3.2 Family & Marriage

• Three Christian beliefs about marriage:

  • marriage is one of the seven sacraments
  • catholics can only have children if they are married
  • catholics believe sexual relationships are only permitted within marriage
• Explain the importance of marriage

  1. Marriage is considered one of the seven sacraments therefore Catholics can receieve God's grace, bringing them closer to him and allowing them to take part in all sacraments
  2. Marriage allows Catholics to have children and raise them to be good, loving people therefore continuing the faith and follows Jesus' teachings to make disciples of all nations
• Non-religious attitudes towards marriage:

  > it is up to the induvidual

  > many marry for love, stability and children

  > many couples have sex before marriage

  > would argue that is unreasonable to promise to stay with one person forever if you dont know what its like to cohabit with then
• Marriage: Catechism says that sex must take place within marriage
• Marriage: Catechism teaches that cohabitation is wrong because love doesnt tolerate "trial marriages"
• Genesis: "go forth and multiply"
• Outline three beliefs about sexual relationships:

  • Catholics believe sex is a gift from God
  • Believe pre-marital sex is wrong
  • Committing adultery is breaking one of the ten commandments
• Homosexuality:

  > Church teaches that being homosexual is not a sin in itself, but homosexual activity is a sin because it is not procreative

  > Catechism teaches that sex is for a man and a woman

  However, the Church teaches that it is a sin to attack or harrass homosexuals because:

  1. God made everyone in his image so everyone is equal
  2. people cannot choose their sexual orientation
• Outline why family life is important for Catholics

  • safe & loving environment to bring up children in
  • children can be introduced to the faith
  • God created family as the basic unit of society
• Catholic response to different types of family:

  > approves of nuclear and extended families (three generations in the same household)

  > believes single parent families should be supported by the Church

  > disapproves of blended families because the Church does not allow divorce or remarriage

  > believes couple must be married in order to have a family
• Family: ten commandments instructs to honour your father and mother
• Outline three ways parishes help families:

  1. connected to primary or secondary school
  2. run marriage guidance classes
  3. childrens liturgy during mass
• Explain two reasons why parishes help families:

  > Church has a duty to help children who have been baptised by the Church

  > Catholics believe that family is the fabric of soceity, so parish has a social and sacred duty to help parents cope with family life

  > children are the future of the Church so it's important to educate them during mass
• Supporting families: Catechism taeches that parish is the place for the catechesis of children and parents
• Catechesis = the teachings about faith
• Almost all Christians aside from Catholics believe that all forms of contraception should be used because:

  > contraception combats the spread of sexually transmitted disease

  > God created sex for unity as well as procreation

  > the bible doesnt explicitly forbid contracpetion

  > contraception improves womens health & quality of life as family sizes are smalelr
• Catholics only permit natural forms of contraception:

  • NFP (natural family planning) plans sex around a womans fertility
  • Catholics believe that contraception leads to promiscuity or adultery
  • Artificial methods could bring about an early abortion which is not allowed in the faith
• Three reasons why annulment might be allowed:

  1. if the marriage was never consummated
  2. if one of the partners was not a true Christian as they hadnt been baptised
  3. if one of the spouses concealed important information such as being infertile
• Two reasons why re-marriage is not allowed for Catholics:

  • marriage is a sacrament which cant be broken by earthly powers
  • Jesus teaches that if someone divorces then remarries, they are committing adultery which is breaking one of the ten commandments
  • Catechism teaches that a marriage concluded and consummated between baptised people cant be dissolved
• Why is divorce not allowed in the Catholic Church?

  > Jesus taught that divorce is wrong and marriage is for life

  > Catechism teaches that a marriage "concluded and consummated" between two batpised people cant be dissolved

  > marriage is a covenant which cant be broken by earthly powers
• Non-religious views on divorce and remarriage:

  • all married couples have the right to divorce if the marriage hasb roken down
  • its up to the induvidual to decide
  • all people should be treated equally
  • if children are involved, the most loving option should be considered
• Christian views on divorce and remarriage:

  1. divorce might be the lesser of two children, especially in the case of domestic violence
  2. divorce isnt encouraged but its allowed becaue Jesus taught that its okay if a partner is committing adultery
• Outline three different Christian attitudes to the role of women in the home

  • Evangelical Protestants > women should submit to the authority of their husbands & should raise children
  • Liberal Protestants > believe women and men are completely equal
  • Catholicss > women and men are equal but women have a special role to be mothers
• Equality of men and women > SoWa:

  1. Genesis: God created male and female in his own image
  2. St Paul said that women shouldnt speak in Church
  3. Jesus only had male apostles, but he treated women as equals to him
• Outline three roles of ministry that Catholic women are able to perform:

  > teach and study at theological colleges

  > be extraordinary ministers

  > read bible teachings in mass
• Two reasons why Catholics are opposed to gender prejudices and discimination:

  1. Genesis teaches that God created both men and women in the image of God, therefore everyone is equal
  2. In the Bible, Jesus treated his mother and other women in his life with respect and dignity therefore Catholics should follow in this example