Theme A - Relationships and Families

• Promiscuity


  Someone who has or is involved with many sexual partners
• Contraception


  The use of artificial methods to prevent pregnancy and STIs
• Chastity


  Refraining from all sex, or sexual acts considered immoral
• Cohabitation


  People living together and having a sexual relationship without being married
• Celibacy


  Refraining from marriage and sexual relationships
• "Every sexual act must take place within the framework of marriage" - Roman Catholic Church
• Reasons that relgions might oppose contraception


  • Prevents God's creation
  • Undermines marriage
  • Encourages promiscuity
  • Prevents reproduction
  • Goes against scripture
• Types of contraception

  • Natural
  • Rhythm method
  • Abstinence
  • Withdrawal method
  • Artificial (temporary)
  • Condoms
  • The Pill
  • Morning after pilll
  • Permanent
  • Sterilisation
• Arguments for contraception

  • Overpopulation
  • Prevents STDs
  • Encourages informed choices
  • Empowers women
  • Family planning
  • Supports victims of sexual crimes
• Roman Catholic views on contraception


  • Only allows "natural" birth control
  • Artificial contraception banned
• Conservative Christian views on contraception


  • Church of England
  • Should be limited to married couples who plan to use it to regulate the size and spacing of their family
• Liberal Christian views on contraception


  • It is acceptable to use
  • Acceptable as long as it is not used to encourage or permit promiscuous behaviour
• "Every sexual act should have the possisbility of creating new life" - Humanae Vitae 1968 (Catholic)
• The purpse of Christian marriage


  • For couples' mutual help/relationship
  • The right relationship for physical intimacy
  • The creation of children
• Symbolism of marriage rings


  • Round - symbolise the enternity of marriage
  • Gold - symmbolise the purity of marriage
  • Plain - symbolise the simplicity of marriage
• You can get a divorce in England and Wales if:

  • You've been married for over a year
  • Your relationship has permanently broken down
  • Your marriage is legally recognised in the UK
  • The UK is ther permanent residence of either you or your spouse
• Grounds for divorce


  • Adultery
  • Unreasonable behaviour
  • your spouse behaves in a way that means you cannot reasonably be expected to live with them
  • e.g. alcoholism, abuse
  • Desertion
  • your spouse has left you for at least 2 years before you apply for divorce
  • You've been separated for at least 2 years - IF you both agree
  • You've been separated for at least 5 years - WHETHER OR NOT your spouse agrees
• "Till death us do part" - marriage vows
• "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery" - Matthew 19.9
• Arguments for divorce

  • Abuse
  • Adultery
  • Unhappiness/loveless
  • Free will
  • Could have married without being aware of the demands
  • Impacts on children (growing up with a warped view of love)
• Religious reasons for divorce


  The Church of England does not advocate for divorce, but it is allowed if the marriage has truly broken down and cannot be repaired
• Arguments against divorce


  • Made public vows
  • Impact on children (growing up in a broken home)
• Religious arguments against divorce

  The Catholic Church does not allow divorce, but it does allow annulment
• How do Christians try and save a failing marriage?


  Some denominations allow divorce as a last resort if the couple have exhausted all other options like:

  • marriage counselling
  • talking to a vicar, priest or minister
  • spending time apart
  • talking to friends and family
• Muslim teachings on divorce


  • Muslims allow divorce as a last resort
  • technically not a sin, but still shouldn't happen
  • the Qur'an encourages Muslims to try and reconcile their marriage
  • For a man to get a divorce, he must declare it to his wife verbally or in writing, and the two must live together for three months without having sex
  • For a woman, she must go to court/a mosque to force her husband to issue the divorce
  • If the woman is pregnant, the couple must wait until after the baby is born
  • The husband must continue responsibilty for his children and support his wife until she remarries
• • Same-sex marriages are forbidden in Islam
  • Some Muslim lawyers arguue that it is a crime which should be punishable by death
  • (probably doesn't represent the views of all Muslims though)
• Same-sex marriage in the UK


  • Civil partnership has been legal in the UK since 2004
  • Civil marriage was made legal in the UK in 2014
• Gender


  The characteristics of men, women and non-binary people that are socially constructed
• Sex


  Referring to a person's anatomy and chromosomes
• Intersex


  Someone who is biologically neither male nor female
• Patriarchy


  A system of society in which men are given more power and women are typically excluded
• Misogyny


  Hatred or prejudice against women, thinking men are superior
• Misandry


  Hatred or prejudice against men, thinking women are superior
• Cisgender


  Someone who identifies with the sex that they were assigned at birth
• Transgender


  Someone who does not identify with the sex that they were assigned at birth
• AFAB


  Assigned Female At Birth
• AMAB


  Assigned Male at Birth
• Gender binary


  The classification of gender into two distinct, opposite identities - male and female
• Non-binary


  A blanket term/gender identity referrinng to people who identify outside of the gender binary
• Transphobia


  Hatred of or prejudice towards transgender people