Relationships And Families Flashcards
Catholic teachings on sexual love
Marital (within marriage)
“sexual act outside marriage is a grave sin”
- sex is a gift from God
- marriage is the deepest committment due to vows
Unitive (bonding/uniting) "the two shall become one flesh" - unites and deepens love - become closer and more committed - couple give themselves to each other
Procreative (open to new life)
“be fruitful and increase in number”
- God creates new life through sex
- more intensity when life-giving
“God created humans in his image”
- human life most important thing to God
- created men and women equal in his eyes
- man and woman are complementary to each other and produce a harmony
Catholic view - Sex before Marriage
(Against)
- should happen with the right person who you trust
- there is less committment as no vows made
- should only happen when there is possibilty of new life
- devalues sexual act
- makes couple feel more loved as in marriage they are truly devoted
Contrasting view - Sex before Marriage
(For)
- everyone can have sex when they are ready
- it is common and CC should modernise
- if the relationship is good it’s fine as Jesus taught love is most important
Conditions for Catholic marriage
Consummated, declare wilingness to have children, vows said in front of a priest, not closely related, free to marry, out of own free will, give consent (I take thee…”)
Nature of Marriage
Sacramental - God part of it, shows holliness and closeness to God
“love of man and woman is made holy in the Sacrament of Marriage”
Permanent - lasting and until death, never ending
“till death do us part”
Exclusive - no other partners
“this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity”
Procreative - life giving, open to new life
“be fruitful and increase in number”
Why is adultery wrong?
- breaks vows
- breaks 10 commandments (do not commit adultery)
- God was part of marriage - breaks sanctity of it
- betrayal causing hurt and distress
- makes other feel rejected and a failure
- may cause breakdown of marriage - insecure for children
Catholic view - Cohabitation
(Against)
- breaks sanctity of marriage and sexual love
- reduces need for faithfullness
- less committed as marriage has vows
- marriage - less likely to separate due to prep
- encourages promiscuity
- marriage deepest committment - most secure for children
Contrasting view - Cohabitation
(For)
- get to know each other, could prevent divorce
- the only important thing for children is that the parents have a good relationship
Catholic view - Divorce
(Not recognised)
- God part of marriage - breaks sanctity of it
- couple vowed “till death do us part”
- “everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery”
Contrasting view (mainly CofE) - Divorce
(For)
- allowed as it’s a sign of God’s forgiveness
- human nature that vows can be always kept
- divorces more common in modern life
Catholic view - Remarriage
Can’t remarry unless partner has died. If they do, they can’t receive Communion.
Contrasting view (CofE) - Remarriage
Accepted as its a sign of God’s forgiveness and human nature that vows can’t always be kept. Shows God’s wilingness to give a fresh start.
Acceptable reasons for annulment
- forced to marry
- not consummated
- didn’t intend on children
- lies / concealment
- incest
- couldn’t give consent
- didn’t understand vows
Catholic view - Homosexuality + same sex marriage
(Against)
- cannot naturally procreate
- it isn’t a sin and should still be loved - “love thy neighbour”
- not properly marital or unitive
- God wanted between man and woman (Adam, Eve)
Contrasting view - Homosexuality + same sex marriage
(For)
- legal and accepted as part of modern society
- can adopt and raise children
- homosexuality isn’t a choice (scientifically proven)
- Jesus never spoke about sexuality
- CofE accepts civil partnerships
- United Reform Church performs it
- everyone has the right to marry who they want
Catholic attitudes - contraception
- artificial is wrong as it goes againt God’s command to “be fruitful and multiply”
- wrong as contradicts purposes of marriage and sexual love - to be unitive and procreative
- NFP only one allowed by CC as possibility of pregnancy still remains if its what God plans
Other attitudes - contraception
(For)
- All forms apart from morning after pill are acceptable as it’s a responsible way of planning family
- should only have number could you can care for
- God created sex for uniting couples as well as procreating
Contraception (for)
- can prevent unplanned pregnancies and STDs
- less children can help economy in developing countries
- Bible doesn’t forbid contraception
- most sexually active women use it
- medically neccessary (Zika Virus - birth defects)
- only have amount of children able to care for
Contraception (against)
- “be fruitful and multiply”
- can lead to promiscuity
- morning after pill can cause an abortion which could be unethical
Sanctity of Life
Life is holy and precious as it comes from God therefore all life should be protected. Only God creates and ends life not humans.
- Life starts at conception (sperm fertilises egg)
- Responsibility to protect all human life - especially vulnerable
- Best place to create life is in marriage so sex should be kept for marriage so life starts in an ideal setting
- Holy spirt lives in everyone (temples of God) so destroying a life is destroying a place where God lives
- Life is a gift from God and only he creates and ends it
Theology of the Body
- nuptial meaning of body - person’s full meaning discovered through deep relationship woth opposite sex
- couple bind together in one body - communion of 2 persons
- sex is about deepening a relationship and giving yourself and not for personal pleasure
- sex should be kept within marriage because if isn’t it damages its significance and people will tend to be selfish and break promises
How is the family like a ‘church in miniature’?
- form a community
- support each other’s development
- contribute to society
- share the mission of church
Catholic teachings on family
Education - parents first, most important teachers, role models who shape child’s views and morals
Pro-creation - family is best environment to bring up children, children centre of parents’ love
Authority - used carefully so child grows up into independent respective person to parents and society
Security - parents provide stable safe environment where everyone is valued equally
Family - St Paul quotes
Children to obey their parents
“Honour your father and mother”
Fathers to show love and not extreme discipline
“Bring then up in the discipline of the Lord”
Dignity of working in the home
Traditionally - mothers at home with children, fathers providing financially
Today - CC teaches they may have dofferent roles, bringing different qualities, roles can even be switched but still of dignity
Gender equality in Bible
- “God creates humans in his own image, male and female he created them.”
- “each of the two sexes has equal dignity, though in a different way.”
- Mary mother of Jesus seen as perfect disciple
- Mary of Magdala - announced Jesus’ resurrection to his male followers
- (why women are important) only women can procreate
Gender inequality in Bible
- all men were disciples
- “wives submit to your husbands”
- “husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies”
Some roles women can have in CC
Motherhood, Eucharistic Minister, altar server, nun, missionary, Cathecist
Catholic views - female priests
(Against)
- 12 apostles were all men
- acts in person of Christ so must be male
- St Mother Teresa made an big imapct yet wasn’t a priest
- The Church’s teaching is right for all times, shouldn’t change just because society is
Contrasting view - female priests
(For)
- church must modernise
- “neither male nor female, all one with Christ Jesus”
- Jesus lived in patriarchal society, today we live in an equal society
- many have accepted it e.g. CofE
- Jesus’ mission was to spread the message around the world, this is difficult if only half the population can be priests
Why do people discriminate?
- people take it on from family and friends
- media sometimes portays negatively
- poeple often look for someone to blame
- some feel better by picking on others who are weaker than them
Examples of gender discrimination
- gender pay gap
- not allowing female priests
- women only being able to vote from 1928
- stereotypical view of working in the home
Catholic view - discrimination
(Against)
- causes hurt to people and Jesus taught to love
- can affect society as a whole
Catholic view - single, same sex families
(Against)
- children may be bullied
- harder to raise financially
- CC against same sex as can’t procreate
- harder to get balanced perspectives if single parent
Contrasting view - single, same sex families
(For)
- child can still be loved
- child can still get advice
- child can still grow up to be open minded
