Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Tim Wright Blog

Home
Family, Parenting and Religion
“Re-Stereotyping” Boys, Part 2: Character

“Re-Stereotyping” Boys, Part 2: Character

Last updated on: October 8, 2013 at 11:44 am by Tim Wright

“Re-Stereotyping” Boys, Part 2: Character 2013-10-08T11:44:54+00:00 Tim Wright

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

As I mentioned in my last two posts, in our well-intentioned desire to rescue our boys (and girls) from boy stereotypes, we have unintentionally robbed boys of any vision for what it means to be a boy. And with no vision for boyhood, boys have no sense of what it means to be a man.

Just because something is a stereotype doesn’t mean it’s not true or that it can’t be helpful. In fact, one of the ways we can reclaim the “boy” in “boyhood” is to re-embrace some powerful, life-shaping stereotypes that cultures have embraced for thousands of years.

The root word for stereotype is “solid impression.” And there are several solid impressions that have shaped boys in the past and can forge them in the future.

The first solid impression (stereotype) grows out of a boy’s biology, as I mentioned in my last post. Based on the way a boy’s brain works and his primary hormone, testosterone, a boy was created by God to be a superhero.

For centuries cultures have recognized this positive stereotype (even before they knew anything about hormones or brain science) and built on that stereotype by calling boys into archetypes or metaphors that would forge boys’ biological call to be superheroes with heroic character qualities.

These archetypes, or solid impressions, give boys pictures of what it means to be a boy. What it looks like to live out the life of a superhero. What it means to be a boy of character.

These archetypes include:

The King—This is the call to be boys of integrity and honor; boys who do the right thing.

*The Warrior—*A boy is someone who fights for what it good, right, and honorable. He keeps his commitments. He doesn’t give up. He fights to make the world a better place. He fights not to destroy life but to give life.

*The Magician—*As a boy grows, he becomes increasingly aware of his God-given abilities and talents, then uses to learn those talents wisely, serving others heroically.

*The Lover—*Superhero boys live to serve others; to love the world the way God does: sacrificially, generously, boldly, bravely, and compassionately.

Michael Gurian offers this overview of boys (to which the two of us added archetypes and then translated them into a Rite of Passage Program):

Honorable King

Enterprising Warrior

Responsible Servant

Original Craftsman

Intimate Friend

Creative Explorer

How boys live out these archetypes (stereotypes) will be as vast and different as there are boys in the world.

But imagine a world of boys forged by, shaped by, and living out those stereotypes!

Coming Up: The Divine Stereotype

Searching for Tom Sawyer

Previous Post

October 3, 2013

"Re-Stereotyping" Boys--Part 1: Boy Biology

Next Post

October 10, 2013 "Re-Stereotyping" Boys, Part 3: The Divine Stereotype

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Bathrooms Bj Thomas Boys Children's Church Christianity Christmas Church Contemporary Christian Music Dad David Murrow Domestic Violence Donald Trump Evangelicals Forging Faith in Kids Girls Gospel Music Grace Grandpas Jesus Kids Manhood Men Michael Gurian Multi-Generational Worship NFL Parents Podcast Republicans Stan Moser Sunday School Sunday School The Purpose of Boys The Purpose of Girls The Wonder of Girls Uncategorized Why Men Hate Going to Church Women

Select a Month December 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 September 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who is described as "a beloved physician" and accompanied Paul?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Titus Luke Mark Silas