Divorce & remarriage in Christianity

QFL:Can I identify why some marriages succeed and

others fail?Can I explain what Christianity teaches about

divorce and remarriage?

StarterWhy do some marriages fail? What makes a successful marriage?

HomeworkRevise

relationships for presentation next

week

Paul McCartney & Heather Mills had a very expensive and

public divorce.

1) Do you think when couples divorce it should be private? Why?

2) Make a list of as many other celebrity divorces as you can think of.

DivorceTo know and understand religious attitudes to divorce and remarriage

To apply your own views to divorce and remarriage

LIST 5 REASONS WHY PEOPLE DIVORCE

LIST 5 REASONS WHY PEOPLE DON’T DIVORCE

REASONS FOR DIVORCE REASONS AGAINST DIVORCE

Fallen out of love Don’t believe in divorce

To know and understand religious attitudes to divorce and remarriage

IN PAIRS…

Each side of the class will look at the arguments religious people use FOR and AGAINST divorce

Feedback what you have found out…

Group Work...(use Catholic Studies KWL text)

You will be in 6 groups looking at a different statements…

You must come up with arguments and reasons for your given position and statement:

GROUP 1 – Statement A Argue FOR

GROUP 2 – Statement B Argue FOR

GROUP 3 – Statement C Argue FOR

GROUP 4 - Statement A Argue AGAINST

GROUP 5 – Statement B Argue AGAINST

GROUP 6 – Statement C Argue AGAINST

YOU WILL BE PRESENTING YOUR WORK TO THE CLASS!!!!

Feedback your results to the class

Fill in the table with arguments each group has thought of in the appropriate boxes

YOU NEED AT LEAST 2 ARGUMENTS FOR AND TWO ARGUMENTS AGAINST ON YOUR SHEETS!!!

HOMEWORK DUE

REVISE FOR PRESENTATION NEXT LESSON ON THE FAMILY TOPIC

Key Terms

What is meant by ‘conflict?’- Disagreements & quarrels.

- Working against each other rather than together

What is meant by ‘reconciliation?’- Making up & starting together again, saying sorry & having it accepted.

What pressures can there be on a marriage?

• Financial• Unemployment/work/career• Children• Adultery/unfaithful• Religious differences• Alcohol/drug problems• Lack of children

What can a religious community do when things go

wrong?• Priest/Imam can offer advice to the

couple.• Older & more experienced couples can

offer advice.• Marriage guidance counselling.• Family members can offer help &

advice.• Pray.• Booklet or leaflet with the religious

teachings about marriage.

“A couple who marry in a church are less likely to be divorced.”

Do you agree? Why?

I agree because…

On the other hand, I disagree because…

Christian attitudes to divorce

There are two attitudes…

1) Catholic = not allowed. Only the death of one of the partners can end the relationship.

However, they do allow an annulment (this says the marriage never existed). Must prove the marriage was never consummated or that it was not a true Christian marriage.

An annulment is given for any reason as long as the couple can prove to the church that one of them was not fully aware of what marriage meant…

Too young

Mentally unprepared

Not open to procreation

Forced into marriage

What do Christians believe about divorce?

Catholic- Do n____ believe in divorce. Why..?- Breaking the v____ “till d_____ do us

part”- Not G_____ intention.- Marriage is a s___________.- J_____ forbid divorce in the Bible

(Mark’s Gospel)

Catholics do allow annulment – this means it didn’t take place.

If…- They didn’t u________ what they were

doing.- They were f__________ into marriage.- The marriage hasn’t been c_________.

(they haven’t had s_____)- One of the partners hasn’t been

b_______.

Non-Catholics:

- Do allow divorce in certain c_______.- Jesus permitted divorce for

a__________.- Lesser of 2 e_________.- Accept divorce as Australia’s l_______

system allows it.- Discourage r_____________.

Catholic Church• Jesus taught divorce

was wrong (Mark).

• Couple have made a solemn covenant with God, in the Sacrament of Marriage. Can’t be broken or dissolved by earthly powers.

Non-Catholics

• Jesus permitted divorce for adultery (Matt.19:9)

• Christians are allowed forgiveness for confessed sins. Should be the same for marriage.

• Better to divorce than live in hatred.

Evidence

Jesus said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she is guilty of adultery too.’ (Mark.10:10-12)

So if you are a Catholic who has a civil divorce, then in the eyes of the church you are still married.

Evidence

Now I say to you: the man who divorces his wife – I am not speaking of fornication – and marries another, is guilty of adultery. (Matt.19:8-9)

Some understand this to mean that it is OK to divorce on the grounds of adultery.

“Christians who have been divorced should not be allowed to remarry.”

Do you agree? Why?

I agree because…

On the other hand, I disagree because…

0 Marks Makes no relevant point of view.1-2 Marks Two simple appropriate justifications of points of

view linked to evidence or example, and making a simple connection between religion and people's lives.

3-4 Marks Two appropriate justifications of point of views linked to evidence or example, which includes religious teaching & specialist RE vocabulary.

5-6 Marks As above…with specialist RE vocabulary, two points of view, lots of religious teachings.

7-8 Marks Communicates clearly and appropriately using specialist language extensively, and thorough discussion, including alternative or different views of the religious teachings and moral aspects at issue, and their implications for the individual and the rest of society. Using relevant evidence and religious/or moral reasoning to formulate judgement.

“Christians who have been divorced should not be allowed to remarry.”

Do you agree? Why?

I agree because…

On the other hand, I disagree because…

What A_____ do Catholics allow instead of divorce?What B_____ is a feature of a Christian wedding?What C_____ is disagreements & quarrels?What D _____ is another word for the Mahr?What E_____ is a type of love?What H_____ a feature of a Christian marriage ceremony?What I______ could offer a couple advice?What J_____ forbids divorce?What M_____ is an agreed sum of money, property or

jewellery given to the wife in Islam?What N_____ is the wedding contract in Islam?What P_____ could a religious community do to help a

couple having marriage problems?What Q_____ is a feature of a Muslim wedding?What R_____ is ‘making up’ & starting together again?What S_____ is a type of love?What V_____ are promises?