Sexual Ethics

Question 1

Premarital Sex

Answer 1

• Refers to sex before marriage
• Traditional Christian teaching is that sex before marriage is a sin. Sex before marriage can be seen as undermining Christian marriage and demonstrating a lack of moral discipline

Question 2

Adrian Thatcher

Answer 2

• Points out the long tradition of ‘betrothal’ as the key point of commitment rather than the marriage ceremony
• Traditionally sexual relationships were permitted after after betrothal - but betrothal was considered seriously binding, unlike modern cohabitation

Question 3

Extramarital Sex

Answer 3

• Refers to sexual relationships where one or both partners are married to someone else
• Christian teaching is firmly against this (Adultery) - this is forbidden in the Ten Commandments
• The Catholic Church teaches that sex is exclusively for married couples.

Question 4

SE & Natural Law

Answer 4

• Premarital and extramarital sex are wrong, according to natural law, because they are not consistent with the flourishing of human society in bringing up children in stable families
• Natural Law can be seen as a good approach to issues of premarital and extramarital sex as it give clear rules rather than leaving people to make decisions in the heat of the moment

Question 5

SE & Situation Ethics

Answer 5

• Each situation should be considered in the context of its own circumstances, and the most loving course of action should be determined and followed
• Fletcher uses issues of sexual ethics to illustrate his view that there should be not be absolute rules, with examples of women having sex with a prison guard in order to secure her freedom

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Question 6

SE & Utilitarianism

Answer 6

• Mill argued that people should be protected from unnecessary legislation and should be free to behave how they wish unless it causes harm to others
• could be used by utilitarians to justify premarital and extramarital sex and homosexuality
• Mill argued that marriage can sometimes reduce women to the status of slaves.

Question 7

SE & Kantian Ethics

Answer 7

• People should not treat each other as a means to an end, which rules out exploitative and non-consensual sexual relations
• In the kingdom of end the commitment of marriage would be respected
• Kant emphasised the importance of promise-keeping and truth-telling, which suggests secret extramarital sex would be unethical

Question 8

Homosexuality

Answer 8

• attraction between same sex
• ## Christianity has traditionally opposed homosexuality

Question 9

Homosexuality - Natural Law

Answer 9

• wrong
• cant bring new life
• CC seen it as a sin
• Pope Francis - there is no ground for considering same sex relationships

Question 10

Homosexuality - Situation Ethics

Answer 10

• most loving outcome
• does not give rules about homosexuality
• might be difficult to apply to issues of homosexuality if the needs of other people as well as the needs if the couple are considered

Question 11

Homosexuality - Kantian Ethics

Answer 11

• does not lead to one clear answer

- could argue treating everyone with dignity must mean homosexual relationships should be regarded as equal

Question 12

Homosexuality - Utilitarianism

Answer 12

• cause happiness to those in them
• some argue homosexual relationships cause harm to rest of society as they undermine marriage as a stable social institution