For this reason I try to use illustrations that depict the biblical characters in clothes and settings of the time in which the event took place. I personally enjoy some of this artwork but children are usually more literal in their thinking so they can be confused by this.
#Simon the sorcerer bible activities license#
Artistic license allows an artist to interpret events into modern-day settings. Illustrations should reflect the culture and time period of the event.This trivialises the Word of God and does not actually prepare children for real life situations that Christians face. For instance, if you are telling a bible story that involves suffering or temptation it would not make sense for the characters to have smiling faces. I used this picture in teaching the story of the Stoning of Stephen.)Īnd not every story has a “happy ending” for every character. (Note the angry expressions of the synagogue leaders in the picture above. The stories of the Bible involve many different emotions and children study the facial expressions in illustrations to make judgements about the characters. A picture that alludes to the event is more appropriate for young children. But, on the other extreme graphic pictures can be too mature for a younger child and they could be traumatised in some way like having bad dreams. A picture that looks too childish for the age you are teaching shows a lack of respect on your part. Children are quick to tell you that they are not “babies”. The illustration should be age appropriate.Occasionally I will use a picture that strays from this in a small way but I am careful to point that out to the child I am showing it to. If the Bible describes people, settings and actions then the picture needs to depict them as it is written in the Bible. The illustration should be biblically correct.For this reason I am careful in using such illustrations. The old saying “a picture says a thousand words” is particularly true with illustrations of Bible events and I want to make sure the “words” the picture is saying are true to what God is saying. The pictures also often reveal the child’s understanding and reaction to God’s word and I learn a lot from that.īut, if I find really good illustrations from other sources I like to use them. Besides being a great way for children to express themselves the pictures give me an insight into whether or not I have communicated the story well. Sometimes I let the children draw their own pictures (see Draw and Tell Visual Aids Made by Children). My careful description of the event, dramatic inflections of my voice and appropriate gestures help the listener form mental pictures in their own minds that are better than any I could draw on my own. I often tell Bible stories without using pictures at all.
0 kommentar(er)
