Issues of Relationships

• Nuclear family: Two parents and one or more children living in the same house

  This is the most common type in Britain
• Extended Family: A number of adults and children who are related and live together in the same home

  E.g. Grandparents, cousins, etc
• Reconstituted family: Remarrying and creating a family with children from previous relationships
• Single parent family: One parent raises one or more children alone

  This is rising in Britain
• Childless Family: Married or cohabiting couples either unable to have children or who have chosen not to have children

  This can often include same-sex couples
• Roles: The position of a person, the characteristics that are expected of them
• Responsibilities: The actions and duties that you are expected to carry out
• Traditional roles:

  Women - Responsible for domestic (home) life

  Men - Had to provide (work)

  This is a patriarchal view - Men seen as leaders of the family
• Changing Roles:

  Women and men are more equal and share responsibilities.

  (2015) It became possible for men and women to share parental leave
• Family and Religion: The family home is where religion is 'taught' and 'caught' which means it is where the religion is taught and practiced
• Religious parents are:

  • Expected to take their children to a place of worship
  • Teach them how to read and understand religious texts
  • Teach them when and how to pray
  • Join in celebrations of festivals
  • Understand the importance of rites of passage e.g baptism
• Marriage: A legal union between a man and a woman (can now be same sex weddings in SOME countries), usually for life.
• Christian views of marriage:

  • God given
  • The best environment for having children
  • A lifelong commitment

  'What God has joined together, let no man put asunder' - Interpreted to mean marriage is a lifelong commitment
• Christian wedding services:

  • Take place in a church or chapel
  • Performed by a vicar
  • Couple exchange vows
  • Couple exchange rings
  • Includes prayers, a sermon and a Bible reading

  Must sign a register, this makes the marriage legal.
• Inter-faith marriage: A marriage between people of different faiths.
• Issues with inter-faith marriages:

  • Where would the wedding take place?
  • How can religious dietary rules be followed in the home?
  • Which festivals will be celebrated?
  • Which religion will the children be raised?
  • Different expectations of gender roles
  • What if families in religious communities refuse to accept the marriage?
• Cohabitation: To live together in a (sexual) relationship without being married or in a civil partnership
• Christian views on cohabitation:

  Christians typically have forbidden cohabitations but there has been a more accepting view on this by some denominations in more modern times such as Liberal Anglicans (in a committed relationship but marriage is still preferred)

  Catholics/ more fundamental Christians do not accept this as sex before marriage is seen as a sin
• Adultery: Voluntary sex between a married person and a person that is not their marriage partner

  Seen as a justified reason for divorce

  This is considered a great sin as it goes against the 10 commandments 'thou shall not commit adultery' Exodus 20:14
• Divorce: The legal ending of a marriage
• Separation: Deciding to live separately
• Annulment: A legal way of cancelling a marriage

  E.g. if the marriage is performed illegally or the have not consummated
• Christian views of Divorce:

  (Catholics) Do not recognise divorce as they see marriage as a lifelong commitment. If the marriage breaks down separation and annulment are the only options

  (Other Christians) All other Christians accept divorce as it is the LEGAL ending of a marriage. It only becomes an issue if a christian wants to remarry.
• Sex:

  • Seen as a gift from God
  • Allows for the continuation of the human race
  • Physical way to express love
• Promiscuity: Casual sex with a number of partners without commitment.

  Christians see this as a sin as sex should only be between people in a committed relationship
• Christian views of sex:

  • It is a God given gift
  • Should be part of marriage/committed relationship
  • Should ONLY be done with someone you love
  • Promiscuity is unacceptable
• Chastity: No sex until marriage

  Christians believe this is ideal
• Silver Ring Thing: encourages young people to wear a silver ring on their ring finger until marriage to show they are chaste.
• Celibacy: The decision to never have a sexual relationship

  Monks, Nuns and priests must take a vow of celibacy
• Contraception: Deliberately using methods to prevent pregnancy

  (Artificial) Condoms, Pill, Implant, IUD, etc

  (Natural) Tracking the women's menstrual cycle
• Christian views of contraception:

  (Catholics) Do not accept artificial means of contraception. They believe in Thomas Aquinas' 5 primary precepts

  (Other Christians) More accepting of contraception
• Thomas Aquinas' 5 precepts:

  • Self preservation/ Preservation of innocent
  • Continuation of the species through reproduction
  • Education of children
  • To live in society
  • To worship God

  Catholics believe this should always be followed. Some Catholics simply use this as a guide as God gave us the intelligence to interpret rules
• Humanists believe contraception is acceptable in order to help people enjoy their lives and limit the size of families
• Same- sex relationship: A relationship between two people of the same sex.
• In 1967 homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK
• Christian views of same-sex relationships:

  Many Christians do not accept same sex relationships on Biblical grounds

  Same sex marriage cannot take place in churches; however it divides opinions amongst different Christian denominations
• 'If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads' Leviticus 20:13
• 'We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that the law is not made for the righteous, but for law breakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful. The unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their mothers and fathers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars..' 1 Timothy 1: 8-10
• Gender equality: The idea that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities in society.
• Christian views of gender equality:

  Biblical teaching show women should not assume roles of authority over men

  (Catholic) Women cannot become ordained or become priests but can become sisters or nuns

  (CofE) Allowed women to be ordained since 1994, first woman ordained in 2014