Monday, October 23, 2023

It is the 23rd of October, 2023. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org. I’m Dan van Voorhis.

 

A happy Monday, I suppose, if you’re into Mondays. We head to the mailbag to answer a question from Jonathan from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania- actually from his 8-year-old daughter.

Harrisburg, of course, is the capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania- the Keystone State. It was considered as one of the possible capitols for the United States, I read the state capital was modeled after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Whenever I think of Pennsylvania, I think of the Primanti Brothers Sandwiches- meat, vinegar-based coleslaw, and fries all on freshly baked bread.

Jonathan writes:

“Hi Dan,
My 8 year old daughter (a self-proclaimed "history nut") has a question. She recently aged-out of our children's church, so she is now in the service with us the whole time. She would like to know two things:

1. In her words: "how did kids keep from getting bored in church?"

2. In her words: "are there any Christian history books that my parents can get me?”

 

What a great question! There is a fascinating book called “When Children Became People: The Birth of Childhood in Early Christianity” by O.M. Bakke. He argues that the church revolutionized the world by seeing children as important! As people! Think of when Jesus tells his disciples to bring the little children to him. And so, since the early church, there has been an emphasis on getting kids into worship. John Chrysostom, an early church Father, said that as soon as a child could “hold your hand” (walk), they should come to church. As early as the 300s, we see the age of 8 as the beginning of when kids could read the scripture lessons. Even those who couldn’t read would memorize and recite! Young children would also sing in the choir.

In the Middle Ages, the church, in many places, became more of a passive experience for everybody, with the priests doing everything and professional choirs.

During the Reformation, the teaching of children was done through catechisms- eventually, that practice became standard across many denominations. You should ask for parents if your church has a catechism you could read.

The first Sunday schools started in the 1800s, and while they were run by the church, they weren’t during church. Before everyone went to school, the church would offer free education on Sundays to kids. They would, of course, also teach the Bible and Christianity to these kids. Eventually, “Sunday school” would become a separate event during the worship service, and different churches have had to decide when that is age-appropriate and when it is not. It was also in the 1800s that we saw the “Children’s Sermon” develop across American denominations- that is, a special sermon for children during the primary worship service itself.

What kids should do during church is a very personal choice- I’ve been at churches where my boys stay with us the whole time, some of the time, and at some ages, go to a nursery or Children’s church. When I started going to church as a teenager, I only went to Youth Group, and I wish I had been involved in the whole life of the church earlier.

As for good history books for kids- for general history, I like the classic “A Little History of the World” by E.H. Gombrich. I like the “History Lives” series- it is five short books on Church History for Kids by Mindy and Brandon Withrow- it’s not perfect, but it can get you started. So is The Church History ABCs by Stephen Nichols- I might not like some parts, but no one history book is perfect. If you want to challenge yourself, maybe Church History 101 by Sinclair Ferguson or Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley. Maybe you can go 1 page at a time and underline words or names you don’t know and then ask your parents to help you look them up online. Brittanica dot com is a great online resource for quick fact checks.

I also think if you wonder, “What can I do in church”? Ask your pastor- perhaps, like the early church, you can read (as an 8-year-old, the Church Fathers thought you were old enough) or help with anything.

Thanks, Jonathan and family from Harrisburg, for the email- for the book titles, remember there is a rough transcript of this program at 1517.org for the weekday shows. You can send me your questions at danv@1517.org.

 

The last word for today is from the daily lectionary and Psalm 63:

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,

    my whole being longs for you,


in a dry and parched land

    where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary

    and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,

    my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,

    and in your name I will lift up my hands.

I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;

    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 23rd of October 2023 brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man with so many children in church his family could be there own congregation- he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who likes when the little golf pencils are in the pew back with scraps of paper for doodling- I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.