FATHERHOOD
What it is and what it is for
By Tony Payne
The Good Book Company
189 pages. £8.00
ISBN 1 876326 99 9
Tony Payne’s excellent book on Fatherhood is unusual in that it is written very much for the non-Christian Dad. That isn’t to say that Christian fathers wouldn’t find it helpful. It is full of biblical and practical wisdom. Yet it is as refreshing as it is unusual for a Christian writer to seek to handle a subject like this, from an overtly and wholeheartedly biblical position, with the unconverted man particularly in mind.
The book is divided into two roughly equal sections. The first half seeks to answer the question: ‘What is fatherhood?’. Here, Tony Payne focuses on the father’s role as a life-giver, drawing out some of its inevitable consequences. These he sees as our responsibility for our children, and for providing for and guiding them in life. In this section there is a thoughtful explanation of why fathers have authority in the family, and what that means in practice. Thankfully, he gives us lots of real life, fleshed-out examples and counsel.
