Christian Theology and Ancient Polytheism (from A Comparative Study for Youth series)

by Marcia Harris Brim

Brimwood Press

I had reviewed Marcia Harris Brim's A Young Historian’s Introduction to Worldview, and was positively impressed enough that I was eager to see what she did with this expanded worldview series titled A Comparative Study for Youth. A Young Historian's Introduction targets students in grades 5 through 8. Christian Theology and Ancient Polytheism (CTAP) , the first in the Comparative Study series, is recommended for students ages 10 and above. While it sounds as if the audience would be the same, it really is the next level and should be used following A Young Historian's Introduction. (A Young Historian's Introduction uses lots hands-on activities and concrete experiences along with an allegorical story, which works especially well with younger learners.) A Young Historian's Introduction lays the groundwork for CTAP by introducing students to four primary worldview categories and helping them develop skills in comparing and contrasting. CTAP might be used with students as young as fifth grade, but I would recommend beginning with A Young Historian in with students in fifth through eighth grades, then using CTAP, or else just beginning with CTAP with high school students.

CTAP is not a hands-on course. It relies on reading, thinking, discussing, and writing. It uses classical education methodology, applied to literature from Scripture, ancient writings, and Brimwood Press's historical novel, Secret of the Scribe. The reading material serves as a springboard for Socratic discussions that lead students through a rather deep comparison/contrast of pagan gods and the one true God. The goal of the study is for students to wrestle with fundamental worldview questions: Who is God?, What is God like?, Who is man?, and What is man's purpose?. The methodology also lays the groundwork for students to continue with Great Books/Classical learning at higher levels.

The book is divided into 25 lessons, but they will vary in the time required. Also, it will be important for each family or group to move at a pace that allows for thorough discussion and consideration of the ideas presented. It might easily take six months or longer to complete. (Three other study guides are planned to accompany the three other historical novels from Brimwood Press.)

Both teacher and student(s) should read through the Secret of the Scribe before beginning the study. This 114-page book can be read rather quickly. Students will be directed to reread and discuss portions of the book as they work through the study. Bibles will also be used frequently throughout the study.

The study itself is "teacher-directed" although it does not really require lesson preparation time in advance. The teacher reads lesson material to students then leads discussion using the questions provided. There are also a number of comparison/contrast charts for students to complete. (Charts with suggested "answers" are included for the teacher. When questions in the book require specific answers, those are also provided for the teacher.) There are no separate student books to purchase. You have permission to copy the charts as well as journaling pages for students in your family. You will need to contact Brimwood Press regarding reproduction rights for classes or other groups.

The religious perspective is Protestant, although it could be fairly easily adapted for Orthodox and Catholic audiences. The depth of theological thought in this study is beyond that of most other such resources for this level. For example, it explores the problem of suffering by looking at three levels of suffering: corrective, tranformative, and representative. It asks very thought-provoking questions like: "Do the sins of an individual family member reflect upon or impact the entire family? Do the sins of a church leader reflect upon or impact the entire church? Can the negative actions of a soldier reflect on his unit or even the whole military?" (p. 122). It's probably also important to point out that it teaches that man has a free will, so it might not suit those from Reformed churches.

David Quine's Starting Points and World Views of the Western World (from Cornerstone Curriculum and reviewed in 100 Top Picks) make for an interesting comparison. Starting Points would be the beginning book from that series, written for a simiilar age group. However, it is designed for independent study rather than discussion. It requires much more reading and writing. Many supplemental resources are used to cover a broader swath of subject areas. The theological viewpoint is Reformed. Despite these contrasts, both studies are "question based" in the classical sense; they teach students how to think at challenging levels. So you might choose either of these studies depending upon your religious views, the learning environment for the student, and the breadth of subject areas you want to cover under "worldview."

Personally, I love to discuss the big questions with students directly, so the CTAP approach is very appealing to me. But even beyond that, I found Christian Theology and Ancient Polytheism so rich and interesting that it has prodded me to consider teaching another worldview class because I'd love to use this myself!