An approach to teaching my son about biblical manhood

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn the current American context, societal norms and constructs of masculinity are evolving and becoming more flexible; thus, there has been an increased effort to define masculinity. Multiple voices, ranging from popular culture to scholarship, are attempting to describe and shape the various constructs of manhood and masculinity. One recent approach, the American Psychological Association’s Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Boys and Men (2018), has described these societal changes and also provided an initial evaluation of what constitutes healthy masculinity. As a father and a theologian, I do not object to the task of prescribing what is “healthy masculinity,” but I place the locus of authority in biblical truth rather than modern psychology. And as a Christian father, I use a practice of catechesis, a series of questions with memorized responses, to provide a structure for how my son understands the world and his role in it. “What is biblical manhood? A biblical man is a leader, lover, provider, and protector.” This article will describe my catechetical approach to biblical manhood that is rooted in rich narratives and explicit doctrinal teaching. While some might recoil at this definition of manhood as reinforcing traditional and abusive constructs of masculinity, I would argue that many criticisms of “traditional masculinity” are justified because “traditional masculinity” is not healthy biblical masculinity. I intend to show how biblical masculinity differs from both modern psychological constructs and “traditional masculinity”, and that it has value for instructing children in how to navigate the social setting of confused masculinities.