Marriage and family

Question 1

Reasons for changes in divorce?

Answer 1

Law made it easier and cheaper to get divorce (1969).

More equal rights- women can afford to support themselves.

Question 2

Reasons for changes in family life?

Answer 2

More divorce= more remarriage.

Social acceptance of unmarried mothers= more single parent families.

Question 3

Reasons for changes in homosexuality?

Answer 3

Changes in law made it easier to be openly homosexual.

Scientists show homosexuality is genetic= not a choice.

Question 4

Christians on sex outside of marriage?

Answer 4

Adultery banned in 10 commandments.
Procreation act of love/commitment, should take place within marriage.
Restricting sex within marriage= best interest of society, children and individual.
Roman Cath church forbid pre-martial sex- grave sin. Roman cath couple cannot consider marriage cohabitation. Bible forbids pre- marital sex.
Protestants recognise times have changed and accept cohabitation if couple intend to marry.

Question 5

Islam on sex outside of marriage?

Answer 5

Wrong because,
Quran condemns it.
Shari’ah law- sex only for married couples.
For having children who should be raised by married couples.
Adultery condemned in Quran.

Question 6

Christian beliefs on divorce?

Answer 6

Christians recognise not all marriages work, some will want to end them. (Jesus allows as he recognises some situations are severe enough for it).
Liberal protestants permit if most loving thing to do (lesser of 2 evils, better to divorce than live in hatred).

Question 7

Roman catholic church on divorce?

Answer 7

Does not accept divorce. (Jesus said it was wrong in Mark’s gospel).
If marriage broken down- couple can live apart- but remain celibate and no adultery with anyone else.
In few cases, annulment permitted.

Question 8

Muslim attitudes against divorce?

Answer 8

‘The most hated of all lawful things’- Muhammad.
Creates family pressure if many marriages arranged.
On last day Muslims judged on how they treated children (divorce harms children).

Question 9

Muslim teachings for divorce?

Answer 9

Quran and Shari’ah law allow.
Lesser of two evils.
Marriage is a contract with clauses outlining what happens in divorce.

Question 10

Christian teachings of family life?

Answer 10

Family created by God- best environment for couple to live and raise children.
Old testament refers to importance of family.
Gospels show Jesus family member- cared for mother and father.
Having children one of purposes of Christian marriage.

Question 11

Muslim teachings on family life?

Answer 11

Muhammad had family- Muslims follow his example.
Family= where children learn right and wrong.
Children seen as gift from God.
Quran states family created by God.

Question 12

Catholic teachings on homosexuality?

Answer 12

Homosexual RELATIONSHIPS=sin.
Homosexuals should be celibate. Condemns homophobia.
Bible forbids same sex relationship.
Everyone is a child of God.

Question 13

Evangelical protestant view on homosexuality?

Answer 13

=SIN.
Hold prayer meetings to cure them.
Romans (1:26-8) says those who do unnatural things with someone of same sex= punished.
Believe christ can remove all sins- including homosexuality.

Question 14

Liberal protestant views on homosexuality?

Answer 14

Lifelong homosexual relationships acceptable and welcomed.
Priests can be homosexual but must be celibate.
Jesus’ teaching focused on love- accept.
Bible needs to be interpreted for todays society.

Question 15

Muslim teaching against homosexuality?

Answer 15

Condemned in Quran and by muhammad.
Only form of lawful sex between married man and woman.
Sex is to reproduce. Can’t happen in homosexual relationship.

Question 16

Muslims for homosexuality?

Answer 16

Islam= religion of tolerance.
All God’s creation.
People born homosexual, God wanted them to be this way.

Question 17

Catholic attitudes to contraception?

Answer 17

Do not accept artificial contraception (condoms, the pill)- prevents act of love being open to new life.
CastiConnubii (1930) banned artificial contraception.
Pope Pius (1951) says Catholics can use natural contraception (NFP).

Question 18

Non- catholic christian attitudes to contraception?

Answer 18

Allow all contraception- to limit family size.
Nothing written in bible forbidding it.
Church of England accepts all contraception- allows family to choose best timing and size of family.

Question 19

Muslim attitudes against contraception?

Answer 19

‘Do not kill your children for fear of want’- Quran.
Sex for procreation- contraception prevents this.
Some contraceptives abort foetus- murder not allowed.
Muslim duty- to have large family.

Question 20

Muslim attitudes for contraception?

Answer 20

God wouldn’t want followers burdened (large family is one).
If woman knows will die if gets pregnant- classed as suicide.
Muslim laws state abortion is different to contraception.

Question 21

Adultery?

Answer 21

Act of sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than their marriage partner.

Question 22

Cohabitation?

Answer 22

Living together without being married.

Question 23

Faithfulness?

Answer 23

Staying with marriage partner and having sex only with them.

Question 24

Pre- marital sex?

Answer 24

Sex before marriage.

Question 25

Promiscuity?

Answer 25

Having sex with number of partners without commitment.

Question 26

Homosexuality?

Answer 26

Sexual attraction to people of same gender.

Question 27

Annulment?

Answer 27

Declaration by church that a marriage never lawfully existed.

Question 28

Re- marriage?

Answer 28

Marrying again after being divorced from previous marriage.

Question 29

Re- constituted family?

Answer 29

Two sets of children (step- brothers/sisters) become one family when divorced parents marry each other.

Question 30

Celibate life?

Answer 30

One without sex.

Question 31

Civil partnership?

Answer 31

Legal ceremony giving homosexual couples same legal rights as husband and wife.

Question 32

Procreation?

Answer 32

Making new life.

Question 33

Reasons for changes in cohabitation and marriage?

Answer 33

Contraception made sex safer from pregnancy. Christianity lost its influence.