SECTION 3: Marriage and the family

3.6 Christian teachings on family life

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Learning outcomes
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

Husband and wife, parents and children

Marriage is given, that husband and wife may comfort and help each other, living faithfully together in need and in plenty, in sorrow and in joy it is given that they may have children and be blessed in caring for them and bringing them up in accordance with Gods will. (Church of England Prayer Book) The Bible teaches that children should Honour your father and your mother (Exodus 20:12). Looking at the relationship between parents and children, it teaches: Children, obey your parents Parents, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:1,4).

understand Christian teachings on family

life

explain why Christians hold certain beliefs

about the relationships within the family families

explain how Christianity aims to help give your opinion on these beliefs and
justify your opinion.

The family as the foundation of society

The family is still thought to be the basis of Western society and most Christians believe that children should be brought up in a loving and supportive family. The Church should be a model of family life with members of the Church united like a family. Most Christians believe that the best foundation for the family is marriage, and they will begin to support families by supporting couples as they prepare for marriage and by expressing their intention to support the couple throughout their married life.

Activities

For discussion
What are the main Christian beliefs concerning the family?
A Christian family. Christians believe that children are a gift from God, and that parents have responsibilities towards them:

1 What is the family in the photograph doing and why? 2 What would you include in a set of guidelines for bringing up a child? Remember that you have to cater for the childs emotional and spiritual needs as well as physical ones. 3 What are the main guidelines that a Christian parent should follow when bringing up children? 4 What are the main guidelines that a child should follow when being brought up by Christian parents?

to care for them properly to teach them how to live and to accept authority to teach them about God to take their child to be baptised and promise to
bring them up in a loving, Godly home. In return, children are expected to respect their parents and to obey them until they are adults themselves.

SECTION 3: Marriage and the family The importance of the family is underlined by this statement by the Roman Catholic Church: The family is the community in which, from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honour God and make good use of freedom (Catechism of the Catholic Church). Churches also hold family services on Sundays and special services at Christmas, Easter and Harvest festival. They may also help in the running of such organisations as the Scouts and the Brownies. Many churches will have a time in the weekly service which is targeted at the children, and in which they may participate.

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For discussion
What does Honour your father and your mother mean?

Activities
5 List the ways in which the Church can help to support Christian families. 6 Explain why family life is so important for Christians.

Christians believe that all children have the right to be brought up in a loving family setting, so some Christians work with charities involved with family life, including the Childrens Society and the National Childrens Homes.

Help and support from the Church

Christian Churches also offer help and advice to families through counselling and the running of such organisations as the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council and the Child Welfare Council. Churches may help Christian adults to look after their elderly parents through such organisations as the Methodist Homes for the Aged. Grown children have responsibilities towards their parents. As much as they can, they must give them moral support in old age and in times of illness, loneliness or distress. (Catechism of the Catholic Church)

The social environment of the Church

Christian Churches try to help parents to raise their children in a stable, Christian environment, taking pressure off them when necessary and helping them to stay together in a happy unit. This starts at the beginning of life, when parents bring babies to church for an infant baptism, or dedicate the children to God at a service of dedication and promise to bring them up in a loving Christian home. Older children can re-affirm these baptismal vows for themselves in a believers baptism or confirmation. As children grow up, they may attend Sunday Schools and youth groups where young people can learn about God in a social environment. Church schools educate children in a Christian environment and many Christian parents choose to send their children to a Church or faith school rather than a community school.

Summary
Christians see the family as very important for
bringing up children so that they know what is good. their children and children should respect their parents. bringing up their family and encouraging children to become Christians.

Parents should take responsibility for teaching Christian churches offer parents support in

For discussion
Why do you think Christian parents may want to send their children to a Church school?