P2- Relationships and Families

Question 1

What does the Bible teach about human beings as male and female?

Answer 1

-God created both men and women
-Both created in his image and blessed by him so they are equal in the Church
-It was a part of God’s plan for Adam and Eve to “be fruitful and multiply” meaning men and women are expected to procreate
-Men and women complement each other

Question 2

What does the Bible teach about human beings as sexual/ purposes of sexual love?

Answer 2

-Sex should be marital as it is a commitment to loving exclusively for life and it has to be consummated to be valid
-Sex should be unitive to expresses couples love for each other
-Sex should be procreative as God creates new life through sex and marriage contains the commitment to accepting children

Question 3

What does Pope John Paul II’s ‘Theology of the Body’ teach?

Answer 3

Marital sex:
-Unites a couple in love and self-giving
-Brings 2 people into a community of persons
-Shows mutual love and respect leading to greater intimacy
-Gives the possibility of creating new life
-Can make use of natural periods of infertility to reduce the chances of pregnancy

Question 4

Why do Christians disagree with sex before marriage?

Answer 4

-Sex should be treated with respect and consideration
-sex should be open to the creation of new life
-No danger of STD’s if you are married
-It trivialises the sacred act of sexual love

Question 5

What are the contrasting views in society about sex before marriage?

Answer 5

-Using contraceptives are a responsible way to prevent STDs and unplanned pregnancies
-Many Christians and non-Christians have sex before marriage
-Many have casual sex and use contraceptives to prevent pregnancy

Question 6

Why do Christians disagree with adultery?

Answer 6

-It betrays trust in marriage and causes harm to the innocent partner
-It brings distress and tension into homes and causes the whole family to be unhappy
-It can cause the break up of a marriage

Question 7

What are the contrasting views in society about adultery?

Answer 7

-It may break up a marriage but there may be a reason why
-Personal happiness is important even if it may cause someone else harm
-May be other reasons why the marriage is falling apart
-Maybe the couple have made a serious mistake in getting married and have found more suitable partners

Question 8

What do Catholics believe about homosexuality?

Answer 8

-Sex should be open to the possibility of new life
-Homosexuals should live celibate lives
-Homosexual relations aren’t acceptable as there is no possibility of new life
-People are loved by God regardless of their sexual orientation so they should still be treated with respect

Question 9

What are the contrasting views in society about homosexuality

Answer 9

-Church of England supports the idea of same-sex civil partnerships
-same-sex marriage legalised in the England and Wales in 2014 reflecting the views of many in British society
-Some United Reform churches perform same-sex marriages

Question 10

What are the conditions of a valid Catholic marriage?

Answer 10

-Couples must be free to marry
-Getting married of their own free will
-Actual moment of marriage is consent
-Promises made in presence of a Catholic priest
-Couple willing to accept children from God
-Marriage must be consummated
-Couple not closely related

Question 11

What is the nature of marriage according to the Catholic church?

Answer 11

Marriage is seen as:
-An exclusive union between a man and woman
-Sign of the love of Christ for the Church
-A sacrament through which God’s love and blessing is given to the couple
-Providing the loving relationship and atmosphere for children to grow and flourish

Question 12

State two marriage vows and explain them

Answer 12

“I call upon these persons here”- Public declaration to assure each other their love is genuine and asks for church community’s support

“Till death do us part”- Commitment only ends when one partner dies

Question 13

State 3 grounds for an annulment in the Catholic Church

Answer 13

-Couple never had sex
-Didn’t freely enter the marriage (forced)
-They insist on using contraception and refuse to accept God’s gift of children

Question 14

What does the Catholic church believe about divorce?

Answer 14

-Marriage promises made before God cannot be broken
-God made man and woman to be united as one
-Jesus taught that a divorce remarrying commits adultery
-Marriage is “Till death do us part”

Question 15

What are the contrasting views in society on divorce?

Answer 15

-It is impossible to know what the future holds
-If the marriage is broken, divorce may the most compassionate solution

Question 16

What does the Catholic church believe about remarriage?

Answer 16

-It can happen if the original partner has died
-Anyone who divorces and remarries cannot receive communion
-can be allowed if the first marriage was annulled so it is not classed as a marriage
-Not allowed to remarry in the Church if the original spouse is still alive

Question 17

What are the contrasting views in society on remarriage?

