1. Marriage and Family Life Religion and Life Paper

2. Marriage and the Family Topic Changing attitudes to marriage and family life Sex outside marriage – Christian and Jewish attitudes Divorce – Christian and Jewish attitudes Importance of family life for Christians and Jews Homosexuality – Christian and Jewish views Contraception – Christian and Jewish views

3. Marriage and Family Life Keywords Civil Partnership – a legal ceremony giving a homosexual couple the same legal rights as a husband and wife Cohabitation – living together without being married Nuclear Family – mother, father and children living as a unit Re-constituted family – where two sets of children (step-brothers and step- sisters) become one family when their divorced parents marry each other Homosexuality – sexual attraction to the same sex Re-marriage – marrying again after being divorced from a previous marriage Adultery – a sexual act between a married person and someone other than their marriage partner Faithfulness – staying with your marriage partner and having sex only with them Pre-marital sex – sex before marriage Procreation – making a new life Promiscuity – having sex with a number of partners without commitment Contraception – intentionally preventing pregnancy from occurring

4. How Attitudes to Marriage and Family Life have Changed Sex before marriage more common Cohabitation more common Increase in average age for marrying Less marriages in Church Divorce more acceptable Extended family Increase in single-parent families Children bought up by cohabiting partners Reconstituted families Homosexual sex made legal Civil Partnerships Act Gay marriage legalised

5. Why Attitudes to Marriage and Family Life have Changed Cohabitation and marriage: Increased availability of contraception Christianity lost its influence Media publicity of cohabiting celebrities TV and films showing sex outside marriage Divorce 1969 – new laws – cheaper and easier Increased equality for women Many women financially independent Family Life More cohabitation – more unmarried parents More divorce = more remarriage = more reconstituted families Extended family – more mothers in employment – others look after children More divorce = more single-parent families Homosexuality Changes in law make society more accepting Medical research – homosexuality probably genetic – normal Openness of gay celebrities Organisations like Stonewall

6. Christian Attitudes to Sex Outside of Marriage Most Christians – believe sex before marriage is wrong Christianity teaches sex was given to humans by God for procreation and children should only be brought up in a Christian marriage Bible – fornication is sinful Catechism of the Catholic Church – pre-marital sex is wrong Some Christians – would accept cohabitation But would expect them to marry when starting a family Would only accept sex in a committed long-term relationship “Love thy neighbour” All Christians – Against adultery Breaks the wedding vows Condemned in the 10 commandments – “thou shall not commit adultery” Condemned by Jesus in the Gospels

7. Jewish Attitudes to Sex Outside of Marriage Most Jews – believe sex before marriage is wrong Torah forbids fornication Talmud – sex should only take place within marriage Primary purpose of sex for procreation, children should only be born within marriage Some Progressive Jews – would accept cohabitation OK to cohabit as long as committed, monogamous and intend to marry. “Love thy Neighbour” All Jews – Against adultery Breaks the wedding vows Condemned in the 10 commandments – “thou shall not commit adultery” Likely to harm the family which is the basis of Judaism

8. Christian Attitudes to Divorce Catholics – No to divorce, does allow legal separation if impossible to live together – but still married in eyes of God and can’t remarry Jesus – “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her…” Couple have made covenant with God Church teaches in catechism that divorce is wrong Most Non-Catholic Christians - Think divorce is wrong but allowed if marriage broken down. Most allow remarriage Jesus – “…anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery” – divorce OK in some circumstances Lesser of 2 evils Forgiveness and 2 nd chances Church – better to divorce than live in hatred and quarrel.

9. Judaism and Divorce Some Jews – Always Wrong: Talmud – divorce is an offence to God – “If a man divorces his first wife, even the altar of the temple sheds tears” Believe it will harm children Some Rabbis teach it is wrong as can harm partner and children Many Orthodox – OK if initiated by man: Torah – statements which permit divorce Marriage is a contract that can be broken Halakhah – only men can apply Most Reform Jews – Allow divorce for both: Believe Torah and Halakhah not direct word of God – should be interpreted in modern world Believe men and women should have equal rights in religion Lesser of 2 evils

10. Why Family Life is Important to Christians and Jews Christians – Very Important Main purposes of Christian marriage is to bring children up in Christian environment Family created by God as basic unit of society and only place children should be brought up Teachings on divorce make it clear parents should stay together Family is where children learn right and wrong Family is where children are introduced to the faith Judaism – Very Important Family created by God as basic unit of society and only place children should be brought up Religious duty for Jews to marry and have children Judaism passed on through birth – only children of married Jewish parents are automatically Jewish Family is where children learn right and wrong Family is where children are introduced to the faith

11. Christian Attitudes to Homosexuality Catholics – Being homosexual not a sin but homosexual relationships are (but condemns all forms of homophobia) Bible condemns homosexual sexual activity Sexual activity should be creative as well as unitive Magisterium condemns it Church – can’t help sexual orientation therefore discrimination is wrong Liberal Protestants Lifelong homosexual relationships acceptable but not equal to Christian marriage Bible needs interpreting in modern age “Love thy neighbour” Christian belief in love and acceptance “We are all made in the image of God” Christians should be open and honest and refusing rights to gay people encourages them to be dishonest Evangelical Protestants – Homosexuality is a sin. Hold prayer meetings to try to change homosexuals’ sexual preference (but still condemn homophobia): Bible condemns homosexual sexual activity – they believe Bible is word of God Salvation of Christ can remove all sins including homosexuality All churches have taught homosexual acts are a sin “You shall not lie with a male as you lie with a female. It is an abomination”

12. Jewish Attitudes to Homosexuality Orthodox Jews – homosexual activity is wrong but orientation is not: Torah condemns homosexuality Torah and Talmud – marriage between man and woman is only lawful form of sex Primary aim of sex is to have children Mitzvot – Jewish adults should marry and have a family “You shall not lie with a male as you lie with a female. It is an abomination” Liberal/Reform Jews – homosexuality acceptable but heterosexual marriage is ideal: Torah needs reinterpreting in modern age Scientists believe homosexuality is genetic – must be God-given Rabbis teach Jews to treat others how they would want to be treated Homophobia as bad a racism “Love thy neighbour” “We are all made in the image of God”

13. Christian Attitudes to Contraception Catholic – No – Believe in natural family planning Successive Popes have condemned it Contraception separates unitive and creative aspects of sex Some contraceptives have abortifacient effects Contraception is a cause of sexual promiscuity, broken families, divorce and STIs Non-Catholic - OK if used to restrict size of family Christianity about love and justice – contraception improves women’s health and raises standard of living God created sex for enjoyment and to strengthen marital bonds Bible does not forbid it Church of England and Protestant Churches accept it Better to use contraception to combat AIDS/HIV

14. Jewish Attitudes to Contraception Ultra-Orthodox – no God commanded people to “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” Torah – God regards male sperm as sacred Many Rabbis – God created sex primarily for procreation Orthodox – OK for women to use female contraceptives after 2 children: Torah, Talmud and Rabbis – health of mother comes first Female contraceptives don’t kill male seed Don’t need more than 2 children to carry on faith Liberal/Reform – individuals can make up their own minds: God expects people to use technology and intelligence Torah’s teachings on male sperm need updating Better to use contraception than bring unwanted children into the world.