k or when you read books to them, they end up asking to read it again, and again, and again. Young children don’t just read books, they ingest them.
When my boys were young, we played a game with them. Their dad or I would come up with a line from one of their books and they had to be the first one to yell out the name of the book it came from. This game worked because 1) Both Dad and I knew enough quotes from their books (from reading them so many times) to be able to instantly come up with lines from them, and 2) The boys pretty much knew their books backward and forward — otherwise, no point to the game. This game was always loads of fun and we created lots of family memories playing it!
I don’t think my experience with our boys is that unique. Children’s books are more than stories. They can become familiar narratives children listen to over and over. So it’s worth asking: Are the books we’re reading doing a good job of portraying God and His Creation? Here are a few things to keep in mind when investigating what’s out there.
- When a book discusses the mechanisms of the development of life, is it drawing on up-to-date, consensus science? We do a disservice to the next generation if we misrepresent or ignore widely accepted scientific claims. Is it legitimate to think we will just correct informational errors when they’re older? With the science/faith literature currently available for children, (and hopefully more on the way), I believe we can present a consistent picture from the beginning. Then, as our children grow and are exposed to ideas from the outside world, they learn we as Christian parents can be trusted. This can also minimize confusion as they mature.
- Is there room for the message that God is both the Creator and Sustainer? Some “secular” materials are great resources to introduce the amazing realities of the world around us. But some may also try to interject the notion that all that exists in the universe is what is observable through science. Sometimes along with that comes the implication that mankind is either the pinnacle of all that exists or is not-at-all unique among other living things. Be aware that some books with great science include some unwanted metaphysical claims.
- Is there the sense that the work of creation is ongoing (creatio continua)—not just something that God did one time in the past? Some interpretations of Genesis 2:1-2 can make this appear to be true. Yet, we know babies are being born, some species are going extinct, continents are shifting, stars are forming and dying off. The universe is not static and our God reigns over all. He is the Creator not just as portrayed in Genesis 1 but also in Isaiah 42:5, “This is what God the Lord says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it.” To miss this emphasis on divine activity is to miss an opportunity for our young ones to have their eyes open to the power and “bigness” of God.
- How are scientists and the scientific endeavor portrayed? Is there a subtle distrust being communicated? Do the materials present science (or scientists) as a battleground (or enemy) for Christians to defeat rather than a tool to help us actively engage God’s creation for his glory? Do our children see scientific careers as a way to faithfully serve him and others?
Young children devour books and there are a lot of choices out there. The message they receive from them matters. From these early, formative years come their foundational understanding of the character of God and the universe he has made. And their interaction with it all. Let’s choose carefully.
Know about some great children’s books? Let me know at email@example.com.
In tomorrow’s post, we’ll hear from a new Christian publisher we’re excited about: Novare Science and Math. Their focus is to change how science education happens in Christian schools so that students actually learn science, and “not something else which may be calling itself science but which do