other

• cohabitation 


  unmarried couple living together in a sexually active relationship. Sometimes known pejoratively known as "living in sin"
• Consent


  freely agreeing to engage in a sexual activity with another person
• Premarital sex


  sex before marriage
• Extramarital sex


  sex beyond the confines of marriage usually to describe adultery
• Betrothal 


  traditionally exchanging promises, which in earlier times marked the point at which sex was permitted
• Consummation 


  act of sexual intercourse that indicates (to some) the finalisation of marriage
• Exclusive 


  commitment to be in a sexual relationship with a person to the exclusion of all others. Opposite of an open marriage or casual relationship
• Homosexuality 


  sexual attraction to the same sex
• Remarriage:

  • Roman Catholics do not accept it - civil divorce is not recognised by God, will always be married in the eyes of God
  • Church Of England - remarriage in a church can be permitted
  • liberal and evangelical Christians - accept
• Contraception:

  • Roman Catholics wrong - artificial forms are forbidden but natural methods are allowed -- rhythm
  • Other Christians - acceptable -- as long as both sides agree
• Masturbation and Abortion:

  • RC - Fides (faithful), Proles (Reproduction) and Sacrementum -- 2 becoming one flesh
  • Evangelical Protestantism - Roman Catholicism stricter
• Secular attitudes to sex and relationships:

  • contractarian approach - relation to sex is allowed if all parties are in agreement
  • autonomous principle - as long as we are not controlled by others or by outside forces we should be free to choose
  • harm principle - JS Mill - law should not harm anyone
  • Freud - mutual sexual desire between consenting partners led to good mental health
• How many men disapproved extra-marital sex (2013)?

  from 45% to 63%
• How many women disapprove extra-marital sex (2013)?

  from 53% to 70%
• Evaluation of liberal approach:

  • encourages tolerance
  • everyone involved has to deal with rightness or wrongness of moral acts
  • each person is an end in themselves - with rights and autonomy
  • balance of power in relationship not always equal does one person always have the upper hand
• Feminism and sexual ethics:

  • religious and libertarian approaches fundamentally flawed
  • religious roles of women being submissive -- caused by male dominance
  • Martha Nussbaum - claims men have dis-empowered women