Returning to Children Matter

I'm still reading Children Matter, slowly because I get distracted.

I like reading about Biblical culture and how other historic cultures influence our own. I like history so historic roots are always interesting to me. Sometimes church leaders affect how society responds to children (CM pg. 98) Sometimes society affects how the church responds to children.

It's interesting to discover where ideas come from and where they lead over time. It's interesting to see what fruit grows from what seed.

I found it interesting that Dr. Benjamin Spock's thinking was probably a reaction to John Watson's behavioural psychology which was a reaction to Victorian sentimentality. Our parents were enamored with Spock but (if I remember correctly) he was criticized for his leniency. I didn't realize that he was encouraging parents to trust themselves. "He assured them that parents were the true experts on their own children...Spock urged parents to be flexible and see their children as individuals." (CM p. 108)

Another intersting comment is this: "Although books on parenting are not directed toward programs that minister to children, parenting expectations in the society at large spilled over into the way Christian Education was conducted." (CM p. 108) More recently, in Postmodern Children's Ministry Ivy Beckwith calls Christian educators to pay attention to changes in the way a new generation of parents is thinking and respond.

A year or two ago someone left a comment. I think they were in Alabama. They decided to take the challenge of using this book for a parent study group. I don't remember ever hearing how it went. (Maybe I just don't remember.) . Some of the chapters are divided into sections that might take more than a week to discuss but this book would make for a really interesting weekly discussion

The authors conclude Chapter 5 saying "Children's ministry is solidly grounded in our theological understanding of the gospel of Christ and the place of children in the community of faith. The challenge is to keep central our commitment to the God of the Scriptures while connecting to the real lives of children in ways that are meaningful for them - to determine what God expects of us in and for our time." (CM p. 110-111) I like it.

Do God's expectations for parents and faith communities change as history runs it's course? Will we inevitably find ourselves sifting through all the voices around us to find the voice that doesn't change? I wonder...