Sister Wives: Religious Foundations and Practices

Understand the religious background of sister wives

The women feature in the TLC reality show” sister wives” practice a faith that stem from Mormon fundamentalism, specifically a sect call the apostolic united brethren (pub). Unlike mainstream Mormonism, which abandon polygamy in 1890, these fundamentalist groups continue to practice plural marriage as a religious principle.

Kody brown and his wives — mere, Janelle, Christine (who leave the family in 2021 ) and roRobyn have been open about their religious convictions throughout the show’s run. Their faith serve as the foundation for their polygamous lifestyle, which they refer to as “” ural marriage ” ” te than polygamy.

The religious denomination of the sister wives

The brown family identifies with a fundamentalist Mormon offshoot quite than the mainstream church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints (lLDSchurch ) Specifically, ththey haveonnections to the apostolic united brethren, sometimes call the allied group, name after its founder run alallied

The pub differ from the LDS church in several key ways:

  • They continue to practice plural marriage (polygamy )
  • They believe in the original teachings of Joseph Smith and Brigham young
  • They maintain that the LDS church deviate from true doctrine when it abandons polygamy
  • They follow additional revelations not accept by mainstream Mormonism

While the brown family maintain ties to these beliefs, they’ve likewise developed their own interpretation of the faith, sometimes distance themselves from stricpubub doctrine.

Theological basis for plural marriage

The religious justification for plural marriage in the brown family’s faith trace support to early Mormon teachings. They believe in a concept call” celestial marriage, ” hich hold that marriages perform under proper priesthood authority are bind beyond death and into eternity.

Accord to their interpretation of scripture, peculiarly section 132 of the doctrine and covenants (a mMormonreligious text ) plural marriage is not merely permit but encourage for spiritual advancement. The browns believe that through plural marriage, they can achieve a higher level of glory in the afterlife.

Central to this belief is the concept that a righteous man should bring multiple wives and many children into the afterlife, create an eternal family unit. This theological understanding serve as the primary motivation for their lifestyle choice.

Daily religious practices in the brown household

Religion permeate daily life for the brown family, though the show doesn’t invariably highlight these aspects. Their faith manifests in several regular practices:

Prayer and scripture study

Family prayer occur regularly, oftentimes at mealtimes and during family gatherings. Scripture study, include the bible, the Book of Mormon, and other texts specific to their faith tradition, form part of their routine. The parents have emphasized teach these practices to their children from an early age.

Modest dress and behavior

The family adhere to modesty standards influence by their religious beliefs. While less strict than some fundamentalist groups, they broadly avoid reveal clothing and emphasize modest behavior in line with their faith principles.

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Source: forward.com

Family home evening

Follow a practice common in Mormon households, the browns observe” family home evening, ” ypically on moMondayights. This dedicated family time inincludeseligious instruction, activities, and bonding experiences intend to strengthen family unity and faith.

Religious holidays and observances

The brown family celebrate many traditional Christian holidays with their own religious emphasis. Christmas and Easter focus on their religious significance instead than secular traditions. They may besides observe dates significant to Mormon history, though these celebrations are less conspicuously feature on the show.

Unlike some stricter fundamentalist groups, the browns participate in mainstream American holiday traditions while incorporate their religious values. This balanced approach reflect their desire to maintain their faith while integrate with broader society.

Evolution of religious views

Throughout the series, viewers have witnessed an evolution in how the brown family approach and discuss their faith. In early seasons, they emphasize the religious foundations of their lifestyle choices. As the show progress, some family members begin express more nuanced or individualized interpretations of their faith.

This evolution reflects broader tensions within fundamentalistMormonn communities, where younger generations oftentimes question or reinterpret traditional teachings. Some of the brown children havechosene not to practice plural marriage themselves, demonstrate the family’s acceptance of individual religious choice despite their own commitments.

Change church affiliations

While maintain core beliefs about plural marriage, the brown family has at times distance themselves from formal affiliation with the pub. This reflects both personal theological development and practical considerations relate to their public profile.

Some family members have express interest in build their own church community base on their interpretation of fundamentalist Mormon principles. This desire for religious autonomy demonstrate how their faith continue to evolve while maintain certain core convictions.

Comparison to mainstream Mormonism

The religious practices of the sister wives family differ importantly from those of mainstream Mormons who belong to the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints. Understand these differences help clarify their unique religious position:

Polygamy

The virtually obvious difference is the practice of plural marriage. The LDS church formally abandon polygamy in 1890 and excommunicate members who practice it. The brown family and other fundamentalists believe this change represent a departure from true doctrine.

