Abba's Child by Brennan Manning
Week 4: Chapter 4 — Abba's Child
Read Chapter 4 of Abba's Child. Key Scripture: Romans 8:14–17; Galatians 3:26–4:7.
Previewing Week 4 of Abba's Child
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 10-week guide when you’re ready.
This is the chapter that carries the book's title and its central claim — that our deepest, truest identity is not what we do, what we've done, or what has been done to us, but whose we are.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Manning centers this chapter on the concept of *adoption* — the theological reality that through Christ we are brought into the family of God not as servants or strangers but as children and heirs (Romans 8:15–17). What does the adoption metaphor add to your understanding of salvation beyond "forgiveness of sins"?
2.Manning argues that claiming the identity of "Abba's child" is not spiritual sentimentality but an act of courage and defiance against every voice — internal and cultural — that tells us we are defined by our failures, wounds, or achievements. What voices in your life most loudly contest this identity?
3.Manning references the story of the prodigal son again, noting that the father runs to meet his returning child before the son can finish his rehearsed speech of self-condemnation. What does this say about the relationship between repentance and the Father's welcome? Does God wait for us to get it right before He moves toward us?