1. Why is marriage important for society?

2. To explain the changing nature of relationships
Aims
To understand the importance and role of marriage in religious communities and society
To explain the changing nature of relationships

3. I will be able to define promiscuity/cohabitation/celibacy.
Aims
I will be able to define promiscuity/cohabitation/celibacy.
I will be able to think of the positive and negative impact of marriage on society/the individual and the religious community
I will be able to explain religious attitudes to sex outside of marriage.

4. Where do you stand?
Pros
Marriage
Cons

5. Key Words Cohabitation: Living together without being married.
Promiscuity: having sexual relations with a number of partners without any commitment.
Celibacy: remaining unmarried and having no sexual relationships.

6. benefit the following: The Religious Community
How does marriage
benefit the following:
The Individual
Society
The Religious Community

7. Read the following article
Read the following article. Form an argument in favour of marriage, supported with evidence.

8. Why do you think
Christian and
Islamic teachings
Encourage
Marriage?

9. Bible Quotes Genesis 2:22-24
Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, ' for she was taken out of man."  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Matthew 19:4-6
"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,'  and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ?  So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

10. Quranic teachings
Read the quotes on the handout and explain Islamic teachings on marriage.
Example
[4:21] How could you take it back, after you have been intimate with each other, and they had taken from you a solemn pledge?
 The Qur’an teaches about the importance of keeping marriage vows

11. Hinduism
Marriage in Hinduism is said to fulfill three functions: Prajaa, Dharma, and Rati. In marriage, Prajaa is about perpetuating the family, Dharma is fulfillment of responsibilities, and Rati is companionship as friends and mutual pleasure as lovers. These three functions are given in the Dharma Shastras, books that are not considered to be religiously binding within Hinduism.

12. Hinduism
Marriage is encouraged and living a single celibate life is discouraged.
It is because of this that arranged marriages have been a common practice.
Marriage not only brings two people together, it also brings together two families.
This is why many parents will want to have their say.

13. Buddhism No strict rules
Marriage is considered to be a secular affair, although they may include blessings from monks, chanting and reciting from scripture.
The Buddha could have had more than one wife but chose not to. Better to be monogamous?
He disagreed with adultery as it breaks the third precept.

14. Buddha’s teachings on marriage
Adultery breaks the third precept.
Marriage should be consensual and for love.
If the couple have equal karma, they may well be together in the next life.

15. Key words:
Adultery: a married person having sexual relations with someone other than their marriage partner. Faithfulness: Staying only with the partner and having sexual relations only with that partner. Pre – marital sex: having sexual relations before marriage.

16. Why do some couples choose not to marry?
cohabitation
Why do some couples choose not to marry?

17. Why do some choose to have families without getting married?

18. Civil partnerships

19. What is the difference between civil partnerships and marriage?
Marriage can be civil or religious. Civil partnership is only civil and never religious. However, some Churches allow blessing of civil partnerships.
The recent debate on civil partnership and marriage in UK

20. Read the following article
Task
Define civil partnerships and explain the difference between a civil partnership and a marriage.
Outline the law regarding civil partnerships in the UK and Malaysia

21. Arguments for
Promotes equality. We are living in a modern society that values differences.
‘civil partnership’ is a label that highlights differences
To say a same sex couple cannot marry implies their love and commitment is inferior to that of a heterosexual couple.

22. Arguments against
The argument is over a word, ‘marriage’. This seems pointless (could also be an argument for?)
This involves changing an institution
The definition of marriage is the union of a man and a woman. One purpose of marriage is to have children. Homosexual couples cannot do this.
Natural law
Sharia law

23. Explain why some people are opposed to civil partnerships.
8 marks.

24. Changing gender roles in families
Roles today are not as clearly defined as they once were.
So what roles do men and women have now?

25. Back in the day…

26. So how have things changed now?
Make notes on key points and statistics.
Think:
How have things changed?
Why is this the case?

27. Think of married couples you know…
What are the roles of the men and women?
What role do you imagine you will have in a future relationship?

28. Read the following article
Add to the facts and statistics from your earlier notes
husbands-Are-you-man-enough.html

29. Write a recipe for an Excellent Relationship
Why don’t relationships always work?

30. Divorce

31. Divorce
The easy option?

32. Who is affected by divorce? How are they affected?

33. Christianity: the Bible
"Whoever divorces a wife, except for sexual indecency, and remarries, commits adultery" (Matt. 19:9)
To the married I give this command—not I but the Lord—that the wife should not separate from her husband 11(but if she does separate, let her remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife. (1Corinthians 7:10)

34. Christianity
In the Bible divorce is mentioned as a permitted institution but it is never encouraged.
Different Christians have different views on divorce.
Catholics: against divorce.
Church of England: permits divorce (Henry VIII)

35. Islam
According to Islamic teaching marriage is a legally binding contract but according to Sharia law, divorce is permissible. There are strict guidelines about this process. The guidelines include a period of reconciliation to ensure the couple is certain and divorce is a last resort.