Recently, I had the opportunity to share about the books I write at a homeschool convention. I remember one mom looked over the flier about Journey through Church History and said thoughtfully, “I don’t know if it ever occurred to me to teach my kids about church history, but I think that’s a great idea.”
Perhaps this is you too. Maybe you love church history, but you’ve had trouble finding a resource that children can understand. Or maybe you know nothing about church history and feel completely out of your depth at the prospect of teaching it. Or maybe you’re still not sure exactly why one would study church history. Let me share a few of the reasons why I believe everyone should want to learn more about church history and teach it to their children.
1. Church history provides role models—examples of men and women who stood firm in the faith.
The prevailing sentiment among Christians today is that it is not an easy time to be in the church. Christianity is countercultural. We are raising the next generation in the hope that they will grow up to be weird. We don’t want them to fit in with the rest of the world; we want them to fit in with the historic Christian Church.
But here’s the secret—while some times and places in history may have been easier for Christians than others, Christianity has been beset by difficulties before. Yet the church thrives. Jesus is faithful to care for His Bride through the work of the Holy Spirit in every decade and century. The story of the church is our family history. By teaching this history to our children, we set before them examples of brave, faithful men and women who were willing to die for their confession of Jesus as Lord. We can show them that our own time is not all that unique, that there is nothing to fear because the Lord is on our side, and that history is ultimately moving toward all things being made new in Him.
I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
John 17:14–16
In moments when standing for the truth seems insurmountable, we want our young people to recall the stories of John Chrysostom, Ambrose of Milan, John Hus, Martin Luther, and others who have stood on that same truth, regardless of the outcome. We are not alone. We stand among “so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1).
2. Church history equips us to answer challenges and questions posed to Christianity.
Someday your children will hear claims like “The authors of the New Testament didn’t actually witness the events they wrote about” or “The books of the Bible were not assembled until the fourth century” or “Peter was the first pope” or “the church has always taught this” or “the church has never taught that.” Giving children the opportunity to learn the history of their faith equips them to answer the challenges they will hear as they grow up and have conversations with those both inside and outside Christendom who come from different traditions.
I was driven to study church history because I encountered questions that I could not answer. When did the church start teaching about purgatory? What has the church historically believed about the Sacraments? What about the Apocrypha? While there is always more to learn, there are good and satisfying answers to these questions! Giving children a basic foundation in the history of the church equips them to keep learning and to know what kind of questions they should ask and where they can start to look for answers.
3. Church history hints at the hidden beauty of “institutional church.”
Teaching church history is in many ways a soft apologetic for the institutional church. The church sometimes has a bad reputation. We don’t want to contend with bureaucracies, see abuses of power, or witness politics at work among God’s people. Indeed, the church is full of sinners and always has been. But great encouragement and perspective can be drawn from an awareness of church history. When you read the words of a bishop in the fourth century bemoaning the same struggles the church today faces, you are confronted both with the humanity of these great men and women who went before us and with the promise and comfort that if Jesus was able to work through those situations to preserve His people, He will certainly continue to do so today. We do not need to be afraid of when things get messy. Jesus is Head of the church; He has seen her through many challenges, and we are living evidence of His graciousness to those who came before us.
So, how can we teach our children about the legacy of faith that is the Christian Church?
Journey through Church History curriculum tells the story of Christianity chronologically, with emphasis placed on the lives of saints and theologians who contributed to the church in significant ways. Interspersed throughout the book are chapters that dive deeper into specific key topics, such as Where does the Bible come from? Where do the creeds come from? Where does the liturgy come from? and Where do denominations come from? The main book, or Student Book, stands alone, featuring discussion questions at the end of each chapter. Read it aloud to your elementary- or middle-school-aged children or pick it up for yourself if you wish you knew more about church history. The Leader Guide expands on the Student Book, providing additional Bible studies, vocabulary words, maps of key locations, extension activities, and a coloring page for each chapter. Pair the two together and you have a flexible resource perfect for homeschool families, Lutheran schools, Sunday School, or other group contexts.
In the Magnificat, Mary praises her Lord with these words: “His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation” (Luke 1:50). The study of church history bears witness to God’s goodness and provision for every generation of His people. May we diligently pass on this heritage to the generations that follow us by sharing with them the stories of their faith family through the centuries.
Scripture: ESV®
We don’t have to face our Christian walk alone. We have “so great a cloud of witnesses” in our Christian heritage who can educate and inspire us. Share this rich history with young people in your life with Journey through Church History curriculum.
