Theme A - Relationships & families

Human sexuality is…

The way people express themselves sexually

What is heterosexuality?

People who are sexually attracted to the opposite gender

What is homosexuality?

People who are sexually attracted to the same gender

Christians beliefs about sexual relationships

→ Sex is a gift from God & therefore should be used responsibly

→ Sex is a deep expression of love that communicates commitment & devotion

→ Adultery is a sin

→ The Bible teaches that heterosexual relationships are part of God’s plan

→ Genesis says that man & women should be united & “increase in number”

Christians beliefs about homosexual relationships

→ Some Christians believe that it goes against God’s plan

→ The Catholic Church disapproves because the purpose of sex is for new life

→ The Church of England welcomes homosexual relationships that are committed & devoted, however does not allow same-sex marriage

→ Some Christians believe that loving & faithful homosexual relationships are just as holy as heterosexual ones

Jewish beliefs about sexual relationships

→ Sex is only permitted within marriage

→ Sex is seen as a wonderful creation of God for procreation & expressing love

→ In the Torah, God created Eve as a companion for Adam “The Lord said, ‘it is not good for man to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him”

Jewish beliefs about homosexual relationships

→ The Torah is against homosexuality “Do not lie with a male as one lies with a woman; it is an abhorrence”

→ Orthodox Jews consider homosexuality as wrong

→ Reform & Liberal Jews believe that loving & committed homosexual relationships are just as valid as heterosexual ones

What is cohabitation?

A couple living together & having a sexual relationship without being married

Why do some Christians disagree with sex outside of marriage?

(Anglican & Catholic Church)

→ It is a gift from God & therefore it should only be used responsibly in marriage

→ It can lead to pregnancy & it is better to have a stable & committed relationship to raise the child

→ It is the most intimate expression of love & should only be performed in total commitment & devotion

→ Having sex with many people could take away its significance

→ Could confuse love for lust & Jesus taught against lust

Why do some Jews disagree with sex outside of marriage?

(Orthodox Jews)

→ It undermines the importance of creating a family though which Jewish religion & culture in passed down

→ The Torah warns against promiscuity & sexual conduct that harms others, who are all created in God’s image

Why do some agree with sex outside of marriage?

→ It is a way to deepen & strengthen relationships

→ Adam & Eve were not married so God must not disapprove with sex outside of marriage

→ God gifted us with freewill & therefore we have the right to choose

Christians & Jewish beliefs about adultery

→ It is a serious sin because it disobeys the 10 commandments “You shall not commit adultery”

→ It breaks the bond of marriage & the vows performed before God

What is contraception?

A method used to prevent fertilisation / pregnancy

Some are also used to prevent STIs

What are the 3 main types of contraception

Barrier methods → Aim to prevent pregnancy & infection (e.g. condoms)

Hormonal methods → Aim to prevent pregnancy (e.g. the pill)

Natural family planning → Aim to spread awareness of the menstrual cycle & avoid sex during the fertile window, also can be used to help those struggling to conceive get pregnant

Why do some disagree with unnatural contraception?

(Catholics, Orthodox Jews)

→ Life is a gift from God & should be welcomed & respected, not prevented

→ Can encourage promiscuity as it allows sex without consequences

→ If sex only takes place in marriage, people should not feel the need to use contraception unless for the mother’s health

Why do some agree with unnatural contraception?

(Anglicans, non-conformists, Reform Jews, non-religious people in British society)

→ It can prevent disease & infection

→ It can enrich relationships as the couple can be intimate with each other without the pressure of pregnancy

→ Prevents unwanted pregnancies & therefore abortion

→ Helps to combat growing population issues in some parts of the world

What is marriage?

A legal & public declaration of life-long love & commitment

What are the Christian marriage vows?

