1. MARRIAGE & FAMILY
GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES UNIT A
REVISION NOTES

2. Marriage & Family – Revision Checklist
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Keywords
Why people get married/divorced?
Christian views to marriage & what happens in a Christian marriage ceremony
Christian views to divorce
How Christians bring up their children – the importance of the family
Muslim views to marriage & what happens in a Muslim marriage ceremony
Muslim views on divorce
How Muslims bring up their children – the importance of the family.
Views on Sex Before Marriage

3. Keywords – How Many do you know?
marriage
cohabitation
adultery
Re-marriage
divorce
promiscuity
faithfulness
Extended family
Nuclear family
Reconstituted family

4. General Information – About Marriage & Divorce.
Marriage Less Popular…
Increase in cohabitation
Rise in Divorce
Cost of getting married is increasing
Do not want to make a formal commitment

5. Christianity & Marriage
Get married needs to be in church
so legal ‘in eyes of God’
Civil ceremony – legal e.g. beach/hotel
Vows love through all different experiences
e.g. sickness/health/poverty
Rings Unending Love/It will never end
Readings/Prayers couple are given Gods blessing

6. Christianity & MarriageNB
NOT ALL CHRISTIANS THINK THE SAME!!
Roman Catholics – Service includes a mass & marriage is seen as a sacrament (something very holy)
Orthodox Church – ‘Crowning – crowns are placed on the heads & this seen as Power of Holy Spirit.

7. Christianity & Divorce
AGAIN, ALL CHRISTIANS DO NOT THINK THE SAME
Church of England – divorce socially acceptable but will not remarry divorced people
Roman Catholics – Marriage vow cannot be broken So does not allow divorce. Annulment is acceptable.
Non conformist Church – divorce people can remarry – up to minister. View that if you have made a mistake, you should not be punished forever.

8. Christianity & Family Life
View 1
Family has roles e.g. Adam & Eve
God made man, then woman as a
Companion. Woman tempted by serpent
therefore needs protection
View 2
Man & Woman – made in ‘Image of God’.
Therefore should have equal roles in family/work

9. Christianity & Family Life – How to bring up their children.
Baptized welcome into church
given godparents
Parents pray with children
celebrate festivals
Church children should attend with parents
Go to Sunday School
Community Help with elderly/poor families
celebrate festivals

10. Islam & Marriage Purpose
Everyone should marry and raise children e.g. Prophet Muhammad
Marriage – social contract. Therefore should be arranged
Marriage – parents involved – but do not force marriage
Muslims should marry another Muslim/ but Muslim men are permitted to marry Christians/Jews but children follow the religion of the father i.e. be brought up a Muslim

11. Islam – Marriage Ceremony
Mahr – groom agrees & pay sum of money
to wife
Nikah – contract between couple
Imam leads prayers & reads from the Qur'an
Walimah – celebration after marriage

12. Islam & Divorce
Do accept that sometimes divorce happens. But it is not approved.
If marriage runs into problems;
See parents who arranged marriage
Husband can then tell wife he will divorce her 3 times over 3 month period
If after this time – problems not solved & women not pregnant – Divorced
Wife’s dowry is returned. Couple are then encouraged to re-marry
NB if woman asks for divorce-she gets nothing
However… need to go through British legal system – properly divorced
Polygamy – practice of having more than one wife – endorsed by Qu’ran but in non Muslim countries not legally allowed

13. Islam & Family Life
Family is one of God’s creations. Home-where Muslims learn essential
things e.g. values/look after themselves/attitude to others.
Parents – responsibility to bring up good Muslims, so they will;
Pray with them
Read them the Qu’ran
Celebrate/learn about festivals e.g. Ramadan/Eid
Extended Family – Muslims support this. So will look after elderly relatives. Other family will live close e.g. cousins/uncles etc.
Community support;
Ummah – brotherhood of Muslims – support/help other Muslims
Mosque – help marital problems/children in trouble/financial assistance

14. Finally…Sex Before Marriage
Christians think….DIFFERENT
Roman Catholics – must happen only within marriage – otherwise a grave sin
Liberal Protestants – allow cohabitation – prelude to marriage
10 Commandments – ‘thou shall not commit adultery’ – therefore wrong
Muslims think….
Sex is only allowed with marriage - not allowed to cohabitate
In Muslim countries – severe penalties for adultery/cohabitation etc.
Muslims must not lust after others – eg have to wear appropriate dress