Unit 2.3 Flashcards
What are four religious views to extra-martial sex?
RCC: sin “among you there must not even be a hint of sexual immorality”. As sex for procreation, only in marriage
Anglican: wrong, breaks wedding vows, hurts partner . Sex should be in marriage, but understands that cohab is more common, to test relationship
Evangelical: wrong, as bible says so “you shall not commit adultery”
Quakers: don’t judge premarital sex, as what matters is love, sex not inherently good/bad. Use your conscience to decide. BUT adultery bad, as hurts partner’s feelings
What is the purpose of marriage?
- public commitment to the strength of relationship “till death do us part”. shows they are faithful
- sacrament, brings couple closer to god, shouldn’t be broken “what god has joined together, let no man put asunder”
- secure place for a loving relationship “marriage brings husband and wife together in the delight and tenderness of sexual union” marriage only place for sex and family
- provides opportunity for children to be brought up religious “the foundation of family life in which children are nurtured therefore marriage is stable environment for family
what are four different religious views on divorce?
RCC: allows annulment, but divorce wrong, marriage isa sacrament, so only god can end it. “No human being then must separate what God has joined together”
CofE: accepts it is sometimes best option sometimes, divorced people sometimes allowed to remarry in church. Knows god forgives those who make mistakes, and starting again may be healthiest thing accepted, but should be last resort “Marriage should always be undertaken as a lifelong commitment but that there are circumstances in which a divorced person may be married in church”
CofScot: marriage not a sacrament, ∴ divorce is allowed
Quakers: church is spiritual, shouldn’t judge on sexual relations
why is divorce wrong?
- RCC doesn’t need divorce, as marriage can be anulled
- Jesus said so “anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery”
- marriage is a sacrament “what God has joined together let no man put asunder”
- causes instability in a family “foundation of family life”
Why is marriage the best way to start family life?
- stable background for children, commitment “foundation of family life”
- public statement that family has been formed. Husband and wife will have thought about it thoroughly
- Sacrament, this is the only context in which to have a family “no-one born of a forbidden union may enter the assembly of the lord”
why is marriage not the best way to start family life?
- family needs love, not marriage to be happy. Marriage doesn;t always - love, e.g. forced marriage
- marriage is a legal ceremony with no guarantees of supportive parenting
- many different types of family offer good childcare, e.g. single parent, grandparents
what is the RCC view to homosexuality?
- inclination acceptable, but act not
- sex is for procreation only “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered”
- inclination is OK, as imago dei, therefore we all suffer temptation which we must fight
what is the Evangelical view on homosexuality?
- it is completely bad
- “you shall not lie with a man as with a woman” Lev 18:22
What is the Quaker view on homosexuality?
- not church’s job to comment on sexual relations
- “it is the nature and quality of a relationship that matters…one must not judge it by its outward appearance”
- ∴ doesn’t matter if gay, only love
What is the CofE view on homosexuality?
- sympathetic but divided
- accepts that it has same love and companionship as marriage, but others think gay priests should be celibate
- CofE synod: “homosexual orientation in itself is no bar to a faithful christian life”
why do different Christians have different views on homosexuality?
1) some, like evangelicals interpret bible literally
2) others, like quakers, feel agape and conscience is key
3) some believe that homosexual sex is bad, e.g. RCC as sex for procreation only, whilst others, like Quakers, disagree
4) some, e.g. CofE believe the homosexuality is natural, and proved by science, other, e.g. RCC believe it is unnatural, and so may try conversion therapy
How have attitudes to family changed?
• more acceptable to cohabit
➯ num. of families w dependent children has doubled in last 15yrs
• more acceptable to be single parent
➯ now 25% of all families w DC are single parent
How have attitudes to homosexuality changed?
• becoming more accepted
➯ more gay people on TV, e.g. Ellen
• since 1980s, RCC disapproval rating has decrease by 50%
BUT… work to be done, e.g. Mike Pence elected VP ➯ wants to divert money from HIV treatment to conversion therapy
How have attitudes to divorce changed?
• lowest rate in 40 years
➯ currently, 42% of marriages will end in divorce
∴ more people cohabiting, so know each other better before marriage?
• however, before the fall, divorce rates rose steadily
∴ became more socially acceptable, however fewer need to divorce now?
• also, perhaps Church not fully behind divorce, e.g. Camilla and Charles could only get a CofE blessing, not wedding(2005)
How have attitudes to marriage changed?
• perhaps in now seems outdated
➯ marriage rates have decrease by 30% over last decade
∴ perhaps more are cohabiting, so don’t feel need to marry
• couples are having more religious weddings
➯ increased by 1,140 from 2009-2010
• or maybe not…
➯ only 1/3 marriage are religious
