John’s conversation with Tobias’s father shows that in some ways, he’s a relatively lenient father. This might be partly because, after decades as a pastor, he’s gained a lot of perspective on what works and what doesn’t among the families he’s known. Amusingly, the stricter Mr. Schmidt implies that John’s easygoing attitude must mean he's a liberal Christian. (Unitarians began as an offshoot of Christianity but reject many central doctrines such as the Trinity and have a progressive reputation.)