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Reviewed by Jeff Needle
9/21/2005 9:03:49 PM
It's hard to believe, but it's been ten years since publication of the "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." Since its release, hundreds of articles, several books and likely thousands of talks have been given on the subject. Some have even speculated that it will one day be canonized as scripture. It has certainly been an important and much discussed statement from the First Presidency.
The current volume is the second in a series from the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. The first volume, "Strengthening our Families" (Deseret Book, 2000), offered evidence that the principles enunciated in the Proclamation were sound and based on good scholarship. "Helping and Healing Our Families" takes it to the next step, giving families advice on how to implement these principles in their daily lives.
The book consists of five major sections:
Section I, "The Creator's Plan for the Eternal Destiny of His Children," discusses the larger issue of what is often called the "Plan of Happiness," the principles that stand behind the Mormon concept of eternal family and identity. From the pre-existence to the eternal nature of the family, it takes the reader through the principles believed by Latter-day Saints.
Section II, "Marriage is Ordained of God," is a widely varied look at the sacred nature of marriage and the many influences that can negatively affect it. Ranging from infidelity, pornography and financial problems to more subtle subjects such as "emotional infidelity," it studies how couples can overcome marital failure and go on to eternal happiness.
Section III, "Parents Have a Sacred Duty," deals with the many challenges faced in raising children. Some fairly complex issues are addressed, such as the suicide of a child, re-marriage for single parents and the problem of unwed pregnancy and options for adoption.
Section IV is titled "The Family is Ordained of God." It focuses on the centrality of family worship and prayer. One article, "Family Worship in Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Homes" (p. 259), looks briefly on family worship practices in three different traditions. I would have liked to see more said about this, but this article, as with the others, was necessarily brief.
Section V, "Maintain and Strengthen the Family," ventures into the area of citizenship and patriotism as tools to build the family. It also looks at the needs of the extended family -- grandparents, etc.
Each section is broken down into chapters and essays. The chapters "incorporate prophetic statements and scholarly research; essays primarily focus on personal experiences of Latter-day Saints." (p. xiii) One hundred twenty five authors contributed to this work, bringing to the book a variety of experiences and life stories.
Chapters and essays are, as the editors state, necessarily short. Indeed, they are terse and clearly written. Essays are somewhat shorter than articles, and add a practical dimension to the teachings in the chapters.
"Helping and Healing Our Families" will grace the home of Latter-day Saint families. Its attractive design will attract questions and comments from visiting friends, perhaps providing an opening for those wishing to share their faith with others. Concern for the family crosses denominational boundaries. As such, it can allow for a positive and pleasant interchange with neighbors who may be curious about your Mormon religion.
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