Importance of Fathers

Edgar Rice Burroughs is best known for his Tarzan series, but he also wrote a series called Pellucidar about journeying to the center of the Earth. In this inner world, the dominant race is the pterodactyl (or something like it), except that these are intelligent creatures whose science has discovered how to impregnate females without the need for males. Thus, males became obsolete. Fiction? Sure. Maybe. But back in June, 2008, Britain's Daily Mail reported, "Fathers were last night effectively declared an irrelevance in modern Britain." That's right. The House of Commons decided that IVF babies could do without a male role model.And back in 2007 a report suggested that science was working toward making men obsolete by finding other means of impregnating women. Maybe Burroughs was just ahead of his time?

In the afterglow of Father's Day, I'd like to consider fathers. Just how important are they? Is Britain right? Are fathers unnecessary? Let's look at the questions.

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, "Fathers are far more than just 'second adults' in the home. Involved fathers bring positive benefits to their children that no other person is as likely to bring." What kinds of benefits? By treating their wives with love and honor (you know, like the Bible says), they model proper marital relations for their children. (Interestingly and perhaps quite obviously, fathers who are married to the mothers are more likely to be good fathers than fathers who are not married, even if they are cohabiting.) Indeed, good fathers tend to produce sons who are less likely to abuse or show aggression toward women and daughters of good fathers learn how to relate in more positive ways with males. Children with good fathers tend to have better cognitive capacities, do better in school, have better verbal skills, and generally better educational outcomes. Children with good fathers tend to be better adjusted psychologically and socially. Interestingly, a good father with low income does not diminish these positives. In other words, modern science suggests that fathers are good for children, not unnecessary or obsolete, and it's not merely because they are sperm donors.

Of course, since I tend to try to conform my view of reality to the biblical view, we need to look there. Biblically, the father is the foremost parent. We know this beginning with the concept of God, the Father. God offers many motherly characteristics with His love and nurturing. Jesus described Him as a mother hen seeking to gather Jerusalem under her wings. But the predominant view is God as Father. Adam was the first one made and the one held responsible for sin. Fathers are commanded to instruct their children. Paul writes, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Eph 6:1). Biblically, no one can take the place of a father in the life of a child.

Scripture, then, sees fathers as the key parent in the lives of children. They are responsible for providing for and training their children. Sociologists concur that fathers provide many indispensable positive effects for children. Psychologists concur. The children with the best likelihood for a good outcome are children with good fathers married to the mothers. Science and Scripture agree. So now we just need society to quit messing around with this nonsensical, radical-feminist, anti-male stuff and get on board with reality. Oh, and it wouldn't hurt if more fathers would step up to their God-given responsibility as well.