Dialogue between religious and non-religious beliefs and attitudes

Question 1

How do Christian traditions influence British society?

Answer 1

• School term holidays and public holidays arranged around Christmas and Easter
• British traditions are influenced: Valentines day (day of a saint); Pancake Day (shrove Tuesday)
• Shop opening hours on Sunday due to Church

Question 2

Statistics about Christianity and other faiths in the U.K?

Answer 2

• 59.4% of UK is Christian (down by 12% from 2001)

- Islam up by 10% and no. of people with no religion.

Question 3

What defines the duties of the Monarch?

Answer 3

• Head of state of the UK and 15 other Commonwealth countries.
• Defender of faith and supreme governor of the C of E.

Question 4

What are the roles of the monarch today?

Answer 4

• Approve appointment of senior clerics (archbishops etc.)
• Open new sessions of Synod (Church’s governing body who propose laws concerning the C of E called Measures.)
• Keeps vow made at coronation to maintain the Church.

Question 5

Role of religion in public life: Bishops in the house of lords

Answer 5

• Bishops make up the House of Lords
• They can question the governments spending and law making.
• They can approve laws as well.
• Bishops of C of E, therefore, play a major role in the UK’s governance.

Question 6

Role of religion in public life: Public holidays based on Christian celebrations

Answer 6

Christianity influences Christian public holidays (4/8 of them)

• Good Friday, remembering the death of Jesus
• Easter monday
• Christmas day
• Boxing day (Feast of St Stephen)

Question 7

Role of religion in public life: Christian services marking key events

Answer 7

rites of passage

• Baptism: celebrates new baby and welcomes to church
• Marriage: coming together of 2 people for family sake
• Funerals: Commemorating the dead
• Remembrance day for victims of the World Wars. Service includes Christian hymns.

Question 8

Role of religion in public life: Church schools

Answer 8

• 1/3 of state schools are faith schools.
• 98% are christian (68% C of E and 30% Catholic)
• 1/6 faith schools select pupils by religion.
• Religious organisations may appoint governors, teachers and leaders at the school who share their faith.

Question 9

Arguments against faith schools and public funding.

Answer 9

National Secular Society and British humanist Association

• Church schools should be self-funded
• Unfair that local pupils can’t attend their local schools due to their or their parents’ religious views.
• Religion and education should be kept separate. I.e. Church is for religion, not school.
• Faith schools select pupils from wealthier families, and so do not represent their local communities.

Question 10

Arguments for faith schools and public funding.

Answer 10

• Still paying for public education as well as religious
• Although wealthy families are accepted, they pay high taxes and contribute to education is general. inc. non faith schools
• Faith schools give the children the opportunity to learn about their religion if their parents can’t teach them and the value of religion in daily life and struggles.

Question 11

What is secularisation?

Answer 11

The idea that religious beliefs, practices and organisations are becoming less important in society.

Question 12

Evidence for secularisation?

Answer 12

• Religious teaching and organisations are no longer respected by some people
• Rely on material comforts for happiness
• Religion has become a private matter and less influential
• People are less committed to religious values and practices
• Religion has become a leisure pursuit rather than a deep commitment

Question 13

Effect of secularisation on religion.

Answer 13

• Scientific proof means rejection of religion
• Community decline due to differing beliefs.
• Fewer people at church services and working for the church.
• many churches closing down or being sold
• Less people get married, baptised and confirmed.
• Christmas and Easter have lost religious significance.

Question 14

Evidence that society isn’t becoming secular.

Answer 14

• There are still people in religions
• Churches still exist and are functioning alongside charities backed by churches
• Because of the degree of upset in the world today people are turning back to religion
• Religion is still strong in other parts of the world. E.g middle east.

Question 15

What is humanism?

Answer 15

• Way of seeing and reacting to the world through science, rationalism, logic and belief. Rejecting religious beliefs and ideas.
• Humanism promotes the belief that the world should be based on humans

Question 16

What does the National Secular Society say about faith schools?

Answer 16

• Not against religious teaching
• Against confessional teaching of Christianity (reinforce faith and promote Christian world view).
• No religion should have greater importance than any other.

Question 17

Clashes between secular and Christian views on marriage.

Answer 17

• C of E allows civil marriage (marriage with no religious ceremony)
• Catholics should marry in a Church (not civil marriage)
• Same sex marriage is not allowed by Anglican church or catholic church. Anglicans see the validity of it.
• Legally, remarriage after divorce is allowed.
• C of E recognises that there are reasons to divorce, they can only remarry if the vicar permits.
• Catholics don’t allow divorce, marriage is a seal through God, divorcees can’t remarry.