Temple practices

Mainstream Mormons participate in sacred ceremonies in LDS temples. The brown family and other fundamentalists typically don’t have access to these temples but may perform their own versions of these ceremonies in other settings.

Priesthood authority

Both groups believe in priesthood authority, but they recognize different leadership lineages. The browns follow priesthood lines they believe remain faithful to original teachings, while reject the authority of mainstream LDS church leadership.

Misconceptions about their faith

The brown family has often addressed misconceptions about their religious beliefs. Some common misunderstandingthey’ve soughtek to correct include:

Forced marriage

The browns emphasize that all marriages in their family were entered voluntarily. They distinguish their practice from those of more extreme groups where arrange marriages, sometimes involve minors, havoccurredur. Each wife choose to enter the marriage relationship, and they stress the importance of consent.

Women’s role

While their faith include traditional gender roles, the brown women have pursued education and careers. They maintain that their religion value women’s contributions beyondchildcaree and homemaking, though these remain important aspects of their family culture.

Isolation

Unlike some fundamentalist groups that live in isolated compounds, the browns have integrated with mainstream society. Their children attend public schools, and family members participate in community activities. This opennessrepresentst their interpretation of their faith as compatible with moderAmericanan life.

Religious education of the children

The brown parents have taken an approach to religious education that combine instruction in their faith with respect for their children’s autonomy. They teach fundamentalistMormonn principles while allow their children to form their own religious identities.

This approach has produce varied results. Some of the older brown children have embrace aspects of their parents’ faith while reject plural marriage for themselves. Others have distanced themselves from the religious tradition exclusively. The parents have mostly express support for their children’s choices, regular when they differ from family tradition.

Legal challenges and religious freedom

The brown family has faced legal challenges relate to their religious practices. Their move fromUtahh toNevadaa and subsequently toArizonaa was partially motivate by concerns aboutUtahh’s enforcement of anti polygamy laws. They haveframede their legal battles in terms of religious freedom and the right to define their own family structure.

In 2016, the browns were involved in a significant legal case challengeUtahh’s anti polygamy laws. While they finally did not achieve their desire legal outcome, the case highlight tensions between religious liberty claims and state regulation of marriage.

The role of religion in family conflicts

Throughout the series, viewers have witness how religion both unite the family and sometimes contribute to tensions. Disagreements about religious practices or interpretations have surface during family discussions. These conflicts reveal the complexity of maintain a share faith while respect individual spiritual journeys.

When Christine leave the family, religious considerations play a role in her decision make process. The spiritual implications of leave a plural marriage weigh heavy in her considerations, demonstrate how profoundly their religious beliefs are intertwined with family relationships.

Public representation of their faith

The brown family has systematically state that one motivation for participate in” sister wives ” as to provide an accurate portrayal of their faith and lifestyle. They hope to counter negative stereotypes about polygamous families and show that their religious practice could be compatible with differently mainstream amAmericanalues.

This public representation has evolved over time. In early seasons, religious justifications for plural marriage feature conspicuously. Later seasons have place less emphasis on religious doctrine and more on the interpersonal dynamics of the family. This shift may reflect both change production priorities and the family’s own evolve relationship with their faith.

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The future of faith in the brown family

As the brown family continue to evolve, with children grow up and form their own families, questions about the future of their religious tradition course arise. The parents have will express hope that their children will maintain core values from their upbringing, level if they choose different family structures.

The continuation of plural marriage into the next generation appear unlikely base on the state intentions of most brown children. This will raise questions about how the family’s religious identity will transform as new generations will interpret their heritage in light of contemporary values and their own spiritual experiences.

Conclusion

The sister wives family practice a form of fundamentalist Mormonism with roots in the apostolic united brethren tradition. Their religious beliefs provide the foundation for their plural marriage lifestyle, though their specific practices and interpretations have evolved over time.

Their faith emphasize eternal family bonds, traditional values, and the spiritual significance of plural marriage. At the same time, they’ve integrated with mainstream society more than many other fundamentalist groups, create a distinctive religious identity that combine traditional doctrine with modern adaptations.

This blend of religious conviction and pragmatic adaptation continue to shape the brown family’s journey as they navigate the challenges of maintain their faith while engage with a society that oftentimes view their practices with skepticism. Their story illustrate the complex interplay between religious belief, family dynamics, and cultural adaptation in contemporary America.