Theology book for 11 year old?

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My 11 year old son has taken an interest in reading the Bible but gets frustrated not understanding things and ultimately gets bored. A children’s Bible is I think would be under his level, and Scott Hahn scripture study tapes above his level.

He has told me he sometimes struggles with believing in God. He is a very deep thinker and wants to believe. I have spent hours talking with him, but I am looking for a book that is age appropriate that would go at it more from a philosophical angle than simply Bible stories. I am considering Peter Kreeft’s book "Because God Is Real: Sixteen Questions, One Answer ". Has anyone read this or can anyone recommend something else appropriate for an 11 year old?

Thanks!
 
Bob Rice put out a book that I love called “Basic Spiritual workout” which would be excellent for a boy.

“Blessed are the Board in Spirit” (might be by Mark Hart) is also very good, though its geared for an older teen.
 
Amy Welborn’s “Prove It!” series, begin with Prove It! God. There is a Prove It! Bible…

It is all very solid Catholic teaching.

Mark Hart’s stuff is good - would make a great follow up to the Prove It series.
 
I went through T3: The Teen Timeline bible study with my two oldest children last year and it was great - they were 11 and 12 at the time. The 11 yo is a boy and he understood it.

It gives an overview of the Old Testament. I’m not sure if that is what you are looking for - but if you go to Greatadventureonline.com there are other choices of bible studies that might interest him.
 
And for an easy-to-read spiritual guide you can subscribe to the MagnifiKid Magazine (Magnificat for kids)

Hope this helps!
 
kage_ar said:
Amy Welborn’s “Prove It!” series, begin with Prove It! God. There is a Prove It! Bible…
.
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This is what I was going to suggest! 👍 Great books. Written very clearly and not dumbed down at all.
 
Thanks for all the great suggestions! The Amy Welborn Teen Bible is very intriguing. Is the commentary arranged separate from the Bible by subject or is it spread throught the Bible?
 
john8791 said:
Thanks for all the great suggestions! The Amy Welborn Teen Bible is very intriguing. Is the commentary arranged separate from the Bible by subject or is it spread throught the Bible?
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The publisher has not provided a preview to Google Books, (google books DOES have the other Prove It books in preview).

books.google.com/books?id=ouWprZHJdWIC&pg=PA51&dq=amy+welborn+bible&lr=&ei=8fJVSrKIMY3ENoK-4J8H%between%

Amazon has several reviews

amazon.com/gp/product/1592760783

You may want to simply call the publisher - Our Sunday Visitor - and ask them how it is laid out.

From what I remember, it has inset pages with various topics scattedred through out the Bible, and the actual Bible text carries a short on page commentary similar to any NAB.
 
I highly recommend Saint Patrick’s Summer by Marigold Hunt. It’s actually a story of two children who are bored with their religion class but interested in the faith; St. Patrick and other saints appear to them and walk them through various doctrines. It’s very engaging, entertaining, and doctrinally sound.
 
I always liked the Baltimore Catechism … it comes in four or so different levels for different grade levels. Some kids may be more advanced than others. But the advantage of the Baltimore Catechism is that it defines the various terms so that instead of “jumping ahead” in one area [e.g., Bible study], the Baltimore Catechism allows the students to gain an appreciation of related aspects.

For example, it may be difficult for a young person reading the Bible to grapple with the idea of Baptism. But the Baltimore Catechism explains Baptism as one of seven sacraments and defines what a sacrament is.

So, using the Baltimore Catechism as a “home schooling” effort, guided or explained along the way by the parent, will assist the child in getting an understanding or appreciation of some of the other areas.

The Baltimore Catechism is back in print and can be found by googling it.
 
kage_ar said:
Amy Welborn’s “Prove It!” series, begin with Prove It! God. There is a Prove It! Bible…

It is all very solid Catholic teaching.

Mark Hart’s stuff is good - would make a great follow up to the Prove It series.
Click to expand...
I have these on my list of books I want to get for my soon to be teens. Are they something they can just read on their own?
 
kage_ar said:
Amy Welborn’s “Prove It!” series, begin with Prove It! God. There is a Prove It! Bible…

It is all very solid Catholic teaching.

