KCSE 2017 CRE PAPER 1

The cre kcse questions and answers are extracted from KCSE paper 1 that was done in 2017.

Christian Religious Education Paper 1

1.(a) State six similarities found in both Biblical and traditional African views on creation.(6 marks)

• In both, God’s Work of creation is still ongoing.
• In both creation is the Work of a supreme being/God. In both God continues to sustain/provide for His creation.
• In both God is the source of life.
• In both creation was done in an orderly manner.
• In both human beings are at the centre/climax of God’s creation.
• In both human beings are in charge of the creation/have authority over creation.
• In both human beings are to obey/worship the creator.
• In both, God created male and female

b) Outline the responsibilities given to human beings by God from the Biblical creation stories in Genesis l and 2. (8 marks)

• Human beings are to till/cultivate the land.
• Human beings have been given dominion/be in charge of God’s creation/subdue//control the earth/creation.
• Human beings are to guard/protect/conserve/care for the land/keep it.
• Human beings are to obey God’s command/instructions.
• Human beings are to many for companionship/procreation.
• hey are to name God’s creation.
• Human beings should help one another/companionship.
• Human beings are to procreate/fill the earth/multiply.

(c) Identify eight ways in which people in traditional African communities take care of God‘s creation. (6 marks)

• By providing basic needs for themselves/their families.
• They build shelters for domestic animals.
• They welcome/show hospitality to strangers/visitors.
• They share their resources with the needy.
• By planting/conserving vegetation/protecting vegetation.
• They have herbal medicine to treat various ailments for both animals and human beings.
• By preserving habitats for Wild animals.
• By observing personal hygiene.
• By protecting water catchment areas.
• By practicing good farming methods that protect/enhance soil fertility/control soil erosion.

2.(a) Describe how the Israelites broke the covenant they had made with God at Mount Sinai (Exodus 32: l-30) (7 marks)

• Moses had gone up the mountain to seek God’s guidance/instructions.
• Aaron had been left in charge of the people.
• Moses delayed in returning/the people became impatient.
• Israelites asked Aaron to make them a god that would lead them.
• Aaron yielded to the demands of the Israelites/made them a golden calf to worship.
• Aaron built an altar at the foot of the mountain/put the calf.
• The people worshiped the calf/made sacrifices to it.
• God was angeredl set to destroy the Israelites.
• Moses interceded on behalf of the people.
• When Moses came down from the mountain he was angry with the people/broke the stone tablet on which the Ten Commandments were written.
• Israelite’s were given a chance to choose between following Yahweh or golden calf.
• Those who followed the golden calf were destroyed/killed.

(b) Identify seven ways in which God demonstrated His love for the Israelites during the Exodus. (7 marks)

• God made a passage/way in the Red sea for the Israelites to cross.
• He provided them with food/manna/quails/bread.
• He provided them with Water/purified the bitter water for them.
• God gave them the Ten Commandments to guide them.
• God defeated their enemies/Amalekites.
• He provided them with a cloud to lead them during the day/pillar of fire at night.
• He provided them with leaders.
• God drowned the Egyptian chariots in the Red Sea.
• • He entered into a covenant relationship with them. He forgave them when they broke the covenant/renewed the covenant with God.

(c) Give six lessons Christians learn from the incident in which the Israelites broke the covenant at Mount Sinai. (6 marks)

• Christians acknowledge that God is more powerful than other gods/ idols.
• Christians should be patient.
• Christians should be merciful/show mercy to others Leaders should take their roles seriously/should be responsible.
• Christians learn that disobedience can result into suffering punishment.
• They leam that they should worship God alone Christians should condemn evil..
• They should exercise self—control.
• Christians should repent/ask for forgiveness/forgive others.
• Christian leaders should intercede for the people.

