AQA GCSE Religious Studies B: (Theme A) Religion, Relationships and families

What does the Bible say about the relationship between the sexes?

• “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply’.” Genesis 1:27-28

• “There is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

• Both men and women are created in the image of God and blessed by Him, therefore they are equal

• Men and women are expected to procreate

• They are two equal parts that complement and complete each other

Why must sexual love be within marriage?

• For a marriage to be valid, there must be sexual intercourse

• The sacrament of marriage enables two people in love to commit themselves publicly and exclusively to each other

• The promises made before God in the Catholic Church include a commitment to be together for life

Why must sexual love be unitive?

• “…the two shall become one flesh.” Mark 10:8

• It expresses and deepens the couples’ love for each other

• Sexual intercourse between a married person and somebody who is not their partner is forbidden because it destroys the unity of the married couple

Why must sex be open to creating new life?

• “Each and every marriage act must remain open to the transmission of life” Humanae Vitae 11

• Through sex, God creates new life

• The Catholic marriage ceremony contains the commitment to accept children lovingly from God

What did Pope John Paul II say in the ‘Theology of the Body’?

• God loves every person and created both sexes to have dignity and value

• The full meaning of the body is appreciated through a deep relationship with the opposite sex in marriage

• Sex is an essential part of marriage and should only occur within marriage

• True mutual love includes having only the number of children that can be lovingly cared for

What does Pope John Paul II teach about marital sex?

• Unites a couple in self-giving and love

• Brings two people into a communion of persons

• Shows commitment, mutual love and respect, and leads to greater intimacy

• Gives the possibility of creating new life (no contraception)

• Can make use of natural periods of infertility to reduce the chances of pregnancy

What does Pope John Paul II teach about extramarital sex?

• Is a form of exploitation for personal pleasure

• Can make people selfish, caring only for themselves and not their marriage partner

• Adultery breaks the marriage vows and shows no commitment to a spouse

• Is a sin and distorts God’s original plan for human beings

• Can lead to people thinking of others as sex objects rather than individuals with dignity and value

What are some contrasting views on sexual relationships and contraception?

• Lots of people in Britain have casual sex with many partners

• They also view using contraception as a responsible way of preventing STDs and unplannned pregnancies

• Other Christian denominations agree with Catholics that sex should be treated with respect and only take place within marriage

• Most views fall somewhere in-between these opposites

What is the Catholic teaching on sex before marriage?

• “Because love is so great, so sacred, and so unique, the Church teaches young people to wait until they are married before they start to have sexual relations.” Youcat

• It devalues or trivialises sex

• The gift of virginity offered in marriage makes both husband and wife feel special, privileged, and loved

Why do Catholics view adultery as a sin?

• It breaks the vows made in marriage: ‘To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse’

• It betrays trust in the marriage and causes harm and suffering to the innocent partner

• It brings distress and tension into the home and causes the whole family to be unhappy

• It can cause the breakup of a marriage

What are some contrasting views on adultery?

• Personal happiness is important even if it may cause harm to someone else

• There may be other reasons why the marriage is falling apart

• Maybe the couple have made a serious mistake in getting married and have found a more suitable partner

What do the Catholic Church teach about homosexuality?

• Sex should be open to the possibility of creating new life

• Homosexual relations are unacceptable as there is no possibility of new life

• Homosexuals should live celibate lives

• People are loved by God regardless of sexual orientation and should be treated with respect

What are contrasting views on homosexuality?

• The Church of England supports the idea of same-sex civil partnerships

• Same-sex marriage was legalised in 2014 in England and Wales- reflecting views of many

• Some United Reformed churches preform same-sex marriages

What are the conditions for a valid Catholic marriage?

• “This consent that binds the spouses to each other finds its fulfilment in the two becoming one flesh” CCC

• It must be consummated

• They must both promise to remain together ‘for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part’

• They must be free to marry

• Both people must be acting of their own free will

• They must not be closely related

• Promises must be made in the presence of a Catholic priest

• They must declare they are willing to accept the gift of children

What is the Catholic view on the same-sex couples getting married?

• Marriage is a sacrament between a man and a woman

• Same-sex couples cannot have children naturally and lovingly from God and so cannot meet the requirements for a valid marriage

What is a contrasting view on same-sex couples getting married?

• In 2014, the British government legalised same-sex marriages

• Many people in British society believe homosexuals should have the same rights as heterosexuals

• They do not see being able to have children as an essential part of marriage

What does Pope Francis say about homosexuality?

• While homosexual acts are sinful, homosexuality is not

• Homosexuals should be integrated into society, not marginalised

What is the nature of marriage?

• Providing a loving relationship in which chuldren can grow and flourish

• An exclusive union of a man and a woman

• A sacrament through which God’s love and blessing is given to a couple

• A sign of the love of Christ for the Church

How do the marriage promises reflect the nature of marriage?

• “I call upon these persons here”- the public declaration assures each other that their love is genuine

• “I (full name), take you (full name)”- full names are used to ensure everyone knows the identity of those making promises

• “for better and for worse”- these promises show there may be difficulties

• “to love and to cherish”- promises to fulfil a loving relationship

• “till death do us part”- the commitment only ends when a person dies

Why does the Catholic Church disagree with cohabitation?

• It breaks the sanctity of the sexual union

• It breaks the sanctity of marriage

• It may reduce efforts to make the relationship last

• It removes commitment from the sexual union

• It may destroy a sense of need for faithfulness

• It may create insecurity as one might leave

• If the couple splits, it affects children

• It may destroy the sense of family

When might an annulment be allowed?

