Grant Troutt, husband of “The Bachelor” alum and Christian influencer Madison Prewett, enthused on her recent “Stay True” podcast , “It will be hilarious when we start spanking [our daughter] Hosanna — which we will.” Madison clarified that “ The Bible specifically talks about discipline with ‘the rod.’ ” The internet response was swift and polarized .

About half of American Protestants identify as evangelical, and “spanking” has long been a staple of Christian parenting resources. Christians who believe God requires them to spank wave away ethical concerns and research that robustly demonstrates the harm . Spanking advocates also ignore the warnings coming from adult children raised in evangelical homes who experienced religious trauma, delayed development, inauthentic relations

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