Grace for Parents, Healing for Kids - Chatting to the authors of The Myth of Good Christian Parenting

Guests:

• Marissa Franks-Burt – Instagram | Substack

• Kelsey Kramer McGinnis – Instagram | Substack | Writer at Christianity Today

About the Episode: In this episode, EDJ sits down with Marissa Franks-Burt and Kelsey Kramer McGinnis, authors of The Myth of Good Christian Parenting: How False Promises Betrayed a Generation of Evangelical Families. Together they trace how James Dobson's Dare to Discipline shaped decades of Christian parenting and why authoritarian, fear-based models continue to echo in today's influencer culture.

They explore:

• How "good Christian parenting" emerged from post-1970s evangelicalism

• Why the focus on control and obedience took hold

• The theology behind corporal punishment and gender hierarchy

• How religious parenting ideals became social media aesthetics

• What it looks like to move toward empathy, autonomy, and grace

Trigger warning: Discussion of spanking, strict discipline, and religious trauma.

Book release: The Myth of Good Christian Parenting releases October 14, 2025. Pre-order bonuses include downloadable resources making the Christian case against spanking.