Relationships and Families

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infoWhy this? Human sexuality, the family and family planning have all been greatly influenced by religion and predominantly by Christianity in Western Societies. In this unit we will be studying religious perspectives on the most important parts of society like the family and how religious teachings have impacted sexuality, marriage and divorce, for example.

scheduleWhy now? We have studied the beliefs and practices of Christianity in depth. We are now going to see how the core beliefs and strength of Christian’s faith impact the most important institution; the family. This includes family planning through the use of contraception and the role parents play.

In Christianity, marriage is usually understood as a lifelong covenant before God for love, fidelity, mutual support, sexual intimacy and, traditionally, the raising of children.
Many Christians teach that sexual relationships should take place within marriage because sex expresses full commitment and the partners becoming 'one flesh', although many Christians in Britain accept sex in a loving and committed relationship outside marriage.
Contraception means using methods to prevent pregnancy, and family planning means choosing the number and spacing of children.
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that artificial contraception is wrong because it separates sex from its procreative purpose, but it permits natural family planning.
Many Anglican and Protestant Christians accept contraception within marriage because it can show responsible parenthood, protect health and support family stability.
Christian views on same-sex relationships differ: some churches reject same-sex sexual activity as contrary to biblical teaching, while other churches affirm same-sex couples on the basis of love, justice and inclusion.
In Britain, some Christian denominations conduct same-sex marriages, but the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England do not solemnise same-sex marriage in church.
Divorce is the legal ending of a marriage, and many Christians see it as a serious matter because marriage vows are promises made before God.
Arguments against divorce often appeal to the sanctity of marriage vows and Jesus’ teaching that marriage should be lifelong, while arguments supporting divorce often appeal to compassion when a marriage is abusive or has irretrievably broken down.
Roman Catholic teaching holds that a valid sacramental marriage is lifelong, so a divorced person cannot usually remarry in church unless an annulment shows that a true marriage was never present.
Many other Christian churches allow divorce and remarriage, especially in cases such as adultery, abuse, abandonment or complete breakdown of the relationship.
A nuclear family consists of parents and their children, while an extended family includes wider relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
Families can provide procreation, stable relationships, care, protection of children, emotional support and the passing on of religious beliefs and values.
Christian teaching often presents parents as responsible for loving guidance, provision and faith education, and children as responsible for respect and obedience.
Mainstream Christianity teaches monogamy rather than polygamy, while some Muslims permit a man to have up to four wives if he can treat them justly; however, polygamous marriages cannot be contracted under UK civil law.
Gender equality is the belief that men and women have equal worth and rights, and many Christians support this because both are made in the image of God, although some believers argue for different roles for men and women in family or church life.
Gender prejudice and discrimination include stereotypes, unequal opportunities, harassment and unfair treatment, and many religious and non-religious people oppose them because they deny justice and human dignity.
Many people in contemporary British society accept same-sex parents as able to provide loving and stable homes, while some religious believers argue that children ideally need both a mother and a father.
In Islam, sex outside marriage is generally forbidden, marriage is highly valued, and many Muslims permit contraception within marriage by mutual agreement if it does not cause harm.

rocket_launchYou must be able to

Explain Christian and Islamic teachings on contraception, sex before marriage, same-sex relationships, marriage and divorce using accurate subject vocabulary.
Compare contrasting views within Christianity, such as Roman Catholic, Anglican and other Protestant positions, and link each view to a clear reason or teaching.
Interpret religious teachings or quotations and use them to support an argument about marriage, family life, divorce or gender equality.
Distinguish between nuclear, extended, same-sex parent, cohabiting and polygamous family structures, stating relevant religious and legal issues in Britain.
Analyse ethical arguments for and against divorce using the sanctity of marriage vows, compassion, the welfare of children and personal wellbeing.
Evaluate whether sexual relationships should be confined to marriage by weighing religious teachings, non-religious arguments and a justified conclusion.
Apply concepts such as covenant, procreation, fidelity, equality and discrimination to contemporary case studies about families and relationships.
Assess claims about the roles of men and women by considering scriptural interpretation, modern British views and examples of gender prejudice or discrimination.

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