Lesson video

Hello, my young scholars of religion.

My name is Ms. Marx, and I'm going to be your religious education teacher today.

Today we're going to be doing about Christian beliefs about the family, thinking about in particular different types of family setups that there are, as well as the role of children and parents within those families, and Christian teachings on this.

And we'll be using in particular the tools of social science and being sociologists today when we look at this, because it's a very important part of sociology, studying the family.

So when you're ready, let's go.

So by the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain different family types, the role of parents and children, and Christian teachings on these.

So let's start with our key terms. Blended family: a family group that includes the parents and children from previous relationships, also called a reconstituted family.

Extended family: a family group including more than the nuclear family, e.

g.

grandparents living together or nearby.

Nuclear family: a family group consisting of parents and children only.

Same-sex family: a family group consisting of parents who are the same gender and children only.

Single-parent family: a family group consisting of one parent and children only.

So watch out for those in today's lesson.

So our lesson today will have three sections: the nature of families, the role of parents, and the role of children.

So let's start with our first section, the nature of families.

Andeep, Sofia, Lucas, and Aisha are discussing who they live with.

Andeep says, "I live with my mom, dad, and two sisters." Sofia says, "I live with my foster mom most of the time, but some weekends I go to my dad's." Lucas says, "I live with my mom and dad.

My uncle also lives with us." And Aisha says, "I live with my mom, dad, grandma, granddad, and two brothers." Which of these do you think is the most common sort of type of family setup in the UK? Pause the video and have a think, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Are there other family arrangements that people might have? Again, you can pause the video and talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Whilst Andeep's setup might be one of the most common in the UK, there are many different types of family setups that we have in the UK.

Sociologists study what families are, including in their structure and how they function.

So family as a way of teaching us how to fit in with society and a way that society functions is a really important thing that sociologists study.

And we can use the tools of sociologists when we study the nature of families and different views on the family within religion.

Sociologists look at how families are different depending on factors such as culture and how families might have changed over time.

Family as a thing could be defined as the people you live with, the people you are related to, the people you are close to, or the people you choose to trust.

So there's different understandings of what family even means as a term.

How would you define family? Pause the video and have a think, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well, one way we can understand different types of families and what structures we've got within the UK is by looking at statistics, and we can look at the Office for National Statistics data to help us with this.

So this shows us different types of family in the UK and how this has changed over time.

So we've got here in 1996 to 2023 a shift in the types of families that we've got.

So here we can look at different types of families within the UK in these statistics to see how this may or may not have changed.

And the data ranges from 1996 to 2023.

What are some of the trends that you can spot then? Which type of family has remained relatively consistent over this time then? There's one type that's stayed pretty much the same all the way through.

Which one? Pause the video and have a look, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well, we can see here that the married couple family has stayed relatively consistent around the 12,000 mark, hasn't it? The rest have increased over time.

The other types of families, civil partner, opposite sex cohabiting, same sex cohabiting, and lone parent family, these numbers have increased.

Why does civil partner couple family have an X in the 1996 data? Can you think of a reason why? Pause the video and have a think, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Because they were only introduced in 2004, so we had no data from it from 1996 because they didn't exist, a civil partnership.

Well done.

Let's do a quick check.

Here's the Office for National Statistics data on family types over time in the UK.

Which family type has the least numbers in 2023? Pause the video and have a think, and we'll see what you come up with in a moment.

The same-sex cohabiting couple has the least, with 137.

So there are many different types of family and we've said that sociologists are particularly interested in them and they've given some of them specific terms, but not all of them.

That might include children that have been fostered or adopted.

And there can be different views on the pros and cons of these different family types.

Let's do a quick check.

Which of the following is a family group which includes the parents and children from their previous relationships? Is it single parent family, a blended family, a nuclear family, or an extended family? Which type is it? Pause the video and have a go.

We'll see what you come up with in a moment.

Well done.

It was a blended family.

So Christians might look to their sources of authority for guidance on the preferred family type.

Whilst the Bible doesn't give direct guidance, it can give them ideas.

So for example, in the Torah, in Exodus, in the Old Testament, it says: "Honour your father and mother so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." So which type of family might that passage be referring to then? Pause the video and have a think, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well, it could be suggesting a nuclear family because it's your father and your mother.

So living together as one unit could suggest a nuclear family.

The Bible also says, "Anyone who doesn't provide for their relatives, especially their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than unbeliever." This is in the New Testament in Paul's letter to Timothy.

What could this quote suggest about people who don't look after their wider family then? Pause the video and have a think, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well, it could suggest they're not living as a good Christian, which is worse than not even being a Christian.

So could this suggest a support for extended families, for caring for your relatives then? What type of family could this passage be referring to? Pause the video and have a think, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

This refers to providing for relatives.

