Unit 4 - Clashes between religious and secular values in: forced/arranged/child marriage

Question 1

What is an arranged marriage?

Answer 1

A marriage that is planned by the families of the two partners and not by the partners themselves.

Question 2

Why do many cultures traditionally approve arranged marriages?

Answer 2

• Brings economic or social benefits to families
• Political benefits to countries

Question 3

What do Roman Catholics believe about arranged marriages?

Answer 3

• They don’t agree with it
• Roman Catholic Church law requires consent to be a condition of marriage
• Not giving consent to a marriage is grounds for its annulment

Question 4

What does the COE believe about arranged marriages?

Answer 4

• Strongly affirms the principle that forced marriages are legally and morally wrong
• Consent is an important factor in the Anglican marriage ceremony

Question 5

Non-Christian and historical attitudes to forced and arranged marriage

Answer 5

• Some non-Christian cultures still practise arranged marriages
• In the UK they are legal, provided that both partners agree to the marriage
• When one or both of the partners doesn’t consent to the marriage, it’s called a forced marriage
• Forced marriages are illegal in the UK
• All major religions condemn it

Question 6

Non-Christian and historical attitudes to child marriage

Answer 6

• As ideas about arranged marriages have changed throughout history, so have ideas about the age to marry
• In biblical times, it was common for girls to marry when they hit puberty
• Mary was around 14 when she gave birth to Jesus

Question 7

Laws about marriage in the UK today

Answer 7

• The laws about the age for marriage aren’t consistent in the UK
• In England and Wales, a couple can marry when they’re 16 if their parents agree (now recently 18)
• They can marry at 18 without parental agreement
• Roman C Church law allows males to marry when they’re 16 and females when they’re 14
• The Church allows bishops in individual countries to set ages for their own countries
• In the UK both the Catholic and Anglican Churches set the minimum ages for marriage in line with UK laws