Spiritual and Affirmational Parenting: A Foretaste of Godly Instructional Nurture

Egbert H. George, Andrews University

Description

This poster presents theological reflections on parental instruction and guidance based on the teaching of Solomon in Proverbs 22:6, “train up a child in the way he should go.” I address the following questions: What is meant by training? What role and impact does training have in the development of a child influencing adulthood? Do children have the ability and capacity to discern for themselves their intended life path? Can parents be stumbling blocks to their children’s God-ordained path in life? Some answers may be summarized as follows: Spiritual guidance grounded in love by parents can facilitate the actualization of the God-ordained purpose for their children’s lives. True parenting entails relinquishing hidden biases and convictions of one’s desires or expectation so that these are not imposed on our children. The child can live and experience a richer, more productive and meaningful life when given opportunities of choice. Every child possesses a God-ordained compass that needs to be directed under spiritual parental guidance as Solomon suggests. There is a level of ambiguity in Proverbs 22:6 due to the Hebrew word translated as “way.” It could mean either the path the child through his own intuition and God-given ability begins to pattern or the path one ought to go, the right and divine way.

 
Feb 5th, 10:30 AM Feb 5th, 11:00 AM

Spiritual and Affirmational Parenting: A Foretaste of Godly Instructional Nurture

Seminary Commons

This poster presents theological reflections on parental instruction and guidance based on the teaching of Solomon in Proverbs 22:6, “train up a child in the way he should go.” I address the following questions: What is meant by training? What role and impact does training have in the development of a child influencing adulthood? Do children have the ability and capacity to discern for themselves their intended life path? Can parents be stumbling blocks to their children’s God-ordained path in life? Some answers may be summarized as follows: Spiritual guidance grounded in love by parents can facilitate the actualization of the God-ordained purpose for their children’s lives. True parenting entails relinquishing hidden biases and convictions of one’s desires or expectation so that these are not imposed on our children. The child can live and experience a richer, more productive and meaningful life when given opportunities of choice. Every child possesses a God-ordained compass that needs to be directed under spiritual parental guidance as Solomon suggests. There is a level of ambiguity in Proverbs 22:6 due to the Hebrew word translated as “way.” It could mean either the path the child through his own intuition and God-given ability begins to pattern or the path one ought to go, the right and divine way.