Religious studies

• Gender roles


  The roles of women and men in the family, society, or in Christian communities
• Procreation


  Having children
• Intimacy


  An extremely close relationship, where two people might know everything personal and private about the other
• Consummation


  The first time a married couple have sexual intercourse. A marriage can be declared void if one spouse refuses to consummate the marriage
• Nuclear family


  A married mother and father, with their child or children, living together. This is also known as the traditional family
• Single parent family


  A family that only has one parent raising a child or children
• Step-family


  A family that has come together from two divorced or separated people who have brought their children from the previous relationship into this new family. This is also known as a blended family
• Same-sex family


  A family where a same sex couple are raising a child or children
• Adoptive family


  A family that has adopted a child or children
• Extended family


  Where aunts, uncles, or grandparents are closely involved in raising another's child or children
• Cohabiting family


  When the mother and father of the child or children live together, but the parents are not married
• Amish


  A Christian community based in the USA who believe in gender complementarianism
• Nun/Religious Sister


  A female Christian who has made vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and lives in a community of religious 'sisters'. The community's building might be called a convent.
• Frian/monk


  A male Christian who has made vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and lives in a community of religious brothers' or monks. The community's building might be called a priory or monastery.
• Agape


  A Greek word used by Jesus for God's unconditional, selfless love; the love Christians should have for everyone
• Adultery


  A married person having sexual intercourse with someone other than their spouse
• Natural Family Planning


  A natural way for a couple to either get pregnant by calculating fertile periods, or avoid pregnancy, also known as 'NFP
• Homophobia


  Hatred of- and intentionally hurtful actions towards-people who are attracted to those of the same sex
• The Preface


  The introduction to the marriage ceremony in the Church of England where the minister explains the nature of Christian marriage
• Sexual immorality


  A phrase that appears in the Bible, and refers to any sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and a woman; traditionally, this phrase was translated as fornication.
• Sexism


  Prejudice and discrimination against a person because of their gender
• Family


  An adult couple and their children/child
• Ordination


  A sacrament giving someone the authority to be a priest or bishop
• Marriage


  The sacred and/or legal union of two people
• Sacrament


  A Christian ritual in which God is present a visible sign of an invisible grace
• Annulment


  When it is declared that a marriage was never valid, ie. it was not a true marriage in the first place
• Civil partnership


  A legal union of two people; it cannot be religious
• Divorce


  The legal ending of a marriage
• Same-sex marriage


  The legal union of two people of the same gender
• Re-marriage


  Marrying again after divorce, or being widowed
• Discrimination


  Treating someone unfairly because of prejudice
• Upbringing


  The way someone has been raised by their family
• Pre-marital sex


  Having sex before marriage; this is considered to be a sin in the Bible, where it is called fornication'.
• Contraception


  Deliberately preventing conception from occurring as a result of sexual intercourse
• Vows


  Solemn promises made by the couple in a wedding
• Fidelity


  Only having a sexual relationship with one's spouse
• Slavery


  Making someone work against their will for no wages
• Cohabitation


  Living with someone like a married couple, but without being married
• Abstinence


  Not having sex through choice until marriage
• Celibacy


  Committing yourself to remaining single