Religion and Life from a Catholic perspective

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Religion and Life from a Catholic
perspective

• Marriage and the Family

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(No Transcript)
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Marriage statistics

• What observations do you make from the following
  statistics?
• In 1971 405000 couples married in England and
  Wales
• In 2000 268000 couples married in England and
  Wales
• In 1995 about 50 of all marriages took place in
  a church
• Since the change in law in relation to places of
  marriage about 30 of all marriages take place in
  a church
• In 1971 men and women married on average 10 years
  younger than today
• 98 of the adult population marry at some point
• In 1961 there were about 25000 divorces, today
  there are about 160000 divorces every year
• 75 of all divorces have one or more children
  under the age of 16

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Catholic Views of Marriage

• Copy and complete the following description of
  marriage in the Catholic church
• S -
• P -
• E -
• L -
• S -

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Catholic Marriage service

• Put the following in the correct order and
  explain the significance of each part of the
  service
• The redings
• The Marriage vows
• Signing of the marriage register
• The Greeting
• Accepting of consent and blessing
• Exchange of rings
• Questioning
• What is the difference between a wedding and a
  marriage?

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Catholic views on

• In pairs write a letter to an agony aunt/uncle
  and a Catholic response on one of the following
  issues. You must give the Catholic churches view
  and other Christian views in your answer.
• Sex before marriage
• Cohabitation
• Adultery

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Divorce

• The Divorce Reform Act (1967) allows people to
  divorce if their marriage had irretrievably
  broken down, there are five reasons for this
• 1. adultery
• 2. intolerable behaviour
• 3. Lived together for two years and both want a
  divorce
• 4. Lived apart for five years and one partner
  wants a divorce
• 5. One spouse has deserted the other for more
  than two years.
• Since then the law has changed again and a couple
  can divorce
• after one year.
• The Catholic Church does not allow divorce.
  Marriage is a Sacrament and the exchange of vows
  means the only way a marriage can be dissolved is
  by the death of one of the partners.
• The Catholic Church does not allow divorce
  because
• In Mark 1010-12 Jesus taught that it was wrong
  and makes the couple guilty of adultery
• The couple have made a covenant with God and only
  God can separate this bond.

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Annulment

• Most non-Catholic Churches allow divorced people
  to remarry after discussion with the minister.
  Many Christians do not approve of divorce because
  of Jesus teaching.
• The Catholic Church does allow annulment (a
  declaration that the marriage was never a true
  marriage) if
• One partner was forced into the marriage
• One partner suffered from mental problems at the
  time of the marriage
• One partner did not intend to keep the marriage
  vows
• One partner was not baptised at the time of the
  marriage
• Important information about one of the spouses
  was withheld at the time of the wedding
• Each diocese has a marriage tribunal to decide on
• applications for annulment

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Family Life

• Explain each type
• Of family
• Why is the family
• Important?
• How does the
• Church help with
• Family Life?

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Homosexuality the facts

• Homosexuality has existed in all societies
  throughout history
• In 1967 Homosexuality in Britain was made legal
  between two consenting males (over 21)
• Homosexual sex is now legally treated the same as
  heterosexual sex
• At least 5 of the population is naturally
  homosexual
• In 2004 The Civil Partnership Act created a new
  legal relationship (newspapers often refer to
  civil partnerships as gay marriage)

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Homosexualitythe Christian views

• The Catholic View Being homosexual is not a
  sin, but homosexual sexual relationships are
  sinful. Homosexuals should not be discriminated
  against.
• The Evangelical Protestant view Many believe
  homosexuality is a sin and there should be no
  homosexual Christians as Jesus salvation removed
  sin.
• The Liberal Protestant view Life-long
  homosexual partnerships are acceptable, but
  homosexual priests should not engage in sexual
  activity.
• The Westboro Baptist Church is a controversial
  church which is violently anti-homosexual and
  claim that many natural and human disasters in
  recent years are a sign of Gods judgement on
  modern society for promoting homosexual
  lifestyles.

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What do you think?

• Marriage should be for life
• Without religion family life would collapse
• Catholic couples who live together are as
  married as couple who have been married in
  church
• All Christians should believe that any sexual
  relationship outside marriage is wrong
• The media has made adultery acceptable
• Homosexuality is perfectly natural

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Question

• Outline different attitudes among Christians to
  divorce
• Explain why many Christians believe that sex
  outside marriage is wrong
• Children follow the religion of their parents.
  Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion,
  showing you have considered another point of
  view. In your answer you should refer to Catholic
  Christianity.