1.2.1 Family

Question 1

Why do Christians believe family is important? (5)

Answer 1

• The family = best environment for bringing up children; it is where children are taught religious beliefs and practices, moral and religious values, and gain the ability to form loving relationships.
• Qualities, attitudes and behaviours developed within the family contribute towards stable, peaceful, equal and flourishing society. Family is the basis of human society.
• The family is where children learns to love and how to build and sustain loving and supportive relationships and to resolve conflict and difficulty.
• Families are important because it is where the child learns about their faith; religion is experienced through the example of the parents.
• Families provide support and care for their members, especially during difficult times such as illness or bereavement. They provide friendship and companionship.

Question 2

What do Christians believe Christian parents should do? (5)

Answer 2

• Provide opportunities to worship with other Christians by going to church.
• Read the Bible with children.
• Pray with children.
• Provide the opportunity for them to join in the celebration of festivals
• Lead by example - model virtues such as patience, compassion, generosity, forgiveness, love, etc.

Question 3

What do some Christians, such as Catholics, believe about what makes a family? (3)

Answer 3

• That a family should be based on the marriage of a man and a woman.
• This model of one man and one woman is based on Genesis which describes the creation of Adam and Eve. Having created Adam, God saw that it was not good for a man to be alone and so created Eve to be his companion (Genesis 2).
• Christians with this view disapprove of same-sex relationships.

Question 4

What do other Christians, such as Liberal Anglicans, believe about what makes a family? (3)

Answer 4

• What matters most is that the family is secure and loving not who the family is comprised of.
• It is the quality of the relationships that matters most - Jesus taught that Love was the most important quality. Any relationship that is based on love and nurtures love, fulfils God’s will (that humans should establish loving relationships with others).
• Christians with this view would reject a literal interpretation of the Bible and argue that some of the passages reflect the views of the author and the time they wrote, rather than God’s will.