The Family Proclamation, officially titled “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” stands as a cornerstone document outlining principles regarding marriage, family, and the roles within it. Originally issued in 1995 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its teachings resonate with timeless truths about the divine nature of family relationships. This document provides a framework for understanding God’s plan for His children and the central role family plays in that plan.
The Divine Blueprint: Creation, Purpose, and Destiny
At its heart, the Family Proclamation declares fundamental truths about human existence and our relationship with God. It emphasizes that all individuals are created in God’s image, both male and female, and are spirit children of heavenly parents. This divine heritage imbues each person with a divine nature and destiny. Gender, as the Proclamation states, is an essential aspect of our eternal identity, existing across premortal, mortal, and eternal realms.
In the premortal existence, we knew God as our Eternal Father and embraced His plan for our progression. This plan included gaining a physical body and experiencing earthly life to move towards perfection and ultimately achieve our divine potential as heirs to eternal life. The divine plan of happiness is intrinsically linked to family relationships, designed to extend beyond mortality. Sacred ordinances and covenants, performed in holy temples, are essential for individuals to return to God’s presence and for families to be eternally united.
The Sacred Responsibilities of Parenthood and the Sanctity of Life
The first commandment given to Adam and Eve related to their potential for parenthood within the marriage covenant. The Family Proclamation reaffirms God’s commandment to multiply and replenish the earth, emphasizing its continued relevance. It further clarifies that the sacred power of procreation is divinely intended to be exercised exclusively between a man and a woman, lawfully married as husband and wife.
The Proclamation unequivocally states that mortal life is created through divinely appointed means and affirms the sanctity of life itself within God’s eternal plan. This reverence for life underscores the profound responsibility entrusted to parents.
Roles and Responsibilities within the Family Unit
Husbands and wives bear a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and their children. Children are described as “an heritage of the Lord,” highlighting their precious and divine nature. Parents are entrusted with the sacred duty to raise their children in love and righteousness, attending to both their physical and spiritual needs. This includes teaching children to love and serve one another, to obey God’s commandments, and to be responsible citizens in their communities. Both husbands and wives, as mothers and fathers, are accountable before God for fulfilling these responsibilities.
The Family Proclamation asserts that the family is ordained of God and that marriage between a man and a woman is fundamental to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to be born within the bonds of matrimony and to be raised by a mother and a father who are completely faithful to their marital vows. Happiness in family life is most likely to flourish when rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are built and sustained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and healthy recreational activities.
By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness, bearing the responsibility to provide for their families’ necessities and protection. Mothers are primarily responsible for nurturing their children. In these sacred roles, fathers and mothers are to support each other as equal partners. The Proclamation acknowledges that circumstances such as disability or death may necessitate individual adjustments, and extended family should offer support when needed.
Warnings and Call to Action
The Family Proclamation issues serious warnings regarding the violation of chastity covenants, abuse towards spouses or children, or the neglect of family responsibilities, stating that individuals will be held accountable before God for such actions. Furthermore, it warns that the breakdown of the family unit will bring about calamities upon individuals, communities, and nations, as foretold by both ancient and modern prophets.
Finally, the Proclamation serves as a call to action for responsible citizens and government officials worldwide to actively promote measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society. This enduring declaration provides divine guidance for navigating the complexities of modern life and emphasizes the eternal significance of the family in God’s plan.
