Johann Christoph Arnold's best-selling titles on parenting, sexuality, death and dying, forgiveness, and peace have sold over 100,000 copies. His books draw chiefly on experiences as a pastor at the Bruderhof, a Christian community movement, and from wisdom gleaned from a lifetime of counseling couples, singles, teens and young adults, prison inmates, the aged, and the terminally ill. Available as a free .pdf in English, Spanish and French at www.plough.com.
People have come to expect sound advice from Johann Christoph Arnold, an award-winning author with over two million copies of his twelve books in print in more than twenty languages. A noted speaker and writer on marriage, parenting, and end-of-life issues, Arnold was a senior pastor of the Bruderhof, a movement of Christian communities, until his death in April 2017.
Arnold’s message was shaped by encounters with great peacemakers such as Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Dorothy Day, César Chavez, and John Paul II. Together with paralyzed police officer Steven McDonald, Arnold started the Breaking the Cycle program, working with students at hundreds of public high schools to promote reconciliation through forgiveness. This work also brought him to conflict zones from Northern Ireland to Rwanda to the Middle East. Closer to home, he served as chaplain for the local sheriff’s department.
Born in Great Britain in 1940 to German refugees, Arnold spent his boyhood years in South America, where his parents found asylum during the war; he immigrated to the United States in 1955. He and his wife, Verena, have eight children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Overall the writing style wasn’t what I was looking for. Despite an abundance of anecdotal stories and quotes from other books/reputable people, the arguments made each chapter weren’t strongly defended, and there was little to no framework mentioned for How to provide time for your children. Still, the message of the book is earnest and kind. Children need daily care, not simply offered promises of tomorrow, and no financial security can replace time spent together. My experience of the book is largely biased by the fact that I would’ve preferred something more analytical.
The book had many ideas about parenting and raising children in a "hostile world". It had some good information for a teacher on how to handle children delicately. It made me want to stay home and raise my children (if I ever have children).
Indeed, our children live in a world of great danger. But it's up to parents to bring them up properly and equip them with what they need to face life's challenges. It also reminded parents of what they need to do for the benefit of their children.
Every parent, educator, health care professional and anyone else who deals with children should read this book. It is a hard look at how we are raising our children, what they truly need as opposed to what they receive. A great read