Christian Beliefs and Teachings on Marriage, Cohabitation, and Sexuality - Prof. Stevens, Lecture notes of Commercial Law

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RELATIONSHIPS

RELATIONSHIPS

Human relationships are at the heart of human existence. In most societies, children

are born into a family and it becomes one of the most essential aspects of our

society. All religions acknowledge just how important this unit is and

FAMILY

There are many different types of family, the most common are:

Nuclear

The most common type in the IK. It consists of two parents and one or more children

living in the same house.

Extended

A number of adults and children who are related living in the same home.

Reconstituted family

Some divorced adults choose to remarry or live in a cohabitating relationship. This

structure is made up of step-parents and step-children

Single parent family

When one parent raises one or more children alone. This type of family is growing in

number.

Childless family

When a married or cohabiting couple choose to or are unable to have children.

!! KEY CONCEPTS

Roles : Position, status or function of a person in society or group and what is

expected of their behaviour.

Responsibilities : Actions and duties you are expected to carry out

Roles/ responsibilities could include:

• Caring for children
• Caring for other family members (elderly).
• Maintaining the family home.
• Earning money to support the family.

The roles of men and women within a Christian family:

Traditional View Modern View

Why shouldn’t a woman become a priest (even if she is married)?

Most Christians in Britain disagree with this view. Some Christians in some African countries hold this view

Most Christians in Britain hold this view.

The roles of men & women

are equal but different

Role of male Men must provide for the family Lead the family in religion Love their wives as themselves

Role of Female Women must rear children and run a Christian home Women must not speak in Church Women must obey their husbands

The roles of men & women

are equal and the same

Either or both can provide for the family Both are responsible for rearing children and running a Christian home Both can become priests or lead the family in religion Both must love each other as themselves and obey each other

Why do some Christians

hold this view?

In the Bible, St Paul said that women should not be allowed to teach or speak in church.

Adam was created before Eve. Eve was created to be his helper. So men are more important and must be obeyed.

Jesus only picked men to be his disciples. So women should not be picked for religious roles, either.

Why do some Christians

hold this view?

The Bible says: There is neither…male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. This might mean that men and women are equal in the eyes of God

The Bible says that men and women were created at the same time. Both were created in the image of God and so both are special and equal.

God created humans in his own image

You are all one Christ Jesus

CONCLUSION

Both religions agree that the family is an important unit for helping children

understand their religions and should help the faith of their children develop.

Remember:

o Family life is where religion is first experienced.

o Religious duty to teach children about their faith.

o Sharing morals/values i.e Ten Commandments.

o Join in the celebration of festivals.

o Teach them how and when to pray.

o Understand the importance of rites of passage.

o Teach them to read and understand sacred texts.

o Encourage them to worship as an individual and as a faith community

WEDDINGS IN ISLAM

COHABITATION

To live together in a sexual relationship without being married or in a civil partnership

Christian Views on Cohabitation

The Roman Catholic Church has strict views on the subject of cohabitation and

considers premarital sex a sin. A priest may refuse to serve communion to a couple

who lived together before marriage. Some Baptist Churches may refuse to marry a

couple who are cohabiting. Some Protestant denominations are more lenient. They

do not specifically prohibit cohabitation, but they do view it as a sin and will often put

pressure on a couple to make the commitment of marriage.

Muslim Views on Cohabitation

Followers of the Islamic faith have the most orthodox views of marriage.

Traditionally, the couple is not allowed to court or date before the wedding and must

meet only with their families present. Cohabitation is entirely out of the question.

Marriages are often arranged and some Muslim men choose to take multiple wives,

however, the couple must give their consent to the marriage and a man's existing

wife or wives must give their consent before he takes another.

ANNULMENT

An annulment is when a court says your marriage or domestic partnership is not

legally valid.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that annulment is the only acceptable way a

marriage can be dissolved. An annulment may be granted for the non-consummation

of a marriage, which means a married couple have not had sex, or where it is proved

the marriage should not have taken place.

ADULTERY

Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not

their spouse

Christianity and Islam both think that it is wrong.

Adultery in Islam

Adultery in Christianity

Islam

(7:81) You approach men lustfully in place of women. You are a people who

exceed all bounds.

My holy book is the word of Allah and is very

clear about homosexuality, it say it is haram

(forbidden). There are lots of quotes that

support this view including: “ If two men among

you commit indecency, punish them both” and

“ Lesbianism by women is adultery between

them. Kill them both.”

COHABITATION

SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS

Christian beliefs about sexual relationships

Adultery

Sex with someone other than the partner you are married to.

Promiscuity

having lots of different sexual partners

Pre-marital sex

Sex before marriage

Lust

Strong sexual desire

Extra-marital

sex

Sex with someone other than the partner you are married to.

Chastity

Not having sex; Waiting until you are married to have sex

Celibacy

Not having sex, especially because of a religious promise not to

Most Christians believe that sex should only take place between one male and one female:

 God created Adam (male) and Eve (female) for each other.

Most Christians believe that sex must take place within marriage:

 Sex inside marriage is intended by God since the beginning of Creation.

 Lust is only safely expressed in marriage. All other ways are sinful, e.g., bestiality, sodomy, adultery.

Adultery (=extra-marital sex) is specifically forbidden:

 One of the Ten Commandments says You shall not commit adultery.

Pre-marital sex and promiscuity are also considered wrong since:

 One of the main purposes of sex is to reproduce. Sex should only take place in marriage to ensure that children can be brought up in a stable family.

 Sex is a sacred gift from God It should be respected and not abused.

Most Christians therefore obviously believe in chastity. Some monks, nuns and priests take vows of celibacy – this allows them to devote themselves completely to God and perhaps the Christian community. They believe they are spiritually married to God.

Mnemonic: APPLE

Britney claimed to be chaste

Some monks and nuns take vows of celibacy

ISLAMIC BELIEFS ABOUT CONTRACEPTION

The Qur’an does not make any explicit references to contraception and it is thought

to have been used in some form when Muhammad was alive.

So Muslims are happy with this idea as long as

1. It doesn’t harm the body

2. That both husband and wife agree to it.

GENDER EQUALITY

This can be also considered alongside roles of men and women in the family. There

is particular concern about women in roles of leadership

KEY QUOTATIONS FROM RELATIONSHIPS UNIT

So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female Genesis 1:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Colossians 3:18- 19

I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 1 Timothy 2:

For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 1 Timothy 2:

"You shall not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:

And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 1 Timothy 2:

The husband is head of the wife as Christ is head of the Church Epeshians 5:

the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one. Matthew 19:

for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part Church of England

…anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress” Matthew 5:

Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. Mark 10:11- 12

Between the baptised, a consummated marriage cannot be dissolved by any human power or for any reason other than death. Roman Catholicism

No human must separate what God has joined together. Matthew 19:

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:

it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 1 Corinthians 7:

The use of sex has meaning only in marriage Roman Catholicism

anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:

Flee from sexual immorality… he who sins sexually sins against his own body…honour God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:18- 20

married people may then take advantage of the natural cycles immanent in the reproductive system” Roman Catholicism

to experience the gift of married love while respecting the laws of conception is to acknowledge that one is not the master of the sources of life Roman Catholicism

GCSE Religious Studies

Revision Booklet

Theme 2: Issues of Life and Death

Christian and Non-religious Perspectives