All My Children

The runner who times himself or tries to increase his distance and speed, while consciously exercising for his health, is subconsciously trying to prove himself to himself, and unconsciously trying to prove his worthiness to his parents or whoever has taken their place in his unconscious. With good reason the first great athletic competitions were religious festivals, or were intrinsically connected with them. Continue Reading »

Depending on what being Jewish means to you, your guidance to your child can be as specific as you prefer. Ultimately, what you’ll probably do is assess your child’s needs and determine how Jewishness fits into that picture. I want to supplement your ideas with a few suggestions that have occurred to me in speaking with Jewish parents. Continue Reading »

Like other Protestant denominations, Presbyterianism sees the Bible as the ultimate source of authority, guidance, and inspiration. Presbyterianism teaches that God employs chosen men to reveal divine intentions, but no man should intercede between God and the individual. In contrast to Catholics, Presbyterians offer their confessions directly to God rather than to a minister.

The Presbyterian religion has few symbols or ornate icons. In fact, most Presbyterian churches display only an empty cross. Presbyterians believe that Christ’s Resurrection, not his Crucifixion, should be the center of mankind’s attention. I would recommend that you mention this to your child and then inquire: “What do you think about when you see the cross in church?” Continue Reading »

What Does It Mean to Be a Protestant?

If you’re Protestant you are probably well aware of a religious tradition that includes the earliest settlers of our country, and you may have passed that on to your child.

Awareness of Protestant history can help a child better understand the common qualities Protestant denominations share.

Perhaps with the aid of a story or picture book, explain to your child that Protestantism is the name for several religious groups which were formed during the Great Reformation of the early sixteenth century. Continue Reading »

What Is an Unaffiliated Believer?

Some families and individuals march to the tune of a different spiritual drummer. While these individuals may have been raised in the major traditions just described, they have decided that formal religion is just not for them. Or alternatively, they have grown up in families which were unaffiliated to begin with. Nonetheless, these individuals come together as couples and continue to pursue an earnest, noninstitutionalized belief in God. If that description fits you and your spouse, then how have you decided to teach your child about God? Continue Reading »

You might tell your child that although your beliefs are different, you still love each other and, of course, your child. If God is love, then that will overcome things that confuse us or make us disagree. Your joint openness and respect for each other will undoubtedly serve as a great comfort to your child.

In contrast, some interfaith parents wish to avoid these embroiled difficulties. They may believe that the best thing to do is to bring up a child without the heavy blanket of religion at all. They may feel that religion is either a burden or just something that will cause difficulty. But their spiritual path—and their children’s—is usually not so clear. Continue Reading »

If you have an interfaith marriage, what religion should you offer to your child? You have several weighty choices, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

You can choose one religion or the other, from the husband’s or the wife’s background, and make that the religion of your new family. For example, a committed Catholic father and a nominal Protestant mother might elect to bring up their child as a Catholic. The main advantage of this child-rearing strategy is that the child is raised in a single religious environment, as most youngsters are. Whether they are sent to religious school or not, children have a better chance to embrace religion if they concentrate on one coherent set of beliefs and practices. For the parent whose religion is not observed, the fundamental task is to keep an eye out for any possible resentment or guilt. Each parent must be entirely comfortable with the family’s choice of religion. Continue Reading »

Communicating with a child about your religion and background is seldom clear and uncomplicated, but sometimes it is especially challenging. This is often true for interfaith couples. They live in a world of difficult decisions, especially once children come along, and compromise about religion may be their way of life. This situation is increasingly common in America among Protestants, Catholics, Jews, and many others as more people choose marital partners without regard to religious background. Continue Reading »

The issues of religious choice and different concepts of God can be a major foundation upon which you build the structure of your family. Without clear and wise mutual decisions in those areas, however, it will be extremely difficult to raise your family without tension. But these decisions, important as they are, also require sound considerations in a number of practical ways. An interfaith family must deal with church or synagogue membership, religious school attendance, and the recognition of religious holidays and rituals. Continue Reading »

The special circumstances of the interfaith family make consideration of religious ideas and practices a particularly complex issue. Growing up with parents of different religious backgrounds, or perhaps with parents who still have divergent views, a child must also deal with a variety of situations that can be obstructive or perplexing. For example, the child must be prepared to deal with the attitudes and responses of family, friends, and neighbors toward him or her. It is the duty of good parents to provide that preparation. Parents must discuss with their children how to react to questions and comments about their mixed religious heritage. Continue Reading »