教會歷史
家人家庭晚會


「家人家庭晚會」,教會歷史主題(2022)

「家人家庭晚會」,教會歷史主題

家人家庭晚會

1831年11月,約瑟·斯密在一場長老大會中獲得一項啟示,要給錫安的居民一條律法,「教導子女禱告,在主前正直地行走」,並警告他們的子女正在邪惡和貪婪中成長。1之後到19世紀末,許多後期聖徒鼓勵家庭在家中教導和示範福音原則。1877年,百翰·楊在過世前不久說:「假如我們不盡力訓練我們的子女,教導他們有關這些啟示的真理,詛咒就會臨到我們這些作父母的身上,或者至少在某種程度上是如此。」2後期聖徒成立了初級會、主日學和男女青年協進會等各類組織來支持家庭教養子女。3

20世紀初,鹽湖城格蘭奈特支聯會的會長法蘭克·泰來,對許多父母依賴教會組織教導福音原則的現象表示關切,他敦促聖職領袖幫助家庭在福音中養育子女,「使家成為男孩和女孩在全世界最愉快的地方。」41909年,他指派一個委員會擬定一個週期性的支聯會活動計畫,即「聖徒家中的家庭晚會」。5該委員會在一場為父母舉辦的特別會議中提交了這份建議,總會會長約瑟F.·斯密出席了這場會議,並對他們的提議表示贊同。這項計畫建議父母謹記教義和聖約第68篇中的誡命,每週撥出一個晚上,把家人聚集在家中,一起祈禱、唱歌、研讀經文、教導簡單的福音課程、進行以兒童為主的活動及享用點心。該委員會鼓勵父母「勿拘泥於僵化的形式」,也要避免在這樣的晚會上安排其他活動。6

1915年,斯密會長和他的兩位總會會長團諮理觀察到家庭晚會的成功,便指示所有的支聯會會長和主教,每月為家庭安排一次家庭晚會,並建議父母進行與格蘭奈特支聯會計畫相同的活動。7家庭和各組織領袖主要在教會雜誌和用本中傳達家庭晚會的構想,直到1946年,總會會長團和十二使徒定額組發起了一項計畫,「重新推動在約瑟F.·斯密會長領導下開展的這項專案」。8慈助會被指派在各支分會督導這項新命名為「家庭時間」的計畫,並準備提供給父母的輔助資料。9泰福·彭蓀長老大力提倡這項計畫,他稱之為一項「重責大任」和「靈性基礎」。身為使徒的他也在美國聯邦政府擔任內閣部長,1954年,他在「面對面」(Person to Person)的全國電視轉播節目中,與家人一起現場直播了一次家庭晚會。10

1964年,總會會長大衛奧·麥基和海樂·李長老考慮進一步改進以家庭為導向的福音教導。李長老在總會大會上宣布,正在進行的聖職協調統合工作,將透過支聯會聖職領袖指導新的家人家庭晚會計畫。11教會發行了家庭晚會用本,內容包含適用於各年齡層的指示、建議和課程,並在幾年之內就翻譯成17種語言版本。12

對定期舉行家庭晚會的熱忱擴展到後期聖徒以外的家庭。1973年,紐約時報的一篇文章強調,家人家庭晚會計畫促使家人更加團結,這激發了各個教會和組織紛紛探詢更新後的家人家庭晚會用本Family Home Evening Manual)。13那一年,傳教士採用了一套新的課程,即教導家庭的統一系統Uniform System for Teaching Families),這套課程將家人家庭晚會納為新增的傳道舉措。世界各地的傳教士透過民間活動、新聞報導、街頭演講和家庭課程來推動這項計畫。14同年,後期聖徒與維吉尼亞州州長討論家人家庭晚會計畫,州長隨後宣布1974年5月為「家庭合一月」(Family Unity Month)。其他城市和各州也紛紛跟進,美國各地的市長和州長都舉行家庭合一活動,並建議自己的市民舉行家人家庭晚會。15

