Religious teachings on the purpose and importance of marriage, cohabitation, sex before marriage and same-sex relationships in Christianity and Islam.

What this dot point is asking

Edexcel wants you to explain religious teachings on the purpose and importance of marriage, attitudes to cohabitation, sex before marriage and same-sex relationships in Christianity and Islam, and to compare these with non-religious (including atheist and Humanist) views. This is part of the Religious teachings on relationships and families theme in Paper 3.

The purpose and importance of marriage

Marriage is highly valued in both Christianity and Islam, though they describe it in their own terms.

Both faiths see the main purposes of marriage as love and companionship, faithfulness between the partners, the procreation and raising of children, and providing the proper, stable setting for a sexual relationship. Christianity teaches that "the two will become one flesh" (Mark 10:6 to 9), expressing the unity and permanence of marriage, and Islam describes spouses as "garments" for one another (Surah 2:187), expressing closeness, comfort and protection. Many Christians and Muslims believe marriage is part of God's plan and the best foundation for family life, which is why both communities encourage it and support married couples.

Cohabitation and sex before marriage

The reasons are similar: both faiths see sex as a gift from God meant to express the lifelong commitment of marriage and to be open to children, so sex outside that commitment is seen as misusing the gift. However, attitudes diverge. Some liberal Christians and many non-religious people (including Humanists) accept cohabitation and sex before marriage within a loving, committed relationship, arguing that what matters is love and faithfulness, not a wedding ceremony, and some couples cohabit to prepare for marriage. Situation ethics, an approach used by some Christians, judges each case by what is the most loving thing to do rather than by fixed rules. So this is a clear contrast between traditional religious teaching and more liberal or secular views.

Same-sex relationships

Attitudes to same-sex relationships also diverge and are a common Evaluate topic. Traditional Christians (including Catholics and many evangelicals) and most Muslims teach that sexual relationships should be between a man and a woman within marriage, so they do not accept same-sex sexual relationships, often citing scripture. At the same time, most teach respect for all people and distinguish between the person and the act. Some liberal Christian denominations now accept and bless same-sex relationships and marriages, stressing love, equality and inclusion, and pointing to the command to love one's neighbour. Many non-religious people fully accept same-sex relationships as equal to opposite-sex ones.

For the exam, attribute views carefully (traditional Christians and most Muslims versus liberal Christians and non-religious views), use sources accurately, and treat the topic respectfully. Link marriage and sexual relationships to the purpose of families and to divorce, since views on all of these flow from the same beliefs about the purpose of marriage. A strong Evaluate answer weighs the religious ideal of sex within marriage against the view that loving commitment, rather than marriage itself, is what matters.