Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 69 No. 2-3, 1999.
Review article
(Lack of) Success of Christian Family Upbringing
Jure Bosančić
Abstract
Upbringing in modern Christian families is a complicated process that demands a consistent and conscious approach from parents. The goal of this upbringing is religious maturity. Revelations show what religious maturity consists of and the Declaration of Christian Education (GE) from the II. Vatican's council explains the purpose and discusses the prerequisites of successful upbringing. Parents as primary caregivers must be familiar with these goals, contents and methods of upbringing. It is the parents' responsibility to create an atmosphere that is favourable to the human and religious maturation of children and young people. In this, their example (model) of the believer's life is irreplaceable.
From two surveys conducted among scholars, we can interpret a lack of success in religious education. Only 1/3 of pupils who claim to be believers have sufficient knowledge about religion and religious attitudes. Only 27% of high-school graduates, boys and girls, from the survey of last autumn speak with their parents about their intimate issues, religious and moral problems. The rest speak about these rarely or never. We can draw the conclusion that this deficit of qualitative contact between parents and their youngsters is the biggest reason for unsuccessful education in religious maturity. We can also conclude that the majority of parents who want the best for their children do not offer a good example of religious living, and as a result qualified conveyors of religion are not very successful. This situation presents the Church with a new task, i.e. a new pastoral plan and program for parents. They need more active assistance to become good believers and good educators of their children. Former models of work are not sufficient. This new pastoral must take place within parish communities in order to include a greater number of parents. The leaders of the community can find good and necessary assistants in parents who are mature believers and successful educators.
Keywords
education; maturity; parents; parish; pastoral
Hrčak ID:
31500
URI
Publication date:
22.12.1999.
Visits: 2.295 *