Answer 17

-Anglicans, Methodists and other free churches do not encourage remarriage but will sometimes marry divorcees
-Most Protestant denominations will not stop those who remarry from receiving communion

Question 18

What does the Catholic church believe about cohabitation?

Answer 18

Disagrees because:
-It breaks the sanctity of marriage
-It removes the commitment from sexual union
-it may destroy the sense of family
-If the couple split it will affect the children
-It may create insecurity as one might leave
-It reduces the effort to make the relationship last
-It breaks the sanctity of sexual union

Question 19

What are the contrasting views in society about cohabitation?

Answer 19

-It is quite common in Britain
-Some people want to see if the relationship works out by living together
-Financial reasons
-Some live in committed relationships throughout life
-Same-sex marriages cohabit until they decide if they wish for civil partnerships or marriage

Question 20

What does the Catholic church believe about same-sex marriage?

Answer 20

-Marriage is a sacrament between a man and woman
-Same-sex couples cannot have children naturally and lovingly from God so they cannot meet the requirements for a valid marriage

Question 21

What are the contrasting views in society on same-sex marriage?

Answer 21

-In 2014, British gov legalised same-sex marriage
-Homosexuals should have the same rights as heterosexuals and so they should be able to marry
-They do not see being able to have children as an essential part of marriage

Question 22

What does the Catholic church believe about artificial contraception?

Answer 22

-It is not allowed as it makes sex non-procreative and separates the two purposes of sex being procreative AND unitive

Question 23

What are the contrasting views in society on artificial contraception?

Answer 23

-Contraceptives are essential to prevent STD’s
-It is responsible to use contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies
-Christian denominations say using contraception prevents families from having too many children to support
-Limiting family size is responsible

Question 24

What does the Catholic church believe about natural family planning?

Answer 24

-family planning is allowed if done naturally
-Reduces chance of conception but leaves the decision to God
-Couples should only have an amount of children they can care for
-Recent Popes have stressed the need for responsible parenthood

Question 25

What are the 4 main tasks that the Church value for a family?

Answer 25

-To form a community (group of people)
-To help with the life and personal development of one another
-To take part in the development of the wider society
-To be part of the life and mission of the Church

Question 26

Name 4 types of families

Answer 26

-Nuclear families
-Blended families
-Single parent families
-Same sex parent families

Question 27

What is a nuclear family?

Answer 27

Families consisting of a married man and woman and their biological children (usual family for most Catholic families)

Question 28

What is a blended family?

Answer 28

Families formed by remarriage of a divorced or widowed person that includes a child

Question 29

What is a single parent family?

Answer 29

A mother or father who is singly responsible for the raising of their children either from birth or adoption

Question 30

What are the 3 purposes of a family according to the Catholic Church?

Answer 30

Procreation
Security
Education

Question 31

Explain procreation and security in the family

Answer 31

-The family is the best environment to bring up children
-Children are signs of the parents’ love for each other
-The family provides a stable and safe place for children to develop
-The family provides the opportunity to be mutually supportive

Question 32

Explain education in the family

Answer 32

-Parents are the first and most important teachers of their children
-Parents are the role models for their children
-Parents should encourage their children to become independent, well balanced individuals who respect everyone
-Parents need to provide an atmosphere where everyone is valued

Question 33

List some of what families should provide

Answer 33

Love
Care
New life
Stability
Education
Support
Security
Moral guidance
Nurturing environment
Religious teaching

Question 34

What is the husband’s role in the family according to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians?

Answer 34

-Husbands should love their wives unconditionally even to the point of dying for them
-Husbands is the head of the house and head of his wife

Question 35

What is the wife’s role in the family according to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians?

Answer 35

-Wives should show their love to their husbands by doing what their husbands ask
-However, the husband’s love should mean they only ask reasonable things of their wife

Question 36

What is the child’s role in the family according to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians?

Answer 36

-Children should obey their parents as it is God’s command
-This obedience is a way for children to honour their parents

Question 37

What is the father’s role in the family according to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians?

Answer 37

-Fathers should show love and kindness to their children / not use any extreme form of discipline
-They should bring up their children in the Christian faith

Question 38

Explain the dignity of work in the home

Answer 38

-Traditionally, Catholics have believed that the important role of the mother is to look after the home and children whilst the father’s role includes protecting and providing for the needs of the family, teaching by word and example

-Catholics regard men and women as equally important in contributing different qualities to help in bringing up children

-Nowadays, many mothers work part or full time to help provide for the family financially

-Gender equality has resulted in traditional roles sometime being shared or switched

Question 39

What do Catholics believe about families with single or same sex parents?

