Relationships

1) Families

Types of Family Nuclear, Extended, Reconstituted, Single Parent 

RC ideal family is Mother, Father with Children 

"the family is the basic nucleaus of society" Pope Francis

"We have to reaffirm the right of children to grow up in afamily" Pope Francis

"train a child ion the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it" "Solomon" Proverbs 22:6 

"The family is the commmunity in which one can learn moral value" Pope Francis

"Honour your mother and your father "  Moses / God ten commandments No 5  e.g. two parent extended or nuclear families betters

"Fathers do not exasperate you children"

Baptists /Salvation Army  "True religion is to look after orphan and widow"  = Reconstituted, Single Parent families also ok.

Quakers  to particular teaching on types of families people should just make their own decisions of conscience based on "the voice within"

Religious Upbringing Children go to church/temples. Parents follow religious rules: 10 commandments/five precepts Duty to teach children about their faith 

Religious Lifestyle Go to place of worship Read sacred texts/Teach to pray Celebrate festivals Rites of Passage (Baptism) 

Christian Teaching “Honour your mother and father” “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” 

2 Roles of Men and Women

Roles Positions or function of a person in society 

Responsibilities Actions/Duties you are expected to carry out. 

Traditional View Man – Work and provide. Woman – raise the children and look after the house 

Modern View Men and women share roles. More women go to work and more men stay at home if it is right for them.

 Evidence? Career women, Men can get parental leave 

3) Roles of Men and Women in Religion

 Gender Equality People of all genders enjoying the same rights. UK Law Equality Act, Sex Discrimination Act. Equal rights in employment. 

Traditional Protestants “Women must be silent in church” “Wives submit to your husband” Paul on Woman’s role is to support the husband. No female can lead services. 

Catholic Church “All made in the image of God” All men and women can be involved in church life. “Jesus had male disciples” Women cannot be priests as Jesus didn’t have female disciples.

Church of England “There is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, you are all one in Christ Jesus” “All made in the image of God” Women can be vicars, now women can be bishops. Theravada Buddhism No female nuns 

"There is neither male nor female ...your are all one in Christ""  Paul ephesians 3:23  used by liberal Christians on teh family / leading worship

"a complely new phase of existence"  Archbishop on Ordination of Priests Liberal view

"Personi  Christi" Catholic Social teaching in that the priest is male just as Jesus was males

"You are Peter and on this rock I shall build my church" Jesus  e. 1st Pope was male and all RC priest and Bishops should also be 

"Greet Junia ... of note amonst the apostles" Romans 16

" Greet Phoebe a deacon [church leader] of chensrea" Romans 16 

4) Marriage 

Commitment A sense of dedication and obligation to someone or something. Christian Purpose God given Basis to raise children A lifelong commitment 

Christian teaching “A man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and two become one flesh” “What God has joined together, let man not separate” 

Wedding Ceremony Welcome Exchange vows “Til death us do part” Exchange Rings Prayers Legal register signing 

Catholics Marriage is a sacrament. It can never be broken. 

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. " Hebrews 13:4-10

5) Divorce 

Why marriages fail? Adultery, finances, lack of children, alcohol, unacceptable behaviour

 Divorce To legally end a marriage 

Separation Deciding to leave separately 

Annulment A legal way of dissolving the marriage in the Catholic Church 

Catholic Response No divorce as marriage is a sacrament that can’t be broken. Vows are promises “death us do part”. Annulment can be sought if the couple have not had sex or when it can be proved the marriage should not have taken place. 

Catholic teachings Jesus said “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery” “What God has joined together, let man not separate”. 

Church of England Understand that some marriage fail. Re-marriage is down to the vicar’s conscience. They get to decide 

Church of England Teachings “lesser of two evils” “Love thy neighbour” Jesus said “If a man divorces his wife except for marital unfaithfulness he commits adultery” Showing that Jesus allowed it in some circumstances. 

6)Marriage outside of the religion

 Catholics The person who is not catholic must agree to raise the children Catholic.

Orthodox Christians Can only marry a baptised Christian. 

Inter-faith marriage A marriage between two people from different faiths.

Issues with interfaith marriage a) Which religion should the children be raised? b) Which festivals should they follow? c) What if the family don’t accept them? d) What if they have different views on moral issues? e) Different dietary requirements? 

7) Cohabitation 

Cohabitation To live together in a sexual relationship, without being married. 

Family type Cohabitation is the fastest growing family type in the UK 

Conservative Christians/Catholics No cohabitation. Sex should be after marriage. “A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and two will become one flesh” This is said during a wedding ceremony. 

Liberal Christians (Protestants) Acceptable in committed relationships. “Love thy neighbour” accept peoples choices. Jesus showed agape to people. 

8) Adultery

 Adultery Choosing to have sex with someone you are not married to 

Christian response Adultery is wrong a) Marriage is a sacrament (cannot be broken) b) Breaks the vows – Death us do part c) One of the 10 commandments “Thou shall not commit adultery” d) Adultery can destroy a family 

9) Sexual Relationships

 Promiscuity Having a number of casual relationships. Religions view this as wrong. 

Fidelity To people being sexually faithful to each other. Religions view this as right. 

Procreation To reproduce Sex 

Sex is regarded as a gift from God. 

Changing attitude to sex Traditionally sex was in marriage to procreate. Since the introduction of artificial contraception views around sex have changed as it does not always end up in pregnancy. 

10) Religious response to sex 

Conservative Christians Pre-marital sex is wrong. Sex should be within marriage, It is a gift from God. “A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and two will become one flesh” “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit” – do not have causal sex as devaluing your body. Promiscuity is wrong.

 Liberal Christians Sex within a loving committed relationship is acceptable. Promiscuity and adultery is wrong though. 

11) Contraception 

Contraception Methods used to prevent a woman from becoming pregnant during or following sexual intercourse 

Natural Methods A person abstains from sex when they are most fertile “rhythm method” 

Artificial methods The pill, condoms, the coil, 

Catholic Response No artificial contraception. Natural Law – Thomas Aquinas – one of the primary precepts for humans was to reproduce. This means contraception is wrong because it stops this from happening. Goes against the natural function of the body. Priests should be celibate

 Protestants Artificial contraception is allowed as long as both people agree. Free will to choose. Sex is about love, and not just about procreating. 

12) Homosexuality

 Law a) In 1967 homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK b) Civil Partnership Act in 2004 gave same-sex couples the same legal rights as married couples. c) Marriage Act in 2013 – legalised same-sex marriage. 

Conservative Christian view Homosexuality is a sin. “A man must not have sexual relations with another man; God hates that”. In the Bible homosexuality was punishable by death. 

Catholic View Same-sex marriage is wrong because a sexual relationship should only exist between a man and a woman. It goes against ‘Natural Law’ sex cannot lead to procreation. 

Quakers Fully accept homosexuality and will marry gay couples. “All made in the image of God” all humans are equal and should be respected.