Issues Of Relationships

Question 1

Adultery

Answer 1

A married person choosing to have sex with someone they aren’t married to

Question 2

Divorce

Answer 2

To legally end a marriage

Question 3

Cohabitation

Answer 3

Yo live together in a sexual relationship without being married or in a civil partnership

Question 4

Commitment

Answer 4

Is making and keeping a promise, such as wedding vows

Question 5

Contraception

Answer 5

Methods used to prevent a woman from becoming pregnant during or following sexual intercourse e.g. artificial or natural

Question 6

Gender equality

Answer 6

When people of all genders enjoy the same rights and opportunities in all aspects of their lives

Question 7

Responsibilities

Answer 7

Actions or duties you are expected to carry out, such as looking after family members

Question 8

Roles

Answer 8

The position of a person e.g. a police officer, as well as the characteristics expected of them e.g. to obey the law

Question 9

Christian teachings on the nature and purpose of families

Answer 9

Family is an important place for nurture and the celebration of faith.
Pope Francis described it as ‘the essential cell of society’
Important to worship together as a family
Important to celebrate festivals such as Christmas and Easter as a family
Mothers and fathers expected to play an equally important role in family life
In 10 commandments, children are expected to honour their parents
Children considered as gifts from god

Question 10

Buddhist teachings on the nature and purpose of families

Answer 10

Buddha taught that husbands and wife’s should respect each other
Mothers and fathers are expected to play an equally important role in family life
Meditating and kindness of mothers gives an understanding of selfless love and compassion
Mother love is believed by many to be the closest to compassion

Question 11

Issues raised by interfaith marriage

Answer 11

Dietary rules
Festivals
Faith of the children
Death and the afterlife
Moral issues
Recognition of the marriage
Gender roles

Question 12

Christians on the nature and purpose of marriage

Answer 12

Marriage is a sacrament in some traditions (catholic)
Marriage is god’s intentional refereed to in the New Testament
Vows taken in marriage ceremony lifelong show commitment
The exchange of rings represent eternal love

Question 13

Buddhist teachings in the nature and purpose of marriage

Answer 13

Marriage is a personal and secular affair, not a religious matter of a sacrament though there are five duties of a husband and wife given in the Sigalovada Sutta
It’s a social convention to maintain order and harmony in the producing of children, though reciting of their way of life and the traditional undertakings expected of them

Question 14

Christian teachings on cohabitation

Answer 14

Sexual relationships are considered sacred and special so traditionally, cohabitation and adultery were prohibited
Some anglicans do accept it in committed relationships
Catholic Church and some anglicans do not accept cohabitation
Aims baptist churches refuse to marry couples who are cohabiting

Question 15

Buddhist teachings in cohabitation

Answer 15

No specific ban on cohabitation

Sex should be controlled so that no suffering is caused

Question 16

Christian teachings on adultery

Answer 16

Marriage is sexually exclusive and a sacrament, so adultery is unacceptable
Adultery breaks the vows made at the wedding
10 commandments forbid it
It spoils the special relationship between a married couple
It may harm the family unit

Question 17

Buddhist teachings on adultery

Answer 17

It causes suffering so should be avoided because it produces bad karma
5 precepts highlight the importance of right intention and not causing harm to others
Middle way shows the path between indulgence and deprivation

Question 18

Christian teachings on divorce and remarriage (not catholic)

Answer 18

Divorce is accepted as a legal ending of marriage but isn’t preferred
Every effort at reconciliation should be made
Mi inters are free to choose whether to conduct a remarriage service
Jesus’ teaching regards re-marriage after anything other than unfaithfulness is committing adultery

Question 19

Catholic teachings on divorce and remarriage

Answer 19

Marriage is a lifelong commitment that only ends at death
Marriage is a sacrament and cannot be dissolved
A civil divorce may be allowed, but remarriage is not then possible
An annulment is available where there is a complete breakdown, however, if an annulment takes place, remarriage is possible

Question 20

Buddhist teachings on divorce and remarriage

Answer 20

Divorce is allowed as a last resort, but must be carried out with the right intention and cause no harm
Divorcees are free to remarry as long as no suffering is caused as a result
If a couple really cannot live together harmoniously, agreeing to separate may help avoid bad karma, especially if staying together is going to cause misery and unhappiness

Question 21

Christian teachings on sex and contraception (not catholic)

Answer 21

Sex should take place within a committed relationship such as marriage
Sex is holy and sacred, a gift from god
Sexual relationships are special and unique and a commitment between husband and wife
Casual sex is seen as devaluing people
Contraceptives are acceptable to many Christians as long as both partners agree

Question 22

Catholic teachings on sex and contraception

Answer 22

Artificial methods of contraception are not allowed- it’s against the Natural Law (st Thomas Aquinas)
Sex should always allow the possibility of new life
Natural methods of contraception are allowed, such as natural natural family planning
Priests are expected to be celibate

Question 23

Buddhist teachings on sex and contraception

Answer 23

Sex must be controlled and not in excess
Sex mustn’t cause suffering
Monks and nuns should be celibate to channel energies into religious work. Zen monks are allowed to marry
Buddhists should consider their intentions for using contraceptives, and whether it goes against the 5 precepts by causing harm
As consciousness arises when an egg is fertilised, those methods that prevent a fertilised egg from implantation are unacceptable

Question 24

Christian teachings on same sex relationships

Answer 24

Many oppose it on biblical grounds, and tend to regard it marriage as between man and woman
Anglicans currently don’t allow same-sex marriages in church, though some clergy might agree to a church blessing
Quakers have welcomed same sex marriages for some years
United reform church- allow ss marriages in their church
Catholic’s prohibit same-sex marriages as they see marriage as a union between a man and a woman

Question 25

Buddhist teachings on same sex relationships

Answer 25

Sexual relationships should be controlled and take place within marriage
All sexual relationships should be governed by the 5 precepts
There are no official views in same sex marriages

Question 26

Christian teachings on worship and authority (not including catholic and orthodox)

Answer 26

The original disciples were all men
Jesus had women followers
Roles of men and woman are taught as equally important but might be different
Anglicans now allow women to be ordained and become bishops

Question 27

Catholic teachings on worship and authority

Answer 27

Women can have an active role, for example, nuns helping to lead worship
Women cannot be ordained
Pope Francis has emphasised the important role that women play in the church

Question 28

Orthodox teachings on worship and authority

Answer 28

Different roles of men and women can be seen in the Bible. The role rope Mary compared to that of the disciples who were all male
Women are not permitted to enter the priesthood

Question 29

Buddhist teachings on worship and authority

Answer 29

The Lotus Sutra statues states that if a man denies possibility of enlightenment to women then his own enlightenment is possible
Roles of men and women are taught as equally important but might be different
There are monks and nuns but different rules exist for each within the Theravada community
Theravada tradition has hierarchy monks; nuns; laymen; laywomen.