Individuality (Humans)

Virgin: Someone who has not had sexual intercourse

Adultery: Breaking the marriage vows by having intercourse outside marriage

Contraception: Preventing pregnancy

Convenant: Mutual promises made in marriage

Marriage: Promising a lifelong, faithful commitment in God's presence

Divorce: Ending the marriage

Annulment: Declaring a marriage never existed (Catholic only)

• For believers, the proper context for sex is within marriage
• Sex is "given by God"
• Marriage is a lifelong commitment of faithful partnership
• Marriage is the best environment in which to bring up children
• Marriage guidance offered to help those whose marriage is in difficulty
• Adultery is wrong

Different Teachings - Protestant

The Protestant church accepts contraception and divorce

Re-marriage of divorcees is possible if a priest is confident of the couple's commitment to marriage

Different Teachings - Catholic

• The Catholic church teaches that contraception is wrong
• Divorce is not possible
• Annlument is rarely given
• Re-marriage is not possible

Christian Quotes

• Lifelong commitment - "For richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part."
• Promises made before God - "What God has joined together, let not man separate." (Christian marriage service)
• Jesus response to adultery - "Go and sin no more," and, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." (John 8)
• "Do not commit adultery." (10 commandments)

Conception: When the sperm fertilises an egg

Viability: When a foetus is able to live indpendently from its mother womb

Foetus: An unborn, developing child

Sanctity of Life: Life is sacred because God created it

Quality of Life: Extreme suffering may make a life 'not worth living'

Reasons for Abortion

• IN SOCIETY: There is a risk of the baby being disabled
• If continuing a pregnancy threatens the mothers life
• If having a baby would threaten the mother's quality of life
• If the mother does not want the baby
• The woman has the right to determine what happens to her body
• The legal right to abortion largely avoids the problems of illegal, unsafe abortions
• The woman's rights outweigh those of the foetus

Give the Catholic teaching as "anti abortion" and Protestant as "accepting abortion."

Protestant Christian teaching that permits abortion

• God gave humans free will; so do not force a woman to have a child
• "Love your neighbour as you love yourself." (Matthew 22) means people should be understanding towards those in a difficult situation.
• "Early embryos do not have the moral value of persons." (Lord Habgood, former Archbishop of York)
• Jesus healed - Christians should do the same
• God gave people the power to reason; abortion can be the "lesser of two evils."

Catholic Christian teachings against abortion

• God created human beings making them to be like himself" (Genesis 1)
• "Do not kill." Life is sacred (10 commandments)
• Body is the "Temple of the holy spirit." (Corinthians 3) means God's spirit is present in the human body
• "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." (Jeremiah 1) shows the unborn child is special to God
• "You put me together in my mother's womb." (Psalm 139)
• "From the time that the egg is fertilised, a life has begun." (Catholic declaration on abortion - 1974)