Reflection Paper As I reflect on this five-week course of Marriage and Family, it has challenged me to embrace who I am as a biblical woman of God and continue to grow in Christ. I am free to be that biblical woman. God has made me in His image and I am to bear this image to the world. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27 English Standard Version). I know that God desires for me to be that woman of excellence, as I strive every day to live out the truth of who God is and to glorify and serve Him. “In this culture, there is so much emphasis on the outward beauty of a woman. “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (1 Peter 3:3-4 King James Version. As a biblical woman, I do not look for the world to validate who I am. It is the truth of God’s word that validates me. I give all reference to God, for the woman I am. “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30 English Standard Version).
Having a sound Christian perspective on a biblical marriage is just as important today as it was when God first ordained and designed the sacred union of marriage between a man and a woman. He ordained them to come to join together as one flesh and that they “be fruitful and multiply”. “So 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. And God said to them, be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” God is the one who designed the marriage and family. The marriage and family follow God’s biblical principles. That is the true essence and understanding of biblical marriage and family. Governmental laws have been implemented, to redefine the understanding of biblical marriage and family. No matter what man-made laws
In the play Tartuffe, Molière portrays marriage in a unique way. He expresses a different perspective on marriage that most people would disagree with. In the play, marriage never seems to base around love but rather seems to be a very serious part of their life. Mariane submits to her father because during this time period the father was able to choose whom his daughter would marry. This submission is not based on love but rather who her father enjoys the best. It puts a great deal of pressure on the father to make the right decision. Marriage to Tartuffe would have caused Mariane a lifetime of discontent and it would have also associated the
In her book Marriage a History Stephanie Coontz explains the male breadwinner family model and its dominance in family life during the 40’s, 50’s, and early 60’s. An illustration of the male breadwinner model is composed of a father, mother, and two children; typically a boy and girl close in age. Funded by their father’s well paying middle class salary, the wife and children live a comfortable life in suburbia and participate regularly in consumer trends. Perceived as the head of the household, the father was the sole financial provider. On the other hand the mother was the head of domestic life and was responsible for the children. The popular 1950’s TV show The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet exemplified this family model. With regard to the male breadwinner family model, imagine having eight other brothers and sisters. Imagine growing up without a mother, and with a father who worked constantly. Then consider living this life alongside your peers who come from the “normal” male breadwinner families Coontz describes… How would your family differ from your peers? What would be your thoughts and feelings towards family life? More importantly, how would these unique circumstances change your perception of the nuclear family?
The purpose of this paper is to examine the field of marriage and family counseling beginning with the history and development of the profession and its importance in the field of counseling. This paper will also evaluate five major themes relevant to Marriage and Family Therapy which include: roles of Marriage and Family Therapists; licensure requirements and examinations; methods of supervision; client advocacy; multiculturalism and diversity. The author will discuss significant aspects to the field of Marriage and Family Therapy such as MFT identity, function, and ethics of the profession. This paper will assess biblical values in relation to Marriage and Family Therapists and to the field
Dr. Andreas Kostenberger is the Director of PhD Studies and Professor of New Testament at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Kostenberger uses the Word of God from the Old and New Testament on marriage, gender roles, headship, sex, child-rearing, divorce, and homosexuality. In the second edition of God, Marriage, and Family, by Köstenberger and Jones investigate the most recent contentions, social movements, and teachings inside both the congregation and society and further apply Scripture 's immortal standards to contemporary issues. We live in a time period of a crisis in regards to marriage and the family, and the only way the institution of marriage can be rebuild is by the biblical foundation in the Word of
Dr. Dobson’s “Marriage Under Fire” book is a must read for all Christians, due to the gay marriage onslaught brought on by secular society. In his writing, Dr. Dobson gives concrete evidence for traditional marriage between one man and one woman as God designed it from the beginning of time. He also discusses how we have come to this point in the relationship crisis of our day and why we must take a stand for what is right (traditional marriage). This book has five chapters that can be applauded for its content; however, the first three – “The State of Our Unions”, “How Did We Get In This Mess?” and “Why We Must Win This Battle” are key to understanding true marriage and the dilemma of homosexual unions and the detrimental state in which it will have on humanity.
There are fundamental differences between a God-made marriage and a man-made marriage. Marriage is a reflection of God’s love and Christ’s relationship with the church is likened to a marriage. You cannot take God out of marriage because marriage was His idea. It is difficult to manage what you did not create. Just as a car cannot run without an engine, a marriage cannot work without God and His principles. He is the only One able to help you manage your life and your marriage effectively. God started by saying “It is not good for a man to be alone…” What God intends for every married couple is a marriage of unending love, joy, peace and fruitfulness. God never intended for marriages to fail. His plan is for marriages to last until death do us part. Marriage is God’s idea and divorce is man’s idea. Since marriage is God’s idea, He alone has the power and tools to keep it. God says He hates divorce, not the people getting the divorce. Why? Because Divorce is devastating for everyone involved, especially the children and the consequences often last a lifetime. God hates to see what Divorce does to lives and families which is the opposite of what He wants for every family. Let us take a look at some of the differences between a man-made marriage and a God-made marriage.
