Relationships & families
Marriage, divorce, families, gender equality and contraception, and contrasting religious and non-religious views.
Learn
Relationships & families, explained point by point
Everything the GCSE specification expects you to be able to do, and how to actually do it - the same lesson a signed-in student studies from.
Explain religious and non-religious views on the purpose of marriage
For Christians, marriage is a lifelong covenant before God for companionship, faithfulness and raising children; for Muslims, it is a sacred contract and an expected part of adult life, the proper setting for intimacy and family. Non-religious people may see marriage as a public commitment of love, or view a committed partnership as just as valid without the ceremony. Themes questions expect BOTH religious and non-religious views - practise giving each fairly.
Explain contrasting views on sex before marriage, cohabitation and divorce
Traditional Christian and Muslim teaching holds that sex belongs within marriage, so cohabitation before it is discouraged - though some liberal Christians accept faithful cohabiting relationships as loving commitments. On divorce: Catholics hold marriage is a sacrament that cannot be dissolved (though annulment may be possible), many Protestants accept divorce as a sad last resort, and Islam permits it with procedures for reconciliation first. Attributing views to the right group precisely is what separates strong answers.
Explain religious teaching about the family and its purpose
Both Christianity and Islam treat the family as the foundation of society: the place where children are nurtured, faith is passed on, and the elderly are cared for. Christians speak of the family as the setting for bringing children up in the faith; in Islam, honouring parents ranks close behind duty to Allah, and the extended family carries real weight. Contemporary Britain includes nuclear, single-parent, blended and same-sex-parent families - be ready to discuss religious responses to that variety with respect.
Discuss gender equality, prejudice and discrimination
Both religions teach that men and women are equal in value before God - Christians cite the teaching that all are one in Christ; the Qur'an addresses men and women alike as accountable believers. Views differ on roles: some hold complementary-roles positions (equal worth, different responsibilities, as in the Catholic male-only priesthood), while others support identical roles (the Church of England ordains women bishops). Distinguish equality of VALUE from sameness of ROLE - that distinction unlocks the whole debate.
Explain views on contraception and family planning
The Catholic Church teaches that artificial contraception blocks the openness to life that sex should carry, permitting only natural family planning; most Protestant churches accept contraception within marriage as responsible stewardship. Islamic views vary: many scholars permit reversible contraception with both partners' agreement, while others discourage it. Non-religious views generally treat it as a private, practical choice. Four distinct positions in two sentences each - ideal raw material for an "explain two contrasting beliefs" answer.
Build a top-level answer on a relationships statement
Take a statement like "Religious believers should never divorce" and work the full 12-mark structure: agree using teachings (marriage vows are made before God, lifelong covenant), disagree using teachings AND compassion (some traditions permit divorce; forcing people to remain in harmful marriages conflicts with love of neighbour), then conclude with a weighed judgement. Naming the specific tradition behind each view - "Catholics teach…", "many Muslims hold…" - is what earns the detailed-knowledge marks.
Practice
Try a Relationships & families question
A GCSE-style original task from this topic. Sketch a quick plan of your own before you open what a strong answer covers.
Explain two religious beliefs about the purpose of marriage. Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer. [5 marks]
Show what a strong answer covers
The marking points an examiner looks for. Not a model answer - a checklist to plan against.
- AO1: explains a first belief with development, e.g. for Christians marriage is a lifelong, exclusive union created and blessed by God for companionship and mutual support - the couple become “one flesh”, so the bond is sacred and not to be broken lightly
- AO1: explains a second belief with development, e.g. marriage provides the stable, loving setting for raising children - for Muslims, marriage is also a contract (nikah) that safeguards both partners and is strongly encouraged as the basis of family life, with the Prophet Muhammad presenting marriage as part of his example
- AO1: refers accurately to a relevant source of wisdom and authority, e.g. the Bible’s teaching in Genesis that it is not good for a person to be alone and that a married couple are joined as one, or the Qur’an’s teaching that spouses were created so that people may find tranquillity, love and mercy with one another (paraphrased)