“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6, King James Version)
Is that verse a promise or an observation? For over half a century now, Christian parenting books have been banking on (and banking from) it being the former. In their own book (The Myth of Good Christian Parenting), Marissa Franks Burt & Kelsey Kramer McGinnis raise the question anew, and ask us to do the same.
This was a hard conversation for me, in many respects. Not because the authors of the book were anything short of pleasant, and not because their work is anything less than well-executed, but because engaging with it caused me to look pretty deep inside & question some of my own presuppositions & unexamined feelings about the parent-child relationship.
Maybe I’ll be alone in that. Maybe not.
Below you’ll find bios for both authors, links to follow them online, and opportunities to order the book (which launches in Canada on October 14th, 2025). You can also leave a comment or reach out with any of your own thoughts. Oh, and for a video version of this convo, here’s the YouTube link.
Chapters:
00:01 - Intro
03:11 - Exploring Parenting Dynamics and Backgrounds
04:44 - The Genesis of a Collaborative Project
07:56 - The Myth of Good Christian Parenting
10:55 - Understanding Parenting Expertise and Experience
13:40 - Promises and Threats in Christian Parenting
16:39 - Methodology and Research Insights
20:04 - Key Themes in Christian Parenting Resources
23:01 - Authority and Obedience in Parenting
25:54 - Rhetorical Choices and Language in Parenting Discussions
28:21 - Authority and Parenting Dynamics
33:54 - Discipline: Rethinking Approaches
47:35 - The Role of Authority in Parenting
58:55 - Cultural Influences on Parenting Practices
Keywords:
Christian parenting, parenting promises, discipline, authority, evangelical families, parenting resources, child development, parenting methodology, parenting insights, parenting challenges, bible
Marissa Franks Burt (MA in Theological Studies, Columbia International University) is a novelist, editor, teacher, and cohost of the At Home with the Lectionary and In the Church Library podcasts. She lives in a small town in Washington’s Snoqualmie Valley with her husband, six children, and heaps of books.
Kelsey Kramer McGinnis (PhD, University of Iowa) is a musicologist, educator, and correspondent for Christianity Today, writing on worship practices and Christian subculture. She is an adjunct professor at Grand View University in Des Moines and previously worked at the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights.
The book is available for pre-order across platforms:
Order from Baker for guaranteed release day delivery
Instagram: @mburtwrites | @kelseykmcginnis
Threads: @mburtwrites | @kelseykmcginnis
Facebook: @mburtwrites | @kelsey.kramermcginnis
Bluesky: @mburtwrites | @kkramermcginnis
TikTok: @mburtwrites | @kelseykmcg
Substack: @mburtwrites | @kelseykramermcginnis
YouTube: @mburtwrites
Website: Marissa |
