MARRIAGE & FAMILY

1. MARRIAGE & FAMILY GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES UNIT A REVISION NOTES

2. Marriage & Family – Revision Checklist • WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW • Keywords • Why people get married/divorced? • Christian views to marriage & what happens in a Christian marriage ceremony • Christian views to divorce • How Christians bring up their children – the importance of the family • Muslim views to marriage & what happens in a Muslim marriage ceremony • Muslim views on divorce • How Muslims bring up their children – the importance of the family. • Views on Sex Before Marriage

3. Keywords – How Many do you know? marriage cohabitation adultery Re-marriage divorce promiscuity faithfulness Extended family Nuclear family Reconstituted family

4. General Information – About Marriage & Divorce. • Marriage Less Popular… Increase in cohabitation Rise in Divorce Cost of getting married is increasing Do not want to make a formal commitment

5. Christianity & Marriage Get married needs to be in church so legal ‘in eyes of God’ Civil ceremony – legal e.g. beach/hotel Vows love through all different experiences e.g. sickness/health/poverty Rings Unending Love/It will never end Readings/Prayers couple are given Gods blessing

6. Christianity & Marriage NB NOT ALL CHRISTIANS THINK THE SAME!! Roman Catholics – Service includes a mass & marriage is seen as a sacrament (something very holy) Orthodox Church – ‘Crowning – crowns are placed on the heads & this seen as Power of Holy Spirit.

7. Christianity & Divorce AGAIN, ALL CHRISTIANS DO NOT THINK THE SAME Church of England – divorce socially acceptable but will not remarry divorced people Roman Catholics – Marriage vow cannot be broken So does not allow divorce. Annulment is acceptable. Non conformist Church – divorce people can remarry – up to minister. View that if you have made a mistake, you should not be punished forever.

8. Christianity & Family Life View 1 Family has roles e.g. Adam & Eve God made man, then woman as a Companion. Woman tempted by serpent therefore needs protection View 2 Man & Woman – made in ‘Image of God’. Therefore should have equal roles in family/work

9. Christianity & Family Life – How to bring up their children. Baptized welcome into church given godparents Parents pray with children celebrate festivals Church children should attend with parents Go to Sunday School Community Help with elderly/poor families celebrate festivals

10. Islam & Marriage Purpose Everyone should marry and raise children e.g. Prophet Muhammad Marriage – social contract. Therefore should be arranged Marriage – parents involved – but do not force marriage Muslims should marry another Muslim/ but Muslim men are permitted to marry Christians/Jews but children follow the religion of the father i.e. be brought up a Muslim

11. Islam – Marriage Ceremony Mahr – groom agrees & pay sum of money to wife Nikah – contract between couple Imam leads prayers & reads from the Qur'an Walimah – celebration after marriage

12. Islam & Divorce Do accept that sometimes divorce happens. But it is not approved. • If marriage runs into problems; • See parents who arranged marriage • Husband can then tell wife he will divorce her 3 times over 3 month period • If after this time – problems not solved & women not pregnant – Divorced • Wife’s dowry is returned. Couple are then encouraged to re-marry • NB if woman asks for divorce-she gets nothing • However… need to go through British legal system – properly divorced Polygamy – practice of having more than one wife – endorsed by Qu’ran but in non Muslim countries not legally allowed

13. Islam & Family Life Family is one of God’s creations. Home-where Muslims learn essential things e.g. values/look after themselves/attitude to others. Parents – responsibility to bring up good Muslims, so they will; • Pray with them • Read them the Qu’ran • Celebrate/learn about festivals e.g. Ramadan/Eid Extended Family – Muslims support this. So will look after elderly relatives. Other family will live close e.g. cousins/uncles etc. • Community support; • Ummah – brotherhood of Muslims – support/help other Muslims • Mosque – help marital problems/children in trouble/financial assistance

14. Finally…Sex Before Marriage Christians think….DIFFERENT • Roman Catholics – must happen only within marriage – otherwise a grave sin • Liberal Protestants – allow cohabitation – prelude to marriage • 10 Commandments – ‘thou shall not commit adultery’ – therefore wrong • Muslims think…. • Sex is only allowed with marriage - not allowed to cohabitate • In Muslim countries – severe penalties for adultery/cohabitation etc. • Muslims must not lust after others – eg have to wear appropriate dress