支聯會議會通常指定每週平日的一天舉行家人家庭晚會,直到1970年,總會會長團和十二使徒定額組鼓勵支聯會、傳道部、支會和分會將星期一的晚上保留給家庭。161994年,豪惠·洪德成為新任總會會長後的一項首要措施,就是指示要在星期一晚上關閉所有的教會建築物和設施,並要求支聯會和支會議會確保避免進行干擾家人家庭晚會的活動。17五年後,戈登·興格萊會長和他的兩位總會會長團諮理重申洪德會長的政策,並敦促教會成員鼓勵他們的社區和學校,避免在星期一晚上安排會讓兒童或父母離家的活動。182018年宣布修訂後的星期日聚會時程表,留出一個小時在家中研讀福音。為了吸納和支持單身成人,教會在總指導手冊和其他資料中將活動名稱改為「家庭晚會」。總會會長團鼓勵「個人和家庭在星期日……舉行家庭晚會並研讀福音」,不過星期一晚上仍舊不召開其他聚會或使用教會建築物。19廣為施行家庭晚會這項傳統,始終是後期聖徒與眾不同的特色,尤其是在傳承宗教傳統方面。一個多世紀以來養成的定期家庭聚會,為後期聖徒提供了一個現代宗教團體中,最有力量的跨世代連結。20

相關主題:初級會女青年組織男青年組織主日學

  1. 教義和聖約68:25-32Joseph Smith, “Revelation, 1 November 1831–A [D&C 68],” in Revelation Book 1, 113–14, josephsmithpapers.org; see also Smith, “Revelation, 1 November 1831–A [D&C 68]: Historical Introduction,” josephsmithpapers.org.

  2. 總會會長的教訓:百翰·楊(1997),第175頁;see also Brigham Young, in Journal of Discourses, 19:92.

  3. 見主題:初級會主日學節約男青年組織女青年組織教會學校福音進修班及研究所

  4. Frank Y. Taylor, in Conference Report, Oct. 1902, 59.

  5. Home Evening: With Suggestive Exercises and Explanations, Also a Sermon on Family Government by Pres. Joseph F. Smith (Salt Lake City: Granite Stake of Zion, 1909), 3.This committee consisted of Edward H. Anderson, Joseph W. Musser, William Bradford, Thomas J. Yates, Joseph S. Tingey, and Jesse T. Badger.

  6. See Home Evening, 5–9, 50.

  7. Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, and Charles W. Penrose, Letter to Presidents of Stakes, Bishops and Parents in Zion, 27 Apr. 1915, in “Editors’ Table: Home Evening,” Improvement Era, vol. 18, no. 8 (June 1915), 733–34.

  8. Rex A. Skidmore, “Do You Need the Family Hour?,” The Improvement Era, vol. 57, no. 9 (Sept. 1954), 626–27, 657–58; Ezra Taft Benson, in Conference Report, Oct. 1947, 27; see also “Announcement,” Improvement Era, vol. 18, no. 12 (Oct. 1915), front matter; Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations Manual for Junior Classes, 1916–1917: The Development of Character (Salt Lake City: General Board of YMMIA, 1916); Syllabus for Stake Institutes in Teacher Training, Social and Recreational Leadership, Charities and Relief Work: Manual for Stake and Ward Social Committees (Salt Lake City: Social Advisory Committee, 1920), 30; Claude Richards, Home Evening Handbook for Use of Parents and Older Children: Adopted as Official Guide by the Highland Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1936); Joseph F. Merrill, “Home Evening,” Improvement Era, vol. 21, no. 3 (Jan. 1918), 203–7; J. C. Hogensen, “The Home Evening,” Improvement Era, vol. 32, no. 7 (May 1929), 567–69.從1956年到1970年之間,導師Instructor)雜誌會週期性地發表各個家庭的家庭晚會活動和議程特稿。

  9. Skidmore, “Do You Need the Family Hour?,” 626–27; Benson, in Conference Report, Oct. 1947, 27.

  10. Benson, in Conference Report, Oct. 1947, 27; Edward R. Murrow’s “Person to Person” Program on CBS Television, 1954 September 24, Ezra Taft Benson File Footage, circa 1984–1994, AV 1797, Church History Library, Salt Lake City.

