*Church History by Simonetta Carr
Simonetta Carr’s Church History is a must-have for Christian families, good for years of reference and encouragement.
*Church History by Simonetta Carr. Reformation Heritage, 265 pages including glossary and index.
Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10
Recommended for: ages 9-up
What do kids know about the historical church?
The Acts of the Apostles, Luke’s carefully-researched account of the earliest Christians, might be considered the first “church history.” The book ends with Paul awaiting trial in Rome, and most Christians don’t know much about what happened after that. It’s not for lack of good information. Few historical movements have been as well documented, partly because the church was always a preserver and promoter of literacy. But church history resources for children are largely restricted to biographies of well-known figures such as Martin Luther and . . . well, Martin Luther.
Simonetta Carr is probably best known for her beautifully illustrated biographies of lesser-known worthies like Anselm and Irenaeus. But systematic and comprehensive histories of the church from its beginnings until today have been lacking in the children’s market. Carr’s most recent book fills that gap admirably.
Nine chapters address The Early Church (up to 312 A.D.), Late Antiquity, Early and High Middle Ages, the Reformation, European religious wars (“A Troubled Century”), the 18th-century revivals, the “Changing World” from 1789-1914, and the Modern World from 1914 to the present day. Each chapter includes a summary and timeline, a map of the territory, notable figures, sidebars, thought questions, and a section on “Great Questions” that have challenged the church through each phase of its existence.
Encouraging and Enlightening
A movement that began with the death of an obscure carpenter and religious teacher should have flickered out within a few decades. But as we know, Christianity not only grew, but had a profound effect on the Western world that is now spreading to the east and south. The last two chapters in Church History detail the growth of the church in Asia and Africa, with profiles of Christian pioneers that we all should know. This growth and influence are due not to human effort but to the work of the Holy Spirit, and as dismal (and “post-Christian”) as the landscape may appear to us, He is still at work. This should be a great encouragement to us.
The book is physically beautiful as well as informative. Plentiful illustrations keep young readers engaged. As in all her biographies, Carr is able to communicate difficult concepts in terms easy for the average fifth-grader to understand, and the thought questions are great discussion fodder for parents and kids alike. It’s not a book to check out and return, but to keep on the family reference shelf: an ideal text for a church-history unit, as well as family devotional reading. Highly recommended!
Overall Rating: 5
Worldview/moral value: 5
Artistic/literary value: 5
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Also at Redeemed Reader:
Reviews: Simonetta Carr has written several biographies for the “For Kids” series published by Chicago Review, including Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt, Michelangelo, and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Review: God’s Timeline (starred review) is another very helpful resource that would complement Church History.
Resources: We’ve definitely tried to fill the history for kids gap at Redeemed Reader! Too many posts to list here, but type “Church History” in the search box and scroll to your hearts content.
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