Would you recommend "Mere Christianity" for an 8th grader?

[PineFarmMom]

My dd is an average reader, not her favorite pass-time. This is a book, though, that I'd like each of my kids to read at some point. Would this be a good book for this age?

 

Thanks,

 

Teresa

[Heather in Savannah]

she gets great grades, but really dislikes reading. Just can't seem to process any book which is too deep....she prefers textbooks, as they tend to have straight forward factual explanations. I plan on leaving Mere Christianity for 12th grade, as I hope she has matured enough in her thinking to be able to absorb what Lewis is saying.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

At that age, I would read it aloud and discuss. I didn't hand the book to my son to read till he was 16 and already engaging in theological arguments. I wanted him to remember the book, not just let it be another thing to read.

[TXMomof4]

It took me three tries as an adult to get all the way through it. I'm not sure I'd recommend it unless she's very mature.

[HRAAB]

I've used Mere Christianity for 8th gr. but only as a read aloud with constant discussion. It's not something I handed to the student to do on her own. I think it's accessible if the student is a good reader. As I think about it now, I wonder if it might not have been better to wait until a couple of years; maybe 10th gr or so. Really depends on the student.

 

Janet

[PineFarmMom]

I think you all are right. I have read it. I got it, but it was deep. Dh struggled with it. It would be too much for an 8th grader. We had a youth pastor at a church we used to go to that had the middle schoolers read it and that stuck with me. We're trying to beef up our Bible study time, and I thought that would be good.

 

Can anyone recommend a good "NO FLUFF" Bible study for her to do in the a.m. before school? Even a really good book that she could spend some time each a.m. reading would be good. I have looked at Sonlight's Bible curr. for 7th grade and some of those books look good. I want either a Bible study she could take her time with over the next few months or a book for her to read that she could take her time with. Any ideas?

 

Teresa

[Miss Marple]

Yes, I would. In fact I have a book club that is going through Mere Christianity right now and we have several younger students.

 

The reason I say "yes" is because these kids *will* get it on a certain level. Mere Christianity isn't one of those books that one reads and then puts away never to read again. I would recommend reading it every couple of years (as I have) because one will glean something new every time.

 

Don't be afraid to have your kids read the hard books. Let them read it, but don't require that they get everything all at once. I definitely wanted my boys to read it at least once before they left home. My oldest read it in 8th grade during his Starting Points class, my second (15) is reading it in our book club right now along with his 12 and 13 yo brothers. The oldest is attending the book club as often as he can and is gleaning new gems from it (he's in college now). They are all learning important points on different levels.

 

One of the great things about this book is that it has something to say to everyone at any point in life. So, my oldest read it in 8th grade, gleaned some basic ideas, moved on to college and now sees how pertinent Lewis's arguments are in that realm.

 

I'd say, go for it.

[CLHCO]

She may be mature enough, but if at all possible, I would recommend it on audio book. Mere Christianity was originally a series of lectures on a radio show given by Lewis and lends itself great to hearing instead of just reading. I have done both and I think I caught more upon hearing it.

 

Some of this may be a learning style issue but if reading isn't her thing and the goal isn't the reading but the message, go with the audio.

[Laura K (NC)]

He just didn't get it. He was 13.

 

I let him do Screwtape Letters with an audiobook last year (his 9th grade year), and he gave a brief synopsis of every "letter," and he did very well. For him there was a great leap in maturity between his 8th and 9th grade year that I didn't anticipate. He still hasn't read Mere Christianity, but we'll get around to that in a few years. This year, his 10th grade year, we're going to do another of C.S. Lewis' novels, Til We Have Faces (based on the loud praise for that book here), and I plan to walk him through it pretty carefully.

 

Mere Christianity is an important book. I won't try to have my other sons read it as early as 8th grade. I don't want them going though their lives dismissing it because they already "read" it, when at that age I'm not sure they would really understand it. I've seen it listed in some curricula for that age, but I don't agree with it unless a child can do some pretty complex thinking. I don't think I was ready for it until I was in college.

[Harriet Vane]

Yes, I would. In fact I have a book club that is going through Mere Christianity right now and we have several younger students.

 

The reason I say "yes" is because these kids *will* get it on a certain level. Mere Christianity isn't one of those books that one reads and then puts away never to read again. I would recommend reading it every couple of years (as I have) because one will glean something new every time.

 

Don't be afraid to have your kids read the hard books. Let them read it, but don't require that they get everything all at once. I definitely wanted my boys to read it at least once before they left home. My oldest read it in 8th grade during his Starting Points class, my second (15) is reading it in our book club right now along with his 12 and 13 yo brothers. The oldest is attending the book club as often as he can and is gleaning new gems from it (he's in college now). They are all learning important points on different levels.

 

One of the great things about this book is that it has something to say to everyone at any point in life. So, my oldest read it in 8th grade, gleaned some basic ideas, moved on to college and now sees how pertinent Lewis's arguments are in that realm.

 

I'd say, go for it.

 

:iagree:

[Harriet Vane]

I think you all are right. I have read it. I got it, but it was deep. Dh struggled with it. It would be too much for an 8th grader. We had a youth pastor at a church we used to go to that had the middle schoolers read it and that stuck with me. We're trying to beef up our Bible study time, and I thought that would be good.

 

Can anyone recommend a good "NO FLUFF" Bible study for her to do in the a.m. before school? Even a really good book that she could spend some time each a.m. reading would be good. I have looked at Sonlight's Bible curr. for 7th grade and some of those books look good. I want either a Bible study she could take her time with over the next few months or a book for her to read that she could take her time with. Any ideas?

 

Teresa

 

I would either go with Explorer's or with something from IVP. They have a series that is thicker, with a white cover, and more in depth than the average. If I had to choose I would go with Explorer's though.

 

http://www.explorerbiblestudy.org/

[Joanne]

FWIW, The Latin Centered Curriculum recommends it as part of Christian studies for 8th grade.

 

I'm reading it *with* my 8th grader this year.

[Carol in Cal.]

...but I would expect it to become a book that he would return to again and again over the years, finding new things in it each time.

 

Also, my inclination would be to start with the Screwtape Letters. They are so ironic that they really convey what the Christian life should be very effectively without being at all preachy. The book is shorted and an easier read, and very implementable. And the humor is perfect for a 7th or 8th grader.

 

For a Bible study, I really like Concordia Voyages. The second semester curriculum for 7th grade and the first semester curriculum for 8th grade together make up an OT and NT Bible study that is perfect for this age and very substantial. The first semester book for 7th is Church History, which DD is enjoying right now, and the second semester book for 8th is Social Issues, which I think she will love.

 

Those books are written to be used in Lutheran schools, and they are very age-appropriate and impressive.

[angela in ohio]

Absolutely! My 7th grader is going to read it this year. It is a great Christian classic to start them on. I do think (like Carol said) that she will enjoy Screwtape Letters more, but she can definitely understand Mere Christianity.