RS Unit 3.3

• More children are being brought up by cohabiting parents as couples cohabit rather than marry.
• The average age for marrying has increased because of more people are focused on their career or travelling.
• Much more divorce and so more single-parent families and re-constituted families.
• Homosexual couples can form a legal union with a civil partnership, giving them the same legal rights as a heterosexual couple.

Cohabitation and marriage

• Contraception made it safer to have pre-marital sex
• Less people went to church so they weren't encouraged to keep sex until marriage
• The media and celebrities made cohabitation look respectable thus making it more popular
• The media showed sexual relationships outside marriage as the norm thus making more people think sex outside marriage was acceptable

Divorce

• New laws made divorce cheaper and easier for ordinary people
• Increased equality for women means that women are no longer prepared to accept unequal treatment from men, and if they're treated badly, they will divorce their husbands
• Most married women depended on the husband's wages, but now women are financially independent and can support themselves after a divorce
• There's been a great change in how long people are likely to be married. Most divorces occur after 10 years of marriage, which was the average length of a marriage 100 years ago

Family life

• Cohabitation's popularity means there are more families where the parents are unmarried
• Increase in divorce has led to an increase in re-marriage and now there are more re-constituted families
• More mothers are in paid employment and use retired grandparents or close relatives to look after their children
• Increase in divorce and acceptance of unmarried mothers means there are more single-parent families

Homosexuality

• Changes in the laws have made it easier to be openly homosexual and made society more aware of homosexuality
• Medical research has shown that homosexuality is natural, leading people to accept equal status and rights for homosexual couples
• Media coverage of gay celebrities has led to greater acceptance of gay people
• Gay rights organisations has led to greater acceptance of equal rights for homosexuals

• God gave sex for the procreation of children to be brought up in a Christian family, so sex should just be within marriage
• The Bible says that sex outside marriage is sinful and Christians should follow the teachings of the Bible
• The Catechism says that pre-marital sex is wrong and Christians should follow the teachings of the Catechism
• Adultery is banned by the Ten Commandments, which all Christians should follow

• For a couple to have a life-long relationship of love and faithfulness
• For a couple to support and comfort each other
• For a couple to have the gift of children
• For a couple to receive God's grace and strength through the sacrament

wedding ceremony

• life long relationship of love and faithfulness is shown in:
  • the exchange of vows where the couple promises to be faithful until death
• support and comfort of each other:
  • the priest asking the couple before the marriage vows if they will love and support each other
• the procreation of children:
  • the priest asking the couple if they will accept children from God lovingly
• the bringing up of a Christian family:
  • the priest asking the couple if they will accept children and bringing them up according to the law of Christ and his Church

Catholic attitude - religious divorce or re-marriage is unacceptable:

• Jesus taught that divorce is wrong and Christians should follow his teachings.
• The couple have made a contract with God which 'cannot be broken by any earthly power'
• The Catechism teaches that a marriage cannot be undone therefore religious divorce is impossible as the Catechism must be followed.
• Since there can be no religious divorce, there can be no re-marriage as it would be both bigamy and adultery.

Non-Catholic Christian attitudes - divorce is wrong but can be allowed:

• Jesus allowed divorce for a partner's adultery.
• If a marriage has really broken down then the effects of the couple staying together would be a greater evil than the evil of divorce itself.
• If Christians repent and confess their sins, they can be forgiven. Therefore a couple should have another chance at marriage if they are ready to make it work this time.
• Some Churches believe it is better to divorce than to live in hatred and quarrel all the time.

• To have children and bring them up in a Catholic environment so that they can become good Catholics.
• Catholic teaching on divorce shows that family is too important to be broken up by divorce.
• Without the family, children wouldn't learn the difference between right and wrong. Therefore family life helps them to develop moral awareness and follow the Golden Rule.
• The family is where children learn about the faith. Therefore the family is important for the faith to continue and grow as it is the family that brings children into the faith.

of children

• Most parishes have a local Catholic primary and secondary school connected to them. Catholic education helps parents by teaching children right from wrong and helping them to fulfil their marriage and baptism promises to raise their children as Catholics.
• Parishes run classes to prepare children for different sacraments, helping parents with the Catholic upbringing of their children.
• Some parishes run children's liturgies which help parents to bring up their children as good Catholics.
• Some parishes run youth clubs, which keeps children off the streets and away from bad influence.

together

• The Church has a programme of support for marriage and family life, which provides support to parishes to keep families together through the Marriage and Family Life Project Office.
• The Church has provided resources for parishes to be more family friendly so that family life is strengthened when families celebrate Mass together.
• The Church has produced leaflets to help parishes understand and meet the needs of families facing families such as divorce, bereavement or disability.
• Many parishes provide financial support for families in need and have links to national Catholic charities.

Catholic attitude - homosexuality isn't a sin but homosexual sexual activity is:

• The Bible says homosexual sexual activity is wrong.
• The Church's tradition states that any sexual activity should have the possibility of procreation.
• It is the teaching of the Magisterium which Catholics should believe.
• The Church teaches that people cannot help their sexual orientation but they can control their sexual activity.

Evangelical Protestant attitude - homosexuality is a sin:

• The Bible says that homosexuality is a sin and they take the Bible literally.
• They believe that the salvation of Christ can remove all sins, including homosexuality.
• All the Churches have taught that homosexuality is wrong.

Liberal Protestant attitude - homosexuals and their relationships are welcome:

• The Bible texts condemning homosexuality show beliefs at the time rather than the word of God.
• Christians believe in love and acceptance therefore homosexuals must be accepted.
• If homosexual Christians feel the Holy Spirit approves of their homosexuality, it must be true.
• Christians should be open and honest therefore gay Christians shouldn't be made to tell lies and pretend to be heterosexual.

Catholic attitude - natural family planning is accepted to limit family size:

• Pope Pius XI condemned all forms of artificial contraception.
• Pope Pius XII declared that Catholics could use natural methods of contraception.
• The Church teaches thay all sex should be used for procreation. Artifical contraception prevents this.
• Some artificial contraceptives bring about an early abortion, which can be seen as murder.

Non-Catholic Christian attitudes - all forms of contraception is permissible:

• Using condoms is the best way to prevent STDs such as aids, which is one of the main causes of world poverty.
• There is nothing in the Bible that forbids the use of contraception.
• God created sex for enjoyment and to strengthen marriage so it doesn't have to be only for procreation.
• All non-Catholic Churches say Christians can use any contraception to limit family size.