Family structure and responsibilities

● What are the church's teachings on family life?

○ Where children were brought up

○ Provide children with material, mental and spiritual need

○ Teach children what love and forgiveness is through parents’ own

demonstration

○ Christian family is a communion of a person’s

○ Bears the sign and image of the communion of our triune God

○ Reflects God’s work of creation in the procreation and education of children

● Different types of family

○ Nuclear family

■ One where the mother, father and children live as a unit

○ Blended family

■ When 2 separate families are joined together when parents decide to

marry

○ Extend family

■ When 3 generations live in the same house or live in close proximity

and have frequent contact with each other

○ Single-parent family

■ When children are being brought up by only 1 parent

○ Same-sex parent family

■ When there are same-sex parents in the family

Family structure and responsibilities

● What are the roles and duties of family members in Christianity

○ Respect their children

○ Stay together; bring up children properly

○ Provide necessities

○ Introduce catholic faith

● Children

○ Respect their parents

○ Look after their parents

● How do religious communities help to support family life

○ Providing infant baptism where parents promise to help bring their children

up properly

○ Running faith schools which teach the importance of family, and moral values

and provide an ethos that establishes expectations for children

○ Running children’s and youth groups

○ Priests act as counsellors to families if necessary

● What are the non-religious views towards family life?

○ Value family life in general regardless of religion

○ Purpose of family life:

■ To bring up children safely and securely until thy are mature enough to

look after themselves

■ Pass on moral values to children so that they can become good and

responsible citizens

■ Provide emotional and financial support throughout life