1. Should same sex ‘marriages’ be allowed in places of worship?
Starter:
Match the following key words with their definitions
Marriage
Fairness, freedom from oppression.
Homosexuality
That which everyone is entitled to, just because they are human.
Discrimination
Having a sexual preference for someone of the same gender.
Equality
a legally recognised union between two people of the same sex.
Prejudice
a close and intimate union
Human Rights
Where everyone is treated fairly, free from discrimination.
Justice
Judging someone before you get to know them, making assumptions.
Civil Partnership
Acting on prejudice- e.g. treating someone differently because of what they look like or their sexuality.

2. Lesson Objectives:
Know the current legal status of marriage and civil partnerships
Understand a range of different religious responses to civil partnerships
Evaluate whether same sex ‘marriages’ should be allowed in a place of worship.

3. Warm up questions
Stand up/Change places if you think marriage is outdated
Stand up/Change places if you think marriage should be for ANY 2 people who love each other
Stand up/Change places if you think marriage is only right for a man & a woman
Stand up/Change places if you think priests/vicars should be able to say no
Stand up/Change places if you think priests/vicars should have to say OK
Change places if you think what’s all the fuss about?
Change places if you think a same sex marriage is a sin or wrong
Change places if you think they are OK as long as the ceremony is a secular one
Change places if you think this is a human rights issue

4. The Government allows couples to register their civil partnerships but stops short of counting them as married, even though the civil ceremony gives them almost exactly the same rights in law over property, pension and inheritance.
Complete this task using the key words:
Unequal Civil Partnership Married Injustice Discrimination.
Civil Partnerships are________ to marriage. Same sex couples can
only have a _________ they can not get ___________.
Heterosexual couples can only get________, they can not have a
__________. Some people see this as a form of _________ and
___________.

5. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 7.
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 16.
(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.

6. Do you agree?

7. Civil partnerships
(marriages)
are legal so
why do some religious
believers support religious
marriages while others
condemn this?

9. ‘Same sex marriages should be allowed in a place of worship’ Which points do you agree with?
Everyone is made in the image of God so there should be no problem
People are equal so there should be no problem
Same sex relationships are bad and blessing them through religion is wrong
Religious marriage ceremonies are for religious believers whatever their sexual orientation
Religions should stick to their teachings – heterosexual or celibate, nothing else
Same sex relationships are OK but I draw the line at religious marriage ceremonies
Religious teachings say that we should ‘love our neighbour’ and God’s love for us is agape (unconditional) so we should try to do the same.
Same sex relationships are not natural
Not allowing same sex marriages is discrimination and against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

10. Same- sex
Weddings….
….in a religious
building?

11. Rights? Beliefs? Teachings? Choice?

12. Lesson Objectives:
Know the current legal status of marriage and civil partnerships
Understand a range of different religious responses to civil partnerships
Evaluate whether same sex ‘marriages’ should be allowed in a place of worship.

13. The end