Overview

Fully revised and updated, this classic guide is not a “how-to” parenting manual. Rather, with honesty, warmth, and humor, the authors share their own struggles and joys and offer models for reflection that encourage parents to consider how their beliefs shape their identities and family life. This Second Edition includes: - Context on today’s social and political upheaval, including polarization, racism, and climate anxiety; - Voices of LGBTQ parents, parents of color, and new insights into non-binary, transgender, and neurodiverse identities; - Exploration of reproductive choices, and the decision to have—or not have—children; - A study guide to support group reflection. Ideal for individual reading or group study, Hopes and Fears fosters connection, conversation, and spiritual growth, and empowers parents to embrace the spiritual journey of raising children, even amid uncertainty, challenge, and change.

Full Product Details

Author:   Bromleigh McCleneghan ,  Lee Hull Moses
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:   T&T Clark
Edition:   2nd edition
ISBN:  

9798881808990

Pages:   264
Publication Date:   02 April 2026
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Hopes and Fears (Bromleigh) On friendships, and babies, and telling the truth 1. Leap of Faith (Lee) On if, and when, and the will of God 2. My Body, My Fault (Bromleigh) On pregnancy, and anxiety, and hope 3. Called by Name (Lee) On names, and identity, and making a place in the world 4. Bedtime (Bromleigh) On Ferber, and freedom, and faith 5. Good Work (Lee) On rest, and work, and getting things done 6. Cuddling, and Other Not-As-Precious Things about Incarnation (Bromleigh) On intimacy, and being human, and assorted bodily fluids 7. Saying Grace (Lee) On stories, and songs, and nurturing faith 8. I’m the Mommy, That’s Why (Bromleigh) On authority, and experts, and looking for truth 9. Planting Seeds (Lee) On gratitude, and justice, and living in a broken world 10. The Rage (Bromleigh) On marriage, and anger, and the nature of love 11. Birthdays and Baby Books (Lee) On blessings, and festivals, and ordinary time 12. When Christian Feminists Give Birth to Princesses (Bromleigh) On boys, and girls, and everyone in between 13. Move, Mommy, Move (Lee) On sharing, and life in a family, and making room without getting crowded out 14. Dancing with her Daddy on a Saturday Morning (Bromleigh) On neurodiversity, and praise, and becoming who we are Conclusion: Of All the Years (Lee) On change, and the passage of time, and the assurance of grace Bibliography Notes Index About the Authors

Reviews

Tender and brutally honest, Hopes and Fears offers a humane vision of parenting in a troubled world. McCleneghan and Moses weave practical wisdom with spiritual reflection, guiding parents toward resilience and hope. This is a book about what it means to be fully human as well as how to raise our children well without losing ourselves in the process. -- Jennifer Grant * author of Dimming the Day and Maybe God Is Like That Too * This is the book that every pastor should gift to parents while they are expecting—it depicts the real wonder and challenges of contemporary parenting and offers advice without overstepping. Hopes and Fears guides by example and gives parents and their children permission to be themselves. -- Karen-Marie Yust * Josiah and Anne Wilson Rowe Professor of Christian Education, Union Presbyterian Seminary * Parenting is not for the faint of heart. Neither is trying to raise kids as Christians in today's world. Rather than being illuminated by expertise and the gospel, much of the parenting advice out there reflects pseudoscience and religious ideas whose lessons, norms, and values reflect a retrograde social order. We need fewer self-styled authorities and much more wisdom from those dedicated to seeing children thrive because of the faith we profess. Bromleigh McCleneghan and Lee Hull Moses are those kind of sages. Hopes and Fears is a valuable resource for the wild, wonderful journey of parenthood that deserves your attention. -- Rev. Beau Underwood * co-author of Dear Son: Raising Faithful, Just, and Compassionate Men * Hopes and Fears is so much more than a collection of personal essays reflecting on Christian parenting. Having this book nearby is like having friends nearby to talk to about all those wondrous, messy, complex, beautiful experiences of growing into parenting, and with theology and Scripture wending through it all. I will keep Bromleigh and Lee's words nearby in both my life and ministry. -- Rev. Anita Peebles * pastor and author *

Author Information

Bromleigh McCleneghan served in congregational ministry for 20 years and has recently returned to school: both as a middle school religion teacher and as a PhD student in theology and ethics at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. She is the author of Good Christian Sex and co-editor of two volumes of When Kids Ask Hard Questions: Faith-Filled Responses for Tough Topics. Lee Hull Moses has served in congregational ministry and denominational leadership in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She is a contributor to the Christian Century and the author of More Than Enough: Living Abundantly in a Culture of Excess.

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