TGC Article - Why Suffering Adults Need Children’s Books

[B.L.]

Morning,

While skimming through my Feedly reader this morning the TGC article "Why Suffering Adults Need Children’s Books" under the section Christian Living caught my eye. Seeming a little clickbaitish I got curious and went ahead and gave it a read. The article borders on the ridiculous in my opinion, but before dismissing it entirely I had to seriously wonder who of adult age might actually strengthen their faith by devouring books written for young children. Maybe those who are into adult coloring books? Not sure.

Color me critical, but if this is the advice being given to struggling Christian adults by TGC what does that say about the state of evangelicals in the west? I won't read too much into it, but this growing genre of self-help stuff with fragile fetal-position Christians in mind is a barometer of where we're at in my opinion.

At any rate...perhaps some here would disagree. Either way here's the article to read if interested.

Why Suffering Adults Need Children’s Books

Suffering adults need the ministry of good children’s books. They free us to imagine when the unimaginable threatens our hope.

www.thegospelcoalition.org

 

[retroGRAD3]

TGC unfortunately has gone so far off the left end that all they do now is spread leftism, SJW content, and things antithetical to the Christian worldview. It would be best if we all collectively stopped supporting this organization and just let it die.

To respond to the topic title, no TGC, suffering adults do not need children's books. They need to cast their burdens upon the Lord, pray, go to church (and stop frequenting para-church organization websites constantly), and read their BIBLE (not children's books).

 

[arapahoepark]

My first question is what kind/age of books? Its not specified.

 

[ChristianLibertarian]

When I read articles like this one I can help but mourn the loss of masculinity in the west. It seems no one has told legions of adults, including Christians, to "toughen up buttercup." The end result is that people flounder in their emotions rather than grow into adults capable of coping with adult problems. In this case, they're retreating into childhood rather than facing life as an adult.

That isn't to say difficulty will not find us as adults. It would be wiser to look to the psalms when facing such difficulties.

 

[lynnie]

I took a look, although at this point I tend to avoid TGC whenever possible. At first I thought, with the reference to CS Lewis, that the author referred to the Narnia books. I've reread them as an adult and loved them. But the end of the article seems to refer to a book you read to child in one sitting. Either way, when facing such great trials that we feel like we are fragile and curled up into a fetal position inside ( I am sure most of us have tasted what the author describes) isn't our greatest comfort the scripture? I've been in deep waters, but I didn't want a child's book, I wanted my bible. I've hungered to read an ST on Christology or Providence in hard times, or even to listen to a good audio sermon.

This is put out as part of "women's initiatives" ? I'm a woman but no thanks. The decline in TGC from years ago is very sad to see.

 

[Taylor]

It's because TGC has stripped themselves of any true gospel. They have pandered to Wokism and critical theories of every stripe. When you present all of mankind's problems as reducible to power structures and privilege—a fantasy world—then of course you're going to write articles wherein the provided solution for suffering is Dr. Seuss—another fantasy world—and not the Lord Jesus. It's like the organization believes that just because they have "gospel" in their name that therefore everything they write is "gospel centered" (a favorite phrase of theirs to pin on entirely gospel-unrelated matters).

The Gospel Coalition is a disaster and should be avoided like mail-in voting.

 

[J.L. Allen]

I haven’t read the article nor do I intend to. I agree with the assessments of TGC as they have been my own observations as well. That being said, I am often moved by the simplicity of the gospel message in a children’s book form as I have read things over the years to my own kiddos. Let’s not shut out the tender heart we should have to the good news in its simplest form presented to tiny little hearts. Our covenant youth benefit from seeing our own tenderness in the Lord. Beyond that, man up!

 

[Jack K]

Your complaint assumes a children's book must be a shallow book. That's not true, and the article's author points this out.

She's a writer of children's books. She says a good children's book will also resonate with adults, sometimes especially during hard periods of life when an everyday-language or imaginative book might get through while a big-words, intellectual book does not. Her point is fair enough. A good children's book will be deep enough to speak to an adult as well.

