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Key points about relationships and family

A Family With the Bride and Groom stood outside a Church.
Image caption,
A Christian wedding.
  • Christianity teaches that the Church should be the foundation of family life.
  • Most Christians believe marriage is important, but there are different views about divorce and remarriage within the religion.
  • Some Christians believe the teaches God made male and female to complete each other and .
  • There are a range of views towards within Christian .
  • The Bible teaches that all humans are equal, but views differ on the roles of men and women in Christian worship.
A Family With the Bride and Groom stood outside a Church.
Image caption,
A Christian wedding.
Remember



Remember

There are a range of Christian denominations, and therefore various Christian teachings on ethical issues.

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Video

Watch the video below to compare Christian, Hindu and Muslim attitudes and teachings towards marriage.

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The purpose of the Christian family

The family is the original cell of social life."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church - paragraph 2207

A family stood in church at a baptism. The parents hold a small child in a white dress and they all smile towards the camera.
Image caption,
For many Christian couples, a key purpose of family is procreation. Children born to Christians are often baptised.

For most Christians, the family is an important institution and can include traditional , stepfamilies, extended families and same-sex parents.

Christian teachings refer to God as the Father, creator, and sustainer of all living things. Many Christians see this as evidence that family relationships reflect God’s parental care for all humanity and the family unit is important for society, as well as the Christian faith.

Christians can look to the Bible for guidance on relationships with their family members. For example, the  instructs Christians to appreciate and respect their parents:

Honour your father and your mother.”

Exodus 20:12

A family stood in church at a baptism. The parents hold a small child in a white dress and they all smile towards the camera.
Image caption,
For many Christian couples, a key purpose of family is procreation. Children born to Christians are often baptised.

The three main purposes of the Christian family

The purpose of  the Christian family has a number of elements: 1.Providing a secure environment through marriage, ‘A church with a couple, a priest and a pair of wedding rings sat on a pillow in front of it’, 2. Procreation, ‘A father, a mother, a son and a daughter’, 3. Raising children in the faith by A) baptism, ‘A mother and father watching as a priest baptises their baby’, B) Holy communion, ‘A priest stood in front of a child while holding Holy communion’, C) Reading the bible, ‘A father and son reading the bible’, and D). Confirmation, ‘A man having a cross drawn on his head by a priests hand’. Written below: Purpose of the Christian Family: 1. To provide a secure environment for family through a marriage, 2. To procreate, 3. To raise children in the Christian faith.

Depending on the denomination, the purpose of the Christian family might include:

  • To provide a secure environment for family through marriage – Many Christians believe that marriage is a commitment for couples to love and support each other and share in the care and upbringing of children. As Jesus said: “Love one another: just as I have loved you,” (John 13:34).

  • To procreate – In Genesis, God tells a man to be with his wife and as a couple to have children: “Be fruitful and multiply,” (Genesis 1:28). Many Christians understand this verse to be a command to leave their parents, get married and then have children in that order.

  • To raise children in the Christian faith – Verses such as: “Start children off on the way they should go,” (Proverbs 22:6) encourage Christians to bring their children up in their faith. Depending on the denomination, this may include: Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation and reading the Bible.

GCSE exam-style question

Which of the following terms means "having sympathy and concern for the suffering of others"?

a) cohabitation

b) contraception

c) compassion

d) gender equality

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Exam top tip


For your exam, it is important to know the definitions of key terms.

Take our quiz below to test your knowledge.

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Relationships and families key terms quiz

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Marriage in Christianity

The nature and purpose of marriage

Many Christians view marriage as a gift from God and a  between God and the couple. It is understood that the married couple’s love for each other reflects the sacred love Christ has for the Church.

A Christian wedding ceremony

Bride and groom in centre. Around the edge: 1: A church, ‘The ceremony takes place in a church’; 2: A priest holding a bible, bride and groom stand behind him, ‘The couple are married by a priest who reads a homily (moralising lecture); 3: The words ‘for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health…’, ‘The priest asks 3 questions about the responsibilities of marriage’; 4: Bride and groom looking at each other, ‘The couple make vows to each other’; 5: Two rings on a red pillow, ‘The rings are blessed and exchanged’; 6: Priest in prayer, ‘The priest declares that they have agreed to marry before God and blesses the marriage; 7: Signing a document, ‘The couple sign the marriage register (a civil part of the ceremony)’.

