Edexcel Religious Studies 9-1 Christianity

• Sex outside marriage

  Pre-marital sex (sex before marriage) and adultery
• Adultery

  Having sex with somebody other than your marriage partner
• Most Christians believe that sex should only take place in marriage because sex is the highest expression of love between couples
• The Bible says that fornication (pre-marital sex and promiscuity) is sinful
• Remaining sexually abstinent

  Choosing to save the gift of a sexual relationship for their future marriage partner
• The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that pre-marital sex is wrong and Catholics are encouraged to follow the teachings of the Church
• Christian views on sex outside marriage

  • Some Christians accept pre-marital sex if the couple are in a long term relationship and intend to marry
  • Some Christians allow sex outside marriage as it is a natural part of life and enables them to become physically closer to their partner
  • Some Christians completely disagree with sex outside marriage and believe couples should refrain until marriage
• Adultery is forbidden in the 10 Commandments and is also condemned by Jesus in the Gospels
• Most Christians believe adultery is always wrong because it breaks the bond of trust, undermines the stability of family life and breaks the marriage vows which are sacred
• Marriage

  A public commitment between two people that is a life-long union which can only be ended by death, divorce or annulment
• Purposes of marriage for Christians

  • A couple can have a life-long relationship of love, companionship and faithfulness
  • To enjoy sex with each other in the way God intended
  • So that children can be brought up in a Christian family and become members of the church
  • To make a lifelong commitment establishing a permanent and stable relationship
• Marriage is important to Christians because

  • It is a holy gift from God (sanctity of marriage)
  • Some Christians believe it is a sacrament
  • Marriage provides security and a stable environment for children to be raised as Christians
  • Christians believe faithfulness is a vital part of marriage
• Some Christians believe that although marriage is important God doesn't want everyone to be married
• Christians believe marriage is ordained by God. Non-religious people do not believe this
• Christians believe marriages are rooted in a shared belief in God. Non-religious people do not believe this
• Non-religious views on marriage

  • Marriage is good for raising a family because it provides a stable, legal and financial backing for the relationship
  • Some non-religious people believe marriage is not always necessary if you are in a long term committed relationship
• Christian responses to non-religious attitudes to marriage

  • The Roman Catholic Church and Conservative Protestant Churches have condemned the non-religious attitude and insist that Christians should refrain from having sex until they have had a Christian marriage
  • The more Liberal Protestant Churches accept that couples may live together before they are married but expect couples to marry before starting a family
  • Some of the younger generation of Christians have responded by ignoring the Church's teachings
• Types of families

  • Nuclear Family
  • Same-Sex Family
  • Extended Family
  • Single-Parent Family
  • Blended Family
• Most Christians believe that the family is the most important part of society, without the family society would collapse
• The Catechism of the Catholic Church does not agree with same-sex families as they believe they are not part of God's plan for marriage and family
• Most Christians believe that extended, single-parent and blended families are acceptable
• Some Christians may not agree with same-sex families due to their beliefs on homosexuality
• Some Christians believe there are more important things than the family and getting married, for example Roman Catholic priests, nuns and monks leave their family to serve God
• Homosexuality

  Sexual attraction to the same sex
• Christian views on homosexuality

  • Catholic Christians believe that being a homosexual is not a sin but having a homosexual sexual relationship is
  • Evangelical Christians do not accept homosexuality and believe it is sinful
  • Liberal Protestants believe homosexual relationships are acceptable
• The Bible condemns homosexual activity and the Church teaches that people can't help their sexual orientation but can control their sexual activity
• The Bible condemns homosexuality in some passages in the Old and New Testament, and the salvation of Christ can remove homosexual feelings
• The major Christian belief in love and acceptance means that homosexuals must be accepted, and the Bible needs reinterpreting in the light of modern knowledge as scientific research suggests homosexuality could be genetic
• 1 Corinthians 6:18-20: ''Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.''
• Some Christians interpret this as meaning that sex should take place between a man and women in a faithful marriage therefore they may not accept homosexuality
• Family planning

  Choosing when to have children, by using contraception - artificial and natural methods of preventing pregnancy
• Christian views on artificial contraception

  • Some Christians do not agree with using artificial contraception because the purpose of sex is for procreation and Catholics follow the authority of the Humanae Vitae
  • Some Christians think that artificial contraception is acceptable because God created sex for enjoyment, not just for procreation and nothing in the Bible forbids contraception
  • Some Christians may choose to use situation ethics to determine whether or not using artificial contraception is the most loving thing to do in a situation
• Anglican Christians were the first to speak out in favour of artificial contraception at the Lambeth Conference in 1930
• Christians believe children are important and the church should support families in the local parish
• Matthew 19:14: ''Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom belongs to such as these.''
• The Church teaches that the family is the only place in which children should be brought up, so the parish has a social as well as sacred duty to help parents with their family life
• The family is the place where children are introduced to the faith. If the parish does not help in this, then Christianity will not grow and the Church will have failed
• Support from the Church is important for Christian families as teaching children about Christianity requires knowledge and expertise in the faith
• Duty of the parish

  Help children baptised in a church
• Purpose of Christian marriage

  To have children and bring them up in a secure and loving Christian environment