3.(a)State six reasons Why Samuel was against kingship in Israel. (6 marks)

• The demand for a King was seen as a rejection of Yahweh as their unseen king.
• The King would force their sons to serve him as soldiers.
• The Israelites would be like other nations which did not know God/ lose their identity as covenant people.
• God would reject them as His people/would not hear their pleas when they call.
• The King would overtax them.
• The King would grab their land/other properties.
• The King would make them slaves.
• The King would introduce forced labour.
• The King would take their daughters as perfumers/cooks/bakers.

(b) Explain the significance of David as an ancestor of Jesus to Christians today. (8 marks)

• The promises that God made to King David pointed to the mission of Jesus in the world to save sinners.
• Through Jesus a descendant of David, Christians are blessed/ protected/have peace.
• Through David, Jesus came to establish a spiritual kingdom/the church. David recognized the divinity of Jesus as Lord/Saviour who Christians also recognize as Lord/saviour.
• David as an ancestor of Jesus established proper worship of God in Israel which has been emulated by Christians.
• David the ancestor of Jesus made preparations to build a temple for God which has been realized in the modern day places of worship built by Christians.
• Through David Christians have been promised a place to settle in heaven

(c) State six lessons Christians learn from the failures of King Saul. (6 marks)

• Christians leam that they should be patient/wait upon God.
• Christians should avoid evil deeds/thoughts in their lives.
• They should have faith in God alone.
• Christians should have faith in God/ tmst in the saving power of God alone.
• They should respect people anointed to do the will of God/church leaders.
• Christians should not be greedy/selfish.
• They should be responsible/true to their duties.
• Christians should repent/ask for forgiveness.
• Christians should be honest in their dealings.

4.(a) Explain four teachings of prophet Amos on social justice and responsibility in Israel. (8 marks)

• Oppression of the poor — The people of Israel sold the poor for silver/a pair of shoes/practiced slavery /misuse of garments taken in pledge.
• Corruption/bribery — legal injustices were taking place in court of law/ they took bribes/imposed heavy fines on the innocent.
• Greed/excessive luxury — Prophet Amos condemned the rich for being selfish/greedy/living in luxury at the expense of the poor.
• Self-indulgence/false sense of security — Amos condemned those leaders who could sit at their homes and expected the common people to go to them for help/advice.
• Cheating in business — they tampered with the standard Weighing scales so that the customer could get less than what they had paid for.
• Overcharged on goods that were sold/sold goods of low quality to the poor/mixed grain with chaff.
• Robbery and violence — There was violence in the city/ great unrest/disintegration of the rule of lawl taking away their grain.
• Idolatry — The Israelites worshipped other gods/broke the commandments of God.
• Sexual immorality/temple prostitution-The Israelites had agreed to pagan practice of prostitution in the place of worship/wide spread sexual immorality in the land.
• Drunkenness — There was drunkenness in Israell the Nazazites were forced to drink excessive Wine.

(b)Outline seven reasons why prophet Amos condemned idolatry in Israel. (7 marks)

• Idolatry was against the commandments of God.
• It showed lack of knowledge of the true God of Israel.
• It was an act of rebellion.
• Idols were powerless/could not save them.
• The worship of idols was an indication of the Israelites having abandoned the true/first love.
• Idolatry was like pursuing vanity/waste of time/useless.
• Idols were made by human beings.
• Worshipping of idols made the Israelites lose their identity as the chosen people of God.

(c) Give five obstacles the church is facing in trying to curb injustice in Kenya today. (5 marks)

• There is rampant corruption/bribery in the society.
• Lenient punishment is given to those who break the laws.
• Breakdown of traditional customs/norms/permissiveness/moral decadence in the society.
• Existence of various forms of discrimination/tribalism/gender in the society.
• There is poverty/unemployment among the people.
• Lack of role models/some leaders are involved in practicing injustices.
• There are organized crime gangs/cartels in the society

5.(a) Describe the personal life of Prophet Jeremiah. (8 marks)

• The personal life of Prophet Jeremiah.
• Jeremiah was born in Anathoth near Jerusalem.
• He was the son of Hilkah the priest.
• While he was still a young man, he received God’s call.
• Jeremialfs call was in form of a dialogue with God.
• He had deep knowledge of history/law of Moses/teachings of earlier prophets.
• He led a lonely life/he did not marry/raise a family/did not attend social gatherings.
• He was rejected by people because of his prophetic mission.
• He suffered spiritually/emotionally but persevered.
• He was imprisoned for his message.
• Jeremiah fled to Egypt for refuge/is believed to have died there.

