The former is understandable; the latter may be pious but runs aground on Genesis 6: It is managed by more and less persuasive hermeneutical theories, various canons-within-a-canon and selective ignorance, whether of the contents of the texts or of the problems that the texts raise. What then shall missionary parents and educators do in the process of evangelizing the heathen children of Christendom?
We can try to present them an unproblematic Bible, excised and trimmed and amplified to fit our own adult needs. We can effectively bore them right out of any salutary struggles with the scripture. We can bowdlerize, sanitize and pretend all is well and right and easy with a canon that is assuredly not all well and right and easy. We can do the same with ourselves. Or we can embrace the problematic Bible and abandon our efforts to control it. We can recognize that faith comes only as a gift of the Holy Spirit, not through the problem solving of anxious adherents to the Christian religion.
We can hand over to our children, out of our own hands and our own control, the messy, shocking, astonishing, inspiring and multifarious holy scripture and let the Spirit use it to awaken their spirits, hearts and minds—including all the problems that come with such inspiration. Certainly we will want to pace them, as we do in introducing them to any of the great challenges of life sex, driving and politics come to mind.
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But we should do so with the expectation that they will someday come to full acquaintance with the Bible, that in fact our preparations will make them long for that full acquaintance. We may enjoy the great privilege of becoming the students of our own children. Thank-you, Sarah, for the thorough reviews. Parents are looking for good advice about books but also approach as well as a theory about how to share the Bible with children.
In my experience it's the story-telling we've let go of, not just the text. Sitting around the fire with other adults, sharing the community support in listening, is what brings children along, too, to the time when they can appropriate the more troubling parts of the story for themselves. It does matter in what context children first hear about the rape of Dinah or the near sacrifice of Isaac.
Thanks for your helpful review, Sarah. As a pastor, I've always wrestled with how Bible stories for children get reduced and reacted to the point that all the characters are smilingly-perfect. I'll keep this review handy to give to parents and to our children's teachers at our church. Having just begun work on a sermon that begins with the question, "How do we tell our children the stories of the Bible?
I was particularly interested in Sarah Wilson's article with the title, "How to read the Bible with children.
God's Special Surprise: Bible Story (Moses) with Art Lessons - See the Light Art
Though the review of various children story bibles was interesting, the heart of the matter seemed encapsulated in an exchange that she quoted between two mothers at a book giveaway table. In answer to the mother who declined to take a book that opened with the line, "God was angry at the world The key, I believe, is whether these stories are repeated and taught, to children or adults, as revelatory of God's character, words and actions, or as the human construction of God's character, words and actions.
Whether it is a "holy" Bible because it contains God's words, or whether it is "holy" because it contains unvarnished stories of the human struggle to find meaning and purpose in life. The banner of the Century contians the words, Thinking Critically , a skill which should be nurtured from the earliest possible age, especially with regard to scripture.
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There must be movement from enthrallment with individual stories and characters, to thoughtful understanding of the Bible as a collection of stories which show the evolving concepts that people hold about God and good and evil. The movement, for adults and children, would more usefully be from "what does God say I could not agree more with your comments in the final three paragraphs, Sarah. The Bible is a problematic book, but we do no one a service by censoring it.
Okay, maybe young children, since we must bring them along at the appropriate pace—there is a time and place for everything. But if we present the unedited Bible to people—presumably they can handle it in their early teens—then they learn to embrace the Bible as a meaningful book which reflects the realities of life. In "A Surprising God", Jim Parker has produced a valuable tool for our spiritual journey-no matter where we are along the path. Parker's style of writing, and use of the vernacular of today, allows the lessons of the Bible to be understood by all.
I appreciated his incorporating elements of history, science and current events into his introductions; thereby underscoring a contextual framework for the stories. The stories are intelligent, thought provoking and engaging. They drew me toward the Bible itself for further reading and insight.
Parker invites us to see ourselves as the characters of these stories. To realize that we are God's holy people, fully human and very flawed, yet unconditionally loved by God the Father-our Creator.
I wish his book had been available 15 years ago when I was teaching in our church's religious education program. See all 22 reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway. Bible Stories for Children and Adults. Set up a giveaway. There's a problem loading this menu right now.
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I'll tell you I liked the book and highly recommend it. It sits on my living room bookcase right next to the bible. Across from it, on the other side of the bible, is the study guide I used in reading the bible. I can assure you, I'll read "A Surprising GOD" again a time or two, don't know if that is true for the bible and its study-guide.
Ama frema rated it it was amazing Jan 07, Ana Guizzetti marked it as to-read Jun 11, Starla Stalker added it Jan 16, Jon H marked it as to-read Jan 23, Leland marked it as to-read Jul 07, Mercy marked it as to-read Jun 02, Kimberly marked it as to-read Oct 21, Christi added it May 30, There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Books by James V. Trivia About A Surprising God No trivia or quizzes yet.
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