Answer 39

-Catholic Church teaches that procreation should take place between a man and woman who have married
-Single people are not encouraged to become parents
-Catholic Church does not encourage same sex parenting as it teaches that children need a mother and a father

Question 40

What are the contrasting beliefs on families with single or same sex parents?

Answer 40

-There is a growing acceptance and number of single parent families or same sex parents in British society
-Around 1/4 of children in Britain today live with 1 parent
-Same sex parents may say it is the love between parent and children that really matters

Question 41

Explain the creation of men and women as equals in the Bible

Answer 41

-Genesis 2 says woman was created from the bone of a man but only together are they the full form of a human being
-They are 2 equal parts that complement and complete each other ‘male and female he created them’
-Paul taught men and women were equal saying ‘There is no longer male nor female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus’

Question 42

Explain the importance of women in the Bible

Answer 42

-Women have special roles on the same level as men in the OT
-The importance of women in the NT is shown through Mary
-Jesus always treated women with respect and his teachings about divorce and adultery applied the same standard to women as to men

Question 43

Examples of important women in the Bible

Answer 43

-Esther saved Jews from the Persians (Esther 4-5)
-Deborah acted as a judge (Judges 4)
-Ruth showed the Jews faithfulness (Ruth 1-4)
-Mary showed obedience (Luke 1)
-Mary Magdalene was the first to announce Jesus’ resurrection (John 20)

Question 44

Explain the importance of men in the Bible

Answer 44

-Society was very different in Biblical times
-Roman Empire was male dominated and Christians had to be careful about challenging the structure of society
Most of the events recorded in the Bible are about men
-Jesus chose 12 male apostles who Catholics believe were made the first priests at the Last Supper
-The first missionaries and main leaders of the Church were men

Question 45

What is the Catholic view on Gender equality?

Answer 45

-Men and women are equally important
-Men and women have different roles like men can be priests
-Women and men have different yet complementary roles to perform

Question 46

Contrasting (Non-religious) views on Gender equality?

Answer 46

-Most agree with the equality of sexes
-Treating women as equals means allowing them equal opportunities
-Men and women are equally capable of fulfilling the same roles including roles in the home

Question 47

What does ‘The personal resources of femininity are certainly no less than the resources of masculinity: they are merely different’ (Mulieris Dignitatem) teach about Gender equality?

Answer 47

-Equality is not the same as uniformity
-The attributes of a woman are as important as that of a man
-Men and women have different roles in life which each individual plays out in their own way

Question 48

What does “Man and woman were made ‘for each other ‘… he created them to a communion of persons… and complementary as masculine and feminine” (Catechism) teach about Gender equality?

Answer 48

God designed man and woman to care for each other
-It was God’s deliberate choice to create men and women as a pair
-Men and women have equal roles in supporting each other

Question 49

What are stereotypes and what do they lead to?

Answer 49

A widely held idea or opinion of a particular type of people. It leads to prejudice.

Question 50

What is prejudice and what does it lead to?

Answer 50

An attitude towards someone which is not based in fact/ expecting someone to behave in a particular way. It leads to discrimination.

Question 51

What is discrimination?

Answer 51

The unjust treatment of different groups of people/ treating someone differently based on gender etc

Question 52

Catholic teachings on gender discrimination?

Answer 52

-Can be hurtful and damaging
-Stops the use of God-given talents
-Devalues a person
-Men and women should receive equal pay for equal work
-Support should be given for women as mothers
-Certain roles belong to one gender or another

Question 53

Catholic view on Gender discrimination in Britain today

Answer 53

-Gender discrimination should not happen
-Catholics do not support women being paid less than men for the same job
- Men and women should be able to fulfil particular roles like women who choose to look after the home should be supported but only men can be priests
-Defending women’s rights must not detract from a women’s role in the family and in the home

Question 54

Non religious view on Gender discrimination in Britain today

Answer 54

-1975 Sex Discrimination Act was designed to prevent gender discrimination
-Men and women should be given equal pay and it is wrong that whilst women make up about half of the workforce, men held the most senior positions
-Catholic view of the different roles of men and women is a form of discrimination
There is a need for positive discrimination if, for example, a company with nearly all male managers deliberately promote women for a more gender balanced situation