Biblical Family Systems

Systemic thought has been utilized to deconstruct various works of literature and art, such as novels, plays, and even sculptures. Even though the Bible is viewed as a work of faith by many, it also combines aspects of mythology and history with prose and poetry. Using four major theories of family therapy, namely structural, contextual, Bowenian, and narrative, the family of King David, as presented in the first and second Books of Samuel and the beginning of the first Book of Kings, is investigated and explored. Using the King James Version of the Bible as the main text, consideration is given to what each theory has to offer in expalining what occurs throughout this narrative, as well as what the David story has to say about each theory. Confirmation of certain aspects of a given theory and possible refinements to these are also given consideration. Reflexivity on the part of the author is also given consideration in the final chapter.