Some questions and answer notes to assist your revision.
1. Choosing one religion you have studied, explain what responsibilities husbands and wives take on when they marry in this religion.
(4 marks)
Christian
- marriage is a gift from God
- it is a covenant/agreement - therefore faithfulness is vital
- a place to express deep love and giving
- a place for children to be nurtured and raised
Muslim
- the best place for sexual fulfillment and a stable relationship
- it is a legally binding contract that protects partners and children
- love develops within the agreement, but not necessarily before it
- the Qur'an says: husbands and wives are garments for each other (each one wears the other)
2. What reasons might a Christian give for making a pledge not to have sex before marriage? (4 marks)
- the Bible is explicit about it
- 7th commandment
- 'the marriage bed should be kept pure'
- sex is within lifelong heterosexual commitment
3. ‘Sex before marriage is not always wrong - it depends on the circumstances.’ Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer showing that you have thought about more than one point of view. (5 marks)
- absolute vs relative morality is the issue
- it centres on special revelation (see question 2: what the Bible says) vs personal views and circumstances
- western culture is often secular (relative morality based) and doesn't have much sympathy with absolute morality (the Bible and the Qur'an are examples of this)
4. What impact might belief in God make to marriage? (3 marks)
- huge! the agreement/contract/covenant becomes much more serious
- lifelong vows with an eternal being mean that you would take the vows more seriously
- quote the actual vows from church of england service (in sickness, health for richer or poorer etc...)
- contrast with secular relative morality views
5. Give three reasons why a Christian would regard adultery as wrong. (3 marks)
- how do people make moral decisions?: reason (does it seem a good idea according to your brain?), conscience (do you feel guilty about it?) traditions/upbringing (how do your family, friends, community do it?), scriptures (what do important religious books say about it?), leaders (what do the authority figures in your life think about it?)
6. Explain the beliefs and teachings of two religions on adultery.
(8 marks)
- 8 marks usually means get some quotes in there baby!
- refer to question 1 - adultery is breaking the agreement between you and God, and therefore is a very serious thing. Some allow for hope beyond it, but it is a serious serious thing. Enough for me to write two 'serious' words in one sentence.
7. Choose one religious tradition which teaches that artificial contraception is wrong. Explain why they think it is wrong. (4 marks).
3 methods of contraception
- Artificial method: types of contraceptive: the pill, diaphragm/cap, condom, coil, spermicidal cream
- Natural method: waiting for when she is less likely to be fertile
- Permanent method: sterilisation
Christians have different traditions that disagree on the use of contraception - orthodox/catholics say it is unnatural (AIDS prevention is a huge challenge on the anti-condom stance), protestants generally are happy with it. All believe in responsible parenting.
Muslims mostly accept contraception, but see parenting as a role of marriage, so wouldn't agree with contraception as a method for avoiding parenting altogether.
The morning after pill is disagreed with by Christians and Muslims because it isn't so much a contraceptive as a form of termination.
8. What two things might some religious parents consider if they were choosing a future husband for their daughter? (2 marks)
- firstly there are a number of things that people always say, so it is worth mentioning some of these: looks, money, similar interests, culture, race, religion, intelligence, humour, friendship, good character. These are rated in different ways by different people
- strictly religious parents will always be asking themselves: can this partner fit with what we view marriage being about? Go back to question 1 and ask yourself what the requirements for being faithful to the agreement are.
- usually it means being good enough friends, being submissive to God (so - having the same religion is quite vital), having strong enough character to keep faithful