Question 18

What is an annulment and what are its conditions?

Answer 18

• Procedure that cancels a marriage, wipes it out as if it never existed.
  Conditions:
• Marriage wasn’t conducted by a Catholic priest.
• Impediment present: couple shouldn’t have been allowed to marry.
• defect in marriage: one or both of partners weren’t in position to marry.

Question 19

Response to forced and arranged marriage.

Answer 19

• C of E and Catholics still practice arranged marriages, but consent must be given otherwise it is forced.
• C of E says forced marriage is legally and morally wrong, as if it is rape.
• Forced marriage is illegal in the UK.

Question 20

Attitudes to equality.

Answer 20

• Everyone is equal in God’s eyes.
• However, “Women should remain silent in churches. Not allowed to speak, must be in submission.”
  “woman is the glory of man. man is the glory of God.

Question 21

Christian attitudes to Euthanasia.

Answer 21

• Life is precious, sacred and a gift from God, euthanasia is deliberate killing.
• Roman Catholics say it’s wrong.
• C of E says people deserve the right to decide over their life, but puts burden on people to assist a suicide or carry out euthanasia.

Question 22

Abortion and views on abortion.

Answer 22

• Christianity believes life begins at conception.
• No Christian believes abortion should be encouraged
• Religious beliefs
• Ethical views - ‘is it murder’
  -Population issue - management
  -Personal circumstances - such as not being able to afford the child; illness; drugs - babies being born to heroin addict; homeless situations or domestic violence; influenced by other people experienced
• Cause of pregnancy - e.g. Rape, women may die by giving birth, mother has long term illness
  Gender opinion - easy for men to criticise but women actually have the child
• Different views as to when life starts, is the womb or is it the embryo
• Laws
• Culture > gender > some cultures prefer boy to girl

Question 23

Catholic and Anglican views on abortion.

Answer 23

Catholics: Wrong in any circumstance except if it is to save the life of a mother.
C of E: Doesn’t allow, some justification, e.g. if baby won’t live very long, lead to mothers death.

Question 24

Attitudes to genetic manipulation.

Answer 24

• Catholics say that it is wrong, as the embryo is a person and has a purpose.
• C of E says it is allowed under certain circumstances.

Question 25

Attitudes to AI and IVF.

Answer 25

• Catholics say no to both as conception should take place through love.
• C of E say AI and IVF are allowed if conception doesn’t occur through love.

Question 26

What is exclusivism?

Answer 26

The belief that only one religion is true and all others are false.
Christians who are exclusivists say that salvation is possible only through faith in Jesus Christ.

Question 27

Inter faith exclusivism

Answer 27

Catholic church believes that Christianity is the only religion and that anyone who doesn’t believe in Jesus Christ as the saviour can’t be saved.
Some protestants believe this too.

Question 28

Intra faith exclusivism

Answer 28

Throughout the history of Christianity each denomination questions each others validity.

Question 29

Inclusivism

Answer 29

Inclusivism is the belief that Christianity is the only true religion but they believe that non-Christians can go to heaven and belief in Jesus is not necessary.

Question 30

Arguments for inclusivism

Answer 30

• God is omnibenevolent and loves all of His creation.
• A loving God would give salvation to all not just Christians.
• God is fair
• “Righteous will go into eternal life”
• People before Jesus didn’t know of Jesus yet are mentioned in the old testament.

Question 31

Pluralism

Answer 31

• Rejects the idea that God revealed himself through Jesus Christ and salvation can only be obtained through him.
• They believe that God reveals Himself through all worlds religious traditions and Christianity is one of many valid responses to God.

Question 32

Ecumenicalism and intrafaith communication.

Answer 32

Ecumenicalism is the coming together of denominations for the sake of serving humanity, e.g. in a world crisis sending money and support.

Question 33

What are the aims of inter-faith dialogue?

Answer 33

• Form friendships and social ties between different faiths.
• learn about each others beliefs, values and practices.
• promote multi-faith events in local communities
• Engage in local and global practical projects to help other people.

Question 34

Reasons for tension between faiths

Answer 34

• Land, e.g. Jerusalem, Hindus and Muslims, Pakistan and India
• religious sites

Question 35

What is proselytisation?

Answer 35

Similar to evangelism, more forceful, aim of it is to pass on the joy and happiness Christianity has brought to them, it can be an invasion of privacy to someone who is being preached.