Focus On The Family

[Grailhunter]

Of course they were very Jewish. It would have been hard to let go of that long tradition that was up until that time the only tradition. But if your talking about James the Just, the brother of Jesus. Then yes at first he did not believe. But he did agree to allow the gentiles and went on to become a believer and in fact was martryed for his belief in the resurrected Christ.

Well, I am not saying anything bad about James either. Most scholars believe he was the leader of the twelve and was faithful.
And you are right about the Jews, old habits die hard. I believe I see in Paul's writings where he struggled with his Jewish heritage.

 

[Grailhunter]

Early Christian writings clearly teach that churches should care for orphans and widows, and that this care belongs at the heart of Christian life. Ignatius, Hermas, Justin Martyr, Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian, Lactantius, and the Apostolic Constitutions all connect true faith with active support, protection, and fair treatment for widows and fatherless children.

The teaching is broad and repeated across the 1st to 3rd centuries, and it also appears in Bible passages such as James 1:27, 1 Timothy 5, and the Old Testament commands to defend the fatherless and widows.

It is true that the support of widows was the charity of the day, but that does not equate to general focus on the family.

 

[Grailhunter]

But in modern times this has all changed. I think there is a movement in the church to undermine the family and lose focus of the true spirit of the church in being an alternative community from the world. Its more about being relevant to secular culture and aligning with their ideas about what is marriage and family to appear all inclusive.

I cannot vouch for Australia, but that is not the way it is here.

 

[Grailhunter]

From memory the CC and I think Orthodox are the only ones that maintain the institution of Gods marriage. Which is think is the basis for the family.

institution of God's marriage?
Like I said the focus on the family exists in nearly all Christian churches in the US and as of 80's in Europe to.

 

[Grailhunter]

But they are more involved in helping the needy and minorities more than I think the CC with all their money and possesions. Really if we go by what the early church taught then Christians should be selling what they don't need and giving to help others. Creating their own communities and supporting marriages and families and the needy. Even sarificing their own comforts for others.

The Protestant have missionaries, the Catholic Church has assigned groups Franciscan monks and Dominican monks and groups made up of nuns....ever heard of Mother Teresa?
And charity is the way of Christianity.