Should same sex ‘marriages’ be allowed in places of

worship?Starter:

Match the following key words with their definitions

Marriage Fairness, freedom from oppression.

Homosexuality That which everyone is entitled to, just because they are human.

Discrimination Having a sexual preference for someone of the same gender.

Equality a legally recognised union between two people of the same sex.

Prejudice a close and intimate union

Human Rights Where everyone is treated fairly, free from discrimination.

Justice Judging someone before you get to know them, making assumptions.

Civil Partnership Acting on prejudice- e.g. treating someone differently because of what they look like or their sexuality.

• Lesson Objectives:– Know the current legal status of marriage and

civil partnerships– Understand a range of different religious

responses to civil partnerships– Evaluate whether same sex ‘marriages’

should be allowed in a place of worship.

Warm up questions

1. Stand up/Change places if you think marriage is outdated2. Stand up/Change places if you think marriage should be for ANY 2

people who love each other3. Stand up/Change places if you think marriage is only right for a

man & a woman4. Stand up/Change places if you think priests/vicars should be able

to say no5. Stand up/Change places if you think priests/vicars should have to

say OK6. Change places if you think what’s all the fuss about?7. Change places if you think a same sex marriage is a sin or wrong8. Change places if you think they are OK as long as the ceremony

is a secular one9. Change places if you think this is a human rights issue

The Government allows couples to register their civil partnerships but stops short of counting them as married, even though the civil ceremony gives them almost exactly the same rights in law over property, pension and inheritance.

Complete this task using the key words:

Unequal Civil Partnership Married Injustice Discrimination.

Civil Partnerships are________ to marriage. Same sex couples canonly have a _________ they can not get ___________. Heterosexual couples can only get________, they can not have a __________. Some people see this as a form of _________ and___________.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Article 7.

All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

• Article 16.

(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.

Do you agree?

Do you agree?

Civil partnerships

(marriages)

are legal so

why do some religious

believers support religious

marriages while others

condemn this?

‘Same sex marriages should be allowed in a place of worship’ Which

points do you agree with?• Everyone is made in the image of God so there should be no

problem• People are equal so there should be no problem• Same sex relationships are bad and blessing them through religion is

wrong• Religious marriage ceremonies are for religious believers whatever

their sexual orientation• Religions should stick to their teachings – heterosexual or celibate,

nothing else• Same sex relationships are OK but I draw the line at religious

marriage ceremonies• Religious teachings say that we should ‘love our neighbour’ and

God’s love for us is agape (unconditional) so we should try to do the same.

• Same sex relationships are not natural• Not allowing same sex marriages is discrimination and against the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Same- sexWeddings….

….in a religiousbuilding?

Rights? Beliefs? Teachings? Choice?

• Lesson Objectives:– Know the current legal status of marriage and

civil partnerships– Understand a range of different religious

responses to civil partnerships– Evaluate whether same sex ‘marriages’

should be allowed in a place of worship.

The end