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The Battle for the Biblical Family
Definitions of gender, marriage, and family are evolving almost daily. Surveys of younger generations show much greater acceptance of unbiblical norms. Part of the problem is that relatively few people know and understand what the Bible says, from cover to cover, about these foundational aspects of society. Read what the Bible has to say about the family from this biblical counseling expert.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 16, 2020
In The Battle for the Biblical Family, Pastor George Scipione has developed a theology of the family (or household) in a similar vein to the writings of Jay E. Adams, who furnished this volume with a foreword. Though this book is a product of extensive study and research, it includes a host of useful anecdotes which Scipione has drawn from his own experience as both a pastor and a biblical counselor. As Scipione has argued in the book’s opening section, the family is worth discussing because it not only reflects the reality and nature of God (7-15), but the family definitively shapes all other dimensions and institutions of human society. Specifically, Scipione has highlighted the family’s influence on individual development (18-19), society’s economic-cultural environment (20-21), the church (21-22), and the state (23-26). Lose the family, and each of these planes of human experience will crumble into oblivion (88). Scipione has written poignantly, “Also, the family has original and primary jurisdiction and should be protected before any other institution” (41). Concern for the family is concern well-founded.
At certain points, Scipione has contrasted Western cultural mores to Eastern cultural mores as they relate to the family. At many points, Scipione has exposited pertinent passages of Scripture to build a theology of the household. In the last two sections of the main body of the book, Scipione has identified the Christian family’s “battlefield” and has put forward a “battle plan” for pursuing revival and reformation in the church and broader culture. All of this material flows out of Scipione’s two presuppositions when thinking through a theology of the family: that the gospel is nothing of which to be ashamed (xvi), and that we need the Bible (xvii).
One of the more interesting ideas that Scipione has developed in Battle is his definition of marriage. In the first chapter, he has defined it to be simply “a male-female unit serving God” (6). This relationship both sufficiently constitutes a family unit and is the critically important foundation of more complex expressions of the family. Later in the book, Scipione’s definition fleshes out in order to highlight comprehensively the reality that “marriage is a covenant of companionship between equals that results in unity for the purpose of dominion under God” (45). This is a well-balanced definition that involves both equality and order (under God). This definition likewise highlights both the relational mechanism (covenant of companionship) and the proper aims of the marriage bond (unity for the purpose of dominion). This is a useful definition that could (and should) be applied in counseling, teaching, and preaching contexts for the good of Christians living in a day and age when there is much too much confusion surrounding the very meaning of marriage.
As I think about my own marriage, I found Scipione’s discussion of holy habits for conflict resolution to be particularly helpful. After laying out three toxic takes on conflict resolution (winning, ignoring, and yielding), Scipione advocated for a better way: creative compromise (56). This way of conflict resolution keeps the sights on the appropriate target: sin, and especially one’s own sin that strikes at the unity of the marriage relationship. The five rules for addressing problems are defeating the problem (and not the other person), defining biblically the problem as it actually is, detecting the biblical solution(s), delineating action steps to achieve the solution(s), and demanding a commitment – in covenant with one another – to reform according to God’s Word. This process of conflict resolution serves to glorify God in both the family and in the broader society. Keeping with the principle outlined in the beginning of the book – namely, that the family is the make-or-break institution of all human civilization – Scipione has illustrated the role of the marriage relationship in exercising cooperative dominion in every sphere of human existence and endeavor (58-59). This theme of the family’s importance for social cohesion and development appropriately permeates the entire book. For example, in speaking about the importance of selecting a spouse ‘in the Lord,’ Scipione has written, “Marriage is not primarily an individual choice: the choice of a partner influences the family, the church, and the state, as well as the individual” (74). Reminders like this one are extremely important in our atomistic, individualistic, hyper-sexualized, and grossly romanticized age.
This book is undeniably full of reminders. To a certain degree, the book is redundant in many places. Though such redundancy is something of a stylistic faux pas, it is not necessarily a handicap. The unity of the book serves Dr. Scipione’s purpose of equipping Christian families to resist the constant bombardment of anti-Christian values coming from the surrounding culture. Dr. Scipione prepared this book to be a reference resource, but reading it through cover-to-cover is certainly doable. Though Battle is far from a masterpiece of theological literature, it is an invaluable help to the Christian counselor and pastor. I will be frequent in my use of it, and I suspect that I will always be appreciative – even where my own pastoral practice differs from or modifies what Dr. Scipione has laid out.
At certain points, Scipione has contrasted Western cultural mores to Eastern cultural mores as they relate to the family. At many points, Scipione has exposited pertinent passages of Scripture to build a theology of the household. In the last two sections of the main body of the book, Scipione has identified the Christian family’s “battlefield” and has put forward a “battle plan” for pursuing revival and reformation in the church and broader culture. All of this material flows out of Scipione’s two presuppositions when thinking through a theology of the family: that the gospel is nothing of which to be ashamed (xvi), and that we need the Bible (xvii).
