What do religious believers teach about families and gender?
Religious teachings on the nature and purpose of families, the roles of parents and children, and gender equality, prejudice and discrimination.
A focused answer on religious teachings about families and gender for OCR GCSE Religious Studies (J625), covering the nature and purpose of families, types of family, the roles of parents and children, and gender equality and discrimination, from Christian and Muslim perspectives.
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What this dot point is asking
OCR wants you to explain religious teachings on families (their nature and purpose, types of family, and the roles of parents and children) and on gender (equality, prejudice and discrimination), from the perspective of your chosen religion (Christianity or Islam, with reference to non-religious views). This is part of the Relationships and families theme of the philosophy and ethics paper. The topic feeds evaluation questions on family roles and gender, so you need the content, both religions' views, the range within each, and the sources.
The nature and purpose of families
Christians often root this in the family of Jesus and teachings like "Honour your father and mother" (Exodus 20:12) and "Children, obey your parents" (Ephesians 6:1). Muslims see the family as the bedrock of the ummah and stress kindness to parents: "Your Lord has decreed ... that you be dutiful to your parents" (Surah 17:23).
Types of family and the roles within them
Believers recognise several types of family: the nuclear family (parents and children), the extended family (several generations together, highly valued in many Muslim and traditional Christian communities), the single-parent family, and blended or step-families. Traditions vary in how readily they accept newer family forms, but most stress love, faithfulness and responsibility whatever the form.
Within the family, religions teach roles and responsibilities: parents are to love, provide for and educate their children in the faith, and children are to respect and obey their parents and care for them in old age. Some traditions stress distinct roles (for example a traditional emphasis on the father as provider and protector and the mother as nurturer), while others emphasise shared, equal roles. This range is exactly what the evaluation question on family roles tests.
Gender equality, prejudice and discrimination
Most religious believers teach that men and women are equal in worth before God, because both are made in God's image (Christianity) or created from a single soul and judged equally by Allah (Islam, Surah 33:35). On this basis they condemn sexism and discrimination. However, traditions differ on roles: some hold that equality of worth allows different, complementary roles for men and women in the family and in worship (for example which roles of leadership are open to women), while others (and most of modern secular society, including humanists) argue for identical roles and full equality in every sphere. Christians and Muslims debate these questions among themselves, which is why gender is a rich evaluation topic.
Try this
Q1. Name three types of family. [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. Any three of: nuclear, extended, single-parent, blended (step-family).
Q2. Explain how a religious believer might respond to gender discrimination at work. [Short explanation]
- Cue. They would oppose it, because most believers teach men and women are equal in worth before God (Galatians 3:28; Surah 33:35), so unfair treatment because of sex is wrong; many would campaign for equal pay and opportunity.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
OCR J625 20193 marksDescribe religious beliefs about the purpose of the family.Show worked answer →
This is the 3-mark AO1 question, rewarding a developed description or several points. Religious believers teach that the family is where children are loved, cared for and brought up in the faith; it provides stability and security, passes on moral and religious values, and (for many) is the right setting for raising children and caring for elderly relatives. Christians point to the family as part of God's plan; Muslims see the family as the foundation of society. Three accurate points, or one developed point, reach full marks.
OCR J625 20216 marksExplain religious teachings about gender equality. Refer to sources of wisdom and authority in your answer.Show worked answer →
This is the 6-mark extended AO1 question. Explain that many believers teach men and women are equal in value before God, while some traditions also teach they have different, complementary roles. Develop the range of views (from full equality to distinct roles). Anchor in sources: for Christianity, "there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28); for Islam, the Qur'an's teaching that men and women were created from a single soul and will be judged equally (Surah 4:1; Surah 33:35). The top band rewards developed points with accurate sources, showing equality of worth and any teaching on roles.
OCR J625 202215 marks"Men and women should have exactly the same roles in the family." Discuss this statement. In your answer you should: refer to religious teachings and sources of wisdom and authority; give reasoned arguments to support this statement; give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view; reach a justified conclusion.Show worked answer →
This is the 15-mark AO2 evaluation question. Argue both sides. Arguments for the statement: many believers and most of modern society hold men and women are equal and should share roles freely; Christianity teaches "neither male nor female ... all one in Christ" (Galatians 3:28), and equal dignity supports equal roles. Arguments against: some Christians and Muslims teach men and women are equal in worth but have different, complementary roles (for example a traditional emphasis on the husband as provider and the wife in the home), based on certain teachings and tradition. Use specialist terms (gender equality, complementary roles, prejudice, discrimination). A justified conclusion weighs equality of worth against beliefs about distinct roles, noting the range of views within each religion.
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