Subjects · Leaving Cert Religious Education
Leaving Cert Religious Education: Revelation & the transcendent
How often Revelation & the transcendent comes up on the Religious Education papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.
HL Asked on 3 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2023.
OL Asked on 2 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025.
Quick ones on Revelation & the transcendent.
- The Book of Revelation
- The person of Jesus Christ
- The Law given to Moses
- A new scientific discovery
- A reasoned proof that God exists
- God's self-disclosure to humanity
- The Qur'an revealed to Muhammad through Jibril
- Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection
- Aquinas's Five Ways, reasoning from the world
Show the answers
(a) The person of Jesus Christ
(b) God's self-disclosure to humanity
(c) The Qur'an revealed to Muhammad through Jibril
Higher Level
Asked on 3 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2023.
Every paper, year by year
| Year | Where it came up |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Not asked |
| 2024 | Not asked |
| 2023 | A2 |
| 2022 | A2 |
| 2021 | Not asked |
| 2019 | Not asked |
| 2018 | Not asked |
| 2017 | A1 |
| 2016 | Not asked |
Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.
More Revelation & the transcendent questions
Revelation & the transcendent, 3 marks
In Hinduism, the Vedas are called shruti. What does shruti mean?
- That which is remembered
- That which is forbidden
- That which is heard (revealed)
Show the answer
That which is heard (revealed)
Hindus believe the Vedas were heard by ancient sages as eternal truth, so they carry the highest authority. Later texts such as the Ramayana are smriti: that which is remembered.
Revelation & the transcendent, 3 marks
Islam forbids images of God because…
- God is thought to be a statue
- God is beyond any created form
- Art is forbidden in every setting
Show the answer
God is beyond any created form
Because God is utterly transcendent, no picture could capture God, and images risk idolatry. Mosques are decorated with calligraphy and geometric patterns instead.
Ordinary Level
Asked on 2 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025.
Every paper, year by year
| Year | Where it came up |
|---|---|
| 2025 | A3 |
| 2024 | Not asked |
| 2023 | Not asked |
| 2022 | Not asked |
| 2021 | Not asked |
| 2019 | A3 |
| 2018 | Not asked |
| 2017 | Not asked |
| 2016 | Not asked |
Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.
More Revelation & the transcendent questions
Revelation & the transcendent, 2 marks
In religion, revelation means...
- Proving God's existence by logic
- A vote taken by religious leaders
- God's self-disclosure to people
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God's self-disclosure to people
Believers hold that God makes himself known through scripture, prophets, events or a person. Revelation differs from proofs, which try to reason towards God.
Revelation & the transcendent, 2 marks
Muslims believe the Qur'an was revealed to Muhammad through...
- The teachings of the Buddha
- The angel Jibril (Gabriel)
- A dream of Moses
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The angel Jibril (Gabriel)
Muslims believe the revelation began in 610 CE in the cave of Hira near Mecca and went on for about 23 years. The Qur'an is seen as the direct word of God.
Revelation & the transcendent, 2 marks
In Judaism, a key moment of revelation is when Moses...
- Receives the Torah on Mount Sinai
- Builds the Temple in Jerusalem
- Is born in Bethlehem
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Receives the Torah on Mount Sinai
At Sinai God gives the Ten Commandments and makes a covenant with Israel (Exodus 19-20). Christians believe God's revelation is fullest in the person of Jesus.