Theology of the Family

Our teacher in Relief Society asked today: why would we have a lesson about family between lessons about God the Father and Jesus Christ? Why indeed?

In a recent address*, Julie B. Beck explained the theology of the family:

"In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have a theology of the family. It’s based on the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement... The Creation of the earth was the creation of an earth where a family could live. It was a creation of a man and a woman who were the two essential halves of a family. It was not about a creation of a man and a woman who happened to have a family. It was intentional all along that Adam and Eve form an eternal family. It was part of the plan that these two be sealed and form an eternal family unit. That was the plan of happiness.

"The Fall provided a way for the family to grow. Through the leadership of Eve and Adam, they chose to have a mortal experience. The Fall made it possible for Adam and Eve to have a family, to have sons and daughters. They needed to grow in numbers and grow in experience. The Fall provided that for the family.

"The Atonement allows for the family to be sealed together eternally. It allows for families to have eternal growth and perfection. The plan of happiness and the plan of salvation was a plan created for families. I don’t think very many of the rising generation understand that the main pillars of our theology are centered in the family."

This doctrine puts a new perspective on the fundamental principles of the gospel: since everything was designed to further the work of families, no wonder it's such an important principle to teach, and no wonder we are charged to protect it.

The plan is all about family.

*Seminaries and Institutes of Religion Satellite Broadcast • August 4, 2009