Christian ideology is often associated with strict guidelines for marriage. According to common Christian thought, marriage must be between a man and a women, and they must remain in a monogamous marriage. Today, many people wish to challenge this traditional view of marriage and reenvision marriage through a new lens. Maguire gives several points in his article that specifically challenge the traditionalist view of marriage. Ellison and Martin also had their own views that combatted with the Christian ideal of marriage. Personally, I have my own views on the matter and have an open opinion on what the institution of marriage should be in the future.
God made his heart concerning marriage and the family unit clear in the book of Genesis as it states that, “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together let not man separate.’’(KJV)
The issue of whether a loving, same-sex Christian marriage can exist under complete Biblical authority has been one fraught with debate and controversy. This disagreement has notably increased in the past century, with the advent of homosexuality being recognized as an exclusive sexual orientation and the recent Supreme Court decision to recognize homosexual unions as marriage. In these times, more than ever, the church needs to have a concrete and truthful stance on this matter.
My understanding of morality in the context of marriage and family therapy present an engagement of emotional behavior toward what him/her believe when others doesn’t find credence in him/her truth or belief. Morality in its composition is structured on the foundation of a person values, social norms, belief, experiences with his/her own rationale that is considered to be true. It is through these elements which create the process of moral reasoning and justification especially when a person defy another person truth creating a moral dilemma. In the context of marriage and family therapy, a therapist morality is gaged within the boundaries of ethical codes, laws, and regulations. I believe the ethical codes, laws, and regulations helps the
Since the Bible is silent about same-sex marriage, we are forced to develop our own ideas and stances on the subject which in turn causes all of the controversy in today’s society. Christians also have different views on this subject simply because of the fact that people are changing and not settling for traditional ways. From this we see that there is not a set Christian view on same-sex marriage. Homosexuals are not asking for special rights but are more so asking for equal rights, rights that their heterosexual counterparts are not denied. However, it is also crucial that we have an open mind to both sides of the argument in order to place ourselves in a predicament to make a well-educated decision on our stances regarding an issue. If we as a people are closed minded and set on a particular idea or way, then we will not advance and continue to evolve, but will rather be stuck in a one-sided
Calling something marriage does not make it marriage. Marriage is a legal contract between a man and a woman. It is the institution that establishes kinship and relations in the family. Marriage is mostly recognized by a state, organization, religious authority, local community, or peers. Marriage is for procreation, education, the unity, and well-being of the couple. Some say marriage is for two people who love each other and ready for commitment. Nevertheless, in the bible times, couples were not allowed to choose the one him or her married. Therefore, the person he or she married was not the person him or her loved. Divorce was not an option; the couples had to learn to love the person they married. Stating this, marriage is not all about love and emotions, but the purpose of marriage. Marriage is unique and universal. (Rauch) Marriage of homosexual couples would not provide the same benefits of a heterosexual couple. Homosexual are not allowed to produce children. They must have vitro-fertilization or surrogacy. Same-sex couples should not be allowed to marry, because marriage is for a man and a woman, all religion is against gay marriages, and gay marriages are the slippery slope for other marriages. (Ferguson)
”No one is ever born into Life alone. Everyone has shared the bond of family, at least at birth, and for many people it is a bond that will follow them throughout life. For many people it is the most important bond of all.”
Marriage has evolved over time. Once, far back in history, when states were run in close cooperation with religious leaders, a marriage was strictly the dominion of the church, and the only definition was much like the one above (though they were more lax in avoiding incest than I would suspect Schulman’s proposed structure would be). In the eyes, there had to be a system where sex would be legitimized, while women and children were protected from it and its consequences. This made sense when repeated sex acts would almost definitely cause pregnancy, and possibly spread disease. As religion and government split into different organizations, each retained a definition of marriage that was a bit different from the other. Since religion held sway over what was considered pure and good, it took it upon itself to retain the parts of the old structure that dealt with the morality and social responsibility of marriage, and this is generally considered to be a social structure of marriage. And now, the social form of marriage is migrating into being controlled by the couple who are being married instead of their church. The government, on the other hand, became able to define who would be able to marry and place official benefits and restrictions on a married couple, creating a legal structure of marriage that was not the same as the social one. While
Marriage is the socially recognized union of two or more people. Selecting a marriage partner is very much a culturally defined process. The rules governing selection vary widely from society to society and are more often complex. How would you go about selecting a mate? Where would you begin? What criteria would you use? When we look around the world to see how other societies deal with these questions, it is clear that the ways of selecting a mate or a marriage partner has been changed from generation to generation.