Theology in the Raw The Myth of Good Christian Parenting: Marissa Burt & Kelsey Kramer McGinnis
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Oct 9, 2025 Marissa Franks Burt, a novelist and editor, and Kelsey Kramer McGinnis, a musicologist and educator, dive into their book, exploring the misconceptions of evangelical parenting. They discuss how the Christian parenting industry took shape in the 1970s and the troubling simplicity of labeling child behavior as sin. The conversation sheds light on the theological roots of modern parenting advice and critiques the normalization of spanking. This thoughtful dialogue challenges parents to rethink traditional methods and embrace a more nuanced approach.
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Origins Of The Book Project
- Marissa Franks Burt began the project after pastoral experience and researching stay-at-home movements revealed theological distortions affecting families.
- A Twitter prompt and reader interest pushed her to examine parenting teaching's theology and cultural impact.
Kelsey's Personal Trigger
- Kelsey Kramer McGinnis traced her questioning to reading Shepherding a Child's Heart as a new parent and feeling unsettled by its sin language.
- She later reconnected with Marissa to combine historical and theological expertise to probe evangelical parenting culture.
Gentle Tone, Scrupulous Frame
- Ted Tripp's Shepherding a Child's Heart feels gentler but frames almost all child behavior as sin to be diagnosed and corrected.
- That spiritualized lens can justify parental authority while obscuring child development and relational understanding.