(b)Explain the circumstances that led the Israelites to be taken to exile in Babylon during the time of Prophet Jeremiah. (7 marks)

• The Israelites had forsaken the covenant way of life.
• They had forsaken the religion of their forefathers/worshipped idols.
• Israelites had persecuted/rejected the prophets of Yahweh.
• They ignored the message of the true prophets.
• Their rulers were weak/did nothing to return the Israelites to the covenant way of life.
• Nebuchadnezzar had defeated the Egyptians/made it easy for his army to match north.
• Their King surrendered leading to their deportation to Babylon as exiles.
• There were intermarriages with foreigners.
• There were false prophets/priests who spoke lies/failed to speak the truth.
• The Israelites did not repent their sins as warned by Prophet Jeremiah.

(c) State the relevance of prophet Jeremiah’s suffering to Christians today. (5 marks)

• Christians should remain faithful to the call of God irrespective of challenges that they are facing.
• They must be ready/Willing to proclaim the word of God always/at any time.
• They should depend on God/be prayerful/draw their strength from God.
• Christians should expect opposition while serving God.
• Christians should forgive their offenders/not take vengeance.
• They should be aware of false prophets in their midst.
• They should endure/persevere during their suffering.

6.(a) Give seven reasons why pregnancy before marriage is rare in traditional African communities. (7 marks)

• Pregnancy before marriage is rare in traditional African communities because sex education is given to the youth to instil discip1ine/ responsibility.
• The youth are told the consequences of irresponsible sexual behavior.
• In traditional African communities free mixing of boys and girls is restricted.
• Girls and boys are taught to respect each other.
• During social occasions young people are supervised to prevent misbehavior.
• There is severe punishment if a girl becomes pregnant/a man impregnates a girl before marriage.
• There are taboos on sexual relationship.
• Early marriages are encouraged after initiation.
• Virginity is highly valued/rewarded at marriage.
• The parents are held responsible for their children’s misconduct.

(b)State the importance of bride wealth in traditional Afiican communities. (5 marks)

• The importance of bride wealth in traditional African communities.
• In traditional African communities, bride wealth is given as a sign of commitment by the groom.
• It is a way of thanking/appreciating the bride’s family for taking good care of the girl.
• It is a way of thanking/appreciating the bride’s family for taking good care of the girl.
• It is a way of thanking/appreciating the bride’s family for taking good care of the girl.
• Bride wealth acts as an outward seal of the marriage contract/cements the marriage.
• It is a form of compensation to the bride’s parents/family for the loss of the girl’s services.
• Giving bride wealth is the evidence of the groom’s ability to take care of a wife/family.
• Bride wealth initiates a long-lasting friendship between the two families.

(c) Explain the socio-cultural changes that have taken place in traditional African communities in Kenya today. (8 marks)

• The mode of dressing has changed.
• There is introduction of new forms of worship/Christianity/lslam other World religions.
• Ancestors are no longer considered part of the family/not involved in the activities of the community.
• There is individual ownership of the land rather than communal ownership.
• Some rites of passage are no longer carried out/have been dropped
• removal of teeth/female circumcision/tattooing/ear looping.
• People have migrated to urban centres/free inter-mingling of peoplel weakened family/clan ties.
• People can plan for the number of children to have/introduction of modem contraceptives.
• Homes for the aged have emerged/the old have been left on their own.
• New diet has been introduced/modern food.
• New form of govemment has emerged replacing the roles of elders/ specialists.
• Modem forms of technology/infrastructure have transformed life.
• Introduction ‘of formal education.