There are different understandings around the and purpose of marriage within Christian . For example:

  • Many Christians believe that the main purpose of marriage is to honour God by following His command to leave their parents and become husband and wife: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh," (Mathew 19:4-6).

  • The command: “Be fruitful and multiply," (Genesis 1:28) is interpreted by many Christians to mean that a couple should have children. Children are seen as a gift from God within Christian marriage based on this verse:

Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.”

Psalm 127:3

  • For many Roman Catholic Christians, the  of marriage is a public sign that an individual is giving themselves, totally, to another person. It is seen as a public statement about their belief because the loving union has God at the centre of it.
The married state has been established by the Creator … God himself is the author of marriage."

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1604

Polygamy

 is illegal in the UK. Whilst not commonly accepted within Christianity, some denominations such as Lutheran Christians or The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (a denomination of Christianity in the USA), allow polygamy to take place, however, this is not widely practiced.

GCSE exam-style question

Give two Christian beliefs about the importance of marriage.

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Divorce and remarriage

Divorce is a legal process that ends marriage.

Jesus taught that anyone who divorced and remarried, except for sexual immorality, was committing :

I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

Matthew 19:9

Since adultery is forbidden in the , most Christians do not undertake divorce lightly.

You shall not commit adultery."

Exodus 20:14

However, Jesus did allow for divorce in the case of a partner’s .

The Roman Catholic Church does not recognise divorce. According to Roman Catholic teaching, a marriage can only end when one partner dies or if there are grounds for an .

How do various Christian denominations view divorce?

All Christian denominations allow widows and widowers to remarry as their first marriage has ended in death.

So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children."

Timothy 5:14

GCSE exam-style question

What is meant by the term "adultery"?

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In pictures: Marriage, divorce and remarriage

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 4, An extended family posing for a wedding photo outside of a church. The newly wedded couple stand in the middle., The Bible says that a man will leave his parents and join his wife in marriage. Often, families come to celebrate the love and union of the couple, supporting them as they start their married life together.
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Same-sex relationships in Christianity

The legal changing of the definition of marriage in the UK, to include same-sex couples has caused debate in many Christian organisations and communities. Some Christians use teachings from the Bible and Church traditions as evidence for not accepting that marriage should include same-sex couples.

Be fruitful and multiply."

Genesis 1:28

Some Christians see the above quote as an argument against same-sex marriage as these couples cannot fulfil this through natural conception. The Catholic Church and many Evangelical Christian Churches teach that marriage excludes same-sex relationships, as they believe that homosexual acts go against divine and natural law.

In some of St Paul's letters included in the Bible, he condemns men who have sex with men as “unrighteous” and claims that men who practise will not "inherit the Kingdom of God," (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Interpretation of Biblical verses about homosexuality has caused debate between many Christians, with some denominations arguing that the biblical teachings are outdated and don’t reflect modern views.

Smiling groom wiping his tears with finger while holding hand of partner at their wedding
Image caption,
Same-sex marriage has been legal in the UK since 2013, however there are different views among Christian denominations.

Other Christians accept that homosexual relationships can have the same values that are central to a Christian marriage. These Christians argue that it is not right to deny same-sex couples a marriage, simply because the union cannot result in children through natural conception.

Some Christian denominations, including the Quakers and the United Reformed Church, have conducted same-sex weddings since the new came into effect, in 2013.

This quote from Quaker writings confirms their position:

Smiling groom wiping his tears with finger while holding hand of partner at their wedding
Image caption,
Same-sex marriage has been legal in the UK since 2013, however there are different views among Christian denominations.
We affirm the love of God for all people, whatever their sexual orientation … to reject people on the grounds of their sexual orientation is a denial of God’s creation."

Wandsworth Preparative Meeting, 1989

GCSE exam-style question

Explain two Christian religious beliefs about same-sex marriage.

Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.