• If one person does not take the exclusive nature of marriage seriously EG continues to have affairs

• If they always insist on using contraception

• If they have not consummated the marriage

• If they did not freely enter the marriage

What is the Catholic position on divorce?

• Marriage promises made before God cannot be broken

• God made man and woman to be united as one

• Jesus taught that a divorcee remarrying commits adultery in Mark 10:11-12

• Marriage is ‘till death do us part’

What is a contrasting view on divorce?

• It is impossible to know what the future holds

• If the marriage has broken down, divorce is the most compassionate solution

What is the Catholic position on remarriage?

• Can happen if the original partnr has died

• Anyone who divorces and remarries cannot receive communion

• Allowed if the first ‘marriage’ is annuled so is not classed as remarriage

• Not allowed to remarry in church if the original spouse is still alive

What is a contrasting view on remarriage?

• Anglicans, Methodists, and other free churches do not encourage remarriage but will sometimes marry divorcees

• Most Protestant denominations will not stop those who remarry from receiving communion

What does the Catholic Church teach on family planning?

• Recent popes have stressed the need for responsible parenthood

• The use of natural family planning is acceptable

• Couples should only have the number of children they can care for

• Natural family planning leaves the final decision to God

What are contrasting views on family planning? How would a Catholic respond to these views?

• Many people view contraception as essential to stop the spreads of STIs- if both partners save themselves for marriage, there is little chance of contracting an STI

• It is responsible to use contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies- the final decision should be left up to God

• Limiting family sizes ia a responsible action- natural family planning can do this

• It is acceptable to use the morning-after pill- life begins at conception so it is wrong as fertilisation may have already taken place

What is a nuclear family?

• This consists of mother, father and children living together

• This is the usual type of family for most Catholic families in British society

What does the Catholic Church teach about family?

• It is the best environment to bring up children

• Children are signs of the parents’ love for each other

• Provides a stable and safe place for children to develop

What does the Catholic Church teach about the role of a parent?

• They are the first and most important teachers of their children

• They are the role models for their children

• They should encourage their children to become independent, well-balanced individuals who respect everyone

• They must provide an atmosphere where everyone is valued

The purpose of the family is to provide…

• love

• care

• a nurturing environment

• support

• education

• stability

• new life

• moral guidance

• religious teaching

• security

What did Paul say about the roles within a family?

• “Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ”- people should live family lives as if they are serving Jesus

• “Wives, be subject to your husbands,”- wives should show their love by doing what their husbands ask

• “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,"- husbands should love their wives so much they would be prepared to die for them

• “fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”- fathers should show love and kindness to their children so they should bring them up in the Christian faith

• “Children obey your parents”- children should honour thier parents by obeying them

What do Catholics teach on the dignity of work in home?

• Catholics regard men and women as equally important in contributing different qualities to help in bringing up children, and providing stability in the home

• Traditionally, the role of the mother is to look after the home and children while fathers protect and provide for the family

• Gender equality has resulted in sharing and switching these roles

What is the Catholic teaching on families with single or same-sex parents?

• The Catholic Church teaches that procreation should take place between a man and a woman who have married

• Single people are not encouraged to become parents

• The Catholic Church does not encourage same-sex parenting as it teaches that children need a mother and a father

What is parenthood in Britain really like?

• There is a growing acceptance and number of single parent families or same-sex parents

• Around a quarter of children in Britain today live with one parent

• Same-sex parents say that it is the love between parents and children that really matters

Which women have an important role in the Bible?

• Lois and Eunice were early witnesses for the faith

• Pheobe was a deacon in the Church

• Mary Magdalene was the first to announce Jesus’ resurrection

• Mary showed obedience and was the perfect disciple

• Ruth showed the Jews faithfulness

• Deborah acted as a Judge

• Esther saved the Jews from the Persians

What is the significance of women in the Bible?

• In the Old Testament, women have special roles on the same level as men

• In the New Testament, the importance and dignity of women is symbolised in Mary

• Jesus always treated women with respect, and his teachings about divorce and adultery applied to the same standard to women and men

What is the significance of men in the Bible?

• Most of the events recorded in the Bible are about men

• Jesus chose 12 male apostles who Catholics believe were made the first priests at the Last Supper

• The first missionaries and main leaders of the Church were men

What is the Catholic teaching on gender equality?

• “The person resources of femininity are certainly no less than the resources of masculinity: they are merely different.” Mulieris Dignitatem 10

• The attributes of a woman are as that important as that of a man

• Equality is not the same as uniformity

What is the Catholic teaching on men and women working together?

• “Man and woman were made for each other… he created them in which each can be ‘helpmate’ to the other.”

• It was God’s deliberate choice to create men and women as a pair

• Men and women have equal roles in supporting each other

• God designed men and women to care for each other

What is the non-religious view on the equality of the sexes? How would a Catholic respond?

• Men and women are equally important- Catholics agree

• Men and women should have equal opportunities- Catholics believe they have different roles

• Men and women are equally capable of fulfilling the same roles- Catholics disagree but believe roles are complementary

What is the Catholic view on gender discrimination?

• “They have the same rights. The disparity is a pure scandal.” Pope Francis

• “labour should be structured in a way that women do not have to pay for their advancement by abandoning what is specific to them”

• It is wrong and can be hurtful and damaging

• Defending women’s rights should not detract from a woman’s role in the family and in the home

• Men and women should receive equal pay for equal work

• Certain roles belong to one gender or another- EG priests

What is the non-religious view on gender discrimination?

• The 1975 Sex Discrimination Act was designed to prevent gender discrimination

• Men and women should be given equal pay

• The Catholic view of the different roles of men and women is a form of discrimination

• There is sometimes a need for positive discrimination