Children not allowed to learn about Easter until age five
Published on March 16th, 2008.
Today at The Henry Institute, Russell Moore exposes us to the intentional exclusion of the Easter story from a popular children’s Sunday school curriculum. First Look publishing says that “we need to be careful as we choose what we tell preschoolers about Easter.” I agree with that statement. But I viscerally disagree with what they meant by this statement. In reading what follows I experienced a rare laughter of anger. From a desire to protect children, First Look has essentially denied them the only protection available from sin and death and hell. In an attempt not to confuse children with the resurrection since they can’t understand the cross, they have undermined the meaning and significance of everything else the Bible says. Without the cross and without the resurrection, this curriculum is from that of another religion than Christianity.
A Special Note About Easter,
Easter is a special time in churches. It’s a time of celebration and thankfulness. But because of the graphic nature of the Easter story and the crucifixion specifically, we need to be careful as we choose what we tell preschoolers about Easter.
In order to be sensitive to the physical, intellectual, and emotional development of preschoolers, First Look has chosen not to include the Easter story in our curriculum. Instead, we are focusing on the Last Supper, when Jesus shared a meal and spent time with the people He loved. We have made this choice because the crucifixion is simply too violent for preschoolers. And if we were to skip the crucifixion and go straight to the resurrection, then preschoolers would be confused. Additionally, preschoolers, as concrete thinkers, are simply unable to truly grasp what it means to die and then be raised again through the power of God.
We know that God wants all people to come to know Him and accept His gift of salvation. We believe that, by waiting until children are in elementary school to tell them the marvelous story of Easter, they will be better able to understand it and accept God’s offer of salvation. We’re using these formative preschool years to build a foundation for that eventual decision by focusing on God’s love and telling preschoolers athat “Jesus wants to be my friend forever.”
However, we know that some of you use First Look in your five-year-old and kindergarten classrooms. To accommodate your needs, we have included an alternate ending to the Bible story that tells a simple version of the Easter story. We hope it is an appropriate way to communicate the story of Easter in a way that is understandable for older preschoolers.
Thank you for joining us in preparing preschoolers to know God’s love personally.
HT: Two Institutions, Russell Moore
Filled under Miscellany.
2 Comments
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