. Regular five-minute plans build fluency fast.

How Do I Remember So Many Scholars and Theories?

Use thematic grouping. For example, put Aquinas, Aristotle, and Kant together under “reason and morality.” 

Use colour-coding and flashcards to spot patterns between thinkers.

Is A Level RS Harder Than Other Humanities?

It can feel that way because RS combines philosophy, ethics, and theology, each requiring different skills. 

However, students who enjoy analysis, argument, and big ideas often find it very rewarding, once they adjust to its depth.

Final Thoughts

A Level Religious Studies is challenging, but that’s what makes it so valuable. It teaches you to think critically, argue clearly, and understand complex ideas, all skills that go far beyond the exam hall. Focus on understanding the hardest topics now, and you’ll not only boost your confidence but also set yourself up for success at university and beyond.

If you want support with those challenging areas in any of your subjects, explore Save My Exams’ A Level resources for focused revision help and essay advice.

References:

• AQA A Level Religious Studies  (opens in a new tab)

• Edexcel A Level Religious Studies (opens in a new tab)

• OCR A Level Religious Studies (opens in a new tab)