Marriage and the Family

• What does Mark 10 say about marriage?

  "they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate"

  
  

  "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery." (Mark 10)

  
  

  "at the beginning of creation God made them male and female... and the two will become one flesh." --> "Marriage was established by God when he created humans"
• What is said about divorce, Matthew 19?

  "Anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery"
• What does the Bible say about children?

  "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him" (Psalms 127)

  "Children, obey your parents in the Lord"
• Why is family important to Christians?

  -family unites people and provides a support network for parents and children.

  The Bible teaches of the different roles: parents as guiding their children in their understanding of Christianity, and children to obey and respect and learn from their parents

  
  

  "Fathers do not exasperate your Children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6)
• How can the Church support families?

  -supporting new parents (through organising classes and social events; parental support classes)

  -organising family events

  -providing conselling support

  -encouraging children to attend Sunday School
• What is the Catholic belief about contraception?

  -Procreation is about procreating, therefore artificial methods of contraception should not be used. (restricts one of the main purposes of intercourse)

  -contraception may encourage promiscuity

  -Pope Paul VI's Humanae Vitae (1968) affirms contraception is not acceptable

  "Every action which... proposes... to make procreation impossible is intrinsically evil" -Catechism
• What is the Protestant beliefs about contraception?

  -sensible method of family planning

  -doesn't go against God's teachings
• What are quotes about gender roles?

  "Wives, submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord" (Ephesians 5)

  "There is neither... male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3)
• What are examples of Gender discrimination in the Church?

  Catholics only accept men as bishops, priests and the Pope as they think they represent Jesus- who is male. Therefore, a female would be unable to emulate Jesus in the same way.

  Teachings in the Catechism state only a baptised man can hold these positions
• What is the Lord's Prayer?

  "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name... lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6)
• "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Mark 12:31)

  "God created mankind in his own image" (Genesis 1: 27, creation of man)

  Christians are accountable to God for their actions in this life: the Parable of the Sheep and goats teaches humans will be judged on how they helped others

  Christian aid: believes in treating people with compassion, humans are accountable in their action, equality and justice are achievable
• "Flee from sexual immorality... Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you? You are not your own" (1 Corinthians 6:9)
• The Bible states that marriage should be monogamous between a man and woman for life
• What does the Bible say about same-sex marriage?

  "Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable" (Leviticus 18:22) --> described as a "detestable sin" and also states that they "must both be put to death" (Leviticus 20:13)
• What is the Christian purpose of marriage?

  1)provides companionship, friendship, and support: "in sickness and in health" (Galatians 6:9) a couple makes a vow to always care for each other: a lifelong commitment to one another.

  2) allows for procreation, "Children a heritage from God, offspring a reward from God" (Psalm 127)

  Through establishing a stable relationship, stability is also provided to society through the teaching of good moral and social behaviour
• Christian beliefs about marriage:

  1)important sacrament: "In the presence of God, I take this vow" (Galatians 6:9)- God is involved in the ceremony, reinstates marriage being sacred and binding ("What God has joined together let no-one separate", Mark 10)

  2) Marriage is a gift from God, it's a part of God's plan for men and women to live together

  "Is it not good for men to be alone, I will make a helper for him" (Genesis 2) --> links to "Marriage was established by God when he created humans" (Mark 10) and gender roles

  3) provides a stable environment for children
• What does Pope Francis say about female priests?

  "Women priests, that cannot be done"
• Although marriage is important, some Christians believe God doesn't necessarily want everyone to be married --> e.g Jesus wasn't married and some Christians believe they have a vocation from God (e.g being a monk or nun) where marriage is not a requirement
• "Do not commit adultery" --> The Ten Commandments

  Adultery is forbidden as by the rules of God
• God's plan for men and women to be married --> "at the beginning of creation God made them male and female... and the two will become flesh" (Mark 10)
• What are non-religious attitudes towards Marriage?

  -Marriage is a commitment/ declaration of love
• "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it" (Genesis 1:28) --> as sexual relations are intended for procreations, Christians believe sex can only take place inside a marriage (which can obviously be only between a man and a woman)
• Alternative Christian views of sexual relationships

  -some Christians believe that in modern society, some ideas about sexual relationships are outdated
• What do Evangelical Protestants think of Gender roles?

  -Believe men and women have separate roles in the family and only men can be church leaders and teachers.

  -They think women are responsible for the children and men should provide money and lead the family in religion

  
  

  -Genesis teaches man was made first, the woman being created from one of his ribs

  -women were led astray by Satan

  -Saint Paul teaches women should not speak in Church
• What do Liberal Protestants think of gender roles?

  Accept that men and women should have equal roles in the family and life.

  Teachings of Genesis 1 suggest men and women were created at the same time and equally. "God created man in his own image... male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27)

  
  

  Paul teaches there is "neither male nor female", and Jesus treated women as his equals: therefore men and women should have equal roles in the Church --> there are female ministers, priests and bishops allowed in The Church of England

  There were also records of women priests in the early church
• Catholic views on homosexuality:

  -Bible condemns homosexual activity; being homosexual isn't a sin, but gay acts are (sexual orientation is not a choice, sexual activities are)-marriage is only between a man and a woman
• Evangelical Protestant views on homosexuality:

  -Bible condemns homosexuality, so it's sinful-believe salvation of Christ can remove all sins, including homosexuality
• Liberal protestant views on homosexuality:

  -accept homosexual civil partnerships, don't accept same-sex marriage-believe anti-homosexual texts in the Bible are a reflection of Jewish culture at the time-believe love and acceptance means homosexuals should be accepted-some protestants, such as Quakers, are happy to celebrate same-sex weddings in their churches
• "be fruitful and increase in number" (Genesis 9:7) --> Christians hold a responsibility to procreate
• Protestant beliefs on contraception:

  -main purpose of sex is procreation; but is also for pleasure as an expression of love between a couple-is a sensible method of family planning/ doesn't go against God's teachings
• Situation ethics may allow for exceptions regarding divoce
• Because Eve was made from Adam's rib, Christians may believe women are subordinate to men

  "And from the rib that God had taken from the man, He made a woman and brought her to him." (Genesis 2:2)

  "Wives, submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord" (Ephesians 5)