Positive and Negative Attitudes of a Child in the Gospels Cover Image

Pozytywne i negatywne postawy dziecka w Ewangeliach
Positive and Negative Attitudes of a Child in the Gospels

Author(s): Stanisław Wronka
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion
Published by: Księgarnia Świętego Jacka
Keywords: child; openness; confidence; humbleness; greatness; capriciousness; disobedience; thoughtlessness

Summary/Abstract: Jesus called on the listeners to become like children if they would like to enter the kingdom of God and be there the greatest. It seems then that the children are an essence of the Gospel and that we should look like them. Does the Gospel carry such a message? The analysis of the Gospel texts in which we can find references to the attitudes of the children, demonstrates that the image is more complex. Since we meet there both positive and negative attitudes of the children. Positive attitudes appear more often and should be imitated, but not utterly. Openness to the revelation should not exclude thinking, receiving the costless kingdom – commitment, humbleness – sense of dignity and developing the talents, boldness in confessing Jesus – prudence. But one should defend himself against negative attitudes of a child: capriciousness, contrariness, disobedience, inconsistency. The Gospels do not present a child as an absolute pattern and do not call on to the infantilism, but to the integration of good features of a child into the mature personality, because only then one can enter the kingdom of God.

  • Issue Year: 46/2013
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 276-291
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Polish