The Household of God

Families and Belonging in the Social World of the New Testament, 2022 Sperry Symposium

by Lincoln H. Blumell

The related themes of households and families figure prominently in the New Testament. On occasion Jesus taught about marriage, divorce, and more general familial relations. Paul, Peter, and James likewise preached about families, extended families, figurative families, husbands and wives, parents and children. The scriptures also teach about the important contributions single members and widows make in the kingdom and about such complexities as mixed-faith marriages. Thus, the New Testament contains much counsel for household conduct, familial relationships and belonging to "the household of God" (Ephesians 2:19).