Relationships And Families

Question 1

Purpose of family

Answer 1

Loving and respectful relationships
Place to nurture children and grow in Christian values
‘The family is the original cell of social life’ (Catholic Church)

Question 2

Purpose of marriage

Answer 2

Spiritual unity between man and woman
Promises for life - ‘man must not separate what God has joined’
Vows between couple and God for blessing - ‘a cord of three strands’

Question 3

CofE marriage meaning

Answer 3

Couple learn to love forever - reflects Christ’s love for people
Marriage gives place for children, sex and support
Marriage important since makes other relationships + self develop

Question 4

CC marriage meaning

Answer 4

Unbreakable bond between couple - represents Christ’s commitment
God’s grace + constant pressure means stronger faith and marriage

Question 5

Catholic + Orthodox marriage

Answer 5

Sacrament - spiritual joining
Both baptised + Christian - if not then not sacrament
Nuptial mass + personal blessing

Question 6

CofE marriage

Answer 6

Allows heterosexual, non Christian, non baptised
Vows + prayers to God
Eucharist after

Question 7

Non-conformist / Quaker marriage

Answer 7

Couple plans wedding service - write own vows

No minister - silent worship
Couple say vows when want to
Everyone signs certificate

Question 8

Civil partnership - sign legal document (same-sex)

Answer 8

CC and CofE against - marriage for sex for children - raised by mum and dad
House of Bishops not allowed services of blessing - reaffirm vows
Vicars + clergy in CofE wanted civil partnerships - equality (Bible)

Question 9

Same-sex marriage

Legal in 2014

Answer 9

Can marry now / if religious organisation don’t want to, protected by law
CofE against - purpose of marriage for procreation - House of Bishops + vicars not allowed
CC against - against natural law - undermines heterosexuals marriage
Episcopal - allow - love transcends sexuality

Question 10

Cohabitation

Answer 10

Living together before marriage - Bible says sex for reproduction - pre marital sex wrong
CC say sex is language - communicate love in marriage - provide children
CofE - sex only in marriage - act of love

Question 11

Celibacy

Answer 11

Unmarried + refrain from sex - fully focus on God

CC - priests, monks, nuns are celibate - can better share love for God

Question 12

Contraception

Answer 12

CC - artificial contraception sinful - stops natural act of sex - but accepts some natural to give couple control
Other teach acceptable - CofE say responsible - children planned

Question 13

Abstinence

Answer 13

No sex until marriage - Teen-Aid (poster campaigns), Love awaits and Silver Ring Thing
Sex created as act of love in marriage

Question 14

Divorce and Annulment

Answer 14

CC against divorce - lifelong commitment with God - unbreakable
Give advice + support - separation to help restore
Allows annulment - promises were invalid

CofE - should work hard to keep commitment - accepts divorce in some situations
Priority for church to care for divorced couple

Question 15

Men and women in family

Answer 15

Bible - women are men’s helpers / women weaker - The Fall
Equality - valued equally in different roles
CC say role at home should be valued as career
‘Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands’
‘Husbands, love your wives’

Question 16

Men and women in community

Answer 16

CC - complementarianism - men and women created differently by God so have different roles
Women can’t be bishops/priests - disciples were men

Approve women as priests - break barriers, Jesus followed tradition at time, women created in God’s image too

Question 17

Upbringing of children

Answer 17

Traditional - father controls family worship, mother makes sure children follow - hard in modern society
CC + CofE - child baptised in 1st year - promises to Christian faith
Sunday School - class run whilst adults in main service - Bible stories
Confirmation - reaffirms child’s faith - can participate in Eucharist

Question 18

Amish upbringing of children

Answer 18

Ordnung - rules to outline how to live - marry other Amish and live in own community
Man is provider, woman domestic role, children respect elders + do small jobs (feed chickens)
Rumspringa - when 16, live outside community for few years - decide if want to stay
Disobey rules - investigate - most return

Question 19

Equality

Answer 19

Everyone made in God’s image - perfect image - everyone equal value
‘So God created mankind in his own image’
‘Love one another’
Duty to share with less fortunate - CC was wealthiest organisation in world - didn’t support equality since benefitted from inequality - no need to challenge cultural views

Question 20

Individual roles

Answer 20

God only forgives those who believe Christ sacrificed himself for human sin
Evangelism - mission to share faith
Missionaries - spend lives doing evangelism
Prejudice - making judgement before knowing facts
Stereotypes - view of group based on impression of few
Christian egalitarianism- men and women created equally - equal opportunities
Christian complementarianism - men and women created differently by a god so have different roles