EA Resources | Raising a Modern-Day Knight

What does it mean to be a man? Does puberty make a man? Does drinking beer make a man? Does having sex make a man? In today’s world there are many confusing voices about what being a man is really about. I believe that the best place a young man to learn how to become a man is from their father. The goal of this book is to inspire fathers to lead and teach their boys how to become men.

There is a vacancy in our culture today of rites of passage for children as they be adults. “The Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential declares the current lack of rites of passage an urgent global problem: ‘The absence of rites of passage leads to a serious breakdown in the process of maturing as a person.” (Grimes, 91) I believe that the absence of rites of passages within in the home and church is contributing greatly to the delayed development of adolescents.

A rite of passage can be defined as a ritual event that marks a person’s transition from one status to another. Due to the lack of rites of passage, “Initiation in Western society often takes this postmodern, peer-driven form—adolescence initiating adolescents, sometimes compulsively, unconsciously, and violently. (Grimes) This is mostly recently demonstrated through the recent movie 21 and Over where two men feel that they have a “moral obligation” to take out their friend for a night of partying on the night of his 21st birthday.

Lewis outlines how he established rites of passages with his boys. He will challenge the reader to develop a clear definition of manhood, to write a code of conduct, and to hold rites of passages with your boys. He stresses the importance of working with others, and establishing a community of men that will encourage your boys throughout life.

As a father of three boys, I was deeply inspired and moved with emotion as I read this book, and dreamt of what I want for my own family. There is a female version of this book entitled, “Raising a Modern-Day Princess” by Pam Farrel and Doreen Hanna.