Changing attitudes to marriage, divorce, family life, homosexuality, and contraception

Question 1

How have attitudes to marriage changed?

Answer 1

a. Most have sex before marriage. Socially acceptable for people to live together unmarried.
b. Age to get married has increased and not many get married in church.
c. Increase in reconstituted families. Civil partnerships introduced (2004)
d. Divorce now accepted as part of normal life

Question 2

Reasons for the changes: Cohabitation and Marriage

Answer 2

• Contraception made sex safer from pregnancy

* Christianity lost its influence

Question 3

Reasons for the changes: Divorce

Answer 3

• Law made it easier and cheaper to get divorced (1969)

* More equal rights. Women can now afford to support themselves

Question 4

Reasons for the changes: Family Life

Answer 4

• More divorce means more remarriage

* Social acceptance of unmarried mothers = more single parent families

Question 5

Reasons for the changes: Homosexuality

Answer 5

• Changes in the law make it easier to be openly homosexual

* Scientists have shown that homosexuality is probably genetic = not a choice

Question 6

What do the Churches say about pre-marital sex, adultery and cohabitation?

Answer 6

• Adultery is banned in the 10 Commandments
• For Christians, sex (procreation) is an act of love and commitment and should take place within marriage.
• Many Christians believe that restricting sex within marriage is in the best interests of society, children and the individual.
• The Roman Catholic church forbids pre-marital sex and sees it as a grave sin. So for a Roman Catholic couple considering marriage, cohabitation is not an option. Bible forbids pre-marital sex.
• Some Christian groups e.g. Protestants, recognise that times have changed and are prepared to accept Cohabitation if the couple intend to marry.

Question 7

Christian beliefs: Divorce

Answer 7

• Christians recognise that not all marriages work and that some people will want to end their marriages. (Jesus allows divorce so he recognises some situations are severe enough for divorce)
• Some orthodox Christians and liberal Protestants will permit divorce if they think it is the most loving thing to do. (Choose the lesser of two evils, better to divorce than live in hatred)

Question 8

Roman Catholic Church and Divorce

Answer 8

• Does not accept divorce. (Jesus said it was wrong in Mark’s Gospel)
• If a marriage has broken down, the couple can live apart but they must remain celibate and not have a sexual relationship with anyone else. That would be adultery (banned in 10 Cs)
• In few cases they are permitted to have an annulment.

Question 9

Christian teachings on Family Life

Answer 9

• Family was created by God as the best environment in which a couple can live and raise children.
• The Old Testament refers to the importance of family.
• The Gospels show Jesus was a member of a family, cared for by his mother and father.
• Having Children is one of the purposes of Christian marriage.
• Salvation army believes family life based on marriage is ‘the bedrock of a stable society’

Question 10

Catholic attitudes towards homosexuality

Answer 10

Only homosexual RELATIONSHIPS are a sin. Homosexuals should be celibate. Condemns homophobia.
•The Bible forbids same sex relationships. (Leviticus 18:22)
•Everyone is a child of God.

Question 11

Evangelical Protestant attitudes towards homosexuality

Answer 11

Homosexuality is a SIN. Hold prayer meetings to cure homosexuals.
•Romans 1:26-8 says that those who do unnatural things with someone of the same sex will be punished.
•Believe that Christ can remove all sins including homosexuality

Question 12

Liberal Protestant attitudes towards homosexuality

Answer 12

Lifelong homosexual relationships are acceptable and welcomed. Priests can be homosexual but must be celibate.
•Jesus’ teachings focused on love, so should be accepted
•Bible needs to be reinterpreted for today’s society

Question 13

Natural methods

Answer 13

Couple need to be in a long term relationship. Do not prevent STIs
•Natural Family Planning (NFP) monitors woman’s fertility cycle so she knows when she is most fertile and so does not have sex on those days.

Question 14

Artificial methods

Answer 14

Many types. Do not need to be in a long term relationship. Some prevent STIs from spreading.
•Barrier methods e.g. condoms. Stop sperm meeting the egg.
•Hormonal e.g. the Pill. Stops women from producing an egg.
•Others e.g. coil or morning after pill prevent fertilised egg attaching to the womb

Question 15

Catholic Attitudes towards contraception

Answer 15

Do not accept the use of artificial contraception because it would prevent the act of sexual love being open to new life. Allow NFP.
•Casti Connubii (1930) banned Catholics from using artificial contraception
•1951 – Pope Pius XII says Catholics can use natural contraception

Question 16

Non-Catholic Christians Attitudes towards contraception

Answer 16

Allow all contraceptives as long as they are to limit the family size.
•Christian’s who accept the use of contraception in marriage argue that there is nothing written in the Bible forbidding it.
•The Church of England accepts the use of all forms of contraception by a married couple as it allows the couple the chance to enjoy sexual love but choose the best timing, and size, of their family.