Engaging Childist Biblical Interpretation and Reading Studies to Enhance Children’s Bible Lessons

Abstract

Many children’s Bible lessons, even those that are intended to be child-oriented lessons, are consciously or unconsciously designed in ways that serve adult agendas for children rather than serving the interests of children themselves. By engaging the growing movements of childism and childist biblical interpretation, as well as studies in how children read and understand the Bible, religious educators can better facilitate and guide children in Bible lessons that are driven by the children themselves and that better connect to their life contexts, experiences, and felt needs.