Marriage and Family Life

Question 1

Civil partnership

Answer 1

A legal ceremony giving a homosexual couple the same legal rights as a husband and wife.

Question 2

Cohabitation

Answer 2

Living together without being married.

Question 3

Contraception

Answer 3

Intentionally preventing pregnancy from occurring.

Question 4

Faithfulness

Answer 4

Staying with your marriage partner and having sex with only them.

Question 5

Homosexuality

Answer 5

Sexual attraction to the same sex.

Question 6

Nuclear family

Answer 6

Mother, father and children living as a unit.

Question 7

Pre-marital sex

Answer 7

Sex before marriage.

Question 8

Procreation

Answer 8

Making new life.

Question 9

Promiscuity

Answer 9

Having sex with a number of partners without commitment.

Question 10

Re-constituted family

Answer 10

Where two sets of children (stepbrothers and stepsisters) become one family when their divorced parents marry each other.

Question 11

Re-marriage

Answer 11

Marrying again after being divorced from a previous marriage.

Question 12

Adultery

Answer 12

A sexual act between a married person and someone other than their marriage partner.

Question 13

Catholic Church quote about sex outside marriage

Answer 13

“Outside marriage it always constitutes a grave sin.” Catechism of the Catholic Church

Question 14

Quote about sexual immorality

Answer 14

“Among you there must not even be a hint of sexual immorality.” Exodus

Question 15

Why would Christians be against sex outside marriage?

Answer 15

• Every sperm is sacred, therefore sexual intercourse should only happen with the purpose to create life.
• Marriage is the only stable environment for children, so sex outside marriage is wrong.
• St. Paul taught that sexual immorality is wrong - “God wants you to be holy and completely free from sexual immorality”(Thessalonians).
• The Bible forbids adultery - “thou shall not commit adultery”(Decalogue). The Decalogue contains founding rules for Christianity.

Question 16

What are the purposes of a Christian marriage?

Answer 16

• Sacrament - Marriage service says “in the presence of God”.
• Symbol of permanence in a relationship - the rings exchanged are circles and symbolise eternal love.
• Good place to start a family and the marriage service says it is the “foundation of family life”.
• Commitment to sexual faithfulness - the partners in the marriage service must say “all that I am I give to go”.

Question 17

A religious family is a happy family

Answer 17

• Teaches respect - “honour your mother and father” (Decalogue).
• Community and togetherness - there are many church groups and festivals which people can join in on.
• There are good moral values - golden rule, Decalogue. Catechism of the Catholic Church says “the family is the community in which…one can learn moral values”.

Question 18

A religious family does not mean a happy family

Answer 18

• Religion creates problems if children develop differing views to their parents.
• Teaches fear if they are not always following the rules of the religion.
• There are lots of families of secular nature which are happy as well.

Question 19

Condoms are the best form of contraception

Answer 19

• They help to prevent the spread of STIs - other forms such as the pill only prevent pregnancy. There is no physical contact.
• Condoms are a barrier method not an abortifacients - the pill is stopping something after it has happened, condoms are preventing it from happening. Abortion is forbidden in most denominations - Sanctity of Life.
• It encourages men to be responsible to contraception - otherwise it’s completely women having to take the pill or go to the doctor.

Question 20

Condoms are not the best form of contraception

Answer 20

• Some Christians believe all artificial contraception is unnatural. Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church states that artificial contraception is “intrinsically evil” as it goes against natural law.
• All sexual acts should lead to the possibility of procreation - Seed of Onan story, he wasted his sperm and was killed. “Be fruitful and multiply”.
• Other forms of contraception are more effective, such as the IUD and patches. Abstinence is 100% effective.

Question 21

What do Christians think about divorce?

Answer 21

• Some Christians, such as Roman Catholics, are against divorce because Jesus condemned it in the bible - “anyone who divorces his wife…and marries another woman commits adultery against her”. RCC consider marriage a sacrament which should not be broken.
• Church of England believes that sometimes marriages break down and that a divorce could be the healthiest thing in a relationship. Jesus allowed divorce if there is “marital unfaithfulness”.
• Scottish Presbyterian church allows divorce because it does not consider marriage a sacrament.
• Quakers allow divorce because they believe that people who make mistakes should be able to start again. Divorced people can remarry.

Question 22

How do Christian parishes work to keep families together?

Answer 22

• Marriage guidance counselling helps couples to understand the commitment of marriage and topics may be brought up which could cause arguments but have not been discussed (e.g. whether both partners want children).
• Parish may offer support and advice for parents - Salvation Army runs teaching courses for parents and supports parents who are having trouble coping (might have a disabled child).
• Vicars can remind families of Biblical teachings on how to treat one’s family through a sermon (e.g. “Parents, do not treat your children in such a way as to make them angry”).
• Parishes can offer financial support/advice by discussing finances with a family. It is helpful to have someone impartial to go through finances in detail. Taking financial worries away could mean parents stop arguing - children feel safer and develop better.
• Support or the elderly (e.g. volunteers visiting elderly people with dead relatives to provide company, social clubs like coffee mornings, people to go to the homes of elderly people to check they are medically well). Support for the elderly could take pressures off families who would otherwise have to spend a lot of time/money caring for them.
• Support for young people to take pressures away from school or social life and ensure they stay on the correct path (e.g. self-esteem workshops in schools).

