Theme A: Relationships and Families

What Theme A: Relationships and Families covers

Theme A: Relationships and Families is examined in Paper 2, Thematic studies — one of the four themes chosen, marked out of 24. It covers human sexuality and homosexual relationships, sex before and outside marriage, contraception and family planning, marriage, cohabitation and same-sex marriage, divorce and remarriage, the nature and purpose of families and gender roles, equality and discrimination.

The 7 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• Human sexuality and homosexual relationshipsStudents learn the meaning of human sexuality and of heterosexual and homosexual relationships, differing Christian views and the texts behind them, Muslim, Jewish and humanist views, British law, and homophobia.Open →
• Sex before and outside marriageThe subtopic covers sex before and outside marriage, the commandment against adultery and New Testament teaching, contrasting Christian and Muslim beliefs, Jewish and humanist views, and changing attitudes in Britain.Open →
• Contraception and family planningThese questions explain contraception and family planning, artificial and natural methods, Catholic and Protestant teaching, contrasting Christian and Muslim beliefs, and Jewish, humanist and other non-religious arguments.Open →
• Marriage, cohabitation and same-sex marriageStudents learn the purposes of marriage in Christian teaching, one flesh and permanence, marriage as a sacrament and the vows, Islamic teaching on marriage, cohabitation, and arguments for and against same-sex marriage.Open →
• Divorce and remarriageThe subtopic covers divorce and annulment, why marriages break down, Jesus' teaching in Mark and Matthew, Catholic and Church of England positions, ethical arguments, Muslim, Jewish and humanist views, and the 2022 change in the law.Open →
• The nature and purpose of familiesThese questions explain nuclear, extended and other family types, procreation and stability, how Christian and Jewish families pass on their faith, the duties of parents and children, same-sex parents, and polygamy.Open →
• Gender roles, equality and discriminationStudents learn gender equality, prejudice and discrimination with British examples and the law, biblical texts used on both sides, the ordination of women, Muslim and Jewish teaching, humanist views, and changing family roles.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Theme A: Relationships and Families further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Divorce vs Annulment

  Divorce: ending a marriage that existed. Annulment: declaring that a valid marriage never existed at all.

• Prejudice vs Discrimination

  Prejudice: an unfair attitude held in the mind. Discrimination: acting on an unfair attitude so that someone is treated worse.

• Artificial contraception vs Natural family planning

  Artificial contraception: preventing conception with a device or drug. Natural family planning: avoiding the fertile days, which Catholic teaching allows.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is meant by human sexuality?

   Model answer

   Human sexuality is the way a person experiences sexual attraction and expresses it. The term covers a person's feelings, identity and relationships.

2. 2

   What is a heterosexual relationship?

   Model answer

   A heterosexual relationship is a sexual relationship between a man and a woman. Traditional religious teaching about marriage has assumed this kind of relationship.

3. 3

   What is a homosexual relationship?

   Model answer

   A homosexual relationship is a sexual relationship between two people of the same sex. Gay usually describes men attracted to men and lesbian describes women attracted to women.

4. 4

   Which biblical texts are used by Christians who reject homosexual sexual activity?

   Model answer

   Leviticus 18:22 forbids a man to have sexual relations with another man. Romans 1:26-27 is also quoted as condemning same-sex acts.

5. 5

   What does the Roman Catholic Church teach about homosexual people and homosexual acts?

   Model answer

   Catholic teaching holds that homosexual acts are wrong but that a homosexual orientation is not itself a sin. The Catechism says gay people must be treated with respect, compassion and sensitivity.

6. 6

   Give one Christian argument in favour of accepting homosexual relationships.

   Model answer

   Some Christians point out that Jesus said nothing about homosexuality and commanded love of neighbour in Mark 12:31. Galatians 3:28 is also used to argue that all people are one in Christ.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Theme A: Relationships and Families revision questions

What does Theme A: Relationships and Families cover in AQA GCSE Religious Studies A?

7 subtopics: human sexuality and homosexual relationships, sex before and outside marriage, contraception and family planning, marriage, cohabitation and same-sex marriage, divorce and remarriage, the nature and purpose of families and gender roles, equality and discrimination. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Theme A: Relationships and Families organised?

By the AQA 8062 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.