Church of England

The Church of England appears in the discussion of how Christian traditions number the commandment to honour one’s father and mother. Its placement of the commandment as the fifth differs from the numbering Sigmund Freud uses when referring to it as the fourth.

Numbering the Commandment

The commandment to honour one’s father and mother is the fifth in the Church of England’s numbering. The same placement is used by the Reformed churches. Both follow the order in Exodus 20, rather than the order in Deuteronomy 5.

Contrast with Other Traditions

The Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church count the commandment as the fourth, following the division established by St Augustine. The comparison makes clear that the difference is not about the commandment’s wording, but about how the commandments are divided and numbered. Freud’s reference to it as the fourth therefore aligns with the Catholic and Lutheran convention, not that of the Church of England.