Tedd Tripp
Recommendation: 5/5
Description of author: Dr. Tedd Tripp is pastor of Grace Fellowship Church in Hazleton, PA.
Comments: Reading the reviews of this book on Amazon.com is an enlightening exercise. People (at least the reviewers on Amazon.com) seem to either love this book or hate it. Those who hate it seem to zero in on Tripp’s endorsement of spanking, even in infancy. He is called a child abuser and a sadist by one reviewer. Yet Scripture not only gives parents the right to use corporal punishment, it commands corporal punishment (Proverbs 13:24; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15). Tripp explains with great wisdom the necessity and the method of spanking your child from a Biblical perspective (especially chapters 11 and 15). But spanking is not the main theme of the book (as some reviews might suggest). The thesis of this book is clearly stated on page 6: All behavior is linked to some attitude of the heart. Therefore, discipline must address attitudes of the heart . . . Your concern is to unmask your child’s sin, helping him to understand how it reflects a heart that has strayed. That leads to the cross of Christ. It underscores the need of a Savior. Tripp is concerned that parents often do not have the big picture in mind. Our purpose as parents is not simply to mold their behavior, but rather to help them to see their need of Christ. Throughout the book he emphasizes the necessity of submission to parental authority and loving communication. The book is divided into two parts: (1) Foundations of Biblical Childrearing – which deals with general, Biblical principles in raising children; and (2) Shepherding Through the Stages of Childhood – in which he explains principles regarding specific periods of a child’s life (infancy, childhood, teenager, etc.). The book is both convicting and inspiring and should probably be read several times throughout one’s journey as a parent.