christinsnity

• The family is the original cell of social life
• Nuclear family


  A family unit consisting of two adults and any number of children living together. The children might be biological, step or adopted.
• Christians see God as the Father, creator, and sustainer of all living things
• Many Christians see family relationships as reflecting God's parental care for all humanity and the family unit as important for society, as well as the Christian faith
• Honour your father and your mother: 'Exodus 20:12'
• Purposes of the Christian family

  • To provide a secure environment for family through marriage
  • To procreate
  • To raise children in the Christian faith
• Many Christians believe marriage is a commitment for couples to love and support each other and share in the care and upbringing of children
• Love one another: just as I have loved you: 'John 13:34'
• Be fruitful and multiply: 'Genesis 1:28'
• Start children off on the way they should go: 'Proverbs 22:6'
• Sacrament


  Rituals that teach, strengthen and express faith. They are relevant to all areas and stages of life, and Roman Catholics believe that the love and gifts of God are given through seven sacraments.
• All Christian denominations share in ideals of marriage such as faithfulness, a permanent union, a blessing from God and the importance of being married for raising children
• Catholic Church expects both the bride and groom to be baptised Catholics, whereas other denominations do not necessarily require the couple to be Christians or baptised
• Catholics might add a 'nuptial' mass to the wedding service, where they will bring the bread and wine to the priest at the altar
• Church of England uses specific words and vows and there may also be a special Eucharist for the couple after the main wedding service
• Non-conformist Churches such as Methodists and Pentecostals often allow the couple to fully plan their own wedding ceremony
• Quaker wedding ceremony is often a quiet, almost silent service
• Covenant


  An agreement or promise
• Sanctity


  The quality of being holy or sacred
• Marriage


  A public declaration of love and commitment made in front of friends and family in a church ceremony. For Roman Catholics, it is a sacrament and a covenant between God and the couple.
• Christian view of marriage


  • The main reason is to follow teachings from the Bible: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh," (Matthew 19:4-6)
  • Many Christians believe the purpose is to honour God and have children, based on the command "Be fruitful and multiply," (Genesis 1:28)
• Polygamy is illegal in the UK, and not commonly accepted within Christianity, though some denominations like Lutheran Christians or The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints allow it
• Divorce


  A legal process that ends a marriage
• Jesus taught that anyone who divorced and remarried, except for sexual immorality, was committing adultery
• Christian denominations' views on divorce


  • Catholic Church does not recognise divorce
  • Most Protestant Churches accept divorce when attempts to save the marriage have failed
  • Anglican Church allows divorce if the marriage has truly broken down
  • Methodist and United Reformed Churches accept divorce and remarriage
• All Christian denominations allow widows and widowers to remarry as their first marriage has ended in death
• Annulment


  A way of ending a marriage that is different from a divorce and declares the marriage as invalid. It can be granted by the Catholic Church, and means that a marriage never legally existed.
• Same-sex marriage has been legal in the UK since 2013, but there are different views among Christian denominations
• Christian views on same-sex marriage


  • Some use Bible and Church traditions to not accept it
  • Some argue monogamous homosexual relationships can have the same values as Christian marriage
  • Quakers and United Reformed Church have conducted same-sex weddings
• The Catholic Church teaches that sex should only take place within marriage
• Some Christians believe sex before marriage devalues God-given sexuality, based on 1 Corinthians 7:9
• Same-sex couples are not biologically able to conceive children


  Some Christian denominations believe same-sex marriage is unacceptable
• Wandsworth Quaker Preparatory Meeting, 1989: 'We affirm the love of God for all people, whatever their sexual orientation'
• Sex before marriage


  Devalues God-given sexuality
• 1 Corinthians 7:9: 'But if they can't control themselves, they should get married, because it's better to marry than to burn with passion'
• Catholic Church teaching on sex


  Sex should only take place within marriage
• Chastity


  Refraining from all sexual intercourse before marriage
• Hebrews 13:4: 'Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral'
• Cohabitation


  Acceptable where there is faithfulness, loyalty and commitment within a long-term relationship
• Pope Francis in The Joy of Love (2016): 'In such cases, respect can also be shown for those signs of love, which in some way, reflect God's own love'