Religion & the Family (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note
Exam code: C120
Christian beliefs on the family
Religion and the family
Religion and the family are interlinked in several ways
It is in the home where:
Children first learn about religious belief
Religious practices and teachings are first shared with children
Religious festivals and celebrations are shared
Parents set an example of living according to their beliefs
Parents teach their children to live by the values and commandments of their religion, such as the Ten Commandments for Christians, Jews and Muslims
Parents teach their children to practice their faith by:
Taking them to places of worship
Teaching them how to read and understand sacred texts
Teaching them to pray
Celebrating festivals with their community
Helping them understand the important rites and rituals in their faith
Many people today, such as humanists, think that parents should not share their religious beliefs and faith with their children
They believe that children should make up their own minds about religion when they are old enough to reason it out for themselves
Humanists believe that everyone should be able to make a free choice about accepting or rejecting religious beliefs
Christian beliefs about the family
Christians have several key beliefs about the family, which are based on teachings from the Bible
The family should be based around the marriage of a man and woman
The family is the best place in which to nurture children
Children have the right to be raised in a loving environment by two parents
“If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8)
Parents have a duty to set positive examples as role models for their children
They should teach children how to be good citizens and good Christians
“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7)
Parents should be patient with their children and teach them about their faith
“Parents, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)
However, children also have a duty to obey their parents
“Honour your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)
The Bible also emphasises respect for the elderly and that families should care for both the young and the elderly. The elderly can provide the young with wisdom and knowledge
“Listen to your father, who gave you life and do not despise your mother when she is old.”(Proverbs 23:22)
“Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:32)
Christian parents should bring their children up as Christians by:
Praying with them
Taking them to Church and Sunday school
Teaching them stories from the Bible
Celebrating religious festivals such as Christmas and Easter as a family
Marking special times in their lives, such as baptism or confirmation
Many Christians believe that through their Christian faith, they are part of an extended worldwide family: God’s family — the Christian Church
Christians believe that families have a vital role to play in society — if families function well, this will have a positive impact on the well-being of the whole society
Pope Francis taught that the family is the basis of society, calling it “the essential cell of society”
“It is very important to reaffirm the family, which remains the essential cell of society and the Church; young people, who are the face of the Church's future; women, who play a fundamental role in passing on the faith and who are a daily source of strength in a society that carries this faith forward and renews it.” (Pope Francis)
Muslim beliefs on the family
Islam sees the family as the foundation of the Muslim community
The family is the creation of Allah, and it provides society with stability
The family is important because it is where:
Children are taught their morals and brought up as Muslims
Elderly relatives can be cared for
Support and stability are given
Muslims are encouraged to follow the example of Muhammad (pbuh), who was married and had children
The Qur’an and Hadith contain many teachings about the importance of family because it is such an essential part of the Muslim community
The Hadith encourages all members of the family to be kind to one another
“The best of you is the one who behaves best towards the members of his family”(Hadith — Tirmidhi)
Everyone must treat everyone else with love and respect, and each member of the family has an important role to play
Mothers and fathers have a responsibility to raise their children as Muslims, teach them values and introduce them to religious activities such as festivals and prayer
Children must respect their parents, as the Qur’an teaches
“We have commanded man to be good to his parents – his mother struggled to carry him and struggled to give birth to him; his bearing and weaning took a full thirty months” (Qur’an, Surah 46:15)
Children should also pray for their parents
“Lord, help me to be grateful for your favours to me and my parents” (Qur’an, Surah 46:15)
The prophet Muhammad (pbuh) taught that the reward for serving a person’s mother is paradise in the afterlife (akhirah)
“Paradise lies at the feet of your mothers” (Hadith — Nasa’i)
The Hadith teaches parents about the importance of raising their children well
“Honour your children and make provisions for their proper upbringing” (Hadith — Ibn Majah)
Many parents make sure their children are educated properly about Islam by arranging for them to attend classes at a mosque or madrassah (Islamic school)
In Islam, the traditional family unit is the extended family, as children are encouraged to look after their relatives in old age
Muslims believe that raising children properly contributes to the strengthening of the ummah, the worldwide community of Muslims
If each family does their part to raise their children correctly in the faith, they are helping to raise the next generation of Muslims and make the community of Muslims across the world stronger
Worked Example
What is meant by a “nuclear family”?
[2 marks]
Answer:
A nuclear family is a family unit made up of two parents and their children. For example, a married couple raising their biological or adopted children.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Make a chart of the roles and responsibilities of both parents and children within the family. Then, see if you can memorise a teaching from the religious traditions you have studied to support each one. This is useful evidence to support both 8-mark “explain” questions and 15-mark discussion questions.
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