Question 23

How has an issue from this section been presented in one form of media?

Answer 23

Gay Vicars
• Presented LGB Christians in a positive light - showed homosexual relationships to be significant and meaningful. Bishop of Worcester, Peter Selby, said “church may be punishing them for the very best thing they’ve ever done in their lives”.
• Showed some of the people who believe that being gay is not acceptable in Christianity, because of the want of some to have Biblical Orthodoxy, and the Bible forbids homosexual acts (Phillip Giddings).
• Portrayed some of the other options for LGB Christians who do not feel accepted in their Churches - Metropolitan Church is not Anglican and accepts gay clergy.
• Presented arguments in favour of homosexuality acceptance in Christianity - Giles Goddard said that to make decisions the Church consults the scripture, reason, and tradition; the Church cannot stand without all three.

Question 24

What are the different views of homosexuality in Christianity?

Answer 24

• Evangelical Christians are strongly opposed due to what it says in the bible: “No man is to have sexual relations with another man; God hates that.” (leviticus 18:22); Paul says “Neither the sexually immoral…nor homosexual offenders will inherit the Kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
• Roman Catholic Church recommends that homosexual people stay celibate cause sex should only take place within marriage and with the purpose of procreation - homosexuals cannot marry or produce children through sex. Catechism says that homosexuals “must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.”
• Church of England is quite divided, homosexual partnerships are generally judged on the strength of love and commitment instead of immediately rejecting them as sinful. Some people argue that people should follow Jesus’ example of agape and love and respect everyone else’s love.
• Quakers welcome homosexuals into their church because religion is a spiritual matter and not a sexual one. Jesus taught that love mattered most and same-sex relationships in the Bible were admired in David and Jonathan and Ruth and Naomi.

Question 25

Why have attitudes to marriage, divorce, family and homosexuality changed in the UK?

Answer 25

• Historical reasons - women have access to contraception and are not giving up work and having to have children - fewer marriages due to pregnancies.
• Britain is an increasingly multi-ethnic and multi-faith society - the mixture of cultures means that people must accept different ways of living in order to be in harmony.
• Increasingly global view of the world has allowed people to see many different lives (introduction of phones, internet and increased travel). People are now more used to differing ideas.
• The media portrays lots of different reflections of family and married life and might have an impact on what is ‘normal’.

Question 26

What do Roman Catholics think about contraception?

Answer 26

Every sexual act should be open to the possibility of procreation.
• In the Bible it says “be fruitful and multiply”, so artificial methods of contraception prevent humans from fulfilling God’s wishes.
• Contraception also encourages promiscuity and the spread of STIs.
• Pope Benedict XVI stated that if HIV positive people were engaging in sexual activity regardless of the Church’s teachings, they should ONLY THEN use condoms.
• Catechism states that all forms of artificial contraception are “intrinsically evil”.

Question 27

What does the Church of England think about contraception?

Answer 27

It is not against God’s plan.
• Sex helps to promote the essence of Christianity (as love), so contraception helps to protect the health of sexual partners.
• Reducing family size gives children better living standards.
• God created sex for pleasure as well as procreation - provides couples with safe pleasure free from fear.
• There is nothing in the Bible which forbids contraception.

Question 28

Why is family life important in Christianity?

Answer 28

• Christians must take care of their relatives throughout their lives, even when they are elderly - “Grown children have responsibilities towards their parents.” (Catechism)
• Parents must protect and love their children - at baptism, Christian parents make promises to protect their child and bring them up in a loving way.
• Christians are taught to respect their parents - “Honour your mother and father.” (Exodus, Decalogue)
• Churches show the importance by offering help and advice through organisations such as the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council.

Question 29

How do Christian Churches help with the upbringing of children?

Answer 29

• Church schools allow children to go to school in a Christian environment and children get the most Christian education possible. Families may not be keen on local school.
• Christian churches preach moral values which children can learn to become kind and helpful people.
• Christian churches hold things such as coffee morning for new parents or parents who are struggling. These relieve stress and allow parents to learn how to cope by speaking to new people and bring their children up better.
• Christian churches hold baptisms/confirmations to help introduce children into the church and bring them up as Christians.

Question 30

Why are there different forms of contraception?

Answer 30

• Condoms prevent against STIs unlike the pill and implant.
• Some types of contraception are not accepted in the Church, however the use of natural contraception is allowed.
• The implant can sometimes be more effective as it doesn’t require someone to remember to take the pill.
• Natural contraception means that there are no side effects so some might want to use this method over others.

Question 31

What is a quote from the General Synod about divorce?

Answer 31

“The Church of England…recognises that some marriages sadly do fail.”