Christianity

Family Relationships

Contents

• Family Life

• Marriage

• Breakdown of Marriage

• Divorce

• Remarriage

• Annulment

Family Life

• Family members must take care of each other.– They must bring up children to be good citizens

in a loving and caring environment.– They must take care of the elderly and sick

members of their family.– They must take care of each other in good times

and in bad.

Family Life

• ‘Honour your father and your mother’ (One of the Ten Commandments)

• 1 Timothy 5:8 ‘If anyone does not take care of his relatives, especially the members of his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.’

• ‘Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents always, for that is what pleases God. Parents, do not irritate your children, or they will become discouraged.’ (Colossians 3:20-21)

Family Life

• If Christians want support in their family life, they might join the Mothers’ Union.

• You do not have to be a mother – or even a parent – to be part of the Mothers’ Union.

• They provide:– Babysitting for single parents– Counselling groups– Support for new parents– Prayers for families.

Marriage

• Marriage was part of God’s plan from the start – Genesis 2:24 ‘That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united with his wife and they become one.’

• Jesus confirms this teaching in Mark chapter 10.

• Married love needs to be a reflection of God’s love, which is permanent, life-giving and faithful. In the same way, couples need to stay together, to have children (if possible) and to remain exclusive to each other.

• Christians believe that marriage is the correct environment for sexual relationships.

Breakdown of Marriage

• Marriages break down for a variety of reasons.– Money problems– Infidelity– Unemployment– Incompatibility– Cruelty

• All Christians accept that it is sometimes necessary for marriages to break up when they cannot be fixed – this is known as ‘irretrievable breakdown of marriage’.

Breakdown of Marriage

• Christians can turn to organisations such as ‘Marriage Care’.– They offer guidance for couples who are

planning to get married– They also provide help, support and counselling

to those who are having difficulties in their relationships.

Divorce

• Divorce is primarily a legal thing. Sometimes for financial reasons a divorce is necessary, if there had been an irretrievable breakdown of marriage.

• The moral issues come with remarriage. Jesus taught that if you remarry then you commit adultery on your first partner.

Remarriage

• The Roman Catholic Church does not allow remarriage.

• The Church of England teaches that marriage is for life. If someone wants to remarry, it is allowed at the priest or vicar’s discretion – for example if that person’s previous partner was unfaithful.

• Some other Protestant Churches believe that it is not death that ends a marriage but the death of the love between the couple.

Annulment

• The Roman Catholic Church allows annulment in certain cases.

• Annulment is a statement that the marriage never took place – the vows were not meant.

• For example, if the couple intended not to have children and used contraception, or if one member of the partnership did not understand the vows.

Summary

• Family life is key to all Christians.• Marriage is seen as the correct context to have children.• Sometimes marriages break down but they can be supported.• If separation is necessary sometimes legal divorce might

have to take place.• Most Christians do not allow remarriage, except in

exceptional circumstances.• Roman Catholics allow annulment in certain circumstances –

a statement that the marriage did not take place and so any further marriage is considered the first marriage.