So it could be referring to an extended family living together.

Fiona and Rachel are discussing what they feel is the best type of family.

Fiona is an Anglican Christian, so Church of England Christian.

She says, "Whilst I think it's good to have a nuclear family, marriages don't always work out.

I believe we should welcome and support single parents." And Rachel says, Rachel's a Plymouth Brethren Christian, "I believe the best type of family is a nuclear family.

The Bible is clear that it starts with a mother and a father." Thank you, Fiona and Rachel.

So we can see here we've got two different Christians with different views here on whether the nuclear family is the best type of family.

And Rachel, who's a Plymouth Brethren Christian, belongs to a religious group that takes quite a very sort of strict reading and understanding of the Bible, quite a literal understanding of the Bible passages.

Whereas Fiona, who's an Anglican Christian, sometimes they can take more of a liberal view to those different Bible readings and kind of adapt it more to the modern life.

So you end up with these slightly different views from that same source.

And so yes, perhaps they both feel a nuclear family is a good setup, but Fiona is allowing there to be different types of family setups.

Rachel's taking more of a stricter view that it should remain what she understands as the biblical idea of what a family is.

Let's do another check.

Christianity seems to prefer a nuclear family based on which teaching? Is it love your neighbour, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, honour your father and mother, or turn the other cheek, which one is it? Pause the video and have a think, and we'll see what you come up with in a moment.

Well done.

It was honour your mother and father.

That was in Exodus, wasn't it? Let's do a practise task to see what we've learned.

Explain two religious beliefs on the nature of families and refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.

And your guidance is: for both beliefs on the nature of families, to give a point and develop it.

And for one of them, you're going to also name a source of authority, what it teaches, and how it applies to families.

And you have some guidance here for you.

So pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you've done in a moment.

Well done.

Some really good work there.

So I asked you to explain two religious beliefs on the nature of families.

And your answer might have said: some Christians believe the preferred family type is the nuclear family.

This is because the Bible says you should honour your father and mother.

And they believe this means a family is a man, woman, and children.

Some Christians believe you should look after all your relatives, as the Bible says that by not providing for them, it's worse than an unbeliever.

This shows the extended family is important.

Well done.

So on to our second section then, the role of parents.

There are different views as to what role parents should play in their children's lives, and here are some.

To love their children.

To be role models for their children.

To protect their children from harm.

To guide and support their children.

To provide for their children, e.

g.

food.

And to educate their children.

So there's lots of different roles that parents can have in their children's lives.

Can you think of any more? Pause the video and have a think, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Now, sociologists are particularly interested in how the family can be a way of teaching young people how to fit in with their society.

And this is called primary socialisation, learning how to be in that society and be social with others.

And so parents have a very key role in this idea of primary socialisation of raising their children.

Even think about the language that you speak and how much that depends on how your parents spoke to you.

So all these different things you can pick up and learn from your parents or from the family situation that you are in to help you then fit in with the society that you're going to be living in.

So all of these different roles can feed into that, and that's something that social scientists, sociologists are particularly interested in.

And one aspect of that is going to be the religious upbringing of the child or not.

So it could be that someone's part of a religious household or not, and it could be different religions and different branches within those different religious groups too.

And that could form part of the primary socialisation or the religious upbringing of that child.

So they are likely then to follow the religion that their parents have taught them and shown them.

And what are some of the ways that they might be able to do that? Pause the video and have a think, how could a parent socialise their child to be part of the same religion as them? What things could they do? Pause the video and have a think, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well, alongside all these different general roles, there's a key role for Christian parents to bring up their children within the religion.

Now this could be done by taking them to church, getting them baptised, reading and learning the Bible together, and teaching them to pray.

So there's lots of different ways that a Christian family can be bringing up their children to understand and know about the religion.

Let's do a quick check.

Which one of the following would a Christian parent ensure their children do as part of a Christian upbringing? Go to school, read the Bible, learn to read, make new friends.

One of these is particular to a Christian upbringing.

Pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you come up with in a moment.

Well done.

Read the Bible.

So Christians look to different sources of authority for guidance on their role as parents.

In Ephesians, which is a letter in the New Testament, it says, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children, but instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." So this is saying that fathers should be raising their children to understand and learn about Christianity.

In Proverbs in the Old Testament, it says, "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they're old, they will not turn from it." So this idea of teaching children the difference between right and wrong, showing them the religion when they're a child so that even when they're older, they can still return to those things that have been taught to them as children.

And then also in the Catholic Catechism we've got: "Parents receive the responsibility and privilege of evangelising their children.

Parents should initiate their children in an early age into the mysteries of the faith." So here's quite a clear teaching to teach children Christian practises from an early age.

So now Richard's going to tell us his view on his role as a father, and he's a Seventh Day Adventist Christian.

