MARRIAGE &
FAMILY
GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES
UNIT A
REVISION NOTES
Marriage & Family –
Revision Checklist
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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
Keywords – How Many do you
know?
marriage
divorce
faithfulness
Nuclear family
cohabitation
adultery
Re-marriage
promiscuity
Extended family
Reconstituted
family
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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