The Family, A Christian Perspective on the Contemporary Home

Two respected senior professors in the marriage and family field cover every issue that affects family life, including marriage, parenting, sexuality, communication, social dynamics, and family life in modern society. This proven resource for studying the most established of human institutions has been in print for over twenty years, with over 80,000 copies sold. The fourth edition has been updated to address current family-related issues and refined to reflect teaching practices for the contemporary classroom, including updated references to online resources.

• Contents
• Part 1: Theological and Social Perspectives on Family Life
• 1. A Theological Foundation for Family Relationships: Developing a Theology of the Family
• 2. The Family as a Developing Biosocial System
• Part 2: Marriage: The Foundation of Family Life
• 3. Mate Selection and Cohabitation: Romance and Reality
• 4. Establishing Marriage: Moving Toward Differentiated Unity
• 5. A Model for Biblical Marriage
• Part 3: The Expansion of Family Life: Parenting and Beyond
• 6. Parenting: The Process of Relationship Empowerment
• 7. Developing a Mature, Reciprocating Self
• 8. Family Spirituality: Nurturing Christian Beliefs, Morals, and Values
• 9. Adolescence and Midlife: Challenging Changes
• 10. The Joys and Challenges of Family in Later Life
• Part 4: Gender and Sexuality: Identity in Family Life
• 11. Changing Gender Roles and Relations: The Impact on Family Life
• 12. Becoming an Authentic Sexual Self
• Part 5: Communication: The Heart of Family Life
• 13. Expressing Love--Achieving Intimacy
• 14. Expressing Anger--Negotiating the Inevitable Conflicts
• Part 6: The Social Dynamics of Family Life
• 15. Becoming Powerful through Empowerment
• 16. Through the Stress and Strain of Family Life
• 17. Divorce and Single-Parent Families
• 18. Complex Families in Contemporary Society
• Part 7: Family Life in Postmodern Society
• 19. The Erosion of Biblical Truth in a Modern World
• 20. Creating a Family-Friendly Society
• Index