Did Pope Francis say
that spanking a child was okay?
Pope Francis gave his regular Wednesday address on Feb. 4,
2015. In that address, he said, “Once I
heard a father at a meeting on marriage say: ‘Sometimes I have to strike the
children lightly... but never in the face so as not to humiliate them’. How
beautiful! He has a sense of dignity. He must punish, but he does it in a just
way, and moves on.” Some people have decided
to repeat only that the pope advocates spanking. They overlook that he also referred to “a
sense of dignity,” and “punish…in a just way.”
Doesn’t the Bible say
that spanking a child is okay?
The Old Testament says many things. For instance those who commit adultery or
curse their parents are to be stoned to death, and women who are menstruating are
ritually unclean. Proverbs 13:24 is
often referenced in regard to punishing children by spanking them. It says, in an exaggerated way, that
disciplining a child is an act of love.
It is not so much an exhortation to spank a child with a rod, but to
correct a child in love. This is very similar
to what Pope Francis said on Feb. 4.
We no longer stone people to death…for any reason. In fact our church condemns the death penalty
except in times when it is the only way to protect society. Medical professionals who have touched blood
are no longer considered ritually unclean.
And, the entire Old Testament is interpreted in through the lens of Jesus’
life, death, and resurrection.
Punish, but with
dignity, in a just way.
I agree with the pope that we must discipline our children
in a just way, and recognize the image of God and the basic human dignity of the
child when we do so. As a father, I
acknowledge that it is hard not to raise my voice. I sometimes forget that even though I have a
small frame, and small build, that my loud voice, and relative size can be
scary to a child. If that is true when I
have never used corporal punishment, how much more threatening would I appear
if I did spank my children? Threats,
fear, and physical pain do not respect the dignity of another person.
There are many ways to discipline a child that actually
work. It is almost certain the corporal
punishment does not. I encourage all
those who have children, work with children, or advocate for children to read
what the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological
Association have to say on the issue of spanking.
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Psychological Association:
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