Re: Families

PMJAQUA@am.pnu.com
Thu, 1 Aug 1996 09:12:17 -0400

Steve Schaffner writes:
>In point of fact, the English word "family" has changed substantially
>in meaning during its history. It originally referred to the set of
>servants or retainers attached to a household; only later did it
>develop its meaning (now primary) of a group of people closely
>related by blood or marriage.

That's really very interesting. I did not know that the meaning of
the word "family" had undergone such a transformation. There must have
been a word back then matching the definition I gave. Do you know what
that word was?

>I can see a plausible argument (given certain assumptions) from the Bible
>that God ordained the institution of marriage. I can't think of any
>argument that would show that God has ordained any particular grouping
>as the only valid kind of family.

You make a very good point here. I cannot find any particular
Biblical passage(s) that define "family". The concept of family though is
found throughout the Bible and, in context, matches the definitions I gave.
Perhaps the Lord figured that the knowledge of what constitutes a family is
intrinsically obvious and therefore didn't need to be defined.

Mike Jaqua
7245 Balfour Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49024 <------------[Note change in zip code.]
(616) 327-6570
pmjaqua@pwinet.upj.com
pmjaqua@am.pnu.com <---(New e-mail address. Old one still works. This new
one may change again in the next few months.
Eventually it will replace the old address.)

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ALAN KEYES FOR PRESIDENT !!!!!!
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