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Adultery

having sexual relations with someone other than one's spouse; condemned in Exodus 20:14, Matthew 5:27-28; grave sin in Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, many Protestant denominations; prohibited in Jewish law.

Annulment (Catholicism)

declaration that a marriage was invalid from the start due to lack of consent, incapacity, or coercion; marriage never sacramentally existed.

Be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28)

God's command to procreate; informs Catholic and Orthodox Jewish teaching on purpose of marriage and opposition to contraception.

Celibacy

abstaining from sexual activity voluntarily; practiced by Catholic priests, nuns, some Protestant clergy; considered spiritually beneficial.

Cohabitation

couple living together unmarried; viewed as sinful in Catholicism and Orthodox Judaism, tolerated in liberal Protestantism and Reform Judaism.

Compassion

key moral principle; applied to relationships, divorce, same-sex relationships; emphasized in liberal denominations; Matthew 22:39 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

Condom / barrier contraception

prevents conception; generally prohibited in Catholic teaching; allowed in many Protestant denominations and some Jewish contexts for health/family planning.

Contraception

methods to prevent conception; natural methods accepted in Catholicism (rhythm, NFP), artificial methods usually forbidden; permitted in Reform Judaism.

Divorce

legal termination of marriage; prohibited in Catholicism (except annulment), permitted in Orthodox Judaism with get, allowed in Protestant denominations under conditions (adultery, abandonment); Malachi 2:16 'I hate divorce.'

Eternal covenant (Christianity)

marriage as lifelong spiritual and moral covenant before God; emphasized in Catholicism and Orthodoxy; Mark 10:9 'What God has joined together, let no one separate.'

Extended family

includes grandparents, uncles, aunts; encouraged in Orthodox Judaism and traditional Christian contexts for support, socialization.

Family planning

managing number/timing of children; natural methods accepted in Catholicism, artificial contraception accepted in most Protestant and Reform Jewish contexts.

Gender

social and cultural roles of men and women; biological sex recognition varies; informs teachings on marriage, family, priesthood, and ritual obligations.

Gender discrimination

unjust treatment based on gender; opposed by liberal Protestantism and Reform Judaism; traditional Orthodox and conservative Christian contexts maintain gender roles.

Gender equality

belief men and women have equal rights/status; supported in liberal Christianity, Quakers, Reform Judaism.

Gender prejudice

preconceived negative attitudes toward a gender; recognized and opposed in modern liberal religious contexts.

Get (Orthodox Judaism)

religious divorce document; woman must receive it to remarry; without it, she is an agunah.

Homosexuality

sexual attraction to same gender; condemned in Orthodox Judaism and conservative Christianity (Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-27); accepted in Reform Judaism, Methodist, Quaker, some Anglican contexts.

Heterosexuality

sexual attraction to opposite gender; considered normative in traditional Christian and Jewish teachings.

Human sexuality

Expression of sexual desires, orientation, behavior; regulated by marriage laws, religious ethics, moral teaching.

In vitro fertilisation (IVF)

Conception outside body; permitted in some Protestant denominations and Reform Judaism under ethical guidelines; often restricted in Catholicism and Orthodox Judaism if separated from marital sex.

Marriage

Legal/religious union establishing rights, obligations, sexual exclusivity, procreation duties; permanent in Catholicism and Orthodox Judaism; dissolvable/remarriage allowed in liberal Protestantism.

Monogamy

Having one spouse; emphasized in Christianity and Judaism; polygamy historically allowed in Judaism, now prohibited in most branches.

Natural family planning (NFP)

Timing intercourse according to fertility cycles to avoid or achieve pregnancy; accepted in Catholic teaching.

Nuclear family

Parents and children only; considered ideal in many Christian and Jewish teachings.

Niddah (Orthodox Judaism)

Ritual state during menstruation; abstain from sexual relations; purification through mikveh immersion.

Obligation (religious marriage vows)

Duties including fidelity, mutual support, raising children, following religious law; expressed in Christian vows and Jewish ketubah.

Polygamy

Marriage to multiple spouses; biblically accepted historically, now prohibited in Orthodox Judaism and Christianity.

Procreation

Having children; primary purpose of marriage in Catholicism and Orthodox Judaism; Reform Judaism and liberal Protestantism emphasize love/partnership too.

Quaker view on relationships

Evaluates quality of relationship over sexual norms; non-judgmental of cohabitation or homosexuality.

