Corporal punishment
Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective states:
Children are of great importance. Children are to be loved, disciplined, taught, and respected in the home and in the church. Children are also to honor their parents, obeying them in the Lord. Younger people are to respect their elders in the home and in the church.
There are those persons who quote the Scripture, “Spare the rod and spoil the child” as a way of reflecting on the need to guide our children. In most cases this does not mean “corporal punishment.” It can involve “time outs,” being isolated from other persons for a short period of time, etc.
There have been well-publicized cases of misuse of corporal punishment by schools or even individual families. Sometimes this occurs, tragically, in splinter groups who go to extremes. Most mainstream Mennonites practice wholesome and caring discipline.
