1. Relationships and families
Kinds of contraception:
Artificial methods: are contraceptive devices that are made and then used, like a condom.
Natural methods: Contraceptive practices of behaviours aimed at limiting the chance of pregnancy, e.g. rhythm method.
Permanent methods: are operations to prevent either the production of egg or sperm permanently.
Religious views on contraception:
Roman Catholics: They believe all sexual acts must be open to procreation – this is natural law. Anything done to prevent natural law is wrong. Use of artificial contraception is a deliberate act, and that is a sin.
Anglican: Would allow sex before marriage within a permanent, loving relationship and would argue there may be good reasons to delay parenthood.
Key terms
Adultery – having an affair, a sexual relationship with someone you are not married to.
Age of consent – the age at which a person is considered old enough to be able to decide to have sex, according to the law.
Civil partnership – the legal union of two people of the same marriage.
Commitment – the act of making a promise or pledge.
Chastity – Keeping oneself sexually pure, not having sex before marriage.
Cohabitation – living together as a couple.
Contraception – Methods used to prevent pregnancy.
Contract – binding agreement between two sides.
Covenant – An agreement before and with God.
Divorce – Legal ending of a marriage.
Extended family – several generations living in the same household.
Gender discrimination – treating someone unfairly because of their gender.
Gender equality – the idea that men and women are of equal worth.
Hetrosexual – someone physically attracted to the opposite sex.
Homosexual – Someone physically attracted to the same sex.
Nuclear family – Mum, Dad plus child (ren)
Polygamy – The practice of a man having more than one wife at the same time.
Procreation – To create life (Children)
Responsibility – a duty, something we have to do.
Vows – promises made in a wedding ceremony.
Religious views on divorce:
Roman Catholics: Divorce is always wrong. Marriage is a sacrament, which cannot be broken. Promises are made to God and each other to stay together ‘until death do us part’.
Other Christians: Divorce is discouraged, but accepted as a last resort( . It is sometimes the lesser of two evils, and also a necessary evil so divorcees should not be made villains.
Religious views on re-marriage
If it is marriage after a divorce, whether a religion agrees or not depends on the religious views on divorce. Roman Catholic teachings say divorce is not recognised by God, so remarriage is not allowed. Other believers such as Anglican vicars may allow remarriage , but not allow a religious ceremony.
Religious views on Sex before marriage:
Christian teaching generally is that sex should only be experienced within marriage, so sex before marriage is wrong. Sex is a gift from God, for the purpose of procreation, but also as a sign of a couple’s loving bond. However this a gift to a married couple. Sex before marriage is seen by many Christians as fornication, which is a sin.
Anglican: Stresses that whilst marriage is the ideal context, sexual relationships must be within permanent, loving relationships (which allows sex before marriage).
Relationships and families
Quotations:
Contraception
‘Any act which deliberately prevents procreation is an intrinsic evil’. (Roman Catholic Church)
‘Be fruitful and multiply’ (Christianity)
Sex before marriage
‘…..but if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion’. (Christianity)
Homosexuality
‘You shall not lie with a male as with a woman’ (Christianity)
Genesis says that ‘all people are created in the image of God’ – Regardless of sexual orientation.
Divorce
‘Whoever divorces ……then marries another, it is as if he committed adultery’. (Christianity)
‘Do not commit adultery’. (Christianity
Equality
‘There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Religious views on homosexual relationships:
Roman Catholics: do not accept homosexual relationships. Homosexual relationships are a ‘moral disorder’ (committing a sin).
Quakers: Fully accept homosexual relationships and feel that the quality and depth of feeling between two people is the most important part of a loving relationship, not their gender or sexual orientation. They point out that Genesis says all people are created in the image of God – which must include homosexuals.

2. Relationships and families
Parenting – the purpose of
families: Family life has changed but family is still considered the best place to bring up children and keeping society stable. Children have to be protected and cared for. Parents are expected to teach their children right from wrong. Children have a duty to obey and respect their parents. Religious parents also have the duty of bringing their child up within their faith. Teaching them their beliefs and practices.
Why do people marry?
Marriage is the joining of two people as a legal couple. When done religiously, it is done before God for God’s blessing on the covenant.
People marry for many reasons; love, money, family expectations, religious duty, to legitimise a relationship, to legitimise a child, for sex, for companionship. It is likely that a couple who marry do so for many reasons and their upbringing and culture have a big influence.
Who to marry?
Some say you should marry who you want, but it’s not always that simple. What if your family didn’t approve of the person you were marrying? Religious people are taught to honour their family and religion. You might expect a religious person to marry someone of their same religion or who their family approves of. An arranged marriage is where the parents have found a prospective spouse for their son or daughter. The two meet and then decide to go ahead with the marriage or not. Divorce is still less likely in this kind of marriage than in ‘western’ love marriages. For Muslims, Jews and Sikhs it is traditional to marry someone of the same religion Some argue If you married someone of a different faith, there may be clashes in beliefs
and attitudes, for e.g. where would get married? which religion
would their children follow?
Cohabitation: Living together but unmarried. They legally don’t have the same rights as a married couple. Not everyone wants to get married.
Civil partnership: A legal registration of a same sex couples. They have many of the legal protections which a married couple are entitled to.
Civil marriage: Being married but not through a religious ceremony, may include promises but is not religious, since 2014 same sex couples have been able to marry and so have the same rights.
Relationships and families
Why are some people prejudiced?
Prejudice is the pre-judgement of others based on a characteristic they have, rather than what they are really like. They might be prejudiced because of how they were brought up. There is often an element of tradition, for e.g. women in some societies don’t hold positions of power and so may be seen as less important. Gender prejudice can make women feel powerless.
Christian wedding ceremony:
Marriage is a sacrament is some Christian traditions; it brings a blessing from God. In the Roman Catholic ceremony marriage takes place as part of Mass. The couple will come to church to be united in marriage by the priest. He asks three set questions each to make sure they understand the responsibilities of marriage. The couple make their vows to each other. These are promises a couple make to each other and before God (to be good to each, be kind, loving, faithful and to support each other at all times until death. The priest declares they have agreed to marry before God and accepts their decision. It is at this point he says, ‘What God has joined together, let no man put asunder’. The rings are blessed and exchanged. The priest blesses the marriage. The couple sign the marriage register. This is the civil part of the ceremony.
Religious attitudes towards the role of men and women: In Christianity they believe, ‘all are equal’. They believe that roles are equal but different. In the Roman Catholic church. The first female bishops in the Anglican Church were appointed in 2015.