This paper discusses the role of the religious community in the prevention of various forms of family abuse. Discussion first sets forth assumptions made in the text and identifies beliefs underlying the disregard of the religious community that is found among professionals and in the literature on the family. General responses to the beliefs are followed by a description of the ABCX model of adaptation to family stress. This model provides a base for integrating perspectives of religious and professional communities. Family stress, which is seen as the combined interaction of a stressor or stressors, is labelled A. Presence or lack of resources for dealing with stressors is labelled B, while the family's perception of the stressors is labelled C. All three of these factors interact, and can result in a crisis, labelled X, at a catalytic point. The model can be used for an understanding of the relation of the concept of sin to family abuse. Concluding discussion suggests four approaches which substantially reduce the temptation of a family or a family member to behave abusively when the approaches are implemented by the religious community in a coordinated fashion. These approaches involve lowering the level of risk by removing or reducing the stressors; providing family members with appropriate resources; facilitating positive perceptions; and holding individuals accountable for their behavior by encouraging a change of will. (RH)