What's Happening to Fathers?

Father's Day is now celebrated by numerous nations on the third Sunday of June. So we may appropriately ask: What changes are occurring in the family role of fathers?

In recent decades Americans have migrated from television programs like "Father Knows Best" and "Leave it to Beaver," in which fathers were greatly respected, to sitcoms where the father is the target of ridicule as a bumbling, incompetent, out-of-touch, dysfunctional member of the modern family.

It has been humorously suggested that the norm of sitcoms goes something like this: Mom is smarter than Dad. The kids are smarter than mom. The dog is smarter than the kids. The cat is smarter than the dog. And the mouse is smarter than the cat. This may provide entertainment and laughs but what kind of toll has loss of fatherhood taken on the family, which is the basic building block of a nation?

What is a father? What does he do? Why is he important to the family? Traditionally, fathers have fulfilled four major roles: progenitor, protector, provider and patriarch.

PROGENITOR

God created us male and female with the instruction to, "Be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
See All...). He designed man and woman to need each other to fulfill this responsibility (1 Corinthians 11:11-23 [11] Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
[12] For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
[13] Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
[14] Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
[15] But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
[16] But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
[17] Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
[18] For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
[19] For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
[20] When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.
[21] For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
[22] What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
[23] For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

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The father begets the child; the mother bears it. However, modern science has made it possible to have children without a father. Sperm banks, and perhaps eventually cloning, threaten to redefine the procreation process. So fathers are no longer needed in this traditional sense.

PROTECTOR

In earlier times it was man (protector of wife and children) against the elements. Men stereotypically have greater strength and stamina than women (1 Peter 3:7Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
See All...). This is by God's design. He equipped the man for his role as family protector.

But modern technology has eliminated or reduced many of the former dangers, making life safer and more comfortable. Protection comes from a wide variety of sources as varied as insurance to air bags or policemen to pepper spray.

What has happened to fathers? Their protection is not needed in the same way as in earlier times. Will we continue to understand and appreciate fathers as protectors?

PROVIDER

The responsibility to work and earn a living to provide for one's family is fundamental to God's way of life (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 [10] For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
[11] For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
[12] Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

See All..., 1 Timothy 5:8But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
See All...). For generations the typical scenario involved the husband/father working to provide a living for his family. The wife/mother kept the household going, which often entails harder and longer hours than does outside employment.

Then someone discovered that if both husband and wife sought employment, the family would have more income. But this became a Frankenstein monster as the two income family became the norm. This meant that mom and dad both had to work to make ends meet, often to the neglect of the children who became known as "latchkey kids."

Since women, in many cases, began working only to supplement the family income, they were willing to work for less money. So now it is often easier for mom to find a job than for dad, with many fathers becoming "house dads" while mom works outside the home to provide for the family out of economic necessity. We are left to wonder, what has happened to fathers?

PATRIARCH

The BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. offers a patriarchal model for families, with the husband and father as the head of the household (1 Corinthians 11:2Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
See All...), assisted by the mother as a competent domestic manager (1 Timothy 5:14I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
See All..., Titus 2:5To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
See All...). A wise father respects, appreciates and honors a mother's wise and competent daily administration of the home (Proverbs 31:10-31 [10] Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
[11] The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
[12] She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
[13] She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
[14] She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
[15] She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
[16] She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
[17] She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
[18] She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
[19] She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
[20] She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
[21] She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
[22] She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
[23] Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
[24] She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
[25] Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
[26] She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
[27] She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
[28] Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
[29] Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
[30] Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
[31] Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

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The family unit forms the basis of God's plan as well as humanity's relationship with Him as our Father. Unfortunately, even this basic family structure is widely challenged and often rejected today. Some children today live with two parents of the same sex.

What kind of impact does all this have on the family? Statistical studies indicate that "children who live absent from their biological fathers, on average, are more likely to be poor, experience educational, health, emotional and psychological problems, be victims of child abuse, and engage in criminal behavior than their peers who live with their married, biological mother and father" (theparentingchat.com).

The crisis of fatherhood is a major factor in the demise of civilizations and happy, stable families. You owe it to yourself and to your family to find out what the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. teaches about how to have a happy, successful family.