“When Father Is Restored, Family Can Be Reestablished”: Father School

Abstract

Chapter 2 examines the ways in which Father School redefines hegemonic masculinity by deprioritizing men’s financial responsibility that is one of the core elements of hegemonic masculinity. Started in a late-achiever/wellbeing Right type of megachurch, Father School has grown into a transnational evangelical men’s manhood and fatherhood restoration movement, calling for the reestablishment of men’s authority as the family head. By adjusting to the societal changes and ethos that demand less authoritarian and less violent manhood, Father School has managed to reinforce patriarchy as “acceptable” by reframing it to be “benevolent.” The promotion of such patriarchy only strengthens heteropatriarchal family structure as “natural” and “normal.” It also redomesticates women by validating their identity as a wife and mother to be women’s most valuable positions.

This chapter is a substantially revised and expanded version of the manuscript entitled “‘Lord, I am a Father!’ The Transnational Evangelical Men’s Movement and the Advent of ‘Benevolent’ Patriarchy,” published in the Asian Journal of Women’s Studies (AJWS), Vol. 17, No. 1 (2011): 100–131. www.tandfonline.com. All translations are by the author.