Religious, philosophical and ethical studies in the modern world Flashcards
To help learn the content from the Religious, philosophical and ethical studies in the modern world section of the course, Route A. It includes flashcards on content from all 4 sub-sections of this section. (Issues in relationships, life and death, good and evil and human rights)
What is a family?
- The foundation for all human activity.
- Within the family the norms and values of society are lived out so that children can be carefully brought into adulthood.
What is a nuclear family?
- Most common type of family in Britain.
- Two parents and one or more children.
- All living in the same house.
What is an extended family?
- Several adults and children who are related living in the same home.
- E.G uncles, grandparents etc living together and sharing family roles.
What is a reconstituted family?
- A family where someone who is divorced and now lives with their new partner.
- A mix of step-parents and step-children.
What is a single-parent family?
- One parent raising one or more children alone.
- This type of family has increased in modern Britain as a result of an increasing divorce rate.
What is a childless family?
A married or cohabiting couple are either unable to have children naturally or decide to not have children.
What was the traditional role of men in the family?
- Christianity, Islam and Judaism all had a traditional role of the man. They were responsible for providing for the family through work.
- This is a ‘patriarchal’ view.
What was the traditional role of women in the family?
- Christianity, Judaism and Islam all had a similar traditional view of women in family life. The mother was responsible for domestic life.
- This is a matriarchal view.
What do Christians, Jews and Muslims all think about family?
- It is the most important foundation of society.
- We need to create strong nuclear and extended families.
How have views on family life changed?
Men and women are thought of as a partnership in family life, with shared responsibilities.
How has the role of the woman changed in family life?
- Much more likely to continue working when they have got married and had children.
- Men and women can share parental leave.
How has the role of the man changed within family life?
- Increasing numbers of men are becoming ‘house-husbands’.
- The number of men had doubled since 1993.
- Men and women can have shared parental leave.
Why is family important to religion?
- Religion is taught by the family and encouraged.
- The 10 Commandments tells you to ‘ honour your mother and father’
How do parents encourage religion in their children?
- They take their children to a place of worship
- Teach them how to read the Bible
- Teach them how and when to pray
- Join in the celebration of festivals
What do Humanists think about bringing your children up religious?
- Children should make up their own ideas about religion.
- Everyone should be able to make a free choice about accepting or rejecting religious beliefs.
What is a worldwide family?
- For many religious believers, those that share the same faith are thought of as extended family.
- Christians use the phrase ‘people of God’.
- Muslims call it ‘ummah’.
What does Pope Francis say about the worldwide family?
- The family is the basis of human society.
- The role of the mother in passing on religious faith is fundamental.
- ‘it is very important to reaffirm the family’.
What do Humanists believe about marriage?
- It is a significant part of human life.
- They understand why a couple may want a special ceremony to show their commitment.
- The ceremony would hold no religious aspect.
- The significance is for the couple and for society.
What do Christians, Muslims and Jews think about marriage?
- It is the basis of family life.
- It is God-given.
- The best basis for creating and environment into which children should be born.
- A lifelong commitment.
What is the Christian attitude towards marriage?
- It is a given by God ( A Sacrament).
- The phrase ‘ordained by God’ is used. Giving marriage special significance for all.
- Jesus taught about the importance of marriage.
- It is forever - ‘What God has joined together, let no man put asunder’.
- The relationship is the most important human relationship for the couple.
What is the order of the wedding service in a Chuch of England ceremony?
- The vicar welcomes everyone and gives a talk on the nature and purpose of marriage.
- The couple exchange their vows that reflect the Christian beliefs on marriage.
- The couple exchange rings as a sign of commitment.
- The vicar declares the couple married.
- There are prayers and Bible readings.
- The married couple sign the register in front of a registrar and witnesses making it legal.
What does the vow ‘to have and to hold mean’?
That the couple will be physically together in a sexual relationship.
What does the vow ‘from this day forward’ mean?
This day marks the beginning of the marriage.
What does the vow’ for better or for worse’ mean?
That the marriage should last through both good times and when life is more difficult.
What does the vow ‘for richer or for poorer’ mean?
That the marriage should last whether the couple are wealthy or poor.
What does the vow ‘in sickness and in health’ mean?
In spite of mental or physical illness.
What does the vow ‘to love and to cherish’ mean?
The couple should support and care for each other.
What does the vow ‘till death do us part’ mean?
The marriage is expected to be a lifelong commitment.
What does the vow ‘according to God’s holy law’ mean?
The marriage is ordained by God.
What does the vow ‘and this is my solemn vow’ mean?
That the vows are a serious commitment taken by the couple.
What are some issues raised by inter-faith marriages?
- In the Christian Orthodox tradition you can only get married in the Church if you marry a baptised Christian.
- In the Catholic tradition the non-Catholic must agree to children being brought up Catholic.
- In the Orthodox Jewish tradition only Jews can marry in the synagogue.
What are the problems of an inter-faith marriage?
- How can you follow religious dietary laws?
- Which festivals should they celebrate?
- Which religion should the children be brought up in?
- What if families refuse to accept the marriage?
What is cohabitation?
- When two non-married people live in a romantic partnership.
- Some people cohabiting will never marry, some will marry after a period.
- It is the fastest growing family type in the UK.
What do Christians think about cohabitation?
- They traditionally prohibit cohabitation.
- Recently they have started relaxing the view on cohabitation. Marriage is the ideal but some liberals accept that cohabitation is part of a committed relationship.
Why do some Christians disagree with cohabitation?
