Relationships

Question 1

Features of an orthodox wedding

Answer 1

Crowning of the bride and groom // raise children // king and queen of the house.

Drink from the same cup // companionship.
Each receive a lit candle // God is present.

Put rings on each others fingers 3 times // companionship i.e. make up for each others weaknesses.

Question 2

Features of Anglican wedding ceremony and purposes of marriage

Answer 2

Vows - better for worse, sickness and in health for richer for poorer // companionship.

Vicar sets out purposes of marriage in his opening speech // talks of expectation for having and raising children “may be blessed in having children”.

What God has joined, man must not separate” God is present.

Vicar blesses the couple //God is present in their marriage.

Question 3

Features of humanist wedding ceremony

Answer 3

· There is no legal contract signed.
· Couples make up their own vows.
· There are no religious readings/hymns.
· Couple choose their own readings/songs.

Question 4

Purposes of marriage

Answer 4

Having children.
Unconditional love for each other.
Safe place for sex
Building block of society
Support and comfort for each other.

Question 5

Why is cohabitation better than marriage

Answer 5

Divorce is very expensive.
Can show commitment in other ways e.g. having children.

Question 6

Why is marriage better than cohabitation

Answer 6

It is a legal contract so gives security.
Is a public occasion and so should receive the support of the community.
Blessed by God (Christians)

Question 7

Bible passages that support marriage

Answer 7

“What God has joined, man must not separate.”

Jesus-“That is why a man leaves his father and mother, is joined with his wife and the two become one flesh.”

“Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church” St Paul

Question 8

Conflict in interfaith marriage

Answer 8

1. Celebration of festivals-Wesak or Christmas.
   
   2. Which beliefs children should follow-samsara/karma and nirvana or heaven and hell.
   3. Ethical views-Buddhists-not to harm living beings and this includes animals vs a Christian who follows dominionship.
      Practices-going to the temple to chant/meditate or the the church for holy communion.

Question 9

Catholics disagree with divorce (allow annulment and separation)

Answer 9

Jesus said “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her.”
Jesus said “What God has joined man must not separate.”
Marriage is a sacrament-sacred ceremony in which God is actually present.
It goes against the wedding vows “til death do us part.”

Question 10

Liberal Christians allow divorce

Answer 10

Jesus said “whoever divorces his wife and marries another except for marital unfaithfulness, comits adultery against her.” So Jesus allows it for unfaithfulness.

Jesus said to treat others as you would like to be treated yourself.

Church statements e.g. Anglican church recognised in its statement that due to sad and painful circumstances, divorce may have to happen.

Question 11

Evangelicals do not agree with sex before marriage

Answer 11

St Paul-the sexually immoral will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
St Paul-“If the unmarried cannot control themselves, then they should marry.”
Jesus-a man will leave his father and mother, join with his wife and the 2 will become one flesh. Order=Marry, then have sex (one flesh).

Question 12

Liberal Christians allow sex before marriage

Answer 12

Bible needs to be updated with society.
Bible celebrates sex e.g. song of Solomon.
Church statements which recognise that sex can be allowed in committed cohabiting relationships.
It may be the most loving thing to do-Jesus said to love your neighbour.

Question 13

All Christians disagree with adultery

Answer 13

It goes against the 10 commandments.
Breaks the marriage vow to be faithful.

Question 14

Evangelicals disagree with homosexual feelings

Answer 14

Leviticus-Do not lie with a man as you lie with a woman. That is detestable.
God made Eve for Adam and said to be fruitful.
ST Paul says that homosexuals will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

(Catholics-do allow the feeling and not the acts for the reasons above and the five primary precepts-one is to reproduce.)

Question 15

Liberals accept homosexual feelings

Answer 15

It is the most loving thing to do and Jesus said to love your neighbour.
God created everybody with their sexuality.
Bible needs to be updated with society and society now allows homosexual marriage.
Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Question 16

Catholics won’t allow women to be priests (can have a role in the church)

Answer 16

The priest represents Jesus and so must be a man.
Jesus’ disciples were all men.
Motherhood is the ideal for women not being a priest-example of the virgin Mary.
St Paul-women should not have authority over men and should submit to their husbands.

Question 17

Liberal Christians allow women to be ministers/vicars

Answer 17

Jesus had female followers as well as male e.g. Mary Magdalene.
Jesus himself broke with tradition to teach women e.g story of Mary and Martha so was willing to raise the status of women.
Women were the first to believe Jesus had risen, disciples doubted it.
St Paul says “There is neither male nor female, we are all one in faith in Christ”

Question 18

Catholic Christians disagree with artificial contraception (allow natural family planning)

Answer 18

Every sexual act should be open to the possibility of having children. If not, it breaks one of the Primary Precepts-to reproduce.
God tells Adam and Eve to be fruitful
Some contraceptive methods are early abortive. This is killing.
Children are a blessing-Bible it says “like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the children of one’s youth-happy is he who has a quiver full of them.”

Question 19

Liberal Christians accept the use of artificial contraception

Answer 19

It is the most loving thing to do-love they neighbour-1930’s depression-people could not afford huge families and had to live in poverty+stops STI’s.
Update the Bible with society and contraception is widely used.
Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself (Jesus)

Question 20

Roles of the family in Christianity

Answer 20

Children should honour their parents i.e. care for them if they need it when they are elderly. Jesus asked his disciple to look after Mary when he was dying on the cross.
Parents should bring up their children in the Christian way-see baptism vows. i.e. read the Bible to them, take them to church and Sunday School, teach them Christian values.
Parents should treat their children with respect “do not treat the in a way that makes them angry.” Old testament.

Question 21

Roles of family members in Buddhism

Answer 21

It is the place where the dharma can be passed on e.g. metta and karuna. No requirement for parents to be married.
Buddhist families have shrines at home which can help with teaching the dharma.
They may practise meditation together as a family.
Buddhists consider the sangha as part of the family of Buddhism-children will give offerings to the monks to help them with dana.
Buddha said in the Sigalovada Sutta that children should support parents in their old age, do as they are asked, honour parents when dead, keep family traditions.
Parents should keep children away from evil, encourage them to do good, provide a good education, give them their inheritance when they need it.