1. Religious Attitudes to Divorce -Understand the legal criteria for divorce -Understand that there are different views within Islam and Christianity towards divorce -Formulate a dialogue between the different religious views towards divorce.

2. What do the following key terms mean?  Cohabitation  Procreation  Homosexuality  Re-constituted family  Contraception  Pre-marital sex  Polygamy  Iddah  Celibacy  Civil Partnership

3. Using your learning from this lesson answer the following GCSE questions:  Explain why Christians have different attitudes towards divorce. (8)  Explain what many Muslims believe should happen after a divorce has been requested. (8)

4. Mark and Correct your answer: Explain why Christians have different attitudes towards divorce. (8)  Roman Catholic Church against divorce because:  Mark 10 ‘Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.’  Marriage is a sacrament and a sacred agreement before God – it shouldn’t be broken.  Do allow annulment, a dissolving of the marriage.  The Catholic Church states that a ratified and consummated marriage cannot be ended except through death.

5. Protestant Church allows divorce in circumstances because:  It can be the lesser of 2 evils.  God will always forgive sinners  People make mistakes and relationships break down.  Jesus seemed to allow divorce for unfaithfulness, ‘anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.’ (Matthew 19)  With God’s help and forgiveness happiness can be found in a different marriage.

6. Mark and Correct your answer: Explain what many Muslims believe should happen after a divorce has been requested by the husband. (8)  The husband should announce his intention to divorce 3 times over 3 months (the iddah).  During the iddah the couple should live together in separate rooms without having sex.  The couple should seek reconciliation, guided by local religious leaders and their families.  If they are reconciled normal marital relations may can resume immediately.  The husband should continue to support his wife and children during the iddah and afterwards unless she re-marries.

7. Discussion  Why might the Muslim divorce teachings be a refreshing ideal in this age of quickie divorces?  Which do you think is fairer – the Muslim or Christian divorce rules?

8. ???????  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKLJR0dWlu E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKLJR0dWlu E  What is your view on this from a non-religious perspective.  What might a Catholic say about this divorce.  How might a Muslim respond to this very public divorce.  What might a Protestant say about this divorce.