Calvin on Parents’ Duty to Teach their Children

From John Calvin’s sermon on 1 Timothy 5:7-12, here is a great quote on the important parental duty of teaching God’s truth to our children:

When God has given a man children, it is not only that he should have charge to give them bread to eat, but good instruction is the main thing. And this is what we should bestow most pains in. But we see nowadays the exact opposite. It is true that fathers still have some care to bring up their children, but not all. For how many drunkards do we see, who will go and spend in one day at the tavern all that they have gotten in half the week, who waste and devour everything? And their poor children must die for hunger in the meantime. ... But yet the most part take care to nourish their children, but where is instruction? …few men think upon it, to dedicate their children to God, to see that they live well, and that God is honored by them, and that they serve their neighbors. How many are there who see to this? It is true that they will seek fast enough to advance their children, to bring them to credit, to make them rich. But they always lack the most important thing, and the cart is set before the horse.

Graphic Novel on How We Got the Bible

The Book of God: How We Got the Bible, by Ben Avery & Javier Saltres

(Kingstone Comics, 2012), pp.

Ages 8+

A graphic novel on the production and preservation of the Bible? Brilliant!

I had no previous awareness of KingstoneComics until I happened to see this book in Sam’s. I was intrigued by the idea and bought it, curious to see how faithful it would be. I really liked what I found inside.

With nicely done comic book graphics this book is divided into four parts:

1-      The Production of the Bible: How the Bible Was Written

2-      The Process of the Bible: How the Bible Was Selected (Why these books and not others?)

3-      The Preservation of the Bible- How the Bible Was Spread

4-      The Proof of the Bible- How the Bible Has Survived and is Trustworthy

In each part the authors demonstrate an awareness of the issues and scholarship. They provide solid conservative answers affirming the full truthfulness of the Bible. Many portions handle these issues exactly as I do in my college survey courses. Serious information is handled here in an accessible way. They do not gloss over challenges but face them head on. There are a few places where I would handle things a bit differently, but they are not major.

This is a great resource for a wide range of settings.  I know one family who enjoyed it with their elementary age child and my older teen boys have enjoyed it. I think it would fit well with my class for college freshmen.

I am excited to see these important questions answered well in such an engaging format. From their website I noticed Kingstone Comics has quite a number of graphic novels and comic books covering bible stories and fiction relating biblical themes. I will be eager to see more of their work.