RE

• 3 examples of different families

  1. nuclear - 2 parents & 1+ children living together
  2. extended - different generations living together
  3. reconstituted - divorced parents remarrying or cohabiting, creating new families with step brothers and sisters
• christian attitudes to marriage

  • sacrament
  • gift from god & ’ordained by god’
  • should be seen as life long commitment
  • best place to raise children
• muslim attitudes to marriage

  • gift from god
  • basis for family life
  • muslims encouraged to marry
  • marriage should be for life
  • divorce is permitted
• humanist attitudes to marriage

  • ceremonies are non religious
  • significant event that allows couples to show commitment to one another
• christian attitudes to cohabitation

  • liberal anglicans allow it but believe it should be preparation for married life
  • catholics disagree because sex is sacred
  • some baptist churches refuse to marry couples who cohabit
• muslim attitudes to cohabitation

  • always wrong because pre-marital sex is also wrong
• christian views on adultery

  • always wrong
  • forbidden in 10 commandments
  • harms the family unit
  • breaks the sacred sacrament of marriage
• muslim views on adultery

  • forbidden in the Quran
  • seen as theft
  • damages islam society (ummah)
  • breaks any vows made
• what are the old views on roles for men and women christianity + islam

  • both responsible for raising children
  • both provide a nurturing environment for kids
  • both involved in education and act as role models
• views on roles on men and women in the modern day

  • more women work
  • more men stay at home and raise children - doubled to 229,000 since 1993aw is changing to allow men and women to share parental leave
• what is the purpose of family for christians and muslims

  • basic unit of society/building block of society, without it family would fall apart
  • believe nuclear family is the best type
• catholic views on family

  • role of parents is to provide safe and stable homes
  • children should obey and respect their parents
• quakers views on family

  • they welcome any family where children are taught religious values
• islam views on family

  • it’s the most important institution + considered a gift from allah
  • parents have a duty to raise their children as faithful muslims
  • men are head of the family they must provide financially for women even if they have their own wealth as they are often seen as physically stronger
• catholic quote on views of family


  wives submit yourself to your husbands as you do to the lord
• purpose of marriage for christian’s 


  procreation (children), protection, purity and partnership
• purpose of marriage for muslims 


  mutual support and care and to create a flourishing society
• catholic views on divorce

  • no religious divorce is permitted
  • marriage is a sacrament that can’t be broken
  • if they divorce legally they can’t receive holy communion
• anglican views on divorce

  • allow divorce but would expect couple to try reconcile first
  • may see it as the lesser of 2 evils if the couple are unhappy
  • dont like remarriage would rather it happen in a non church setting
• methodist/non-conformist views on divorce

  • discourage divorce
  • will remarry divorced people if couple are committed
  • ministers don’t have to perform re marriage ceremonies
• muslim views on divorce

  • not against it but would expect couple to try work out issues first
  • the husband must declare the intention 3 times to a witness
  • couple must then separate for three months where they live together without sex
  • after this an imam will give them a religious divorce
• reasons for marriage ending

  • having children
  • financial problems
  • stress
  • adultery
  • religious differences
  • addiction
  • lack of communication
  • sexual problems
• catholic views on remarriage 


  cannot remarry in a catholic church
• anglican views on remarriage 


  won’t marry but will perform a blessing
• muslim views in remarriage 


  encourage it as it’s good for society
• overview of sexual relationships

  • all religions think sex is important and a gift from god
  • allows human race to continue
  • its a way for couples to express their love + affection
  • they all see promiscuity (having multiple casual partners) as bad because it abuses the gift god gave us
• purpose of sex

  • procreation/new life
  • contraception created for pleasure without leading to a pregnancy
  • contraception has led to changing views on the purpose of sec
• christian attitudes towards sex

  • gift from god - holy and sacred
  • promiscuity devalues the act of sex
  • promiscuity may lead to unwanted children
• muslim attitudes towards sex

  • couples should meet each others sexual needs as a form of worship
  • sex outside of marriage is wrong
  • gift from Allah - holy and sacred
  • promiscuity devalues the act of sex
• what is chastity

  • not having sex until married
  • both religions believe people should practice it until married
  • in america the silver ring thing is wearing a ring on marriage finger to show they remain chaste until marriage
• what is celibacy

  • when a person decides to never have a sexual relationship
  • catholic priests, monks and nuns for example
  • muslims dint believe people should do this as people should get married
• catholic views on contraception

  • official teaching forbids the use of contraception
  • many catholics will follow their conscience and use contraception to avoid having children
• most protestants views on contraception

  • accept contraception
  • used to limit family size
  • used to enjoy gift of sex without fear of unwanted pregnancy
  • used to stop the spread of STI’s
  • god allowed us to create contraception
• muslim views on contraception

  • quran doesn’t mention contraception but it was used at the time of Muhammed
  • dint believe in permanent forms like sterilisation
  • most agree as long as it doesn’t harm the body and both men and women agree to use it
• humanist views on contraception

  • good, helps enjoy sex
  • science should help lead better lives, contraception helps with this
• changes in attitudes to same sex relationships

  • sexual relationships aren’t just between man and woman anymore
  • homosexuality (gay) was only decriminalised in 1967
  • the marriage act allowed same sex marriages in england and wales
  • same sex marriages are controversial for religious and non-religious people
• catholic views on same sex relationships

  • don’t allow it
  • goes against natural law (can’t procreate naturally)
  • sexual relationships should only happen with man and woman
  • pope francis reinforced this view
• other christian’s views on same sex relationships

  • some agree, some disagree
  • some use leviticus to show it’s wrong as it claims 2 men having sex is wrong
  • some liberal christian’s agree with same sex relationships
  • liberal anglicans say that jesus taught us to ‘love our neighbours’ so we should love homosexuals
• muslim views on same sex relationships

  • forbids homosexual relationships and marriage
  • sex is only for man and woman
  • in quran it says men shouldn’t approach other men with desire, this shows it’s wrong
  • sex should take place in a marriage and marriages are between men and women
• humanist views on same sex relationships

  • personal choice
  • if a person wishes to have a same sex marriage, it’s allowed