Religion and Relationships

·         Marriage: a legal union between a man and a woman

·         Commitment: a promise to be faithful

·         Vows: promises made by the couple to be faithful

·         Contract: a formal agreement or legal bond

·         Marriage Contract: a contract between a bride and groom

·         Covenant: an agreement

·         Responsibility: legal or moral duty which a person has

·         Heterosexual: human who is sexually attracted only to the members of the opposite sex

·         Homosexual: human who is sexually attracted only to the members of the same sex

·         Age of Consent: age at which someone can legally agree to have a sexual relationship

UK age of consent is 16 years old for both male and female, it is a criminal offence before, law designed to protect them

·         Sex Before Marriage: sex between two single people

·         Sex Outside Marriage: sex between two people where at least one of them is married

·         Love: feeling of deep affection and in this case sexual attraction for someone

Christianity – Sex requires the commitment of marriage

Islam – Muslims see sex as a sacred gift from God, it must be controlled, sex before marriage not permitted

·         Contraception: artificial and chemical methods used to prevent pregnancy taking place

Christianity – Roman Catholic says it goes against natural law only rhythm method is allowed to be used, other Christians allow contraception

‘Every sexual act should have the possibility of creating new life.’

Islam – some Muslims oppose contraception and God will help them, both partners need to agree

Christianity – Marriage is God’s gift at the creation and spiritual bond of trust, share companionship through good and bad

Islam – Expected to marry, gives equal rights, marriage develop within marriage

‘Husband and wives are like garments for each other.’

Christianity – couple makes promises (vows) before God, rings are exchanged

Islam – simple ceremony where couple declare in front of at least two witnesses that they freely consent to marriage, sign marriage contract, readings from holy book make vows and exchange rings

Love marriage, arranged marriage, religions expect marriages in same religion, no religion stops mixed race marriages

Alternatives to marriage are living together, civil partnerships, celibacy (no sexual relationship), and vocation to religious life

·         Parenting: acting as a parent

·         Family: a group of people who are related by blood, marriage or adoption

Christianity – ‘Honour your father and your mother’

Christianity – adultery destroys trust and breaks promises made, threatens stable relationship

‘You shall not commit adultery.’

Islam – serious sin, is shameful and opens the ways to other evils, should be punished by flogging with a hundred stripes

·         Divorce: legal ending of a marriage

Christianity – Roman Catholics can separate but cannot remarry whilst partner is still alive, Divorced Anglicans can remarry but with Bishops permission, Eastern Orthodox grants divorces and remarries couples

Islam – divorce is ‘Hateful to God’, permitted as last resort, if wife at fault must repay marriage gift, if husband at fault must repay, husband must support children in all cases, must wait three months before divorcing to see if wife is pregnant