Stories We Tell Our Children

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The Stories We Tell Our Children: How the Past Is Made Present in Children’s Literature,
by David Thomas
(Royal Fireworks Press, 2008), pb., 156 pp.

David Thomas is a friend and colleague at Union University where he teaches history. He and his wife Nan are also parents who have made purposeful, joyous reading to their children a part of their lives. This book, it seems to me, is an outgrowth of this connection between professional and family life.

This book is not an annotated list of recommended books like The Book Tree. Rather, it is a discussion of how we can learn history from picture books intended for children. Thomas says:

This book is for people who enjoy children’s literature. It unpacks the complex historical features in books known for their simplicity…. I hope to benefit parents who enjoy reading and thinking with their children, teachers and librarians who are looking for new ways to introduce historical thinking to their students, home school parents who formally combine the roles of parent and teacher, and others who are interested in history, literature, and education. (p. 1)

Thus the goal of this book is demonstrate historical elements found (often implicitly) in children’s books and to discuss how these elements can be used to increase historical awareness and appreciation. The book succeeds in this goal and is thus helpful for parents who read to their children as Thomas intends.

Thomas comments further on the idea behind the book stating:

At the core of this book is the conviction that historical thinking is fundamental to human life and identity. Every aspect of human culture is historical; the more skilled and perceptive we are, the better. We need to see the past is as much of its power and curious fun as our imagination can handle. (p. 3)

I agree with and really like this statement. Especially since we live in a culture that is increasingly unaware of and apathetic towards the past, Thomas’ assertion is important. Historical awareness helps us know who we are and helps us to live well. And, to appreciate history we need well trained, expansive imaginations!

In the chapters Thomas walks through different ways in which we can notice historical clues embedded in these books and what we can do with them. Some of this information will be of less interest to parents and of more interest to those specifically teaching history. However, it is very useful for all of us in learning to read better and in making the most of our reading. He also comments on a number of books along the way providing helpful recommendations of books the reader might want to pursue.

Let me conclude with a two more quotes form the book.

The earlier our historical imagination and curiosity are awakened, the better. (p. 7)

Expose your children to good literature and they will recognize it in the future. They will pursue the authors they know and love and be encouraged to explore further on their own. (p. 13)

This last quote is one of the key convictions behind my own reading to my children and of this blog, which is the result of that reading.

I commend Thomas’ book to you than as a resource for book recommendations and stimulating thoughts on using your reading a way to teach historical awareness.

NB: This book is listed at Amazon though apparently it is currently unavailable there.
You can find the book at this page on the publishers website (scroll to bottom of the page)

The Orthodox Study Bible

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I mentioned previously the amazing number of new study Bibles coming out this year. Some are intended for a broad audience and others have a specific niche audience. As I reviewed them for Preaching Magazine, the most interesting niche study Bible was The Orthodox Study Bible: Ancient Christianity Speaks to Today’s World(Nelson). It is the first full-length Orthodox study Bible in English including a new translation of the Old Testament from the Septuagint (since that is the version of the OT used by the Orthodox) and study notes written by leading theologians of the Orthodox Church.

I of course have differences with the Orthodox Church, but I found this study Bible stimulating in a positive way. I am especially intrigued by the OT section since you have here a translation of the Septuagint (Greek) text instead of the Hebrew Masoretic text as found in our standard Bibles. The differences are intriguing and the notes commonly point out such differences. These differences could be confusing to people who are unaware of such issues, but for trained pastors seeing such things can be helpful and challenging as you dialogue with another portion of the historic church.

The notes are theologically focused, thus aiming at the overall meaning of the text. Also, the notes often provide quotes from early church fathers. In this way this study Bible sometimes accomplishes in a more usable manner the goal of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Series (ed. by Tom Oden).

Love and Perseverance

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My good friend Ron Sloan, owner of Refiner’s Fire Bookstore, recently sent me this quote from C. S. Lewis in The Four Loves, and it fits well with the topics I mentioned in my post on preaching about the church:

“The little pockets of early Christians survived because they cared exclusively for the love of ‘the brethren’ and stopped their ears to the opinion of the Pagan society all round them.”

We need this sort of active, caring unity for the church to advance the kingdom as we ought.

Need for Teachers

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Last week after one of the services where I was preaching, an older man came up to talk with me. One of the joys of these situations for me is the opportunity to hear from such saints who have walked with the Lord for many decades. This man was 89 and told me how he was converted at a meeting held over 70 years ago just a few yards from where we stood. His testimony was encouraging.

At one point he leaned in closer and said, “Preacher, you want me to tell you what’s wrong with our churches today?” I responded eagerly, “Yes, sir!” He said, “We don’t have enough Bible teachers anymore.” I really was amazed. I hear people point to many things, but this dear brother who had served the Lord in this same area for seven decades put his finger on a key issue. He talked about how he reads the Bible and learns on his own but how much we need more teachers in the church, how we need people who will give themselves (pastors and lay leaders as well) to know and teach the Bible.

Brothers, take this as a cry from the pews. Those who are aware enough are crying out to be taught the Bible. Let us faithfully feed the flock and train others to teach the Bible also. This sort of training is the mission also of the Ryan Center for Biblical Studies which I direct. I will be saying more in coming days about an upcoming conference which will be a great training opportunity for pastors and bible study leaders to help fill the void pointed out by this dear elder brother.