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Sex before marriage

Some Christians believe sex before marriage devalues God-given sexuality: “But if they can’t control themselves, they should get married, because it’s better to marry than to burn with passion,” (1 Corinthians 7:9).

The Catholic Church teaches that sex should only take place within marriage:

Experience teaches us that love must find its safeguard in the stability of marriage, if sexual intercourse is truly to respond to the requirements … of human dignity."

Catholic document, Persona Humana

Therefore some Christians will choose before marriage:

Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral."

Hebrews 13:4

Cohabitation

A man dressed in a white robe with a white skull cap on stands in front of a lectern with a microphone and gives a speach
Image caption,
Pope Francis in Skopje, Macedonia delivers a speech on peace, coexistence, and justice in 2019.

Many Christians accept that, although marriage is preferred, cohabitation is acceptable where there is faithfulness, loyalty and  within a long-term relationship.

Pope Francis teaches that marriage is the appropriate context for sexual relationships, but he has also stated that this is a matter of conscience, rather than a strict rule. He recognises that financial and cultural issues may lead to cohabitation rather than marriage.

Pope Francis has commented on cohabitation. In he said: "In such cases, respect can also be shown for those signs of love, which in some way, reflect God’s own love,".

A man dressed in a white robe with a white skull cap on stands in front of a lectern with a microphone and gives a speach
Image caption,
Pope Francis in Skopje, Macedonia delivers a speech on peace, coexistence, and justice in 2019.

Adultery

You shall not commit adultery.”

Exodus 20:14

This is one of the in Christianity.

Faithfulness within marriage is important to Christians. Teachings such as: “But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so, destroys himself,” (Proverbs 6 :32) support the view that couples should not commit adultery.

Contraception

Christianity teaches that children are a gift from God: “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him” (Psalm 127: 3). However, some Christians accept there can be , economic, environmental or medical factors that can impact on the decision to have a child and debate whether the use of contraception to prevent pregnancy is acceptable.

The Catholic Church takes the teaching from the Bible that states “Be fruitful and multiply,” (Genesis 1:28) as evidence that God has intended procreation and therefore no artificial contraception is permitted. However, natural methods are accepted if beneficial to the mother and the family.

Video

Watch the video below to learn more about Christian, Jewish and Buddhist attitudes and teachings towards procreation.

Remember


Remember


Some Christians will apply the theory of when it comes to making ethical decisions in relation to family life.

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The roles of men and women

A stone carving of a man in a robe holding the hand of a female who is appearing from inside a sleeping man's body.
Image caption,
The creation of Eve, a stone carving by Wiligelmo on Modena Cathedral, Italy.

There are differing thoughts and practices among Christian denominations on the roles of women and men in worship.

The Book of Genesis states that women were created to be helpers: "But for Adam no suitable helper was found…Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man,” (Genesis 2:20-22).

Some Evangelical Christians believe this is evidence that, in worship, men should be the leaders and women should be the helpers. Some Christians also believe that, as Jesus’s twelve disciples were male, this is further evidence that men should lead in Christianity.

Some Catholic and traditional Protestant churches see this quote as further evidence that The Church should be led by men and do not allow women priests:

A stone carving of a man in a robe holding the hand of a female who is appearing from inside a sleeping man's body.
Image caption,
The creation of Eve, a stone carving by Wiligelmo on Modena Cathedral, Italy.
Women should keep silent in the churches … it is improper for a woman to speak in church."

Corinthians 14:34–35

However, many Christians believe these views do not hold a place in today’s Christian society. They may argue that the Bible was written at a time of male dominated society therefore gender was common. Many Churches today reflect the belief that both men and women were created equally in God’s image, therefore both should have a leading role in worship, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them," (Genesis 1:27).

The Quakers, The Salvation Army and the Anglican Church all allow female ministers and believe that as God loves us all equally, gender in leadership is not important.

Nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Galatians 3:28

GCSE exam-style question

Explain two Christian religious beliefs about gender equality.

Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.

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Christianity scripture quiz

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Relationships and families Christianity quotes

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 5, “Honour your father and your mother.” Exodus 20:12,
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