Notes on Sexual Ethics in accordance with the OCR Religious Studies specification. The notes provide information, scholars, ideas and quotes compiled from various resources from both within and outside of the curriculum.
Sexual Ethics
Religious Beliefs and Key Figures on:
Premarital Sex
currently: RCC holds same views but C of E allows sex before marriage. cohabitation
is no longer seen as a sin, but pre-marital sex is still prohibited.
- In the Old Testament women were expected to be chaste before marriage and
within marriage they were essentially political/fiscal property
- St Paul promoted celibacy but promoted marriage as a way to avoid
‘fornification’ but those were the only 2 choices
- The early church promoted celibacy and saw marriage as not desirable,
Gregory of Nyssa calling it a ‘sad tragedy’
- RCC asserts the purpose of sex as reproductions and sex shouldn’t occur
before marriage
Extramarital Sex
currently: adultery is grounds for divorce
- In the Old Testament men often had many sexual partners and monogamy
wasn’t expected. Women were seen as temptresses and could have the death
penalty/be immediately divorced if they committed adultery
- Jesus took a new radical approach, saying if somebody has looked at a woman
lustfully ‘he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’
Matthew 5:28 which condemned adultery
Homosexuality
currently: homosexual marriage not allowed in either churched but C of E allows
priests to give their blessing to a couple, evangelical church asserts sex is between a
man and a woman. Essentially, it is immoral and homosexuals are called to chastity
but must be treated with respect and kindness.
- Old Testament contains Book of Leviticus. ‘thou shall not lie with a man as
a woman, it is an abomination.’ Leviticus 18:22
- St Paul asserts that homosexuals will not enter heaven
- RCC saw homosexual sex as a sin
Evaluation
1. Alan Wilson argues the church should be more accepting of homosexual
marriages to enrich and develop the concept of marriage
2. patriarchal ideals: ‘the emphasis laid on sexual virtue, did a great deal to
degrade the positions of women.’ Russell
3. ‘The Christian view that all intercourse outside marriage is immoral
goes against biological facts.’ Russell
Impact of Secularisation on:
Premarital Sex
- contraceptive pill and abortions have allowed for the stigma around pre-
marital sex to decrease
, - cohabitation is a norm as women have fiscal and sexual autonomy for the first
time in human history
- Mill’s liberty principle, ‘the only freedom which deserves the name is that
of pursuing our own good in our own way, as long as we do not attempt
to deprive others of theirs or impeded their efforts to obtain it.’
Extramarital Sex
- adultery hasn’t been illegal since 1857
- negative liberty is better than positive liberty, this encourages tolerance
Homosexuality
- Sexual Offenses Act in 1967 decriminalised private homosexual acts
- Mill’s liberty principle and assertion that negative liberty is better than
positive liberty
- 5% of the population consider themselves as homosexual and civil
partnerships became legal in 2005 and in 2013 gay couples were given the
right to marry
- Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation,
gender identity and sex characteristics
Evaluation
1. Variety and tolerance make society happier, although some argue shared
values and laws make society happier
2. no one can have a monopoly on morality, people should be free to make
their own choices although some argue negative liberty presumes people
are their own best judge, but some people aren’t competent judges of
morality
3. private morality can influence public morality through how an individual
sees and acts within society
4. Religion is outdated in a secular, scientific society. ‘Jesus said nothing
about birth control, childlessness, homosexuality, masturbation…’
Fletcher
Natural Law
‘be fruitful, multiply and fill the Earth.’ Genesis 1:28
Premarital Sex
- marriage is the best place for children and sex through Divine Law
- if the intention is to fulfil primary precepts then pre-marital sex can be
condoned
Extramarital Sex
- it’s a misuse of sex and undermines marriage
Homosexuality
- rejection of homosexuality as sex is for procreation, as homosexuality cannot
fulfil the primary precept
Evaluation
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