The article did not strike me as suggesting adults should only read children's books, nor that they should read trivial ones. It meant to explain the value of a good children's book (it goes deep enough to speak to anyone) rather than to suggest anyone, young or old, should settle for flimsy reading material.

I teach children's Sunday school lessons. Often, parents or other adults will sit in on my classes. They tend to tell me they get a lot out of my lessons. Should I be dismayed? Does it mean they are settling for shallow teaching? No! It actually means the opposite. It means my Sunday school lessons, though presented in ways kids can follow, still go deep.

This is the best way to teach, or write, to children: guide them clearly and simply, but still take them deep. If an adult sits in on one of my lessons and does not get anything out of it, I know I've failed the kids. It's the same with a children's book.

 

[arapahoepark]

Your complaint assumes a children's book must be a shallow book. That's not true, and the article's author points this out.

She's a writer of children's books. She says a good children's book will also resonate with adults, sometimes especially during hard periods of life when an everyday-language or imaginative book might get through while a big-words, intellectual book does not. Her point is fair enough. A good children's book will be deep enough to speak to an adult as well.

The article did not strike me as suggesting adults should only read children's books, nor that they should read trivial ones. It meant to explain the value of a good children's book (it goes deep enough to speak to anyone) rather than to suggest anyone, young or old, should settle for flimsy reading material.

I teach children's Sunday school lessons. Often, parents or other adults will sit in on my classes. They tend to tell me they get a lot out of my lessons. Should I be dismayed? Does it mean they are settling for shallow teaching? No! It actually means the opposite. It means my Sunday school lessons, though presented in ways kids can follow, still go deep.

This is the best way to teach, or write, to children: guide them clearly and simply, but still take them deep. If an adult sits in on one of my lessons and does not get anything out of it, I know I've failed the kids. It's the same with a children's book.

I agree with you.
I didn't find anything objectionable. Granted like with Desiring God and TGC sites, they routinely try too hard to be novel.
Working with students whose literacy is not up to par, and knowing many adults who are in similar boats, I am not sure why the article is hated.
Apparently, you aren't a "man's man," Jack by the tenor of the posts.

 

[RamistThomist]

The rule of thumb is to steer a middle line between TGC and Christic Manhood (e.g., manly manly man).

While I am always one of the first to make fun of TGC on Twitter, a noble and lofty goal, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with children's lit. For a while I had Three Little Kittens Lost Their Mittens memorized.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

I agree with Jacob on both TGC and the sort of machoism that we see today presenting itself as Christian manhood - both of these views err into opposite extremes.

I recently read a line from C. S. Lewis that is relevant to this discussion: "No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally (and often far more) worth reading at the age of fifty - except, of course, books of information." (Of this and Other Worlds, p. 27.)

 

[RamistThomist]

I agree with Jacob on both TGC and the sort of machoism that we see today presenting itself as Christian manhood - both of these views err into opposite extremes.

I recently read a line from C. S. Lewis that is relevant to this discussion: "No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally (and often far more) worth reading at the age of fifty - except, of course, books of information." (Of this and Other Worlds, p. 27.)

I agree with Lewis, but with this caveat. A ten year old in Lewis's day was reading Charles Dickens. Even Russell Kirk said when he was ten (around the 1930s) he had read ALL of Dickens, Hugo, and Scott.

 

[B.L.]

Your complaint assumes a children's book must be a shallow book. That's not true, and the article's author points this out.

She's a writer of children's books. She says a good children's book will also resonate with adults, sometimes especially during hard periods of life when an everyday-language or imaginative book might get through while a big-words, intellectual book does not. Her point is fair enough. A good children's book will be deep enough to speak to an adult as well.

The article did not strike me as suggesting adults should only read children's books, nor that they should read trivial ones. It meant to explain the value of a good children's book (it goes deep enough to speak to anyone) rather than to suggest anyone, young or old, should settle for flimsy reading material.