“I take you to be my husband / wife,

To have & to hold from this day forward

For better or for worse,

For richer or for poorer,

In sickness & in health,

To love & to cherish,

Till death do us part”

Christian beliefs about the nature & purpose of marriage

→ A sacrament; a sign of God’s grace & power at work in their lives

→ A covenant before God in which the couple promises to live faithfully together until death

→ The proper setting for sex

→ Procreation, having & raising children

Jewish beliefs about the nature & purpose of marriage

→ The spiritual binding together of a man & woman making a lifelong commitment of love to each other “they become one flesh”

→ Part of Gods plan at creation

→ Provides a secure foundation to raise a family in Jewish faith

→ Protects the womans financial security

Non-religious beliefs about the nature & purpose of marriage

→ A legal union between 2 people in a relationship

→ A solemn lifelong commitment to each other made in public

→ Provides legal & financial benefits

What is divorce?

A legal process to end the declaration of marriage

What is remarriage?

A marriage that takes place after a previous marriage has ended

What is an annulment?

A statement from the church that declares a marriage was never properly contracted

Reasons for divorce…

→ Adultery

→ Addiction

→ Lack of communication

→ Domestic violence

→ People changing & growing apart

→ Inability to have children

→ Work & money pressures

→ Illness or disability

Christian beliefs about divorce & remarriage

→ The Catholic Church believe that the sacrament & marriage vows cannot be broken “What God has joined together, let no man separate”

→ Jesus says that remarriage is a sin “Whoever divorces, then marries another, it is if he committed adultery”

→ Some Christians agree with divorce & remarriage because God is all-loving & forgiving

→ Some believe that if the marriage vows are no longer true then it is better to end the marriage than to live a lie before God

Jewish beliefs about divorce & remarriage

→ Marriage is a voluntary contract so divorce is permitted if both people agree

→ The Torah says that a man can divorce his wife for shameful conduct

→ The couple should try reconciliation first, but can divorce if they no longer love each other as “one flesh”

→ Remarriage is encouraged after divorce

Christian & Jewish responses to struggling marriages

→ Some Christian Churches offer counselling & prayer to support the couple

→ Christian couples can be referred to outside agencies (e.g. Marriage Care & Relate)

→ Jewish couples are encouraged to reconciliation & many seek the advice of their rabbi

What is a nuclear family?

A family unit with 2 parents & their child/children

What is a single-parent family?

A family unit with 1 parent & their child/children

What is a step-family?

2 families joined together after 1 or both partners have divorced their previous partners

What is extended family?

A family unit + relatives

(e.g. grandparents, cousins, aunts & uncles…)

What is polygamy?

Having multiple spouses (wives &/or husbands)

What are LGBT parents?

Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people raising a child/children as parents or as foster care parents

Purpose of families

Procreation → “Be fruitful & increase in number”

Educating children in faith → “Fathers, bring your children up in the training & instruction of the Lord”

Protecting & providing for children → “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, & especially for their own household, has denied the faith & is worse than an unbeliever”

The role of parents

→ Provide love & care for their children

→ Encourage positive morals & values

→ Educate their children about the faith

The role of children

→ Continue the religious traditions in the family

→ Love & respect their parents

→ Care & support their parents in their old age

→ “Honour your Mother & Father” 10 commandments

→ “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord” Collossians

What is gender equality?

Giving males & females the same rights & opportunities

What is gender prejudice?

Unfairly judging & holding biased opinions about someone based on their gender

What is gender discrimination?

Acting against someone based on their gender

What is sexual stereotyping?

Having a fixed general image of how males & females behave

Examples of gender discrimination & prejudice

→ Catholic women are not allowed to be ordained as priests

→ Jewish women cannot be become rabbis

→ In Judaism, only men can initiate a divorce & can refuse to grant a get to his wife

→ Some women are paid less than men for the doing the same jobs

→ In the UK, women make up half the workforce but yet men hold a much higher proportion of senior positions

Christian views about gender prejudice & discrimination

→ Everyone is created equally in Gods image

→ “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” shows that discrimination is wrong

→ The Catholic Church believe that men & women are spiritually equal but socially different “Men & women have the same dignity but different duties”

Jewish views about gender prejudice & discrimination

→ Everyone is created equally in Gods image

→ The Tenakh has stories of well-respected women prophets (e.g. Deborah, Abigail & Huldah)

→ Orthodox Jews believe that men & women have different roles; men provide for the family & women must care for the home & children, however they can still follow a career

→ In Reform & Liberal Judaism women can become rabbis, sit with men in the synagogue & handle the Torah scrolls