Thursday, November 5, 2015

The Ology {a Litfuse Blog Tour review}

One issue I've had with our life in general is that I don't feel like my kids are getting anything at all like the basic theological foundation that I experienced during my two years of confirmation classes.

My adult son is going through a New Member Class at church that seems to be covering a lot of that type of thing.  And eventually I'll find something to do with my other teens, I am sure.

But I've found a fabulous option for my elementary/middle school children.  The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New by Marty Machowski is a fantastic book.  I may even use it with my teens on our second run through it, but more on that later.

From the publisher:
A page-turning storybook of theology for kids

In the cellar of the old stone cathedral, Carla and Timothy uncover a life-changing treasure, a carefully wrapped ancient book known as The Ology. What adults might describe as a beautifully illustrated storybook of systematic theology, the kids discover to be a story of adventure, mystery, and wonder that leads them to the truth about God, themselves, and the world around them.

Truth is for kids, not just for adults! So The Ology gives kids of all ages a beginner's theology book to help them understand who God is and how we, as his children, relate to him. Arranged within a traditional systematic theological framework, each truth in The Ology is also connected to the larger redemptive story of Scripture. The doctrine of God, for example, is presented in the larger framework of creation, where the attributes of God are more clearly on display. The Ology takes abstract theological concepts and makes them easier to understand with the use of creative examples, illustrations, and analogies. The goal is not to say everything that could be said about a theological topic, but rather to share the key thoughts behind a theological concept. The Ology is a starting point to learning theology and aims to create a hunger and desire in children to learn more as they grow older.

Designed for six-year-olds through preteens, this flexible resource includes built-in adaptations for use with younger or older children, so that entire families can enjoy it together. Read The Ology to preschoolers, read it with grade-school kids, and let older kids discover the "hidden" truths by reading the corresponding Scripture passages for each section. However you read it, The Ology will give your children a gift that will last a lifetime---a solid foundation of life-changing biblical truth that will point them to the God who loves them and gave himself for them.

Our thoughts:

This book is split into 71 sections, organized in eleven topic areas.  The sections are pretty short, which is great, as you can read through them in just a few minutes.  The broader topics include:
  • The Ology of God
  • The Ology of People
  • The Ology of Sin
  • The Ology of the Promise and the Law
  • The Ology of Christ
  • The Ology of the Holy Spirit
  • The Ology of Adoption into God's Family
  • The Ology of Change
  • The Ology of Church
  • The Ology of the End Times
  • The Ology of God's Word
Systematic Theology for kids.  Seriously, how much better does it get than this?

We are working through one section per day, which is suggested in the introductory materials.  for ages 10-12, they suggest reading through the book to get a big picture overview of the theology covered here.  Then, the suggestion is to go back through the book, one section at a time, looking up the Scripture references, which are incorporated into the beautiful illustrations by Andy McGuire.  They can journal their way through this, listing the Scriptures, commenting on how that ties together, and also answering discussion questions.

I suspect that we will just discuss the discussion questions, but I love the idea of them putting together a journal.

I'm impressed.  Go see a sample of The Ology for yourself.  And then go see what others had to say on this Blog Tour.



Disclaimer:  I received this book through LitFuse Blog Tour.  No other compensation was received.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own.  

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