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Small Talks on Big Questions, Vol. 2

Catechising

SMALL TALKS ON BIG QUESTIONS, Vol. 2
By Selah Helms and Susan Thompson
Joshua Press. 192 pages. £16.00
ISBN 1 894400 05 4

'Children can understand doctrine and apply it to their lives.' The authors aim to help parents educate their children in the fundamentals of Christian doctrine and are concerned especially to provide a structured, simple approach to teaching children aged eight and over.

The book is, essentially, a companion to the Children's Catechism (adapted from the Westminster Shorter Catechism). It provides Bible stories and stories from church history to illustrate the truths being taught. This is the second in a two-volume series covering the whole catechism. The catechism questions (referred to as 'questions to learn') are grouped into doctrinal points with a Bible story and a story from church history to illustrate each section. Each story ends with a number of discussion questions.

As the authors note in the introduction, teaching doctrine is out of vogue with many Christian parents and, we could add, in children's and youth work generally. It is good, therefore, that such a book has been written. Children do need to learn doctrine and can benefit greatly from learning catechism. This book addresses an area of real need and is a wonderful resource for parents and youth workers alike.

There are, however, just a few things that could have been done differently. The authors admit to the Bible stories being imaginatively presented and while they have 'sought to retain the accuracy of the Scriptural account', they have 'added dialogue and details that the Scriptures do not give'. A dramatic retelling of what is in the scriptural account would have been more helpful. The discussion questions are aimed at older children and will tax some parents in places! In some sections there are also a large number of catechism questions to learn. This means that parents will need to be creative to adapt the material for family devotions to ensure that the catechism is learned adequately; unless, of course, Sunday School is covering the same ground. The questions on baptism diverge greatly from the corresponding ones in the Westminster Shorter Catechism, so some adjustment would be needed for those who prefer the original version.

These are minor issues, however, compared with the wealth of resources provided. The stories from church history are excellent and are also useful for wider youth work. The book is well illustrated throughout. I highly recommend this work.

Fiona Johnston, Camberwell