Marriage and the Family

Importance of marriage (society)

• Stability and strength

• Symbolises love and unity

• Legal protection + safe environment for a family

Importance of marriage (Christianity)

Everything in society and:

• Physical and emotional unity

• Blessed by God

• Commitment shown before God

• Brought closer to God

Cohabitation (For and Against)

For:

• Less commitment / legal trouble - get to know each other

• Marriage is not as important as love

• Children can be brought up

Against:

• Casual attitude

• Too easy to break up

• Children should be brought up in a stable, married household

• Bible encourages lifelong marriage

Attitudes to premarital sex

Cath / Orth / Prot / Evan:

• To have children - should be born into a family

• Highest expression of love - within not before marriage

Lib:

• Jesus taught love is the most important thing

• Okay if they intend to marry

Attitudes to extra-marital sex

Wrong - breaks wedding vows and Ten Commandments

Attitudes to homosexuality

Ang / Cath:

• Traditionally disagree

• Bible says it is wrong

Others:

• Take the context / translation into account

• Discuss how teachings should be applied to the modern world

Views on families

• Marriage is for procreation and to raise children

• Children are gifts from God

  • Children must respect and help their parents when in need because of support in childhood

  • Children have a right to be raised in a secure and loving family setting

• Conservative Christians disagree with many non-nuclear families (views on divorce and homosexuality)

Support for the local parish

• Charity / food banks / fundraising

• Clubs for children and adults / childcare / parenting classes / Sunday school

• Home visits / service in care homes

• Counselling from priests - religious guidance

• Shelter and food for the homeless

• Sacraments and organised worship / religious community

• Special services on holidays

Why the local parish is supported

• Christians should help one another

• Children are just as important as adults - God’s creations

  • Parents have a duty to teach them the right way

  • Should be raised in a stable, Christian environment

  • Encourage children to remain interested in the Church

Beliefs on different types of contraception

• Barrier/injection/patch: strict reject, others allow (before conception)

• Sterilisation/vasectomy/natural: strictest reject, most allow

• IUD/coil: some reject (after conception)

• Morning after pill: most reject (after conception, encourages irresponsible behaviour)

Beliefs about artificial contraception

All Churches disapproved until 20th century

Anglicans first to speak out, liberal are more flexible

Cath / Prot traditionally believe sinful and against God’s command

• should be open to conception - only use natural or not at all

• purpose of sex is procreation, respect God as source of life

Attitudes toward divorce

Cath / Orth:

• Marriage is a lifelong union - covenant to each other and God

• Remarriage = adultery

• Only widowed/annulment

Protestant:

• Humans make mistakes, God forgives mistakes

• Ask for forgiveness and can remarry

Gender equality (for and against)

For:

• Men and women created in the image of God

• Both have stewardship

• Must respect parents equally

• Old Testament - women had leading roles in society

• Equal but different roles

• Jesus treated them with equal respect

• Jesus died for everyone’s sins

• St Paul said everyone is equal and to challenge inequality

Against:

• Men created first

• Eve was Adam’s companion made from his rib

• Women are inferior as punishment for tempting Adam

• St Paul said women should submit to their husbands

• St Paul said women cannot assume authority over men

• Jesus’ disciples were all men

Role of women

• Men protect their families and women respect them as head of household

• Ang allows women to be ordained (different skill sets, relate to women), Orth / Cath do not allow

• Wedding vows - Ang allows alternatives, Methodist dropped “obey”, Cath has the same words for men and women