Publisher's Synopsis
A new book opening the doors of understanding about the Bible and what it actually teaches about spanking children.There are few Biblical subjects where more misunderstanding exists among Christians and Child Rights advocates today than that of spanking children. This book seeks to increase the level of understanding about this issue. It shows that: Fact: The Bible does not teach that spanking a child will save him from HellFact: The Bible does not teach that spanking a child should bring tearsFact: In Bible times, the texts concerning spanking children found in Proverbs were not applied to young children under the age of about 10 years!Fact: Some of the most respected Christian theologians of our time including Dr. Karl Barth and Rev. Dwight Moody rejected spanking childrenFact: The main Christian advocates for spanking children now are not usually trained Christian theologians teaching in universities, but most often are conservative fundamentalist Christian pastors, Christian politicians, Christian psychologists, lay church members and Christian school leadersFact: Well meaning Christian advocates of spanking children have developed doctrines surrounding what they believe the Bible teaches about spanking children which are not found in the Bible at allFact: Well meaning Children's Rights activists, who are not trained Bible scholars, have entered this debate attacking the Bible with disastrous results Fact: Many Biblically conservative Jewish Rabbis, who have the Old Testament as their Holy Scripture, reject spanking children todayFeatures of this volume:353 Separate Biblical Texts Referenced82 Separate References from Hebrew and Christian Scholars39 Authoritative Biblical Reference Works UtilizedKey new information revealed from an early Egyptian text which is also found today in the Biblical book of Proverbs concerning spankingWhat are Christian Scholars saying about this book?"I've had a chance to read through your manuscript and I find it very interesting! I think you've made an important contribution, especially to contextualizing biblical ideas about child rearing. I hope you will find a publisher for this book. I'm sure many others would benefit from learning of your research."Dr. Dawn Devries, John Newton Thomas Professor of Systematic Theology, Union Theological Seminary, USA and contributor to the ground breaking volume "The Child in Christian Thought" (Eerdmans: 2000)"Thank you very much for your manuscript ... I found some of your passages very, very interesting, ... It would be of great interest to parents... Fr. Lawrence Boadt, CSP, Publisher, Paulist Press"Many thanks for sending me a copy of your book. Since I, like so many, cannot read Hebrew, I found your analysis of language fascinating and persuasive. Your exploration of these complex issues is thorough and convincing" Dr. Philip Greven, Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University, author of "Spare the Child: The Religious Roots of Punishment and the Psychological Impact of Physical Abuse" (Random House, 1992)"This is not an easy read, but it is one any Christian who desires to be true to the Bible in the first instance should take time to read. ... In my view this study is a definitive reading of the biblical texts for Christians and non-Christians alike."Rev. Alistair McBride, Scots Presbyterian Church - Hamilton, New Zealand (see www.repeal59.blogspot.com - July 25 2006)"I want to take my hat off to Samuel Martin and say, Thanks! When I think about Samuel Martin, what comes to mind is a contemporary and contextualized, this-world version of William Wilberforce. He certainly has Wilberforce blood running through his veins. He is a Christian living in Jerusalem with an interest in connecting to the rest of the world in ways that are helpful and strategic about how to live out ones faith. Dr. William Webb - Prof. of Biblical Studies, Tyndale Seminary, Canada
