Book about Jesus for non-Christian child

[Anonymous]

I would like to get my children a book about the life of Jesus, but one that does not offer up things taken on faith as fact (I.e will say that many people believe he was resurrected but not present this as the one true belief). Any ideas? Kids are mid-elementary aged.

[Anonymous]

I think that any book that presents anything about Jesus as "fact" is going to be problematic. If you ignore Christian sources, that include things like the resurrection, then the evidence for his existence is weak to nonexistent.

I would probably present the gospels in an age/reading level appropriate translation, and talk about them in the same way I'd talk about a Native American creation myth.

"People disagree about this story.

Some people (I included "like your Nana" here) believe that it is literally true, that everything that is written here really happened. People who believe this also usually believe that God inspired the authors of these books, and that Jesus is the son of God.

Some people believe that there was a man named Jesus, who really lived and did some of the things in this story, but who was just a man. Those people believe that parts of the story are probably true, the parts that talk about things that Jesus said, and the places he went, and the way he died, and parts are made up, like the part about him turning water into wine, and the part about him coming back after he was dead.

Some people believe that these stories are not true at all, and that someone made them up.

and then I'd add

Whatever we believe about the story, it's important to know it and understand it because it is a story that has had a big influence on history, and on the way people live their lives.

Finally, I'd say either

Let's read it, and you can decide what you believe (this is pretty much what I said)

Or

In our family, we believe _________. Let's read it together

[Anonymous]

Yes, maybe 'fact' was the wrong term. What I'm looking for is a kids book that explains the core tenets of Christianity in much the same way as what you might present information about world religions to a Christian child

[Anonymous]

So, not as much about Jesus but about Christianity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, not as much about Jesus but about Christianity?

Yeah, that's my question, too. Jesus is really important in Islam as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, not as much about Jesus but about Christianity?

Yeah, that's my question, too. Jesus is really important in Islam as well.

That's a totally different Jesus. The Jesus in Islam is about retaliation and dietary rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, maybe 'fact' was the wrong term. What I'm looking for is a kids book that explains the core tenets of Christianity in much the same way as what you might present information about world religions to a Christian child

Ummm . . . Christ rising from the dead is a big part of that. The biggest actually. It's impossible to describe Christianity at all without using Jesus' resurrection as a central part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, maybe 'fact' was the wrong term. What I'm looking for is a kids book that explains the core tenets of Christianity in much the same way as what you might present information about world religions to a Christian child

Ummm . . . Christ rising from the dead is a big part of that. The biggest actually. It's impossible to describe Christianity at all without using Jesus' resurrection as a central part.

Not necessarily true. The term "resurrection" can have many different meanings. In new-thought Christian churches for example, Christ's resurrection- his overcoming of death- is viewed metaphysically. Jesus said "these things and greater you will do". Many people interpret that to mean that we can overcome "death" and live eternally. It's a spiritual resurrection more than a physical one.

I'm a minister and a Christian and am certainly not suggesting that new thought churches, or any other Christian church has the answer. Only that even among Christians the birth and resurrection are interpreted in many ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, maybe 'fact' was the wrong term. What I'm looking for is a kids book that explains the core tenets of Christianity in much the same way as what you might present information about world religions to a Christian child

Maybe get a world religions book? You don't have to read the other parts if you want to focus on just the Christian stuff.

Or you could just talk about it, not necessarily read about it, if you just want to impart really basic knowledge.

I'm kind of curious why you want to do this anyway, if you don't mind my asking? Surely your kids will learn a lot about Christianity just by absorbing it in school, whether public or private. It is the dominant religion in this country after all. Kind of like how just about all kids learn English even if they speak a different language at home. I went to a Christian day school so I learned quite a lot there (I am Jewish), but my husband grew up in a hugely Jewish area in NY and he still managed to learn the basics of Christianity through osmosis or whatever at his public school, even though the student body was 50% Jewish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, maybe 'fact' was the wrong term. What I'm looking for is a kids book that explains the core tenets of Christianity in much the same way as what you might present information about world religions to a Christian child

Ummm . . . Christ rising from the dead is a big part of that. The biggest actually. It's impossible to describe Christianity at all without using Jesus' resurrection as a central part.

