The Fifth World Congress of Families has upheld the right of religious organisations to offer guidance on the family in the public square.
Christian leaders from more than 50 countries were among the delegates to take part in the Congress in Amsterdam this week.
High on the agenda were abortion, marriage, declining birth rates, childcare vs homecare, education, Internet pornography, and threats to the family, women and children.
In a declaration, delegates affirmed that the natural family rested on the “lifelong marriage of a man to a woman”.
They stressed the importance of social, cultural and legal structures that would “encourage optimal outcomes for children”, particularly family-friendly work arrangements.
“We affirm that the natural family exists prior to the state. Public policies must respect this family autonomy,” stated the declaration.
Delegates went on to make a number of calls, including the passing of laws that would support the natural institution of marriage, discourage divorce and protect the primary right of parents to guide their children’s moral and practical education.
They also stressed the right of religious organisations to speak publicly about their position on marriage and the family.
“We affirm that the future of nations rests on families that are spiritually grounded,” they said.
“Religious organisations should be free to uphold their own moral teachings about marriage and family in the public square.”
