Conversations from the Garden

Christian parents can't assume their kids will simply develop a biblical worldview by osmosis, picking up the elements from church, school and home and organizing them into a workable and coherent whole. No—parents are called to instruct their children every step of the way, helping them to understand with their hearts as they put on the mind of Christ. Conversations from the Garden is a tool to help you in this process.

Author Marcia Brim is known for her Christian history and worldview literacy curriculum, Tools for Young Historians. This slim volume can be used independently or along with the more complete program, but it isn't a school time book: Conversations from the Garden presents a number of discussions for parents to lead with their families around the dinner table.

A total of forty conversations are taken from the first three chapters of Genesis, and cover everything from sin and redemption to the doctrine of the Trinity and the character of Satan. There are Scripture passages to read throughout each discussion, and for a couple of them parents read from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. Mostly, these conversations center around lists of questions provided by Brim, though from time to time she offers bits for parents to read or paraphrase.

The idea is for parents to inculcate from the earliest years a truly Bible-centered understanding of themselves, God, and the world. She approaches the first three chapters of Genesis (and, by extension, the whole Bible) as the inspired Word of God, and as the narrative of His work in and relationship to the world and humanity. Children are taught to interpret everything from His perspective, and to compare all things to His revealed Word.

Parents who understand the need to grow a Christian worldview in their children but don't know where to start need this book. It's simple, direct, and doesn't require much (if any) preparation. The dinner-table format is fun and non-threatening, and conducive to active participation. An extensive introduction offers resources for further help and study, suggestions for encouraging critical thinking, and the story of the book's creation. Overall, this is one of the best worldview-oriented products we've seen, and we highly recommend it.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.