The resurrection can be described as "this is what Christians are taught to believe" without saying that it's factual. You might also show your child the stories about several other gods who die and rise again. It's a common religious theme.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, maybe 'fact' was the wrong term. What I'm looking for is a kids book that explains the core tenets of Christianity in much the same way as what you might present information about world religions to a Christian child

Maybe get a world religions book? You don't have to read the other parts if you want to focus on just the Christian stuff.

Or you could just talk about it, not necessarily read about it, if you just want to impart really basic knowledge.

I'm kind of curious why you want to do this anyway, if you don't mind my asking? Surely your kids will learn a lot about Christianity just by absorbing it in school, whether public or private. It is the dominant religion in this country after all. Kind of like how just about all kids learn English even if they speak a different language at home. I went to a Christian day school so I learned quite a lot there (I am Jewish), but my husband grew up in a hugely Jewish area in NY and he still managed to learn the basics of Christianity through osmosis or whatever at his public school, even though the student body was 50% Jewish.

Maybe OP wants more academic knowledge over the kind that comes via osmosis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, maybe 'fact' was the wrong term. What I'm looking for is a kids book that explains the core tenets of Christianity in much the same way as what you might present information about world religions to a Christian child

Ummm . . . Christ rising from the dead is a big part of that. The biggest actually. It's impossible to describe Christianity at all without using Jesus' resurrection as a central part.

Not necessarily true. The term "resurrection" can have many different meanings. In new-thought Christian churches for example, Christ's resurrection- his overcoming of death- is viewed metaphysically. Jesus said "these things and greater you will do". Many people interpret that to mean that we can overcome "death" and live eternally. It's a spiritual resurrection more than a physical one.

I'm a minister and a Christian and am certainly not suggesting that new thought churches, or any other Christian church has the answer. Only that even among Christians the birth and resurrection are interpreted in many ways.

Are you saying that no church has the answer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, maybe 'fact' was the wrong term. What I'm looking for is a kids book that explains the core tenets of Christianity in much the same way as what you might present information about world religions to a Christian child

Maybe get a world religions book? You don't have to read the other parts if you want to focus on just the Christian stuff.

Or you could just talk about it, not necessarily read about it, if you just want to impart really basic knowledge.

I'm kind of curious why you want to do this anyway, if you don't mind my asking? Surely your kids will learn a lot about Christianity just by absorbing it in school, whether public or private. It is the dominant religion in this country after all. Kind of like how just about all kids learn English even if they speak a different language at home. I went to a Christian day school so I learned quite a lot there (I am Jewish), but my husband grew up in a hugely Jewish area in NY and he still managed to learn the basics of Christianity through osmosis or whatever at his public school, even though the student body was 50% Jewish.

Maybe OP wants more academic knowledge over the kind that comes via osmosis.

I guess. But for elementary-school age kids how academic is it going to get? A world religions or history book might be best. We had something similar for Greek myths when I was a kid -- tailored to kids and definitely emphasized the "myth" side of the Greek myths, but with tons of details. I loved those books. OP, you could ask at the library or check Amazon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, maybe 'fact' was the wrong term. What I'm looking for is a kids book that explains the core tenets of Christianity in much the same way as what you might present information about world religions to a Christian child

Maybe get a world religions book? You don't have to read the other parts if you want to focus on just the Christian stuff.

Or you could just talk about it, not necessarily read about it, if you just want to impart really basic knowledge.

I'm kind of curious why you want to do this anyway, if you don't mind my asking? Surely your kids will learn a lot about Christianity just by absorbing it in school, whether public or private. It is the dominant religion in this country after all. Kind of like how just about all kids learn English even if they speak a different language at home. I went to a Christian day school so I learned quite a lot there (I am Jewish), but my husband grew up in a hugely Jewish area in NY and he still managed to learn the basics of Christianity through osmosis or whatever at his public school, even though the student body was 50% Jewish.

Maybe OP wants more academic knowledge over the kind that comes via osmosis.

I guess. But for elementary-school age kids how academic is it going to get? A world religions or history book might be best. We had something similar for Greek myths when I was a kid -- tailored to kids and definitely emphasized the "myth" side of the Greek myths, but with tons of details. I loved those books. OP, you could ask at the library or check Amazon.

Greek myths are not controversial -- everyone accepts them as myth. No one believes in them the way some people belief that Christianity is factual, not mythical,

[Anonymous]

I think any book of bible stories will do.

Jonah
Moses
Noah


And I have alway taught these to my kids as fiction. It's really important part of literature ... Just like Passover, Hanukkah, etc