The Theological Construction of the Family in the Revealed Scriptures

This study examines the normative structure of the family in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Qur’ān through content analysis within the framework of a qualitative research paradigm. Each scripture is analyzed within its own doctrinal framework, strictly based on its canonical passages and textual formulations. Secular legal codes, classical exegetical traditions and secondary literature are intentionally excluded from the scope. Within this framework, the thematic constructs shaping the scriptural discourse on the family are analyzed, and the distinctive semantic structure of each text is evaluated together with the normative patterns it embodies. The inquiry is situated within a multilayered context that ranges from the theological foundation rooted in creation narratives to moral obligations, marital and parental relationships, inheritance, gender roles, justice, and portrayals of divine fidelity. The findings indicate that the concept of the family in each scripture is constructed through a theological architecture unique to its own revelatory framework. In the Hebrew Bible, the family is depicted as a structure defined by patriarchal hierarchy, sustaining public continuity through collective covenantal loyalty. In the New Testament, the family is shaped as a spiritual community grounded in the principle of faith-based kinship. In the Qur’ān, the family is conceptualized as the theological corollary of creation, the domain of juridical justice, and the locus where moral responsibility is tested. The study aims to offer a theoretical contribution to the literature on religious education by analyzing the formative role of sacred texts in constructing educational, moral and theological norms. In this context, the family is understood not merely as a sociological unit but as a theologically mediated site of value transmission, a moral responsibility domain, and a socio-theological reflection of divine order. Consequently, the research reveals that in the Abrahamic scriptures, the institution of the family is pedagogically structured as a field where moral responsibility is cultivated and social identity is formed. In this respect, the study offers a holistic and conceptually grounded reference for scholars working in the fields of religious education, normative theology, family sociology and scriptural hermeneutics.