The Discipleship Study Bible

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With all the new study Bibles coming out this year and new editions of previous ones, a number of people have dubbed this the “Year of the Study Bible.” I have commented on these in my forthcoming annual survey of bibles and bible reference books for Preaching Magazine (you can see last year’s installment here). In this post, though, I want to give further comment on one of The Discipleship Study Bible, one of the new study Bibles this year.

This study Bible sets itself a good aim in the introduction stating that there is no need to choose between explaining the text in its original setting and applying to contemporary readers. I agree with this approach wholeheartedly. However, the execution is disturbing to me in various places. This is due primary to the critical stance taken toward the Scriptures.

One example will suffice. In Exodus the notes display little confidence on the historical accuracy of the account. Worse than this are the comments on 14:30 where mention is made of the Egyptians destroyed as they sought to follow the Israelites through the Red Sea. The notes state:

We need always to remember that there is more than one side to a story. For Egyptians this is a story of tragedy and defeat…. We need to hear the story of Egyptians and the slaves – Israelis and Palestinians. We must hear even the stories of our enemies. Perhaps as we consider not only our own inclinations to oppress but also the consequences, we’ll be inclined to heed the voices of those crying out to be let go.

What?! We hear in this text the divine interpretation of this event. Of course this was a tragedy for the Egyptians. They were being judged for their rebellion against God. We should take from this text, not “Oh my! There are two sides to the story!” but “It is a terrible thing to fall under God’s judgment!” Of course in our dealings with people we need to hear both sides of a story- Proverbs tells us that- but that is not the point of this text.

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident in the notes for this Bible. Skepticism of the text and political correctness obscure the Bible, so it is not suited to be a help in one’s spiritual growth.

Revival messages on the church

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Sunday I began preaching a series of meetings at a small church in the next county. I am attempting to do the same basic thing I mentioned here once before, preaching to the people about what the church should be on the ground that a true work of renewal begins with the people of God. I have so far preached on the same texts I mentioned before:

1 Tim 3:14-16– on the nature of the church
Eph 4– on the necessity of every
member supplying
Heb 3:12-4:16– on the responsibility of members to exhort
(encourage & rebuke) one another every day as a key to our perseverance.

My intention is to preach on 1 Cor 5 tonight on church discipline as the logical outcome of Eph 4 and Heb 3-4. This is how we show that we truly do love one another and that we love the glory of God. I have also stressed to the people that one of their primary fields of evangelism in this area will be people who profess faith but demonstrate by their life and lack of concern for the things of God that they do not know God (Titus 1:16).

I will hope to post in the next few days some other encouraging things I have seen during these meetings.

Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints

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Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints, ed. John Piper & Justin Taylor
(Crossway, 2008), pb., 157 pp.

I just received my copy of this book and thumbed through it reading various portions. I had not intended really to read anything just yet, but I found myself captivated. “Perseverance” is a word I talk about often with my boys. They call it “our word,” because I stress it so often. I do so because it is such a lacking theme in the culture around us (including the church) and it is so important. So, I was very interested in this book.

There is much wise reflection here from people who have endured. The exhortations from Jerry Bridges, John MacArthur and John Piper are solid and piercing as always. The personal story of Randy Alcorn particularly grabbed me. I knew Alcorn only by some of his books, but I had no idea of his own setting or experiences. His account of enduring persecution, particularly as his children watched, suffered and endured with him, was especially moving and challenging. This is material I will share with my family today.

May we glorify God with faithful perseverance.

Charles Brown posts

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This past Spring I read Charles Brown’s The Ministry and found it a wonderful little book packed with much wisdom for pastoral ministry. Since that time I have been meaning to comment on various portions of the book. I have been delayed for numerous reasons but Eric Smith over at Shepherd of the Sheep has provided a number of good posts from the book. He has also posted several thoughtful and helpful meditations from Titus. I commend them to you.

Be Faithful

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In a recent conversation a friend told me of the church experience of a mutual friend of ours. Our mutual friend is in his later 30’s like me and has been in church for about 16 years. During that time he has been in four or five churches and in everyone one of them the pastor has fallen in sexual immorality. How many today have this same experience that every pastor they have had has eventually had to step down due to immorality (sexual, financial, etc.)?!

Of course we are all sinful, but this cries out for us to be “above reproach” (1 Tim 3:2; Titus 1:6). Brothers, we need to be diligent and to have other men around us who are “in our business.” Do not allow yourself to be aloof and alone. That is a recipe for disaster, and it is not the biblical model for pastors. We need the Body as much as anyone else. Such accountability and openness will puncture our pride releasing the harmful gas which inflates our egos- which is to say it will encourage us to godliness and real joy.

Ella Broadus Robertson

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Since I commented on Broadus yesterday it is appropriate today to link to a recent Kairos Journal article on his daughter, Ella Broadus Robertson. Her husband was A. T. Robertson, prominent Greek scholar at Southern Seminary in the early 20th century.

This Kairos Journal article summarizes Mrs. Robertson’s work in speaking to women and encouraging a biblical world view with books like The Fine Art of Motherhood.