Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Good Letters

Home
Catholic
Raising Kids in the Creation/Evolution Divide, Part 1

Raising Kids in the Creation/Evolution Divide, Part 1

Last updated on: July 20, 2015 at 12:39 pm by Tania Runyan

Raising Kids in the Creation/Evolution Divide, Part 1 2015-07-20T12:39:43-07:00 Tania Runyan

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Two summers ago,my husband Jeremy and I decided to cancel our family’s cross-country road trip just days before departure. Our bank account had taken a beating with some unexpected bills. We suddenly found ourselves looking for staycation activities for our children, who were devastated to miss out on hiking the national parks and splashing in the ocean with their California cousins.

Fortunately, several churches in our area offered Vacation Bible School programs,so we immediately set to registering Lydia, 9; Becca, 7; and Samuel, 4. You can’t go wrong with snacks, scripture, and slap bracelets for less than $15 per kid. Later in the summer, I was delighted to find yet another VBS in a neighboring town that offered a curriculum different from those of the previous weeks.

The program was called IncrediWorld Amazement Park: A Thrill Ride Through God’s Creation. Still pining for Yellowstone’s geysers and Black Canyon’s 2,000-foot, Precambrian drop,the kids welcomed a nature-themed week.

When we dropped our kids off, Jeremy and I were struck by the warmth of the staff and volunteers. While the other VBS programs funneled children into the appropriate groups right away, this church stationed the pastor at the door.

“What’s your name, Buddy? And how old are you?” he asked Samuel, crouching at his eye level and patiently awaiting an answer as if Samuel were the only child in the room.

This church seemed to define itself with tenderness, and we felt comfortable entrusting our kids to them for a few hours each morning.

At lunch after the first day, we asked the children what they had learned. “Creation stuff,” Lydia quipped, and tossed a chart on the table.Jeremy picked it up and squinted. The children had been asked to place a sun sticker on day one, a moon on day two, and so forth. The chart read, “In six short days, everything was made.” He and I exchanged a quick glance.

The focus on six literal days surprised us, but we didn’t make too much of it, and the kids didn’t even seem to notice. We’ve taught them that while we don’t adhere to six literal days, many people do, and that in the context of following Christ, differing opinions are acceptable, even healthy.

Our own church body represents a variety of views on the creation issue—if the subject even comes up. We’re usually too busy trying to feed and clothe teen mothers and gang members. Be open-minded and respectful, we tell our kids. Examine your beliefs, admit uncertainty, but don’t lose sight of what’s—or who’s—most important: Jesus.

On the second day, as Jeremy and I drove the children home, we learned they had participated in a role-play activity.

“So, like a scientist guy stood on one side of the stage, and a Christian on the other,” Becca said.

Our kids explained how the two characters debated about the age of the earth, and then the students, aged preschool through fifth grade, were asked to stand on one side of the room if they agreed with the scientist and the other if they sided with the believer.

There was, literally, no middle ground. And still no mention of Jesus.

“Where’d you stand?” I asked.

“The Christi**an side,” Becca said, as if I were crazy. “Everyone did.”

Panic rose in my chest, but I decided to keep quiet until Jeremy and I could speak privately. When the kids went outside to set up their Slip-n-Slide, we flipped through the morning’s items.

Their craft for the day was a pair of paper sunglasses labeled “God Glasses.” I didn’t object to that so much; it’s good to try to see things the way you believe God sees them. But then I found the theme printed throughout their colorfulpaperwork: “The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it.”

We hold the Bible in high regard in our household and have read it to our kids since their births. But I find the statement dangerous. What do the writers mean by says it? Are they accounting for genre and cultural context? Certainly this church doesn’t take head coverings and stoning disobedient children literally (or they would never be able to run a VBS).

We want our children to linger in the mysteriously, often beautifully, gray it of the word, not read a verse, slam their Bibles closed, and wipe the dust from their hands.

“What do you think?” I asked Jeremy, but we both knew the answer.

To be continued tomorrow.

This post was made possible through the support of a grant from The BioLogos Foundation’s Evolution and Christian Faith program. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of BioLogos.

Tania Runyan is the author of the poetry collections Second Sky (Cascade Poiema Series), A Thousand Vessels, Simple Weight, and Delicious Air, which was awarded Book of the Year by the Conference on Christianity and Literature in 2007. Her book How to Read a Poem, an instructional guide based on Billy Collins’s “Introduction to Poetry,” was recently released by T.S. Poetry Press. Her poems have appeared in many publications, including Poetry, Image, Books & Culture, Harvard Divinity Bulletin, The Christian Century, Atlanta Review, Indiana Review, and the anthology In a Fine Frenzy: Poets Respond to Shakespeare. Tania was awarded an NEA Literature Fellowship in 2011. She tutors high school students and edits for Every Day Poems and Relief.

creation vs. evolution

faith

The BioLogos Foundation

vacation bible school

Previous Post

October 21, 2014

Fury: The Beautification of Violence?

Next Post

October 23, 2014 Raising Kids in the Creation/Evolution Divide, Part 2

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A. G. Harmon Alissa Wilkinson Allison Backous Art Authors Brad Fruhauff Bradford Winters Bryan Bliss Caroline Langston Chad Thomas Johnston Chris Hoke Christiana N. Peterson Culture D.G. Myers D.L. Mayfield Daniel Bowman Jr. David Griffith Elizabeth Duffy Faith Film Greg Wolfe Guest Contributor Interview Jan Vallone Jeffrey Overstreet Jessica Eddings-Roeser Jessica Mesman Griffith Kelly Foster Lindsey Crittenden Morgan Meis music Natalie Vestin Nick Olson Peggy Rosenthal Personal Reflection Poetry Friday Reflection Relationships Review Richard Chess Richard Cole Sara Zarr Shannon Huffman Polson Sonya Bilocerkowycz Tania Runyan Tony Woodlief Topical Categories Uncategorized Vic Sizemore Writing

Select a Month October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 February 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What animal tricked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Eagle Lion Bear Serpent