Unit 2: Section 3 Flashcards
How have attitudes to marriage, divorce and family life changed in the last 50 years?
- (50 years ago) People only had sex in marriage, and married in church.
- (Today) - Cohabitation is acceptable.
- Fewer people marry.
- Less marriages in church.
- Law changes have made heterosexual sex equal to homosexual sex and since March 2014 homosexual couples can marry.
Why have attitudes to marriage, divorce and family life changed?
- Historical Events - Abolition of slavery, women’s votes, right to free speech. Allowed other groups to protest for equal rights in society.
- Global World - Media and technology have allowed people to access different opinions or ways of life, so opening their minds to new ideas and thoughts.
- Decline in Religion - Traditional acceptance of church teachings and influence of the church has decreased.
- UK as a multi-faith and multi-ethnic society - There is a general agreement of what is acceptable so different people can live together peacefully.
Why do most Christians believe that sex before marriage is wrong?
- The Bible only allows for sex between marriage partners.
- Children born outside marriage have a less stable family life.
- Promiscuity leads people more vulnerable to STI’s.
- Loving sexual relations unite a married couple.
What is the Liberal Christian attitude to sex outside marriage?
-Couples may live together before marriage, but would expect them to marry before starting a family and would only accept a sexual relationship between two people committed to a long term relationship.
Why do all Christians believe adultery is wrong?
- It breaks the wedding vows.
- It breaks one of the Ten Commandments.
What are the four purposes of marriage in Christianity?
- The couple can have a life long relationship of love and faithfulness.
- The couple can have the love and comfort of each other.
- For procreation.
- For bringing up a Christian family.
How does the Christian Wedding Ceremony symbolise the beliefs about marriage?
- The exchange of rings symbolises the unending agreement of marriage.
- The emphasis on Gods role makes it a spiritual agreement with God as well as a legal agreement.
- The couple exchange vows that promise a lifelong, exclusive commitment to each other.
- The congregation pray and ask for Gods blessing to help the marriage work.
- Verses from the Bible spoken by the vicar emphasise the nature and purpose of marriage for Christians.
What were the attitudes to divorce 50 years ago?
50 years ago…
- Few divorces.
- People who divorced were looked down on.
- Re-marriage was rare.
What are the attitudes to divorce today?
- Divorce is accepted as normal.
- 2/5 marriages end in divorce.
- Remarriage is normal.
- This is because divorce is cheaper, easier, and women have a more equal life.
What do Roman Catholics believe about divorce?
- No divorce.
- Marriage is a sacrament where the couple promise to stay together until death.
- Jesus banned divorce.
- When people marry, they make an agreement with God which cannot be broken without Gods consent. So people can never be divorced according to Gods law.
- Catholics allow annulments if it can be proven the marriage never really existed.
What do other Christians believe about divorce?
- Protestants disapprove of divorce, but allow it if there is no way of the couple getting back together.
- Non-Catholic Christians allow divorce.
- God is always prepared to forgive sins.
- Jesus allowed divorce for adultery.
How has family live changed since the 1960s?
- (1960) The nuclear family was the norm.
- (Now) There are many single-parent families.
- There are many families with parents who are not married.
- There are more re-constitued families.
- There are more extended families as grandparents look after children as more mothers work.
What are the Christian teachings on family life?
- Children should respect their parents, as instructed in the fourth commandment.
- Christian parents should follow Pauls teachings and treat their children well.
- Christian parents should also provide their children with the necessities of life, ensure they are educated and bring them up as Christians.
- Children should care for their parents when they can not care for themselves, based on the fourth commandment.
Why is family life important to Christianity?
- They believe the family was created by God as the basic unit of society and is the only place children should be raised. Without the family society would collapse.
- The family is the place that children learn the difference between right and wrong, so without the family there would be much more evil in the world.
- The family is where children are introduced to Christianity so it is important for Christianity to continue to grow.
How do churches help with raising children?
- Family services.
- Baptism services.
- Sunday schools teaching right and wrong.
- Teaching about marriage and divorce.
- Priests acting as family counsellors.
