What you'll learn
Religious and non-religious attitudes to relationships, marriage, family and gender.
Marriage and divorce
- Purposes of marriage: love, commitment, companionship, procreation (in many traditions).
- Attitudes to cohabitation and sex before marriage vary between and within religions.
- Divorce: some traditions permit it (with reluctance); others discourage or forbid it. Remarriage attitudes differ.
Family and gender
- Roles and purposes of the family: nurture, education, passing on faith.
- Gender equality: many believers argue men and women are equal before God; debates continue over roles in worship and leadership.
- Attitudes to contraception and family planning differ by tradition.
Sexuality
- A range of views on homosexuality, from acceptance to traditional opposition, often citing scripture and ideas of love and acceptance.
Exam tips
- Give contrasting religious and non-religious views (e.g. Humanist).
- Support each view with a teaching or argument, then evaluate.
Common mistakes
- Presenting one 'religious view' as if all believers agree.
- Stating opinions without linking them to teachings.