Teaching 4th Graders About Where the Bible Came From

[Enoch]

I am a 4th grade catechist at my parish. I would like to spend the next class teaching my students about where the Bible came from and how it came to be.

I want to emphasize that the Bible came to be via the Catholic Church and the important roll of Sacred Tradition.

Does anyone know of any good resources I could use that would help explain this to 9 &10 year olds in a way they can understand?

 

[Enoch]

I guess I need to start writing a book:thumbsup:

 

[fhansen]

It seems to me that history should work for them as well as anyone else, just keeping it simple, of course. It certainly wouldn’t have to be book-length, just an overview of the oral and then written forms followed by the compilation and later canonization of the books by the Church at councils.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

In 331, the Emperor Constantine commissioned Eusebius to deliver fifty Bibles for the Church of Constantinople. Athanasius (Apol. Const. 4) recorded Alexandrian scribes around 340 preparing Bibles for Constans. Little else is known, though there is plenty of speculation.-en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible

I would just summarize the “New Testament” section from that web page. Constantine was a Catholic and the “Church of Constantinople” was his plan to move the control of the Roman Empire and the Church to Constantinople (today Istanbul). These books were basic beginning of the Bible we know today.

You probably would get responses in the Apologetics- Sacred Scripture forum

 

[kage_ar]

You might read Graham’s “Were we Got the Bible” or Michuta’s “Why Catholic Bibles are Bigger” to get a good background.

Go from simple “God inspired men to write documents. The Church gathered and protected these documents. God through the Church determined which of these would become the Bible” to a real study of the timelines, depending on the kids.

 

[bcuster]

Go from simple “God inspired men to write documents. The Church gathered and protected these documents. God through the Church determined which of these would become the Bible” to a real study of the timelines, depending on the kids.

I taught 4th grade religion for many years in religious education classes and Catholic Schools. I think it is important to remember that 9 and 10 year olds are still in a stage of development where they are black/white thinkers. The above quote is right on target. Keep it simple and true. The books and letters of the Bible were written in several ancient languages during different time periods. They were compiled into Canon’s or groups of books at different times. At the time of Jesus, scripture meant The 5 books of the Law, the psalms, and the writings of the prophets. Very few people could read in those days. Most of scripture was proclaimed verbally.Some people circulated books that were not true or not completely true. This confused many Christions The Church was given the grace by the Holy Spirit to choose which of these writings were authentic. Which writings told the true story of Jesus and taught was Jesus taught. Constantine called a counsel or meeting of the leaders of the Church to pray and carefully decide. They made a list of the approved books.

Anything more technical and you will lose them.

God bless you for your service to our children in the Church.