Absent father in marriage : a pastoral challenge

Abstract

This study focused on the search of the impact of absent father on the lives of young adults in the household. In the interview with the coparticipants, the research revealed that the problems of absent father prevailed and continued to traumatize young adults despite the execution of pastoral care of laying hands and uttering of prayers on young adults by pastors and deacons of the church since these are the pastoral practices and care the church offers to assist in halting the problems. The absence of pragmatic of pastoral method caused dismay more especially on young adults because they perceived a church as a family of God which is endowed with power to provide healing and comfort abundantly in their lives as well as changing the mind-set of their fathers who deserted them. Prior to this research the inability to deal and solve the problems of absent father caused the congregation to encounter dilemma because some members of the congregation emphasized that these young adults who their problems of absent father seem not to be solved by prayer and laying of hands must be referred to psychologist while others suggested that such young adults must be excommunicated because they disturb the smooth running of the worshipping in the church. These views prompted the current research. It was, therefore, the aim of this study to journey with the coparticipants in order to understand and have knowledge of the situation they are encountering so that the research will employ the appropriate pastoral care and practice to assist them to get rid of the problems of absent father,