I teach children's Sunday school lessons. Often, parents or other adults will sit in on my classes. They tend to tell me they get a lot out of my lessons. Should I be dismayed? Does it mean they are settling for shallow teaching? No! It actually means the opposite. It means my Sunday school lessons, though presented in ways kids can follow, still go deep.

This is the best way to teach, or write, to children: guide them clearly and simply, but still take them deep. If an adult sits in on one of my lessons and does not get anything out of it, I know I've failed the kids. It's the same with a children's book.

Can you think of any other time in the history of the church where suffering adult Christians have been encouraged to read children's books to help them in their darkest seasons of life? I can't...

While others have harped on TGC's wokeness or introduced concepts of manliness, my complaint isn't wrapped up around either of these ideas.

Adults don't need children's books like the title of the article states. A need is an individual basic requirement that has to be fulfilled to survive or accomplish some task. In the context of a grieving/suffering adult, whom the article is geared towards, they absolutely don't need children's books to help them get through the tough times in life. This is where my criticism enters in. To suggest this, like the author has done, does border on the ridiculous in my opinion. To tell the reader it helps them find their inner child and find their imagination while saving them time due to the brevity of the book is silly.

Working with students whose literacy is not up to par, and knowing many adults who are in similar boats, I am not sure why the article is hated.

Nothing in the article suggests poor literacy is a reason why adults should read children's books, but I agree that "literacy" among Christians is an issue today. When you look at the Westminster Standards, the Larger Catechism and the Shorter Catechism specifically, have you ever wondered who the intended audiences were for those? It's interesting that the former has been largely neglected, or at least not nearly as popular, when compared to the latter. This is a bit of a tangent, but it just came to mind.

--

Thanks for the push back fellas. Iron sharpens iron.

 

[A.Joseph]

I enjoy some Christian fiction and dramatized Bible stories geared toward youth on occasion. My go to is the unabridged dramatized pilgrims
progress and pp2.

The Pilgrim’s Progress Audio Drama Part II, Christiana

Check out this great listen on Audible.com. Fans of The Pilgrim's Progress Part I will be delighted to learn that Christian's wife and four sons repent of their former hardness of heart and set out after after their father in quest of The Celestial City. However, in this pilgrimage there are six...

www.audible.com

As well as (Old) Testament: The Bible in Animation. I think these are pretty well done and I don’t believe objectionable in any way.

I have mixed feelings about the article. Some good and true sentiments but some of the conclusions are kinda off. Typical of much of TGC content.

I like this portion:
“One of the many paradoxes of Christianity is that as we spiritually mature, we grow younger (Ps. 103:5; 2 Cor. 4:16). We grow less impressed with ourselves and more impressed with God. Thus Jesus told his disciples, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:3).

Suffering has a way of reintroducing us to our spiritual fragility, leaving us in a fetal position. It tills the heart for a harvest of childlike humility and dependence. But it can also threaten spiritual drought.”

 

[jwithnell]

After I lost my Mom, I binge-watched Downton Abbey (while maintaining my responsibilities and spiritual disciplines). Most children's books written before 1970 have far stronger storylines, less moral ambiguity, and show people being resourceful and trying to do the right thing. Newbery award winners are generally excellent literature as well. If you need a diversion, such entertainment is far healthier than modern TV shows and bestsellers.

 

[Solparvus]

If you are an adult suffering from concussion, children’s books may even be above your grade. For a season anyway.

 

[Jack K]

Adults don't need children's books like the title of the article states.

I will grant that the article overstates its case, but I suspect this reflects our culture's distain for subtlety more than it signals an intolerance of adult-level teaching. The point that children's books can also speak to adults is true enough. Any good children's book author realizes they are writing for the parent also, perhaps first of all.

 

[Charles Johnson]

I agree with you.
I didn't find anything objectionable. Granted like with Desiring God and TGC sites, they routinely try too hard to be novel.
Working with students whose literacy is not up to par, and knowing many adults who are in similar boats, I am not sure why the article is hated.
Apparently, you aren't a "man's man," Jack by the tenor of the posts.

This is a good point. I sometimes use children's books to teach adults English. It has its place.