Nature and Purpose of Families

• Family


  A group of people connected by bloodline
• Types of Families


  • Different combinations of people in the family
  • The process through which each person became part of the family
• Types of Families


  • Two spouses
  • Two same-sex parents
  • Two parents and children
  • One parent with children
  • Foster parents and children
  • Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Nephews, Nieces living together
  • Step parent(s) with children
  • Two parents with Adopted Children
• Types of Families


  • Single-Parent Family
  • Nuclear Family (Nucleus)
  • Extended Family
  • Step Family
  • Reconstituted Family (a.k.a Blended Family)
  • Childless Family
• Single-Parent Family


  A family made up of one parent (father or mother) and children
• Nuclear Family (Nucleus)


  A family made up of two parents (father[s] and/or mother[s]) and children
• Extended Family


  A family that extends beyond just parents and their children by including other relatives
• Step Family


  A family in which at least one of the partners is acting as a step-parent
• Reconstituted Family (a.k.a Blended Family)


  A family consisting of a couple, the children they have had together, and their children from previous relationships living together
• Childless Family


  A couple without children
• Purpose of Families


  • Procreation
  • Religious Upbringing
  • Education
  • Socialisation
  • Stability
• Purpose of Families


  • The family as the basis of society
  • The family as protection for vulnerable members of society
• Christian and Islamic views on the Purpose of Families

  • Procreate and provide for children
  • Educate children in a faith
  • Allow holistic health for family members
  • Constancy in society
  • Encircle and protect children
• Christian views on the role of parents and children, and the ideal family

  • Nuclear or extended family ideal
  • Spouses should love each other
  • Parents should love their children and teach them to know right from wrong
  • Raise the children within the faith
  • Children should listen to parents
  • Love should be at the heart of family life
• Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord


  Women should obey their partner and allow them to make important decisions
• Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it


  Husbands should be willing to make sacrifices their families
• Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do

  Children should respect and listen to their parents
• Parents, do not irritate your children, or they will become discouraged


  Parents shouldn't be too harsh on their children or they may stop trying
• Islamic views on the role of parents and children, and the ideal family

  • Extended family is the basis of Muslim society (no same-sex families)
  • Fathers provide
  • Mothers look after the home
  • Parents teach moral values and religion
  • Children must respect their parents
  • Children must care for their elderly parents
• Muslims don't believe in same-sex parenting
• Allah commands children to care for their elderly parents
• Use your new knowledge on the role of different family members in Islam to complete the table below

  • Husbands should...
  • Fathers provide
  • Wives should...
  • Children should...
  • Mothers look after the home
  • Children must respect their parents
  • Parents should...
  • Views on same-sex parenting...
  • The elderly are important because...
• Secular Views (Humanists)


  • Actions are right as they tend to promote happiness (Utilitarianism, John Mill)
  • A homosexual couple may really want to be parents and it may promote happiness to allow it. Allowing same-sex couples to adopt will help children who do not have parents.
  • A woman may want to do something else and will be restricted, which takes her right to freedom. Plus, society can be better if women took up roles working outside of the home.
  • Sometimes divorce is the better option because of conflict, violence or abuse so a single parent household may be more idyllic than the nuclear or extended family according to humanists