One of the more interesting ideas that Scipione has developed in Battle is his definition of marriage. In the first chapter, he has defined it to be simply “a male-female unit serving God” (6). This relationship both sufficiently constitutes a family unit and is the critically important foundation of more complex expressions of the family. Later in the book, Scipione’s definition fleshes out in order to highlight comprehensively the reality that “marriage is a covenant of companionship between equals that results in unity for the purpose of dominion under God” (45). This is a well-balanced definition that involves both equality and order (under God). This definition likewise highlights both the relational mechanism (covenant of companionship) and the proper aims of the marriage bond (unity for the purpose of dominion). This is a useful definition that could (and should) be applied in counseling, teaching, and preaching contexts for the good of Christians living in a day and age when there is much too much confusion surrounding the very meaning of marriage.
As I think about my own marriage, I found Scipione’s discussion of holy habits for conflict resolution to be particularly helpful. After laying out three toxic takes on conflict resolution (winning, ignoring, and yielding), Scipione advocated for a better way: creative compromise (56). This way of conflict resolution keeps the sights on the appropriate target: sin, and especially one’s own sin that strikes at the unity of the marriage relationship. The five rules for addressing problems are defeating the problem (and not the other person), defining biblically the problem as it actually is, detecting the biblical solution(s), delineating action steps to achieve the solution(s), and demanding a commitment – in covenant with one another – to reform according to God’s Word. This process of conflict resolution serves to glorify God in both the family and in the broader society. Keeping with the principle outlined in the beginning of the book – namely, that the family is the make-or-break institution of all human civilization – Scipione has illustrated the role of the marriage relationship in exercising cooperative dominion in every sphere of human existence and endeavor (58-59). This theme of the family’s importance for social cohesion and development appropriately permeates the entire book. For example, in speaking about the importance of selecting a spouse ‘in the Lord,’ Scipione has written, “Marriage is not primarily an individual choice: the choice of a partner influences the family, the church, and the state, as well as the individual” (74). Reminders like this one are extremely important in our atomistic, individualistic, hyper-sexualized, and grossly romanticized age.
This book is undeniably full of reminders. To a certain degree, the book is redundant in many places. Though such redundancy is something of a stylistic faux pas, it is not necessarily a handicap. The unity of the book serves Dr. Scipione’s purpose of equipping Christian families to resist the constant bombardment of anti-Christian values coming from the surrounding culture. Dr. Scipione prepared this book to be a reference resource, but reading it through cover-to-cover is certainly doable. Though Battle is far from a masterpiece of theological literature, it is an invaluable help to the Christian counselor and pastor. I will be frequent in my use of it, and I suspect that I will always be appreciative – even where my own pastoral practice differs from or modifies what Dr. Scipione has laid out.
October 25, 2019
Excellent and sorely needed
As we witness the collapse of the republic, and the weaponizing of the pagan family by the state, this book takes on fresh and vital importance. It contains a unique perspective on the role Godly family should play in a properly functioning society. A must read.
As we witness the collapse of the republic, and the weaponizing of the pagan family by the state, this book takes on fresh and vital importance. It contains a unique perspective on the role Godly family should play in a properly functioning society. A must read.
June 6, 2020
Very important book!
August 11, 2021
A good, solid read for a theology of the family, current issues that threaten to destroy or seeks to supplant the nuclear family, and non-Christian attempts at subverting the familial structure God created. It's a shorter book, the appendixes are about as long as the actual book, but it is helpful for a brief overview of how the battle for the family is going. With organizations whose goals are the destruction of the nuclear family so prevalent in western society, this is a timely book for Christians to read.
It's not a classic piece of Christian literature nor is it the most thorough, and Scipione has a few theological quirks that not all Reformed Christians will agree with, but it is solid. The writing style is a bit bland. It's not the most readable work on practical theology. However, Christian families would benefit from the wisdom Scipione has to offer. The examples are pretty good that he uses throughout the work too. I'd recommend it to a father in the church or familial units who are wanting a quick theological take on the Christian family or the culture wars that are tugging at the seams of familial structure from traditional Judeo-Christian understanding.
It's not a classic piece of Christian literature nor is it the most thorough, and Scipione has a few theological quirks that not all Reformed Christians will agree with, but it is solid. The writing style is a bit bland. It's not the most readable work on practical theology. However, Christian families would benefit from the wisdom Scipione has to offer. The examples are pretty good that he uses throughout the work too. I'd recommend it to a father in the church or familial units who are wanting a quick theological take on the Christian family or the culture wars that are tugging at the seams of familial structure from traditional Judeo-Christian understanding.
December 9, 2021
Indeed, the book helps the readers to understand why we need to battle for the Biblical Family in the age of anti-family values both within Christian churches and outside the church. The author has carefully written what the Biblical family looks like and how we need to wage war against principalities and dark powers which attempt to destroy the Christian family. I heartily recommend this book to pastors and Christian parents. The best book I have ever read!!
December 8, 2021
Excellent book. The book stays true to its title. Indeed, it is a good guide to help a Christian family to battle for Biblical family life in the age of individualism. I recommend this book to pastors and parents.
January 11, 2026
I felt it was a great breakdown of the importance of defending the biblical family in an ever growing world that pushes against the standards of the biblical family. Scipione articulated his perspective with concise thorough arguments based in God's word.
December 12, 2022
A solid work of trying to organize a theology for families. Scholary at times, specially the appendixes.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews