There are a number of divergent religions in which family is central-Christianity, Judaism, the Chinese religions, and Hinduism being some of the main ones. According to Pargament, "The sacredness of the family is central to major religious traditions, and Zimmerman contends that being religious is essential to being a good family member-a husband, wife, parent, child, or relative.[i] Christianity and Judaism view the bonds among family members as a reflection of the covenant between Christ and the Church or between God and Israel, respectively.[ii] Chinese religions also emphasize the centrality of family. Fowler and Fowler indicate that in China, each family has an altar, and burning candles and lighting incense at that altar are regarded as "central acts of worship."[iii] Chinese deities are thought to provide the family with welfare and blessings, and it is also believed that the family provides care to the deity.[iv] Confucianism regards piety toward parents as "a cardinal virtue."[v] In Hinduism, adherents believe that they can enhance dharma-divine righteousness and morality-by fulfilling their family obligations.[vi] Thus, the human family is in a sense patterned after the divine family headed by God as the patriarch. In other religions, such as Hinduism, it is an individual's actual parents that are regarded as deities. The second-century Tamil poet, Auvaiyar, stated, "Your Mother and Father are deities perceptible to your eyes."[vii]
In some religions, such as Christianity and Judaism, the concept of family is aligned with the particular deity involved. God, or Jehovah, for example, is accepted as a heavenly Father, with His followers on earth being regarded as His children. Thus, followers of these religions are encouraged to regard God as their Father and their fellow believers as members of their family in God. In Matthew 18, moreover, Jesus tells several
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