RS EXAM NOTES:sexual relationships

NOTES ON SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS

Cohabitation: Either do Catholics and Protestants OR Christianity and Islam, OR Christianity and Judaism.

Cohabitation: Catholics

• Not acceptable
• Marriage was God’s plan for creation
• Lack of commitment within a relationship
• Not a stable environment to raise children
• Raises the issues of chastity
• Pope in Casti Conubi states ‘Every sexual act must be within the framework of marriage.’
• Paul’s teaching: people should aim for sexual control: ‘If the unmarried cannot control themselves, they should marry.  For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.’
• It wasn’t what God intended.
• Genesis: ‘therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be united with his wife…’
• Undermines the sacred nature of the religious ceremony of marriage

Cohabitation: Protestants

• Some accept that it is part of a committed relationship
• Sensible way for couples to get to know each other
• Shows love and strengthens the bond
• Agree with Catholics that casual sex is unacceptable

Cohabitation: All Christians (Catholics and Protestants)

• Sex is a gift from God, and a joy to humanity.
• Genesis: God’s first instruction to Adam and Eve was ‘Go forth and multiply’.
• Sex is holy and sacred, which expresses a deep and unique love between two people.
• It should be reserved between two people at any one time.
• Sex is life giving
• Children should be brought up in a stable environment.

Cohabitation: Islam

• Sex is a natural part of human life.
• The sex…