가족생활주기와 가족생활교육의 기독교교육적 적용에 관한 연구

Abstract

Just as an individual can be described in terms of his or her own stage in the human life cycle, it is possible to describe stages that occur throughout the life of a family unit. Such a conceptualization, known as family life cycle, can be useful in assessing a family’s functioning and better understand the family’s strengths and problems. Moreover, family life education, designed to meet the needs of the family throughout the family life cycle, provide families with educational opportunities to enhance family functioning, strengthen family relationships, and prevent family breakdowns. Today’s families go through high divorce rate, family break-ups, distorted sexual values, family violence, etc. There is no exception for Christian families. The understanding of family life based on the family life cycle and an approach to help families stay healthy through family life education can be applied for education in the church. The church, called to teach, is responsible not only to teach believers the Word of God, but also to teach them how God’s word lives in their lives. The church needs to be more sensitive to the needs of families and to provide more various educational opportunities for families to develop potential, skills and attitude to solve and prevent family problems to come. The main goal of this study is to examine why and how the church can help families. In this study, family life cycle and family life education are suggested as the frame for pastors and Christian educators to understand family life in a broad way and a means to educate families. Also, this study suggests that the church is responsible for educating families to play a role properly as the primary context of Christian education.