Unit 2: Section 4

Question 1

What measures does the government take to promote community cohesion?

Answer 1

• Specialist integration and cohesion teams to help local councils manage any major changes in local population.
• Support with translation and learning English.
• An interfaith strategy that focuses on what needs to be done to promote interaction/dialogue between faiths.
• Funding for local authorities to respond to immigration and encourage links between groups from different backgrounds.

Question 2

What laws have been passed to protect against prejudice and discrimination?

Answer 2

• Equality Act 2006

- Human Rights Act 1998

Question 3

Why is community cohesion important for multi-ethnic and multi-faith societies?

Answer 3

• Different groups will have different ideas about what society should be like and this can lead to violence and unrest.
• The 7th July bombers were British citizens who had lost their sense of belonging to Britain and were prepared to kill and injure their fellow citizens.
• Lack of community cohesion leads to different groups in society living separate lives, making civilised living impossible.

Question 4

What rights have women gained in the 20th century?

Answer 4

• The right to equal pay.
• The right to vote.
• The right not to be discriminated against in employment.
• The right not to be discriminated against in social life.

Question 5

Why did attitudes towards women change?

Answer 5

• During WW1 and WW2 women took on mens jobs and proved they could do them just as well.
• Introducing the contraceptive pill allowed women the choice of having a family or not, and the opportunity of pursuing a career.

Question 6

What is the traditional Protestant attitude to the roles of men and women?

Answer 6

• Men should be the head of the family and women should not speak in church or be a priest, they should be housewives.
• St Pauls statements in the Bible (about women not being able to speak in church and having to submit to their husbands).
• In Genesis 2 Adam was created first and Eve sinned first.

Question 7

What is the liberal Protestant attitude to the roles of men and women?

Answer 7

• Men and women should have equal roles in life and religion, with many Protestant churches having female ministers.
• St Paul said ‘there is neither male nor female… you are all one person in Christ’.
• Jesus treated women as his equals, and even had women followers like Martha and Mary.
• They believe Jesus chose men as his apostles because of the culture of the time, and not for a religious reason.

Question 8

What is the Roman Catholic attitude to the roles of men and women?

Answer 8

• Men and women should have equal rights because they are equal in the eyes of God. But, only men can be Priests.
• Jesus only chose men to be his successors.
• Jesus was a man and the Priest represents Jesus in the mass.

Question 9

How was the issue of the role of women in the church presented in the media?

Answer 9

• ‘The Vicar Of Dibley’
• The people don’t like the idea of a female vicar because Jesus had twelve male disciples and if a woman is in charge then chaos will occur. They write to a local Bishop asking for a male vicar and they don’t want to be part of an experiment.
• The programme shows the vicar positively, she is fun and up-to-date with modern life.
• At the end the people realise she is doing a good job, she is popular with villagers and more people come to church. They understand their views were old fashioned.

Question 10

What are the effects of racism and discrimination?

Answer 10

• If certain groups feel they are being treated unfairly then they will feel alienated by that society and begin to work against it.
• Some politicians believe that young black people turn to crime as they feel that due to racism they will not be able to get a well paid job, and if this is true it may lead to an increase in crime.
• Some politicians believe that young people are turning to extremist Islamic groups because they feel they have no chance of success in the prejudiced British society that discriminates against their religion. This may lead them to commit terrorist acts.

Question 11

Why do we need racial harmony?

Answer 11

• A multi-ethnic society needs equal opportunities and treatment to work, so prejudice and discrimination can cause major problems.
• The UK has the Race Relations Act and the Commission for Racial Equality to promote racial harmony.
• Multi-ethnic societies have many benefits including greater advancement due to the greater variety of ideas.

Question 12

What are the benefits of living in a multi-ethnic society?

Answer 12

• Less chance of war because people from different ethnic groups will get to know each other and probably intermarry.
• Stimulates industry and change because new people bring new ideas and ways of doing things.
• Greater variety of food, music and entertainment.
• Shows we have more in common than we have differences.

Question 13

Why do Christians try to promote racial harmony?

Answer 13

• In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught that Christians should love their neighbours and that means people of all races.
• There are Christian leaders of every race and colour of skin, and the Church is dedicated to fighting racism.
• St Paul taught that all believers are equal in Christ.
• All Christian Churches have issued statements condemning racism and encouraging Christians to live in harmony.

Question 14

Which Church is working to help asylum seekers? Why?

Answer 14

• St Thomas Church, Sheffield - The Open Hands Project
• Moved by the needs of failed asylum seekers, as all their means of support have been removed.
• They want to demonstrate the love of God in their own city.
• The Bible teaches that God is a God of Justice who needs his followers to behave justly and seek justice for everyone.

Question 15

What are the benefits of living in a multi-faith society?

Answer 15

• People learn about other religions from friends and neighbours, so they can see what religions have in common.
• People can understand why other religions believe what they do, and make them think more deeply about their own religion.
• People can become more understanding about each others religions and realise that everyone is entitled to their own opinion about religion.
• Religious freedom and understanding will exist in a multi-faith society and this can help stop/prevent religious conflicts.

Question 16

Why is conversion an issue for religion in a multi-faith society?

Answer 16

• Christians think it is their duty to convert other religions.
• It implies the converters religion is better, but all religions need equal rights in a multi-faith society.
• Could provoke religious intolerance.
• If one religion has the right to convert then they all do, causing religious conflict.
• If children are converted, it could divide families.

Question 17

Why is bringing up children an issue for religion in a multi-faith society?

Answer 17

• Children need to have religious freedom and they need to learn about different religions.
• Most religions encourage parents to raise their children in that religion, so parents do not want their children to learn about other religions or have the chance to change.
• Religious parents are worried that they will not see their children in the afterlife if they leave their religion.

Question 18

Why are mixed marriages an issue for religion in a multi-faith society?

Answer 18

• There can be no religious wedding ceremony.
• Which religion will the children be brought up in?
• Will the couple have to be buried separately according to religion?
• The families of the couple may feel betrayed as they have married someone from a different religion.

Question 19

What are the Evangelical Christian attitudes to other religions?

Answer 19

• True Christians (those with a personal relationship to God through Jesus) will go to Heaven and everyone else will be excluded.
• Because Jesus said ‘I am the way, the truth and the life, no one can come to the Father except through me’.

Question 20

What are the Roman Catholic Christian attitudes to other religions?

Answer 20

• All religions can help people to reach God, but Christianity is the only one with the full truth.
• Jesus taught that people who believe in him get into Heaven, but only Christians believe he is the Son of God. So other faiths should be respected but encouraged to become Christian.

Question 21

What are the Liberal Christian attitudes to other religions?

Answer 21

• All religions will lead to God, are all equal and nobody is wrong.
• Jesus never tried to covert the Jews, and said /in my Fathers house there are many rooms, and I am going to prepare a place for you’. They think this means there is room for all religions.

Question 22

In what ways do religions try to promote community cohesion?

Answer 22

• Religious harmony - All faiths must listen/respect/share values with each other.
• Groups that help community cohesion - Eg the ‘Interfaith Network’ that heals divisions between faiths.
• Shared festivals - Letting people of different faiths share their festivals together.
• Faith schools - Schools that are ran on religious lines, and are supported by the government in order to try to improve educational standards.