Article July 31, 1995 Issue

Fatherhood: "being there," staying connected, learning grace

with contributions from Channing Walker, Monty Hoyt, Glenn Felch

Never before have there been so many fatherless families in society. Some 37 percent of the children in the United States don't live with their fathers. One observation is that what is being lost is the very ideal of fatherhood.^{See David Blankenhorn, Fatherless America: Confronting Our Most Urgent Social Problem (New York: BasicBooks, 1995).} As sobering as this observation is, it also points to finding an answer: a more spiritual understanding of fatherhood—a spiritual ideal that can never be lost. In this second part of a series on this topic, the Sentinel offers comments from three fathers in varied situations, who talk frankly about their reliance on God in fathering. Part one, "Fatherhood and standing up to the false male image," can be found in the June 19 Sentinel.

From an interview with Channing Walker of Glendora, California, a father of three children, seven, ten, and twelve years old.

Five or six years ago I was doing some speaking tours for my church. My oldest son was then about six. And each time I'd go on the road for a few days, I'd have a talk with him. It always went pretty much the same.

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