The Role Of Mothers In Fostering Children’s Spirituality In Fatherless Families: A Review Of The Complementarian View And The Kingdom Of God Perspective

Abstract

The family plays a critical role as the foundational context for a child’s character formation and developmental growth. However, in contemporary society, many families experience a fatherless condition due to the demands and busyness of modern work life. As a result, numerous parents increasingly delegate the responsibility of nurturing their children's spiritual development to professionals, whether in educational or religious settings. This situation raises an important question: to what extent can a mother assume the spiritual leadership role typically associated with the father? This study employs a literature-based approach to examine the potential of mothers to engage in the spiritual formation of their children within fatherless families. The analysis focuses on parental roles through two theological frameworks: Complementarianism and the Kingdom of God Perspective. Complementarianism emphasizes the leadership of men and the submission of women within the family hierarchy. In contrast, the KGP underscores male leadership characterized by loving initiative and sacrificial service toward other members of the body, aiming to foster unity as the cornerstone of the Kingdom. Through a comparative examination of these two frameworks, the study finds that the KGP offers greater flexibility for application in fatherless families. This is due to its emphasis on the pursuit of unity within the family, a responsibility shared by both husband and wife. The study analyzes the roles of fathers and mothers within both theological perspectives and explores their implications for spiritual formation in fatherless households.