Marriage (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

What is marriage?

• Marriage is a legal and sometimes religious union between two people as partners in a relationship

• It is a lifelong public commitment

• The legal contract brings security as it protects the rights of each partner

• Marriage is generally between a man and woman, but in the UK and some other countries, it can be between two people of the same sex

Marriage outside religious traditions

• For people who have always been members of a religious faith, their religion may be central to their life and values. This means that they want to:

  • Continue to practise their religious faith after their marriage

  • Bring up their children in the same faith as them

  • Raise their children with the values taught by their faith

• Therefore, it is natural for a person to look for a partner who shares their beliefs and values

• Many parents believe they have a duty to ensure that their child marries someone who is compatible, and religious faith can be a key factor in this process

• However, in a pluralistic society, there are an increasing number of interfaith marriages

• When a religious believer chooses a partner who is from a different faith, or of no religious faith, it can cause issues such as:

  • Which religion children should be raised in

  • Which religious festivals the family should celebrate

  • What children should be taught about death and the afterlife

  • Which dietary rules and traditions the family should follow

  • Differing views about moral issues, such as the use of contraception

  • Differing views about the roles and responsibilities of men and women

  • Other family members or community members refusing to accept the marriage
    
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Issues raised by interfaith marriage

• These issues can begin before the marriage even takes place, as there may be differing views about where to get married

  • If there is an issue regarding people of different religious beliefs marrying in a place of worship, they could have a civil (legal) ceremony, followed by a religious blessing

Christianity and marriage outside religious traditions

• St Paul taught:

• In both of these teachings of St Paul to the early Christians of Corinth, he is telling people that marriage between Christians and non-Christians is acceptable

• This is still true today: Christians are permitted to marry non-Christians, but Catholic and evangelical Christians are urged to think carefully about the pressure that different religious views may put on their marriage and the tensions that it may cause

• There are certain considerations for Catholic and Orthodox Christians

  • If a Catholic marries outside the Catholic faith, then the non-Catholic partner must promise to raise any children in the Catholic faith

  • In the Orthodox Christian tradition, a marriage can only take place if an Orthodox Christian is marrying a baptised Christian

Islam and marriage outside religious traditions

• In Islam, marriage is very important as the foundation of family life: It is seen as a social contract that brings two families together

• Therefore, Muslims have very traditional views on suitable marriage partners

• Muslims traditionally have arranged marriages, as “dating” is not encouraged in Islam

• Islamic law forbids marriage between a Muslim woman and a non-Muslim man

  • This is chiefly because children are traditionally raised in the religion of their parents, and if the parents are of differing religions, the children are less likely to be Muslim

  • Therefore, there may be concerns if a Muslim chooses to marry someone who is not Muslim

• Muslim men are permitted to marry Christian or Jewish women, as these religions share some common beliefs and holy texts

  • These marriages could take place in a special place rather than a holy building

  • Most Muslims still prefer to marry partners from the same religion