family and religion

Religiously, the fundamental and most sacred natural unit of society. "Family" is an elastic term that can be construed in at least two ways: as the "nuclear" family, consisting of a father, a mother, and their immediate children; and as the "extended" family, including grandparents, aunts, uncle, cousins, and all other relatives regularly involved with each other or, in some religious traditions, people sharing common ancestral shrines. There are also single-parent families and same-sex families. Father-mother-child may be seen as an analogy or model of creation: the sky-father, the earth-mother, the fruits of the earth and above all humanity as their children. The extended family, moreover, may be seen as an image of the ideal organization of society, with the sacred king as the father of all. Family structures vary, of course. In traditional societies, they may be patriarchal, ruled by the father; matriarchal, ruled by the mother; patrilocal, with the bride dwelling in her husband's family home; matrilocal, when the husband moves into his wife's family home; polygamous (several wives for one man) or polyandrous (with several husbands for one woman). In each case, HEAVEN may be considered to be set up in something like the same way. The most common arrangement in traditional societies, however, is patriarchy. It may be a refl ection of the belief that GOD above is also a supreme father. Patriarchy may also be evidenced in careful attention to the shrines of male ancestors, as in Confucian China, where it is seen as an extension beyond the grave of "fi lial piety," or the obligation of children to parents (see CONFUCIANISM and CHINA, RELIGIONS OF). Religious mythology involving family images is not restricted to the highest deity, however. As we have seen, the earth is frequently portrayed as a mother. Siblings are also frequently important. Sometimes the primal parents of humanity are presented as twin brother and sister. On the other hand, two brothers may be rivals, like Cain and Abel in the Hebrew scriptures. The family is important as a center for religious RITUALS, with a household ALTAR as an important place for DEVOTION. Among devout Hindus, the most important offerings are really those made in the home, where food offerings are prepared by the wife and the husband acts as chief priest. In JUDAISM, celebration of the Sabbath in the home, with Sabbath PRAYERS and meal, is a primary obligation. Most festivals of all religions, like CHRISTMAS for Christians, have important home components. And most religions emphasize the importance of good, loving, and devout family life for all who are set in families.