Theological education for our children

[PloverWing]

The question below is one I posted in a different thread, and it was suggested that it might be an interesting enough question to merit its own separate thread. For background: I am a parent of three young adult children -- one in high school, one in college, and one a recent college graduate. I value traditional theology highly: I think it is important to know the ideas taught by the creeds and the major Christian theologians through the centuries. Even where I disagree with some theologians, it is important to study and understand them. The question is how best to pass on substantial theological knowledge to our children.

I made an effort to teach my kids about the Christian faith at home, partly because that's just something parents should do, and partly because we knew that they would not be receiving religious instruction at their public school. (For readers outside the US: American public schools are not allowed to include religious instruction in their curriculum.) I'd say we had mixed success. Mostly, what we did together was driven by their interests and questions. When they were little, I read to them out of a children's Bible. When they were older, they'd ask questions about ethical issues on the news or in their personal lives, and we'd talk about those questions and how Christian principles applied to them. All of that was good, but as I look back, I realize that they never did ask "Mommy, what's the Chalcedonian Definition?" or "Mommy, what does the first paragraph of the Nicene Creed mean?" So there are gaps in this home-schooled education. I don't know how much of a problem that is.

So, for those of you who are parents: What do you do at home with your children to help them get a solid theological education? Do you have official "classes" around the kitchen table? (I didn't, after preschool age.) Do you read the Bible with them and hope they'll ask the deeper questions sooner or later? Are your conversations simply driven by your children's own curiosities, like mine mostly were? What has worked for you?

 

[Paidiske]

I don't have official classes.

I guess, for us, it's a mix between trying to make the most of her interests, and trying to fill what I can see are gaps. (For example, I recently bought a children's book of comparative religion, because I can see that she doesn't really have any idea that there are other religions, or any concept of "things other people believe that we don't.")

I've also had a big focus on praxis; I've been keen to introduce her to different ways to pray, and that sort of thing, as well as conceptual knowledge.

But she's young, so the jury is out on how helpful my approach is, yet!

 

[zippy2006]

How old is she, Paidiske?

 

[Paidiske]

She's six. And she has autism, so... things can be complicated.

 

[zippy2006]

Okay, thanks.

I don't want to chime in too much early on due to the fact that I have no children, but it's an interesting topic. "Family Faith Formation" is a buzz word in the U.S. Catholic Church right now, the idea that parents are the primary educators in the faith. That's great, but when it comes down to practical life there are more questions than answers about how such a thing is done. There are some free programs oriented towards this schema, such as the Nashville Dominican Sisters' Virtues in Practice program, but it's still a rather novel idea.

I'm interested to hear the approaches others have taken.

 

[Paidiske]

Ideally I think parishes should work to support parents in this. In practice, finding ways to do that is hard.

 

[PloverWing]

For example, I recently bought a children's book of comparative religion, because I can see that she doesn't really have any idea that there are other religions, or any concept of "things other people believe that we don't."

I'd forgotten, but this is one of the things I did with my children as well: bought them copies of children's books on other religions. Because my kids attended public school, they had Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and atheist friends. I wanted them to understand what their friends believed, and it did give rise to some discussions about what Christians believe, in comparison.

 

[Paidiske]

Yes, exactly. For us it was prompted by the school doing yoga.

 

[Halbhh]

The question below is one I posted in a different thread, and it was suggested that it might be an interesting enough question to merit its own separate thread. For background: I am a parent of three young adult children -- one in high school, one in college, and one a recent college graduate. I value traditional theology highly: I think it is important to know the ideas taught by the creeds and the major Christian theologians through the centuries. Even where I disagree with some theologians, it is important to study and understand them. The question is how best to pass on substantial theological knowledge to our children.

I made an effort to teach my kids about the Christian faith at home, partly because that's just something parents should do, and partly because we knew that they would not be receiving religious instruction at their public school. (For readers outside the US: American public schools are not allowed to include religious instruction in their curriculum.) I'd say we had mixed success. Mostly, what we did together was driven by their interests and questions. When they were little, I read to them out of a children's Bible. When they were older, they'd ask questions about ethical issues on the news or in their personal lives, and we'd talk about those questions and how Christian principles applied to them. All of that was good, but as I look back, I realize that they never did ask "Mommy, what's the Chalcedonian Definition?" or "Mommy, what does the first paragraph of the Nicene Creed mean?" So there are gaps in this home-schooled education. I don't know how much of a problem that is.

So, for those of you who are parents: What do you do at home with your children to help them get a solid theological education? Do you have official "classes" around the kitchen table? (I didn't, after preschool age.) Do you read the Bible with them and hope they'll ask the deeper questions sooner or later? Are your conversations simply driven by your children's own curiosities, like mine mostly were? What has worked for you?

It's not extensive knowledge that saves, even no matter how much you or I value it ourselves.

But instead crucial and essential things Christ named to us: real faith, and following Him, doing as He said-- loving one another, forgiving, serving each other.

 

[FireDragon76]

I think the "lets fill our kids heads with random Bible stories" approach isn't quite the right one, which is what most of my "religious education" was.

