Some teach the Bible obligates infants and young children to attend congregational worship. This new in-depth article by Fentiman shows:
All the Old Testament evidence respecting young children at public worship concerns extraordinary circumstances. There was no Scriptural rule young children had to attend the Tabernacle, Temple or synagogue.
All the New Testament evidence (see for yourself) does not equate to young children sitting quietly for an hour and a half (or longer) every Lord’s Day (or twice thereon) without a break.
A fuller survey of Church history is given than what has been elsewhere documented, showing that much of it did not require children to attend public worship till seven or eight years old, or till puberty (around 13), often for the reasons of human growth and development. Some, including Scottish covenanters, prohibited younger children from attending. Westminster is analyzed in detail, showing it is open on the issue.
Children’s church and Sunday school is also theologically analyzed, showing these may be consistent with the Regulative Principle of Worship and the Westminster standards.
This is not intended to discourage moderate parenting of young children in congregational worship, but is only contrary to that which is immoderate or is made a religious requirement. Practical choices in the matter ought to be guided by nature’s light, Christian prudence and the Word’s general rules (WCF 1.6), unto edification, which things can be variable.
For those that love the truth.
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“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
1 Cor. 13:11