Importance of the Traditional Christian Family
Joshua
March 28, 2022
“Whatever you do for your family, your children, your husband, your wife, you do for God. All we do, our prayers, our work, our suffering, is for Jesus.”– St. Teresa
There is a great deception occurring in the Western world, a deception that has already been tearing at the fabrics of our government, faith, and culture for more than a century. The modern degradation of the traditional nuclear family will be seen as one of the preeminent tragedies of our time. Now to the exact reason as to why, as well as whom, this fervent disrespect of traditional roles is occurring would require a complicated and deep thesis in itself. So rather than going down that rabbit hole let’s instead highlight the importance of the traditional nuclear family and perhaps some of these questions will be answered along the way.
Roots of the Traditional Christian Family
“For as young man marries young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you” – Isaiah 62:5
Marriage is a practice found universally throughout the world with areas of commonality overlapping from time-to-time. Ideals such as the roles of Patriarchs and Matriarchs, practices on how to best honor your spouse, the obligations one makes upon entering the marriage and other similarities. So, if marriage is such a common occurrence, then what makes the Christian form any different? The answer can be found in just the first few pages of the Bible.
Genesis 1:27; the creation of the two sexes: “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them, And God blessed them.”
Genesis 2:24 also explains, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”
Okay, so now we have some backstory, but how does it differentiate from other practices? Well for that we must accept that the Christian story of the world can be interpreted as a culmination of events that would eventually lead to the “Marriage” of Christ and his bride (the bride being interpreted as the Church, Redemption of Man, the fulfillment of his Covenant with Abraham, among others). Thus, Christian marriages are viewed as a sacred union of the highest caliber, as you have not only walked in God’s footsteps but have spiritually and physically become “one flesh” as stated in Genesis.
So with this understanding we can determine that Christian marriages go beyond Earthly materialism (such as found in other cultures) and is a highly spiritual affair meant to honor God, mend two halves, become one and allow our children to experience the same spiritual journey.
The Role of the Patriarch
“The head of every family will be what Abraham was, the patriarch, the priest and the unlettered lord of his family, and Reason will be the code of laws to all mankind.”– Adam Weishaupt
Now that we have established the foundational and spiritual importance of traditional marriage, how do we define the personal importance that each member of the family plays? Well let’s start at the top with the Patriarch, the leader of the household, and the ever constant in a sea of uncertainty. Every family in the Church is a kingdom unto itself, with the father as the head of such a kingdom. However, the patriarch does not rule through tyrannical authoritarianism, but is expected to bless his family, with a unified vision guided by strong religious and ethical morals.
The roles and expectations of the patriarch are vast, so vast that to try and fit it into this article would be a foolhardy endeavor. So rather than try to list everything, I will try to list the most important role that a patriarch must embrace.
The Harmonizer is a term you may have seen before, although you may not remember where or why, don’t worry this will be a refresher. Embracing the role of Harmonizer within the family is not an easy task as it expects one to have the wisdom to say “Yes” and the fortitude to say “No” when issues, requests or ideals arise. The Harmonizer must always tow the line in order to bring balance into the family, without falling too far into a chaotic or oppressive household. Through diligent familial administering, the Harmonizer is instrumental in preserving and enriching their family, allowing everyone to flourish.
The Role of the Matriarch
“Our matriarchs had an interesting advantage over today’s western women. Matriarchs didn’t begin their marriage with love. Instead, they were taught how to love. They entered marriage with an earnest determination to grow a love that would sustain their marriage for a lifetime.”– Michael Ben Zehabe
The Matriarch is arguably the most valuable and unique member of the family. They hold the most important role in the family as the homemaker, caretaker of children and supporter of husbands. Yet the Matriarchy role holds a unique hierarchical structure compared to the Patriarchy. Where the patriarchs of each independent family are given equal representation amongst fathers, sons and brothers the Greater Matriarch of the family is usually the oldest/wisest dynastic lady of the family and is acknowledged as such by all members.
So why the disconnect and why does that matter? I’m glad you asked, as noted above with patriarchs, a husband’s family is his independent kingdom and as such he is charged solely with its well being and flourishing. While the matriarch’s role continuously expands over the course of her life, from caring for her direct family, to eventually becoming a bridge for the other familial branches, ending finally with the ascension of a Greater Matriarch to inspire all branches.
Wherein the role is to be a beacon of elderly wisdom, knowledge and compassion for all members of the family. In short, the Matriarch is one of the most complex and important roles in any family, regardless of her position on the hierarchy.
The Big Picture
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”– 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
To summarize everything we have discussed, the modern perception of marriage and family is false. The roles and obligations have always had more meaning then whatever Hollywood and social media depict. It’s more than just finding someone you date for a few months or years in the hope of finding love. As the act of marriage itself IS the love you are seeking. It is the physical and heavenly arrangement of growing that love and sharing it with your children. Now get out there, find your love, and bring more into the world while doing so.