  11. See Harold B. Lee, in Conference Report, Oct. 1964, 80–87; see Topic: Correlation.

  12. See Lee, in Conference Report, Oct. 1964, 80–87; see Boyd K. Packer, in Conference Report, Oct. 1970, 118–22.

  13. Judy Klemesrud, “Strengthening Family Solidarity with a Home Evening Program,” New York Times, June 4, 1973, 47; see James A. Cullimore, in Conference Report, Oct. 1975, 38–41.

  14. “Family Home Evenings,” in The Uniform System for Teaching Families (Salt Lake City: Corporation of the President, 1973), B1–B13; see also Dennis A. Wright and Janine Gallagher Doot, “Missionary Materials and Methods: A Preliminary Study,” in Reid L. Neilson and Fred E. Woods, Go Ye into All the World: The Growth and Development of Mormon Missionary Work (Provo: Religious Studies Center, 2012), 91–116; Germany Munich Mission Manuscript History and Historical Reports, Feb. 19–July 4, 1972, Church History Library, Salt Lake City; Kenneth Harold Golding, Missionary Journal, 13–27 Dec. 1972, 20–27, https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/135507982; Germany South Mission Family Home Evening Program Scrapbook, 1972, Church History Library, Salt Lake City; Roy Remund, “Strengthen the Home,” Bayanihan [Philippines Manila Mission, LR 6887 20] (July 1973), 7; Australia East Mission News, vol. 4, no. 12 (Oct. 17, 1973), 1, Australia Sydney Mission Records, 1918–1920; 1941–1991, LR 10871 39, Church History Library, Salt Lake City.

  15. See Cullimore, in Conference Report, Oct. 1975, 39–41; “It’s Family Unity Month in Virginia,” Ensign, June 1974, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1974/06/news-of-the-church/its-family-unity-month-in-virginia; Robert A. Walsh, “State Observes Program; Urges Unity in Family,” Church News, May 4, 1974, 15; Whit Wirsing, “Family Unity Is Stressed in Virginia,” Church News, June 8, 1974, 15; “Dateline,” Church News, Oct. 26, 1974, 11; “Dateline,” Church News, Nov. 15, 1975, 11; M. C. O’Bryant, “Golfer Johnny Miller Urges Family Unity,” Church News, Nov. 29, 1975, 7; “Citizens Strive for Family Unity,” Church News, Oct. 30, 1976, 11.

  16. Rex W. Allred, “I Have a Question,” Ensign, Jan. 1987, 52–53.

  17. First Presidency Letter, in “The First Presidency Reaffirms Importance of Family Home Evening,” Church News, Oct. 1, 1994, 7.

  18. First Presidency Letter, Oct. 4, 1999, in Ensign, Mar. 2003, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2003/03/family-home-evening.

  19. First Presidency Letter, Oct. 6, 2018, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/ldsorg/general-conference/16435_267_First-Presidency-Letter.pdf; see also “Church Announces New Balance between Gospel Instruction in the Home and Church,” Newsroom, Oct. 6, 2018, https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-announces-new-balance-between-gospel-instruction-home-church.總指導手冊建議:「家庭晚會可依照成員的情況來彈性調整,可以在安息日或其他日子與時間舉行」;見「家庭晚會和其他活動」,總指導手冊:在耶穌基督後期聖徒教會裡服務,2.2.4,https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/2-supporting-individuals-and-families#title_number10

  20. Vern L. Bengtson, Families and Faith: How Religion Is Passed Down across Generations (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013), 202–3.