During a recent series of videos I made to encourage people to step up and make Easter bigger than Christmas I got a lovely email from someone concerned about how stories of the crucifixion might easily disturb children.
Here’s the email:
“What’s your take on the appropriate age to introduce the crucifixion story to children? It seems very overwhelming to some kids and while it’s difficult to avoid seeing the images…I wonder when is too young to start talking about it”
What are your thoughts? Do we as parents hold off broaching the ‘reason for the Easter season’ for a few years, maybe until primary school starts? We could stick with the more positive aspects like the resurrection and promise of eternal life. Is the cross of Christ a topic to be avoided for young children?
My reply
Here’s my attempt to answer that email (with some minor edits since):
Regarding the question you asked I mulled it overnight and my take is following a line from the apostle Paul who said somewhere in the New Testament, (Acts 20 maybe?), ‘I haven’t held back from declaring to you the whole counsel of God’....read on...
So wherever he shared God’s word, the gospel, he made it his mantra to not hold back on sharing what was necessary for people there to be saved. I don’t think it meant that he taught every verse of the Old Testament or every story about Jesus. Just what was needed to be able to sign off on ‘the whole counsel of God’ that was appropriate for those people.
Now apply that to a young child…they don’t need everything, they don’t need every detail of the Bible. They sure won’t understand a whole lot of stuff until they can develop the ability to think in abstract concepts… (Age 7 and above I reckon they start to do more of that, on average) as much of the Bible contains abstract concepts. Kids need concrete stuff, especially young ones under 7. This doesn’t stop us trying to break abstract concepts in the Bible down into something concrete and simple they can understand…that’s actually the big challenge of teaching kids in general. So we don’t wimp out and give up, we just try harder. Primary school teachers have to deal with this every day. So we can’t excuse ourselves as teachers of God’s word to preschoolers or primary kids.
But about the bloody death of Jesus on a cross…when is too soon?
I’d say ‘never too soon’. Just leave Mel Gibson out of it. We taught our kids Jesus died for them from a very young age…it just becomes part of life for them. All kids need to know that God made them; they depend on him for life. All kids need to know that God loves them, no matter what. God shows His love to them by sending his Son to die for them. The only true security they have is in Him, the author of life.
Kids don’t need the gory details (thought they get plenty of it in films these days e.g. Harry Potter), so I never draw details…just stylized, simple cartoons. The gospels don’t dwell on the details of how bad it was, so we don’t need to either. It’s not what was important to the gospel writers…otherwise they’d have done a Mel Gibson. It’s ok to extrapolate with adults how bad it must have been, but not necessary.
So I wouldn’t use too many images, just say it”
Want an example?
STOP PRESS: Check out the brand new kid’s Easter video Anton’s made. You’ll see how I talk about the death of Jesus, but there’s not a crucifix or drop of blood in sight.
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Back to the email reply:
But more importantly, answer ‘so what?’ We need to answer why the crucifixion is so important…not that there was one. The real horror is not the bloody execution but that God’s Son who is innocent, chooses to willingly bear our guilt and punishment so that we could be forgiven and made right with God again. Grace makes beauty out of ugly things. Every kid knows they are naughty, that none of us are perfect. So it’s not hard to convince kids of their need for Jesus.
How much is too much?
Keep it as short as possible depending on the age. We often over answer kids…like when a 5 year old asks what is ‘gay’ and mum or dad takes a deep breath and launches into an answer that’s way more than the child is really asking. So ask questions, clarify what they need and give the answer as simply as we can.
With older kids, say an audience of 9-12 year olds, I’ll go harder on the details…they can handle it…in fact it brings Jesus ‘up’ a bit in their estimation…like an action hero. So one show I do, we look at Jesus trial (“What’s Truth?”) and I will put a little bit more time into their show with Jesus getting whipped, punched, spat on etc….but I never labour it or go into details about the immense pain of nails into hands etc. Its’ not drawn, I dramatize and story tell that bit.”
For clear, fun, engaging resources that teach the death of Jesus in sensitive, age appropriate ways you must check out Anton’s sticker story range, especially:
“Fame”/“True or False”/“With Eyes Wide Shut”/“Lost and Found”
All 4 stories have been published with 'Before School' and 'School Age' versions.
To get Anton’s Biggest Easter (Home) Video for your school, church or home click here: