Issues of Relationships

• Marriage lasts till death 'Until death do us part'
• 'Her worth is far beyond red coral'
• 'And children are not lacking'
• 'It is not good for man to be alone; I shall make a partner suited for him'
• 'A man leaves his father and mother, and is united to his wife and the two become one flesh'
• Purposes of Marriage

  • To marry in God's presence
  • To have children
  • To raise Christian children
  • To have sex
  • To be faithful
  • To be committed to ones partner
• Problems of interfaith marriage

  • Different laws (diet, gender roles...)
  • What festivals
  • Where to get married
  • How to raise kids
• Cohabitation


  To live in a sexual relationship with someone who you are not married to
• Liberal protestants on cohabitation


  It is okay if the couple intend to marry
• Catholic view on cohabitation


  Not allowed - it provides an easy oppertunity for sex before marriage
• Nuclear families


  Two parents and one or more children living together in the same house
• Extended families


  Number of adults and children living in the same house when they are all related
• Reconstructed Families


  Where divorced adults remarry
• Single parent families


  Where one parents raises a child alone
• Childless families


  Married or cohabitating families without any children
• Christian parental roles

  • 'Honour your mother and father'
  • To care for parents
  • To have children 'Be fruitful and increase'
• Pope Francis said 'Family is the basis of human society'
• 'Do not treat your children in a way that makes them angry'
• Humanist families


  Focus on welfare of children and adults
• Adultery


  A married person having sex with a person who is not their spouse
• Thou shalt not commit adultery
• Be faithful
• Divorce

  To legally terminate a marriage
• Separation

  To remain married but live seperately
• Annulment

  To legally dissolve the marriage as if it never happened
• A man who divorces his wife, and marries another woman commits adultery against her
• Catholic view on contreception

  • Not allowed
  • The purpose of sex is to have children
  • Natural Moral Law
  • If the unmarried can not control themselves, they should marry. Better to be married than burn with vain desire
• Liberal Christian views on Contreception

  • Allowed
  • Nothing in the Bible that forbids contreception
• Catholic views on homosexuality

  • The Law is made for lawbreakers and rebels ... for those practicing homosexuality
  • If a man lies with a man as he does with a woman that is detestable
  • The sexually immoral shall not enter the kingdom of heaven
  • Cannot have children
• Liberal views on homosexuality

  • Allowed
  • Society has changed
  • Love thy neighbour
  • Treat others as you would want to be treated
• Humanist views on homosexuality

  • Allowed
  • Do anything that causes happiness
• Deacon


  Ordained minister below a priest that can lead church services
• Priest


  Leads ceremonies, sacraments and rituals
• Bishop


  A senior church member in charge of an area
• Church of England on woman

  • Allowed to lead
  • Mary Magdalene appeared to Jesus first
  • Jesus breaks Jewish law to teach Mary and Martha
  • All humans are created 'in the image of God'
  • There is neither Jew not Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female, for you are all one in faith in Christ Jesus
• Catholic views on woman

  • Women can help, but cannot lead
  • In mass, the priest represents Jesus and Jesus was a man
  • The apostles were all men
  • I do not permit a woman to teach or assume authority over a man
  • Eve was the first to sin
• Features of Orthodox wedding ceremony


  • Crowning of the bride and groom
  • Drink from the same cup
  • Each receive a lit candle
  • Put rings on each others fingers 3 times
• Crowning of the bride and groom


  Raise children-king and queen of the house
• Drink from the same cup


  Companionship
• Each receive a lit candle


  God is present