And he says, "As a Seventh Day Adventist, I particularly value education both within and beyond our religion.

Education will help my children to understand their role in society, but also how to live according to God's plan.

We read the Bible to help us understand what's right and wrong.

It's an important role for me as a parent to ensure my children are educated." Thank you, Richard.

And Danielle shares her views on her role as a mother, and she's a Roman Catholic.

And she says, "The Catholic Catechism teaches me to respect my children and in my role as their parent to educate them in our faith.

They were baptised when they were five months old and both attend a Catholic primary school.

We pray to God and read the Bible every day together.

We go to Mass every Sunday, and they attend Sunday school.

Mary, mother of Jesus, is my role model as she is a great example of being a mother." Thank you, Danielle.

So we've seen there are many ways Christians can fulfil their roles as a parent.

So let's together give a way a Christian parent might fulfil that role.

Hmm, I think reading the Bible with their children.

So over to you then.

Give another way a Christian parent might fulfil their role.

Pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you come up with in a moment.

We've got take their children to church.

You could have also said: pray with their children, educate their children in Christianity, teach them right and wrong.

Well done.

Let's do another practise task to see what we've learned.

You're going to complete the table on the role of parents in Christianity by: developing the point with something they could do with their children and then explaining why it's important.

And the points are: many Christians will educate their children in religion.

You're going to develop it and then say why it's important.

Many Christians will involve their children in Christian practises.

Develop it, and then say why it's important.

So pause the video and have a go, and we will see what you've done in a moment.

Well done.

Some good thinking.

So I asked you to complete this table with a development and a reason why it's important.

And your answer might look like this.

Many Christians will educate their children in the religion.

They will read the Bible with them.

This is important because it will teach them Christian teachings, including what is right and wrong.

Many Christians will involve their children in Christian practises.

They will get them baptised and take them to church on a Sunday.

And this is important because it introduces children to the practise of Christianity so they will follow them as they grow up.

Well done.

So on to our third section then, the role of children.

Christians may look to different sources of authority for guidance on the role of children, just like we had with the guidance of the role of parents.

So for example, we've got in Exodus, in the Ten Commandments, in the Old Testament, in the Torah: "Honour your father and mother." So that teaching there about honouring, showing respect to parents.

Then we've got in Proverbs again, in the Old Testament: "The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by ravens of the valley, will be eaten by vultures." So you can't dismiss or look down upon or scorn your parents.

You can't look down on them.

And then again in the Catholic Catechism: "Children in turn contribute to the growth in holiness of their parents.

Each and everyone should be generous and tireless and forgiving one another for offences, quarrels, injustices, and neglect." So this idea of being kind and forgiving to parents, even if there's arguments happening, finding a way to be kind with one another.

So now we have got a group of Christians here discussing their role in their behaviour towards their parents.

And Grace says, "The Ten Commandments tell me to honour my parents, which I always try to do." And Andrew says, "When I'm told off by my dad, I try to remember to show respect, even if I'm upset with him." And John says, "I look after my parents in their old age as they looked after me when I was young." And Charlie says, "I try to be respectful to my parents even when we are arguing." So you can see here how the Ten Commandments and the other source of authority could have influenced these Christians into how they're treating their parents in their role as their children.

Let's do a quick check.

The Ten Commandments tells children to honour their parents.

Is that true or false? Pause the video and have a think, and we'll see what you've done in a moment.

That is true, isn't it? Let's do another practise task to see what we've learned.

Complete the table by adding a source of authority and explaining it.

So the points are: one role of children in Christianity is to show respect to their parents.

Another role of children in Christianity is to be kind to their parents.

For each one, you're going to put a source in and give an explanation, and you can read back through what we've done so far in the lesson to find them.

So pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you come up with in a moment.

Well done.

Some great work there.

So I asked you to complete the table by adding a source of authority and explaining it.

And you might have said: one role of children in Christianity is to show respect to their parents.

In the Bible it says, "Honour your mother and father." This means that children should value their parents and show this by honouring them.

The second point: another role of children in Christianity is to be kind to their parents.

The Bible says not to mock or scorn your mother or father.

This means that children should not look down on their parents or dismiss them for what they say and do for them.

Well done.

So let's summarise everything we've learned today then.

Christian beliefs about the family.

Sociologists have created terms for different types of families, including single parent, nuclear, blended, extended, and same-sex.

National data shows how the numbers of different family types has changed over time.

Christian teachings suggests that nuclear and extended families are preferred.

Christian teachings, e.

g.

the Ten Commandments, show that the role of children includes honouring and being kind to parents.

Christian teachings show that the role of parents includes to educate children, involve them in Christian practises such as going to church, teach them right and wrong, e.

g.

reading the Bible.

So well done for your hard work today.

And I hope to see you soon.

Bye-bye.