Article August 22, 1988 Issue

Child of an alcoholic? or child of God?

Cynthia Howland

Children of alcoholics are generally viewed as victims— because they are believed either to have inherited the propensity for drink or to have suffered the effects of a parent's drinking and therefore to be casualties of an unfortunate home environment. In the United States there are any number of support groups and books written for both teen-agers and adults whose parents are alcoholics. That these groups meet in every major city and many towns of the country says a great deal about the need and desire for encouragement and help.

The teachings and healings of Christ Jesus offer real comfort to those facing familial alcoholism. Jesus' works present and vividly illustrate a spiritual view of man and creation—of identity as wholly good, not limited by material structure (good or bad genes) and material environment (good or bad childhood experiences).

"The true theory of the universe, including man, is not in material history but in spiritual development,"^{Science and Health, p. 547.} Mrs. Eddy writes in the Christian Science textbook, and this is surely in accord with Biblical revelation. The Psalmist puts it another way: "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage."^{Ps. 16:5, 6.}