Birth nudity: Understanding the Christian tradition of birth nudity

Many parents think that children should wear clothing in the family home. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. The fact of the matter is that birth nudity is a Christian tradition predating the the Early Church itself, and was practiced in the Old Testament as well as in the Early Church.

Birth nudity is part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and submission of children. This word ultimately refers to a secure attachment between parent and child in the family home. This secure attachment comes from parent submission, where parents are to submit to their children as they would to God, from beneath yet from above, expecting absolutely nothing in return. See also Matt. 22:35-40.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and understood in its original context, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including, but not limited to, any punishments, reprimands, or other controlling demeanor. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. Parents who punished their children were charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen in biblical times as holding your child hostage merely for things that they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up the Law in order to convict a group of Greek Christians who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child in his secular writings. Paul may not have gotten along with the women of the church, but he surely loved children, and took in a few orphaned children during his time as a deacon. Indeed, Greco-Roman fathers got out the scourge of cords in order to punish their children, but NOT the Christians among them - the Early Christians were persecuted due to being "too soft" on their children.

During the first 6 years of a child's life, children were in constant closeness to mothers, meaning that wherever the mother went, so did the child. The Early Christians practiced birth nudity, with birth nudity being where children are naked in the family home, with mothers also being naked within the confines of the family home. This birth nudity ensured constant skin-on-skin warmth and sustenance between mother and child. Children were naked wherever they went, whereas mothers were only naked in the family home. 

Birth nudity has a modern application and an ancient application. Children in biblical times ran around naked wherever they were, including when they played outside, with children only accepting clothing when they became adults, with wearing the clothing being a rite of passage. In modern days, this context can be applied by leaving out a set of clothing, yet allow your child to run around the house naked. Eventually, they will want to wear clothing all on their own, and that is their rite of passage. Mothers, due to the secular laws against child nudity in public, are quartered in the modern context, next to their children. However, mothers who do this report that the bonding time with their child makes the quartering worth it.

Children are curious about everything around them, including a set of clothing that fits them. The child, in most cases, ask parents "what is this for" pointing to the clothing. Fathers then are to encourage the child wearing the clothing. A child accepting their clothing is a huge milestone. Beforehand, mothers are to remain naked while their child is naked, with the child occasionally being held like they want to be held. Mothers can resume their clothing only AFTER the child accepts their clothing. Most children accept their clothing by age 6. However, children in biblical times were naked wherever they went. We adjust the application of the context due to the secular law prohibiting child nudity in public.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices. Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!