- They believe it devalues the special and sacred nature of sex.
- The Catholic Church and conservative Anglicans reject cohabitation and expect couples to not have sex before marriage.
- Some Baptist churches would refuse to marry a cohabiting couple.
What is adultery?
- When a married person has a sexual relationship with someone who is not their wife/husband.
- Most people dissaprove of adultery on a moral and social basis.
- The law recognises adultery as a reason for divorce.
What do Christians, Muslims and Jews think about adultery?
- It is a great sin.
- It is forbidden in the 10 Commandments ‘Do not commit adultery’.
Why do Christians think adultery is wrong?
- Marriage should be sexually exclusive.
- It is against the 10 Commandments ‘Do not commit adultery’.
- Marriage is a gift from God and adultery goes against this.
- It destroys a special relationship between a husband and wife.
- It harms the family unit.
Why can some marriages fail?
- Religious differences.
- Unemployment/ too much focus on career.
- Lack of ability to have children.
- Unacceptable behaviour (alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling, violence).
- Too little time together
- Lack of communication.
What do religious communities do to try and prevent a marriage from failing?
They attempt to reconcile the couple by:
- Offering counselling
- Offering guidance to the couple
- The wider community might offer support and prayers.
How can you end a marriage?
- Divorce - Legal ending of marriage.
- Separation - Deciding to live separately.
- Annulment - A legal way of cancelling a marriage in the Catholic Church.
What is remarriage?
Marrying someone else after you have been previously married.
What is the Catholic attitude to divorce?
- They do not permit divorce, Catholic couples may remain separated instead of divorcing.
- Catholics prefer annulment or separation.
- ‘Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate’ (Mark).
- Catholics who get divorced are not allowed to receive Holy Communion during mass.
What is bigamy?
- Marrying more than one person at once.
- This is illegal.
- If someone wants to remarry they must be divorced first.
What is divorce?
To legally end a marriage
What do Christians think about divorce and remarriage?
- It is accepted but not preferred.
- Every attempt to stay together should be made.
- Jesus’ teaching in Matthew teaches that remarriage after anything other than an unfaithful partner as adultery.
- Ministers are free to choose whether to conduct a remarriage service.
What does the Catholic Church teach about divorce?
- The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a lifelong commitment.
- Divorce in the eyes of the church is therefore not possible.
- A civil divorce may be obtained but this will not be recognised by the church.
- Remarriage is not possible.
What do Christians teach about sex and contraception?
- Sex should take place within a committed relationship such as marriage.
- Sex is holy and sacred and a gift from God.
- Casual sex is seen as devaluing people.
- Contraception is acceptable to many Christians as long as both partners agree.
What is the Catholic attitude towards using contraception?
- The Catholic Church has always taught responsible parenthood.
- The Church teaches that sexual intercourse is a gift from God as a source of joy and pleasure to married couples as well as a means of creating a family.
- Catholics believe that you can plan your family using natural contraception, like the rhythm method.
What are the different methods of contraception?
- Natural Methods
- Artificial Methods
Can you give an example of Natural Methods of Contraception?
Natural Family Planning
Planning sex around when the female is most fertile.
Can you give an example of Artificial Methods of Contraception?
Condoms, the pill, the injection, the coil, the morning after pill and the implant are some examples.
Why do Catholics have that attitude towards using contraception?
- Pope Pius XI condemned all forms of contraception.
- In 1951, Pope Pius XII said that Catholics could use natural methods of contraception as these are natural and so part of God’s creation.
- The Catholic Church regards contraception as a major cause of sexual promiscuity, broken families, the rise in divorce rate and sexually transmitted diseases.
- Artificial methods of birth control i.e. condoms or the Pill separate the unitive and creative aspects of sex, which is not what God intended.
What is the Christian attitude to same-sex relationships?
- Many oppose same-sex relationships and marriages based on biblical ground.
- Anglicans and Catholics do not allow same-sex marriages in Church.
- Quakers allow same-sex marriages.
What do Christians think about the roles of women in worship and authority?
- The original disciples were all men.
- Jesus had women followers.
- Roles of men and women are equally important but might be different.
- Anglicans allow women to be ordained and be bishops.
What do Catholics think about the roles of women in worship and authority?
- Women have an active role in worship.
- Women cannot be priests.
- Pope Francis has emphasised the important role that women play in the Church.
What is prejudice?
When you pre judge a person without any evidence
What is discrimination?
Treating people differently because of their race, gender, religion or class
What is free will?
The God given ability to make choices voluntarily and independently.
What is a crime?
When someone breaks the law
Why do we have laws?
- Laws are there to show what acceptable behaviour is so that people can live safely without fear.
- Laws are made by the government and can vary from country to country (Alcohol age in UK is 18, 21 in America).
- What is Lawful can change over time (capital punishment used to be legal in the UK).
What is a sin?
- A sin is an action that goes against the will of God.
- Some sins are also crimes E.G murder and stealing.
- Other sins are not against the law (e.g. Adultery).
What is absolute morality?
- When a person holds an idea that something is always right, or always wrong.
- For example, murder is always wrong.
What is relative morality?
- Something is right or wrong depending on the situation.
- Stealing is wrong in principle, but to save a starving child it would be acceptable.
What are the main causes of crime?
- Pressures from society.
- Pressure from the media.
- Pressure from peers.
- Pressures from personal life.
What things have a great influence on crime?
- The presence of evil and sin in the world.
- Alcohol and drugs.
- Poverty.
- Quality of family life.
- Low self-esteem.