Remarriage

Marrying again after divorce; permitted in Protestantism and Reform Judaism; restricted in Catholicism (without annulment) and Orthodox Judaism (get required).

Sanctity of marriage / vows

Marriage is sacred, lifelong, honored before God; foundational in Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity; more flexible in liberal denominations.

Sex before marriage

Sexual relations outside marriage; condemned in Catholicism, Orthodox Judaism, conservative Protestantism; accepted in Reform Judaism, Quaker, liberal Protestantism.

Sexual act

Physical sexual activity; within marriage morally acceptable; outside often sinful in conservative contexts.

Sexual immorality

Sexual activity outside marriage; adultery, fornication, homosexual acts (in conservative branches) counted as immoral.

Sexual orientation

Direction of sexual attraction; informs debates on homosexuality, same-sex parenting.

Stability of family

Belief families provide security, love, moral upbringing; emphasized in Orthodox Judaism, Catholicism, Protestantism.

Traditional roles (Christianity/Judaism)

Men as leaders/providers, women as carers/nurturers; emphasized in Orthodox Judaism, conservative Christianity; challenged in liberal denominations.

Understandings of same-sex parenting

Reform Judaism and liberal Protestantism support same-sex parenting; Orthodox Judaism and Catholicism uphold heterosexual family model.

Vows ("till death do us part")

Promises in marriage; obligation to permanence, fidelity, mutual support; strongest in Catholicism/Orthodoxy.

Wife / Husband roles (Ephesians 5)

Wives submit to husbands, husbands love sacrificially; traditional/conservative interpretation; liberal denominations interpret equally.

Women's status (Orthodox Judaism)

Exempt from some commandments, not counted in minyan, modesty rules, primary caregiver; Reform Judaism promotes egalitarian roles.

Year of purity

Post-menstruation period; sexual relations resume after immersion in mikveh.

Zygosity / biological sex distinction

Recognition that biological sex is separate from socially assigned gender roles; informs gender equality debates.

Roman Catholic contraception teaching

Artificial contraception sinful; natural methods permitted; procreation primary marital purpose.

Roman Catholic divorce teaching

Prohibited; only annulment valid; remarriage without annulment considered adultery.

Roman Catholic IVF teaching

Often forbidden if conception occurs outside marital act; sanctity of procreation emphasized.

Roman Catholic homosexual acts

Sinful; orientation not sinful; chastity required.

Church of England contraception teaching

Artificial methods permitted if used responsibly.

Protestant divorce & remarriage

Allowed for adultery/abandonment; pastoral guidance emphasized.

Protestant homosexual relationships

Liberal branches accept same-sex relationships; conservative reject.

Quaker sexuality teaching

Personal conscience guides relationships; sexual orientation not morally judged.

Methodist same-sex teaching

Some branches allow same-sex partnerships/marriage; others restrict to celibacy.

Orthodox homosexuality teaching

Prohibited by Torah; homosexual acts sinful; partnerships not recognized.

Reform/Progressive homosexuality teaching

Affirmed; same-sex marriage and parenting allowed.

Orthodox divorce teaching

Get required; husband must grant; woman without get is agunah.

Reform divorce teaching

Flexible; civil divorce often sufficient; get optional.

Orthodox women's ritual status

Exempt from time-bound commandments, modesty rules, participate less in communal prayer.

Reform women's status

Full ritual participation, leadership, commandments equally with men.

Orthodox family teaching

Procreation and commandments primary; marriage must follow Torah law.

Reform family teaching

Love, commitment, ethical partnership emphasized over strict procreation.

Orthodox purity laws

Niddah observed; family purity central; sexual relations regulated by cycles and immersion.

Reform purity laws

Symbolic or optional; spiritual meaning emphasized over ritual.

Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39)

Central Christian ethical teaching; guides compassion, forgiveness, sexuality, marriage ethics.

Do not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14)

Ten Commandments prohibition; informs moral teachings on sexual morality.

What God has joined together, let no one separate (Mark 10:9)

Jesus on sanctity of marriage; lifelong commitment emphasized.

I hate divorce (Malachi 2:16)

God's disapproval of divorce; influences Orthodox Jewish and Catholic teaching.

Leviticus 18:22

Do not have sexual relations with a man as with a woman; it is detestable; basis for Orthodox Jewish and conservative Christian teaching on homosexuality.

Romans 1:26-27

Paul condemns same-sex relations; informs conservative Christian ethics.