Relationships & Families

• Christian attitudes towards homosexuality

  Old Testament- Leviticus says ‘do not lie with a man as you do with a woman’

  St Paul - Writes ‘men who have sex with men will not inherit the kingdom of God’

  Catholics - Homosexual acts break natural law and go against God’s Plan

  Quakers- It is the ‘nature and quality of the relationship that matters’

  Pope Francis - supports civil partnerships ‘don’t judge others‘

  Situation Ethics - If a loving relationship makes both people happy it is acceptable
• Islamic beliefs about homosexual

  Surah 26 - ‘Must you lust after males and abandon the wives God created for you?‘ Being gay violates God’s Plan and is seen as lustful

  Surah 4 - ‘Dishonour’ those who take part in homosexual acts. Demonstrates that they are wrong and should be disapproved

  Inclusive Mosque Initiative- ‘There are many ways of doing Islam’
• Christian beliefs about sex before marriage

  Catholic Chruch - ‘Sex outside marriage always constitutes a grave sin‘ - purpose of sex is procreation in a marriage

  St Paul - ‘It is better to marry than burn with passion’ sex should only take place within marriage

  St Paul - ‘Flee from sexual immorality‘ the best way to do this is only having sexual within a committed marriage.

  Quakers - ‘It is the nature and quality of the relationship that matters‘

  Situation Ethics - Love decisions are made situationally so as long as the act is loving and not harmful it isn’t wrong
• Islamic beliefs about sex before marriage

  Surah 24 - ‘Remain chaste’ until you are ready for marriage

  Shariah Law - Sex before marriage is punishable by 100 lashes
• Christian beliefs about sex outside marriage

  Breaks sacred marriage vows made before God - to be in a monogamous relationship

  10 Commandments - ‘Do not commit adultery‘

  St Paul - ‘Adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God’
• Islamic beliefs about sex outside marriage

  Surah 17 - ‘Do not go anywhere near adultery it is an outrage and evil path’

  Shariah Law - flogging and death penalty as punishment for adultery
• Christian beliefs about contraception

  Catholics - ‘Every sex act must remain open to the transmission of life’ - The purpose of sex is procreation so therefore contraception is seen as ‘intrinsically evil’

  Genesis 1 - ‘Be fruitful and multiply’ is a divine command from God that suggests the purpose of sex is procreation

  Church of England - It is acceptable as long as it is used in the light of Christian principles- so in marriage

  Situation Ethics - it is the most loving thing to do as it prevents STIs and helps with family planning
• Islamic beliefs about contraception

  Surah 17 - ‘Do not kill your child for fear of poverty…we will provide for them and you‘ some methods of contraception could be seen as wrong

  Surah 4 - ‘God wishes to lighten your burdens‘ contraception can be used within marriage for the purpose of family planning and health
• Nature of marriage in Christianity

  Monogamous - ‘One flesh’ (Genesis)

  Lifelong - ‘Until death do us part‘ (Vows)
• Nature of Marriage in Islam

  • Monogamous or Polygamous
  • Lifelong - although divorce is permissible
• Purpose of marriage in Christianity

  • To procreate and start a family
  • To fulfill marriage sacraments
  • To become one flesh and have a lifelong monogamous relationship
  • To have a committed and loving sexual relationship
• Purpose of marriage in Islam

  • To support one another
  • To procreate - reproduction is a gift from God
  • To fulfil a religious responsibility - marry those among you who are single
  • To provide stability to society
• Christian beliefs about cohabitation

  • Conservative Christians may see it as wrong as it could lead to sex before marriage
  • Liberal Christians see no problem as it is the nature and quality of the relationship that matters
  • Situation Ethics
• Islamic belief about cohabitation

  Surah 24 - ‘remain chaste until marriage‘ it is wrong because you may be tempted to have sex before marriage
• Christian beliefs about same-sec

  marriage

  • Catholic Church and Church of England oppose it as marriage is a sacred covenant involving one man and one woman and it lead to same-sex acts which are sinful
  • Quakers and Methodists allow same-sex marriage as it is about love not gender
• Islamic beliefs about same-sex marriage

  • Surah 26 - ‘Do not abandon the wives God has created for you’ God’s plan is for heterosexual marriage
  • Surah 4 - ‘Dishonour‘ those who take part in homosexual acts
• Christian beliefs about divorce

  • Catholic Church - ‘Divorce is a grave offence against Natural Law’
  • Jesus - ‘What God has joined together, man shall not seperate’
  • Marriage Vows - ‘Until death do us part’ you have made this commitment in front of God
  • Church of England - ‘Some marriages do fail’ divorce is acceptable
  • Jesus - allowed divorce for sexual immorality
• Islamic beliefs about divorce

  • Hadith - ‘The most detestable of all lawful things to Allah is divorce‘
  • Surah 2 - Those who intend to divorce their wives shall wait four months‘ Divorce can be used as a last resort with the Quran setting out a proper process to follow in these cases
• Purpose of families in Christianity

  • Procreate
  • Provide for your family
  • ‘Bring up your children in the training and instruction of the Lord’
• Purpose of Family in Islam

  • Procreate - ’Heaven is under the feet of the mothers ’
  • Raise children within the faith
  • To respect and care for elders- ‘Do good to your parents and treat them respectfully in old age’
• Gender differences in Christianity

  • Traditionalists believe that men and women are spiritually equal but socially different
  • Women cannot be priests in Catholic Church
  • St Paul says that wives should ‘submit‘ to their husbands and that they can’t have authority over a man
• Gender Equality in Christianity

  • Church of England allows women to be priests and bishops
  • St Paul says ‘there is neither male or female you are all one in Jesus Christ‘
  • ’They marvelled that Jesus was talking to a woman‘
• Gender differences in Islam

  • Traditionalists believe men and women are spiritually equal but socially different
  • Men are supposed to be leaders in the community and breadwinners while women are homemakers and mothers
  • ‘Men are protectors and maintainers of women’
• Gender Equality in Islam

  • Male and Female believers are both promised eternal life after death
  • Inclusive Mosque Initiative
• Christian beliefs about the nature of family

  • Families should be loving - ‘Honour your mother and father‘ Ten Commandments
  • Family is the foundation of society - Pope John said it is ’the first and vital cell of society‘
• Christian Beliefs about the purpose of family

  • Procreation - ‘Be fruitful and multiply‘
  • Education - ‘Bring up your children in the training and instruction of the Lord’
  • Protect and Provide for children - ‘Anyone who does not provide for their relatives has denied the faith’
• Islamic beliefs about the nature of family

  • Mothers should be appreciated- ‘Heaven is under the feet of the mothers‘
  • God created family life to keep society together. They believe that it is the foundation of the community
• Islamic beliefs about the purpose of family

  • Procreation - ‘Children are a gift from God’
  • Education - First words a child should hear is the Shahadah