 

[Dave-W]

I made an effort to teach my kids about the Christian faith at home, partly because that's just something parents should do, and partly because we knew that they would not be receiving religious instruction at their public school. (For readers outside the US: American public schools are not allowed to include religious instruction in their curriculum.) I'd say we had mixed success.

We too had mixed success.

But at-home "theological training" as you put it, is commanded:

Deut 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.​

IOW, every teaching moment that presents itself should be the classroom for teaching our children about God.

 

[Dave-W]

when it comes down to practical life there are more questions than answers about how such a thing is done.

There are a couple of Messianic groups that have weekly teachings based on the Torah portion of the week that are geared for children.

First Fruits of Zion has their "Torah Club for Kids"

Jeff Feinstien's Flame Foundation has a Shabbat School curriculum that is also adaptable to home venue.

There are a variety of others as well.

 

[Halbhh]

I think the "lets fill our kids heads with random Bible stories" approach isn't quite the right one, which is what most of my "religious education" was.

I remember vaguely in the various sunday school classes I was in as an 11 and under, I'd simply ignore whatever the teacher was saying entirely and day dream.

But the great thing was when I did not go any longer to a sunday school, but instead heard the regular sermon with the adults! That was truly beneficial. It made quite a difference, and suddenly I was very much listening, and really absorbing.

 

[Halbhh]

I think the "lets fill our kids heads with random Bible stories" approach isn't quite the right one, which is what most of my "religious education" was.

Another really great moment happened with our daughter. When she was 8 or 9 one Sunday she suddenly decided she was not going to the Sunday School class that time (though she went again later, so this was a one time thing), and by chance or by divine providence (I think the later), it happened the 2nd scripture reading, which the Sunday School kids did not hear in it's full form wording, but our daughter did hear just like the adults in full form, was the story of the Good Samaritan, and I noticed she suddenly stopped being distracted and became totally and utterly focused, absorbing every bit of this story.

So....think again on that one, but the real problem with Sunday Schools is precisely that they try to make the already clear language (of the NIV or NRSV, etc.) for a parable into something even more simplified (???).

Why?

It's like a robotic approach to do that, just doing a process without thought, or consideration. The parable is already crystal clear in plain meaning in most translations, to the level of any 8 year old can totally absorb it in it's full form.

That's the real problem with Sunday Schools in my view -- oversimplifying, treating 8 yr olds as if they were 5, taking out details they think very wrongly don't matter to omit, but which any novelist could tell you are the little details that can make the difference between a chapter that works and one that does not work.

Thinking to help kids, they block kids from getting it. Part of it is the same error behind the NLT (as I see it) -- that urge to simplify and make clear which is akin to replacing a wondrous sunset photo with a simplified version, losing what makes it work.

 

[Dkh587]

Kids don’t need a watered down version of the Scriptures. They need to know what it says.

Honestly, children’s programs are not biblical. The Israelites taught their children the truth exactly as it was written, and so should we teach children the truth.

 

[Paidiske]

We do need to teach children in a way that they can understand. I can guarantee you right now that my child can't understand Scripture in a good (complex and robust) English translation. She simply doesn't have the language skills, to start with.

 

[Halbhh]

We do need to teach children in a way that they can understand. I can guarantee you right now that my child can't understand Scripture in a good (complex and robust) English translation. She simply doesn't have the language skills, to start with.

Enter the NIV.

At least for a good reader who is 8 or 9 yrs old (and perhaps 10 yrs old for most of the rest of kids) -- it's right on their level for things in the 4 gospels, the heart of Christianity. And for plenty of the traditional OT stories too.

Sure, some parables are more complex in meaning -- not like the Good Samaritan or the Prodigal Son, but more subtle -- so that people of any age might need some help understanding, regardless of translation.

Next, if it's going to be a quote from Paul, heh heh, then often even the adults need plenty of help usually.

 

[Paidiske]

Yeah, but I'm dealing with a six-year-old with severe language delays. I can't just hand her an NIV.

 

[Halbhh]

Yeah, but I'm dealing with a six-year-old with severe language delays. I can't just hand her an NIV.

Right. Totally agree. 6 yr olds are not ready for direct translations past things like "Love one another", and even then it helps to say instead "Love each other". Telling them of the good shepherd going to find and rescue one of His sheep (Luke chapter 15), I'd paraphrase liberally for clarity.

 

[FireDragon76]

Even a Today's English Version Bible is beyond a six year old's reading ability.

At around that age, all I remember was that the church had alot of people that were nice and pleasant to be around, and I vaguely understood Jesus as a person that was supposed to be nice too, and that he lived in heaven. And that he rode around on a camel and showed up at Christmas alot. The camel and people dressed up in funny clothes never made sense at that age.

From what I recall, the story of Noah's Ark didn't make alot of sense to me at that age (I think I was around 4-5, saw a rainbow, and vaguely connected it to the story), other than God gets angry sometimes and kills everybody, and then promises not to. I didn't really understand the whole concept of sin, I think, at that age. It's that sort of random Bible approach that I think isn't very helpful.