Dialogue - part 2 Flashcards
(12 cards)
What are Christian attitudes to civil marriages?
A civil marriage is a legal contract between 2 people that sorts out rights and duties between them. A civil ceremony must be secular.
The RCC accepts the marriage of non-Catholics through a civil ceremony, but it doesn’t recognise that Catholics can be married in this way. For the Church, marriage is a spiritual bond and must take place in a church according to the laws of the Church.
What are Christian attitudes to same-sex marriage?
- The C of E is opposed to same-sex marriages in church as it teaches that marriage can only take place between a man and woman. Nevertheless, Anglicans recognise the validity of same-sex marriages.
- The RCC is wholly opposed to same-sex partnerships and doesn’t recognise marriage between 2 people of the same sex
What are Christian attitudes to divorce?
- Although the C of E sees marriage as a ‘permanent and lifelong union’, it recognised that there may be circumstances in which divorce may be inevitable.
- Even though a divorce may be legally allowed, the RCC doesn’t recognise it. Divorcees are thus not allowed to remarry in a Catholic Church.
Why does Christianity teach that all people are equal?
- God created the human race
- God plays a part in the creation of each individual
- God loves each person and accepts them as they are
- God created mankind in his image, which means each human being shares characteristics of spirituality, creativity and love
What are the examples of inequality found in Christianity?
- Some people believe the Bible provides examples of inequality. Eg - Paul’s teachings in Corinthians that women should be silent in church and in submission to men
- After many years, the C of E allowed women to be ordained as priests and bishops however the RCC teaches that it’s against the will of God for women to have leadership roles in the church
- The Equality Act of 2010 requires equal treatment of men and women in access to employment however priests, monks, nuns and ministers of religion are exempt from this
- The Marriage Act 2013 made the marriage of same-sex couples lawful in England and Wales in civil ceremonies however it ensures that no religious organisation can be made to allow same-sex marriages to happen on their premises
What is euthanasia and what are the different types?
Euthanasia is the deliberate act of ending someone’s life to relieve them of suffering. It is either voluntary or involuntary and passive or active.
Voluntary - when a person requests their life be ended
Involuntary - when a person is unable to request that their life be ended maybe because they are in a coma, so a doctor or relative makes the decision
Passive - withholding treatment that if administered would help keep the person alive
Active - deliberately ending a person’s life, for example with lethal drugs, regarded as either murder or manslaughter under British life
What are the religious and non-religious reasons arguments against euthanasia?
Religious:
- Life is precious and sacred as it was created by God (sanctity of life)
- Euthanasia is deliberate killing (murder) which is forbidden by the 10 commandments
- Christians have a duty to care for those who are suffering
Non-religious:
- A doctor’s duty is to preserve life, not end it
- Medical advances mean that pain control is very effective and cures for illnesses are more likely
- Some patients, particularly elderly ones, may agree to euthanasia against their will so as not to be a burden on relatives
What do Christians believe about the right to die?
They believe that a person’s life isn’t their own, it was created by God and only He has the right to take it away. Therefore, no one has the right to end their life or have it ended by someone else. However, patients have a right to refuse medical treatment even if it’s life saving. Some Christians agree with this, provided the person has the mental capacity to make such a decision.
What are Christian attitudes to abortion?
- RCC is wholly opposed to abortion and considers it to be murder
- The C of E is also against it but sees that there may be circumstances, for example if the mother’s life is in danger, that abortion may be necessary
What are the issues of genetic manipulation?
Genetic manipulation involves making changes to an organism’s genome, either by adding DNA or isolating it, to produce desired characteristics.
RCC is completely opposed to genetic manipulation as it teaches that life begins at conception so the embryo is a human being. The deliberate destruction of embryos after stem cells have been removed is therefore absolutely wrong.
What are Christian attitudes to fertility treatments and artificial insemination (AI)?
- Some Christians believe that their ability to have children is a matter for God to decide and therefore would argue that opting for fertility treatment would be interfering with His plan
- C of E teaches that conception should occur in a loving sexual relationship and if that is not possible, then AI is acceptable
- However, RCC believes that conception should only occur through sexual union and that AI is therefore unacceptable
What are Christian attitudes to IVF?
- The RCC opposes IVF because conception doesn’t take place through sexual intercourse within a marriage. It is absolutely opposed to research being conducted on embryos.
- The C of E accepts IVF treatment but understands why some Anglicans may be opposed to it. It even accepts the use of embryos for medical experimentation, as long as it’s carried out within 14 days of fertilisation
