Prepare for the WAEC Christian Religious Studies exam with the best books and study guide. Check the syllabus, top textbooks, and revision tips to help you pass.
WAEC Christian Religious Studies Syllabus
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has shared the syllabus for the Christian Religious Studies (CRS) exam.
All students who registered for the exam should use this syllabus to prepare. It shows the important topics that will be in the exam so students can study the right subjects.
As the exam date is coming soon, students should plan their study time well. Below is the full WAEC syllabus for Christian Religious Studies.
It also includes suggested books and study tips to help students do well in the exam.
WAEC Christian Religious Studies Syllabus
The exam has two papers, and both will be written on the same day.
- Paper 1: This part has 50 multiple-choice questions. Students will have 1 hour to finish it. The total marks for this section are 40.
- Paper 2: This part has nine essay questions. Students must answer four questions within 2 hours. The total marks for this section are 60.
The essay questions are grouped into three sections:
- Section A: Topics from the Old Testament – Four questions
- Section B: The Synoptic Gospels and Acts of the Apostles – Three questions
- Section C: Selected Epistles – Two questions
Topics in the Syllabus
Section A: Topics from the Old Testament
- God’s Power (Genesis 1; 2)
- God as Creator
- God controls everything
- Leadership in the Bible (Genesis 37:1-28, Exodus 1-7, Joshua 1:1-9, Judges 4)
- Joseph
- Moses
- Joshua
- Deborah
- Parental Duties (1 Samuel 2:11-36, 3:1-18, 4:10-22, 8:1-5)
- Eli and Samuel
- Results of Saul’s Disobedience (1 Samuel 15:1-26, 16:14-23, 31:1-13)
- Obeying God’s Will (1 Samuel 26, 2 Samuel 12:15-25)
- David’s obedience to God
- David’s mistake, repentance, and forgiveness
- Decision-Making (1 Kings 9:15-23, 11:1-13, 12:1-20, 3:3-28)
- Solomon’s wisdom
- Solomon and Rehoboam’s wrong choices
- God’s Power Over Everything (1 Kings 16:29-34, 17:1-7, 18:1-46)
- Religious conflict during Ahab’s rule
- Elijah at Mount Carmel
- Greed and Its Results (1 Kings 21:1-29, 2 Kings 5)
- Ahab
- Gehazi
- Religious Changes (2 Kings 22; 23:1-30)
- King Josiah’s leadership
- Caring for the Nation (2 Kings 24; 25:1-17, Nehemiah 1; 2:9-20, Ezra 1; 4; 5:1-2)
- State of the country
- Actions taken to help the nation
- Faith in God (Daniel 3; 6)
- Faith and courage
- Faith and power
- God’s Nature (Amos 2:6-8, 4; 5:1-24, Hosea 1-3, 6)
- True worship and justice – Amos
- God’s love – Hosea
Section B: The Synoptic Gospels and Acts of the Apostles
- Jesus’ Baptism and Temptation (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, Matthew 4:1-11)
- Jesus’ Baptism
- Jesus’ Temptation
- The Calling of Disciples (Matthew 4:18-25, Mark 1:16-20, Luke 5:1-11)
- Forgiveness (Matthew 6:12, 14-15, 18:21-35)
- Jesus’ Trial (Matthew 26:36-56, Mark 14:32-52, Luke 22:54-62)
- Jesus in Gethsemane
- Peter’s denial of Jesus
- Jesus’ judgment
- Crucifixion, Burial, and Resurrection (Matthew 27:32-66, Mark 15:16-47, Luke 23:26-56)
- Jesus’ crucifixion and burial
- Jesus’ resurrection
- Fellowship in the Early Church (Acts 1:15-26, Acts 2:41-47, Acts 4:32-37, Acts 5:1-11)
- The Holy Spirit and the Gentiles (Acts 2, Acts 9, Acts 11:1-18)
- The Holy Spirit at Pentecost
- Preaching to the Gentiles
- Challenges in Preaching the Gospel (Acts 4:1-31, Acts 5:17-42, Acts 6:8-9, Acts 7:1-10)
Section C: The Epistles
- Teachings from the Book of James (James 1:2-27, James 2:1-13, James 5:13-18)
- Faith and works
- Treating people fairly
- Praying effectively
- Teachings from 1st Peter (1 Peter 2:13-17, 1 Peter 2:1-25, 1 Peter 5:1-11)
- Good citizenship
- Living as Christians among others
- Relationships among Christians
For more details, check the suggested books below.
Recommended Books for WAEC Christian Religious Studies
To prepare well for the WAEC Christian Religious Studies (CRS) exam, students should use the following books:
The Holy Bible
- Revised Standard Version
Books on the Old Testament
- New Clarendon Bible Series
- Bright, J. – History and Religion of Israel
- Anderson, B. W. – The Living World of the Old Testament
- Quarcoopome, T. N. O. (1986) – History and Religion of Israel
- Dickson, K. (1968) – History and Religion of Israel: From the Institution of the Monarchy to the Fall of the Northern Kingdom
Books on the New Testament
- Kee, H. C. & Young – The Living World of the New Testament
- Campbell, D. B. J. – The Synoptic Gospels
- New Bible Commentary – Cambridge
- Guy, H. A. – The Life of Christ
- The Acts of the Apostles
- Pobee, J. S. – Matthew and Mark for Schools
- Dickson, K. A. – The Gospel According to Luke
- Awolabi, J. (2011) – Simple Approach to Christian Religious Knowledge
How to Prepare for the Exam
- Use the syllabus – Follow the topics in the syllabus while studying.
- Study with the recommended books – These books cover everything needed for the exam.
- Practice past questions – Reviewing past exam papers helps to understand the question format.
Students preparing for the exam should use these books and follow the syllabus closely. Past questions can also help in revision.