Mark Hart’s stuff is good - would make a great follow up to the Prove It series.
Click to expand...
Seconding Amy Welborn’s books. I got them for my kids because they wanted to be able to explain things about our faith to their friends. Her books gave them a good vocabulary and examples for evangalization. It of course helped their own faith as well.
 
lil_flower_luv said:
And for an easy-to-read spiritual guide you can subscribe to the MagnifiKid Magazine (Magnificat for kids)

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Magnifikid would be too young I think for an 11 yo. My son is 12 and has his own regular Magnifcat. It is a monthly booklet that contains morning and evening prayers and the Mass readings for each day. It also gives meditations for each day based on the readings, 1-page Saint bios and lots of other neat spiritual reading. It is something completely different from a theology book or an explaination of the faith.
 
I would like to suggest a Catholic Youth Bible (smp.org/CYB2005.cfm). I am a 18-year-old recent graduate who attended youth group and Why Catholic for the last few years-most of the high schoolers that attended have them. I purchased mine after confirmation with money from my Godmother. My little brothers (15 and 10) also both have a youth Bible and like them.

They aren’t overly difficult to read and there are a couple versions-including an “American” version. Many confusing things are explained at the bottom of each page.
 
HouseArrest said:
I went through T3: The Teen Timeline bible study with my two oldest children last year and it was great - they were 11 and 12 at the time. The 11 yo is a boy and he understood it.

It gives an overview of the Old Testament. I’m not sure if that is what you are looking for - but if you go to Greatadventureonline.com there are other choices of bible studies that might interest him.
Click to expand...
This is a very very good study.
 
Emily2009 said:
I would like to suggest a Catholic Youth Bible (smp.org/CYB2005.cfm). I am a 18-year-old recent graduate who attended youth group and Why Catholic for the last few years-most of the high schoolers that attended have them. I purchased mine after confirmation with money from my Godmother. My little brothers (15 and 10) also both have a youth Bible and like them.

They aren’t overly difficult to read and there are a couple versions-including an “American” version. Many confusing things are explained at the bottom of each page.
Click to expand...
Emily - this edition has been known to have some errant teachings in the footnotes or study helps. I will do the research and get back to you with what they are so you can be careful in reading it.

It is NRSV which is not the best translation. Look for a NAB or RSV-CE 👍

ETA

One of the Amazon reviewers has examples of the problems with this edition:

amazon.ca/product-reviews/0884894894/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop/184-9437663-0010458?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#R2C8FS9V721UFK

"For example: p. 123 offers a subjective view of a womens monthly cycle, and seems to cast doubt on the words of Sacred Scripture. And p. 810, the commentator calls the author of Sirach “extremely sexist” (by today’s standards).

In addition, p.1249 the analyst says this about the author of John’s Gospel “…the Gospel writer often makes negative references to ‘the Jews’…As a result, (of persecution of Christian by Jews) the Gospel writer lumps all Jews together, portraying them as ‘bad guys’”.
There are also MANY sections that offer other cultural perspectives (multi-cultural). I think they are intended to show the relationship, or similarities, to the Christian faith, but for what purpose? To confuse a teenager? They are irrelevent and can often be confusing to someone who doesn’t know that the Bible transcends racial differences. In my (hopefully humble) opinion, this Bible is yet another example of “watering-down” the Faith. "
 
If there is a Catholic book store near you, let your son browse through it to see what appeals to him.

In addition, have him go through the on-line catalog here at Catholic Answers as well as at Ignatius Books and Ave Maria Press and TAN Books. Good reputable material for people of all ages.

Send for their paper catalogs in the mail and within a short time, you will be getting catalogs from other Catholic book stores as well. He will then have a very wide selection to look over.

If there are any Catholic seminars near you, very often there will be Catholic book sellers with tables there. Usually the Daughters of St. Paul are there as well as other good solid Catholic book sellers. Regularly check your diocesan newspaper for locations and dates.
 
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