Calvin and Edwards did "not endorse physical discipline"
Quotes from a review:
Heart of a Child
http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=2178
about this book:
The Child in Christian Thought (Religion, Marriage, and Family)
“The volume includes two additional studies on theologians who, although they hold quite pessimistic views on the nature of children, do not endorse physical discipline: the Reformer John Calvin and the 18th-century American Calvinist Jonathan Edwards. Barbara Pitkin writes that ‘Calvin himself appears not to have advocated the use of physical force in response to sin in children; though he recognized the need for parental discipline, his explicit remedies were baptism and education (albeit strict and structural) into faith and morality.’”
“Both Calvin, the theologian of ‘total depravity,’ and Edwards, who preached to children about the agonies of hell and God’s wrath, appreciated the positive aspects of children. Yes, Calvin refers to children as a ‘seed of sin’ hateful to God, but he also claims that ‘infants are gifts of God and examples to adults and can proclaim God’s goodness.’ Pitkin reminds us of ‘Calvin’s claim that even nursing infants glorify God’ and his reference to infants as mature defenders of the faith.’ Pitkin’s most provocative query emerges from Calvin’s image of children as ‘mirrors of God’s grace.’ She writes: ‘How might present attitudes toward children’s bodies (and especially the physical needs of poor children) be transformed and neglect and abuse of children challenged by taking seriously, with Calvin, the conviction that children bear in their very bodies the engraving of the divine covenant — that children’s bodies are, in a sense, sacraments?’”
“Like Calvin, Edwards ‘emphasizes the sinful nature of children, [but] he also believes that they have rich spiritual lives . . . and he claims that Christ loved even the poorest, humblest child.’ Catherine Brekus’s persuasive investigation of Edwards turns up no concrete evidence that he recommended physically disciplining children, contrary to the conclusions of several recent studies. Edwards leaves us with a complex heritage, what Brekus refers to as a ‘double image of children.’ The same man who refers to children as ‘more hateful than vipers’ also ‘used images of them to symbolize ideal piety.’ The same man who terrorized children with hellfire sermons also wrote that ‘even the youngest children were fully human and could be genuinely touched by grace.’ Edwards himself longed to become as a little child in his own relationship with God, to participate in the attributes of humility, innocence and tenderheartedness.”
Edited to add quote from Noel Piper’s book, Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God p.24, quoting from Elizabeth Dodds book, Marriage to a Difficult Man.
[Jonathan Edwards’ mother] “had an excellent way of governing her children; she knew how to make them regard and obey her cheerfully, without loud angry words, much less heavy blows… If any correction was necessary, she did not administer it in a passion; and when she had occasion to reprove and rebuke she would do it in few words, without warmth [that is, vehemence] and noise…
Her system of discipline was begun at a very early age and it was her rule to resist the first, as well as every subsequent exhibition of temper or disobedience in the child… wisely reflecting that until a child will obey his parents he can never be brought to obey God.”
About The Author
I have that book and so appreciate how they trace the attitudes and actions towards children within various Christian communities throughout history.
Hubby was speaking with our associate pastor last Sunday about how (contrary to popular stereotype) the Puritans placed great emphasis on reconciliation with their children–treating children as very spiritual beings, very much in need of the Gospel.
And that, I believe is so much more in line with the Bible than the behaviourism that is seen in some modern Christian parenting teachers like Michael and Debi Pearl and Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo. Even Tedd Tripp–who talks about reaching the heart–tends to resort to behaviourism and lose sight of the Gospel.