KCSE CRE Paper 1 (313/1) Questions and Answers

Updated 1 November 2026. These KCSE CRE Paper 1 questions and answers are original essay questions in the 313/1 format, each answered with the separate points an examiner counts, plus the Bible references that support them. CRE Paper 1 for 2026 is on Tuesday 10 November, 8.00 to 10.30 am, on the KNEC 2026 KCSE Examination Timetable. These are revision questions checked by a teacher, not KNEC papers, and not a KNEC marking scheme.

How CRE Paper 1 (313/1) Works

Christian Religious Education Paper 1 lasts 2 hours 30 minutes and carries 100 marks. You get six questions and answer any five; each is worth 20 marks and is usually split into (a), (b) and (c) parts. Paper 1 covers the Bible, selected Old Testament themes (creation and the fall, Abraham, Moses and the Sinai covenant, leadership in Israel, Elijah, the prophets Amos and Jeremiah, and Nehemiah) and African religious heritage. The Gospel of Luke, the Holy Spirit and the early church, and contemporary Christian living belong to Paper 2 (313/2), which is the next morning.

CRE is one of the subjects where girls lead: female candidates recorded the better mean score in CRE in the 2025 KCSE, according to the Education Cabinet Secretary’s results statement as reported in the Citizen Digital 2025 KCSE performance report. In 2024 CRE was among ten subjects whose performance dropped, as reported by People Daily, so marks are there to be won by anyone who writes clear points.

What Each Part of a CRE Question Asks For

KCSE CRE Paper 1 Questions and Answers (Original Practice)

Question 1

(a) Describe the call of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-9). (7 marks) (b) Identify seven ways in which Abraham showed his faith in God. (7 marks) (c) State six ways in which Christians demonstrate their faith in God today. (6 marks)

Worked answer (a): God spoke to Abram in Haran; he told him to leave his country, his people and his father’s house; God promised to make him a great nation; he promised to bless him and make his name great; those who blessed him would be blessed and those who cursed him cursed; all families of the earth would be blessed through him; Abram left with Sarai, Lot and their possessions at 75 years; he reached Canaan and God promised the land to his descendants; he built altars at Shechem and between Bethel and Ai. Seven points in order.

Worked answer (b): He left his home at God’s command; he accepted the promise of a son in old age; he was willing to sacrifice Isaac; he built altars and worshipped God; he accepted circumcision as a sign of the covenant; he trusted God’s promise of land he did not yet own; he paid a tithe to Melchizedek; he interceded for Sodom. Any seven.

Worked answer (c): Praying; attending church services; giving offerings and tithes; obeying God’s commandments; preaching the gospel; helping the needy; accepting difficult situations in hope. Any six.

Question 2

(a) Outline the teachings of Prophet Amos on true religion. (8 marks) (b) Explain six ways in which the Israelites broke the covenant during the time of Amos. (6 marks) (c) Give six ways in which the church in Kenya fights social injustice. (6 marks)

Worked answer (a): God rejects worship without righteousness; feasts and sacrifices are meaningless when the poor are oppressed; justice should roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24); the Israelites should seek God and live; they should hate evil and love good; God punishes sin regardless of their status as chosen people; religious leaders should not silence prophets; worship should be sincere and from the heart. Eight points.

Worked answer (b): They worshipped idols; the rich oppressed the poor; judges took bribes; they sold the needy for a pair of sandals; they cheated in trade with false scales; they were sexually immoral; they were proud and lived in luxury. Each point explained briefly.

Worked answer (c): Speaking out against corruption; providing legal aid to the poor; civic education; running schools and hospitals; offering rescue centres for abused children; praying for leaders; supporting peace-building initiatives. Any six.

Question 3

(a) Outline seven ways in which God was understood in traditional African communities. (7 marks) (b) Give seven reasons why rites of passage were important in traditional African communities. (7 marks) (c) State six ways in which traditional African practices have changed in Kenya today. (6 marks)

Worked answer (a): God was the creator of everything (Ngai among the Agikuyu, Were among the Abaluhya, Asis among the Kalenjin); he was all-powerful; he was present everywhere; he knew everything; he was eternal, without beginning or end; he provided rain, children and good harvests; he was a judge who punished wrongdoing; he was holy and beyond full human understanding, so he was approached through elders, priests, diviners and the ancestors. Any seven.

Worked answer (b): They marked a change of status from one stage of life to the next; they prepared the young for adult duties; they passed on the values and secrets of the community; they gave the individual a sense of identity and belonging; they linked the living with the ancestors and with God; they brought the community together in celebration; they taught endurance and discipline, especially at initiation; they were occasions to thank God and ask for blessing. Any seven.

Worked answer (c): Formal schooling has taken over much traditional teaching; female circumcision has been outlawed under the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act, 2011; many people choose their own marriage partners; dowry is often paid in money; many couples marry in church or under civil law; many children receive Christian or foreign names; urbanisation has weakened extended family ties; many people use hospitals instead of traditional healers. Any six.

Where CRE Paper 1 Marks Go Missing

• Writing the story as one paragraph so the examiner cannot see separate points.
• Mixing up similar texts, such as the call of Moses and the call of Jeremiah.
• Giving Bible facts when the question asks for lessons for Christians today.
• Spending 45 minutes on a favourite question and rushing the fifth.

Time Plan: 30 Minutes per Question

Five questions in 150 minutes leaves exactly 30 minutes each. Choose your five in the first five minutes, then keep to about 25 minutes of writing per question so you have ten minutes at the end to number answers and fill gaps.

Keep Revising CRE

Topic notes are in the KCSE CRE Paper 1 revision guide; drill recall in the timed CRE Paper 1 challenge and the KCSE CRE quiz. For questions in the latest exam format see KCSE 2025 CRE Paper 1 questions and answers, and the other paper sits under KCSE CRE practice papers. The KCSE hub and KCSE quiz list cover every subject.

Frequently Asked Questions

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