Conceiving Parenthood: American Protestantism and the Spirit of Reproduction

This book is a thought provoking piece on parenthood. Not only is it a must read for parents who are thinking critically about how to bring up children, it is a must read for every community member who helps contribute to the culture in which children live. Amy Laura Hall's arguments are interesting and well-written and the pictures add a visual emphasis to the points she makes.

I am not quite through with the book yet but a couple of brief observations for those who might be interested in reading "Conceiving Parenthood". First of all, this book is a much needed (although not always pleasant) probing into the "tabboos" of the Protestant church in the United States. In the church culture where most pew sitters and pulpit fillers are somewhat squeemish when it comes to talking about sex or human body, unless in some general terms, this book is bound to cause some ripples. As it were, Amy Laura Hall carefully inspects not only the family's living room but dares venturing into its bedroom and then raises the covers. And, surprinsingly (or not) she finds that the inner workings of procreation among American Protestants are carefully engineered by the ever increasing demands of consumer economy. The book beautifully exposes the subtle and the blatant ways in which women, especially women, are discipled into seeing their own bodies and the bodies of their infants as objects of continuous improvement that requires careful management through certain products or practices (like Lysol douches or germ-free baby formula). Yet the most thought provoking observation that Dr. Hall makes is the relationship between well- managed and ill-managed bodies, socio-economics and race. The author persuasively shows how the accpetance into the inner circle - be it in the church, the community or the family -depends on the ability to manage one's body, child and household in the acceptable way that is consistent with the scientific progress and the demands of the market economy. The default setting for this program is suburbian middle class whiteness. The way one gets discipled into being a good citizen, good Christian and good parent that can function within this overarching project of progress and engineered perfection is precisely one of the book's undertakings. While giving answers is not what this book is up to, one finds themselves wondering after reading it what the alternative might look like and how the church which has been coopted into this project might become a sacred space where these conversations can happen.

For anyone studying the increasing contraception use by protestants, this book is a must-read. The insights into American pop culture's influence upon the practice of the faithful are profound and necessary. Especially useful is her treatment of birthing and nursing.