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The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New
In the cellar of the old stone cathedral, Carla and Timothy uncover a life-changing treasure, a carefully wrapped ancient book known as The Ology. What adults might describe as a beautifully illustrated storybook of systematic theology, the kids discover to be a story of adventure, mystery, and wonder that leads them to the truth about God, themselves, and the world around them.
The Ology gives kids of all ages a beginner’s theology book to help them understand who God is and how we, as his children, relate to him. Arranged within a traditional systematic theological framework, each truth in The Ology is also connected to the larger redemptive story of Scripture. The doctrine of God, for example, is presented in the larger framework of creation, where the attributes of God are more clearly on display. The goal is not to say everything that could be said about a theological topic, but rather to share the key thoughts behind a theological concept.
The Ology gives kids of all ages a beginner’s theology book to help them understand who God is and how we, as his children, relate to him. Arranged within a traditional systematic theological framework, each truth in The Ology is also connected to the larger redemptive story of Scripture. The doctrine of God, for example, is presented in the larger framework of creation, where the attributes of God are more clearly on display. The goal is not to say everything that could be said about a theological topic, but rather to share the key thoughts behind a theological concept.
269 pages, Hardcover
First published October 19, 2015
269 people are currently reading
1783 people want to read
About the author
Marty Machowski
63 books125 followersMarty Machowski is a Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church, a Sovereign Grace Ministries church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he has served on the pastoral staff for more than twenty years. As leader of their children’s ministry, Promise Kingdom, he has worked for many years to develop curriculum and devotional material that connect church and home. His passion is equipping families to understand the Bible as one gospel story and help them share that with their children. He is the author of The Gospel Story for Kids series including Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God (OT); The Gospel Story Bible; and the Gospel Story Curriculum: Finding Jesus in the Old Testament and the forthcoming Old Story New (NT): Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God and Gospel Story Curriculum: Following Jesus in the New Testament. He and his wife Lois and their six children reside in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
May 19, 2022
2022: Read this over the school year with my students. It is fantastic! The discussions lead to changed lives. 🥰
What a treasure. We are looking forward to rereading this in 2021. 💕
What a treasure. We are looking forward to rereading this in 2021. 💕
March 9, 2023
I love the concept of this book! A systematic theology for kids!
Over-all this was quite good. Minor quibble about the illustrations and some of the writing being a bit sterile. But I got to have some priceless conversations about God and life and goodness with my kids and that’s more than I can ever ask for in a kids book.
Over-all this was quite good. Minor quibble about the illustrations and some of the writing being a bit sterile. But I got to have some priceless conversations about God and life and goodness with my kids and that’s more than I can ever ask for in a kids book.
November 3, 2015
Originally posted on Creative Madness Mama. A theology primer for children...
Several years ago, I was introduced to the writing of Marty Machowski through The Gospel Story Bible. The illustrations were a bit loud for my taste, but the writing and the scripture coming across was solid and good for sharing with my children (who do appreciate the wild drawings). Then in the last year I discovered Long Story Short (a devotional) on Kindle. I'm hoping that one day I will also find Old Story New go on sale there as well. Now when I saw that a new book, The Ology was coming out I had to jump for an opportunity to review it. I'm so blessed that I am able.
Little background, c'est moi. One of my degrees is a bachelor of arts in religious studies. Thus, I have read a lot and I definitely want my children to read something that can explain what others believe so they can build upon it. In our homeschool journey, I have looked at materials, but most worldview curricula start for older children than my own. It seems at this stage the best you can do is read a story-book Bible and discuss it. I grew up in the United Methodist Church. The Enginerd grew up a combination of Presbyterian and LCMS Lutheran. As a married couple, we've been members of both a WELS Lutheran and United Methodist Church with our own Catholic leanings. Last year we did use Seton Religion 1 and loved it, but the program ended up being too expensive to continue and we didn't love the rest of the enrollment program and decided to go a different diploma route. Now we are in a Bible class of sorts, but it is purely Bible history and not so much prayer, and self-action, as one might find in a catechism. Also, we haven't turned to just a catechism as they tend to be too dry for the littles. So now what? Well! that's where The Ology comes into play!
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If you're going to be a parent who sits and reads to your children anyway, why not sit and read a bit of theology to give them something to build upon. Through this book, anyone can learn the basics of a Christian theology. The illustrations in this book are lovely, but beyond that Marty also uses word-pictures that help to truly make the story visual for kids to get an understanding of theology. Who said, "you're too young for theology"? That's not the case anymore. As a parent, you might have had to scrap together a curriculum before but building on The Ology the hard work and children aligned speech is already set up for you!
Theology of God. Theology of People. Theology of Sin. Theology of the Promise and the Law. Theology of Christ. Theology of the Holy Spirit. Theology of Adoption into God's Family. Theology of Change. Theology of the Church. Theology of the End Times. Theology of God's Word.
As The Ology is designed for six-year-olds through preteens, this flexible resource incorporates many built-in arrangements for use with younger or older children, so that entire families can enjoy it together. Read The Ology to preschoolers, read it with grade-school kids, and let older kids explore the “hidden” truths by reading the analogous Scripture passages for each section. No matter however you read it, The Ology will grant your children a gift that will endure a lifetime—a solid foundation to build upon of life-changing Biblical accuracy that will point them to the God who loves them and gave himself for them.
A beginner’s book of systematic theology in the form of a beautifully illustrated story-book
Clearly explains life-changing theological truths with everyday examples and simple language that kids can understand
Takes abstract theological concepts and makes them easier to understand with the use of creative examples, illustrations, and analogies
Designed for six-year-olds through preteens, with built-in adaptations for use with younger or older children, so that entire families can enjoy it together.
Perhaps one of my favorite things is that this is not a read once-and-done-book. Yes, you can take your time going through it introducing and teaching your children these theological concepts within the systematic theology which Marty has laid out. But there is more... You can go back through it again and turn it wholly into a Bible study. Each image within the book has a handful of scripture references added to the image, which add to the lessons being taught.
This review was originally posted on Creative Madness Mama.
April 8, 2019
My 5 year old son and I read this last year for homeschool and really liked it. The pictures are beautiful, weird and thought/conversation provoking. The idea of exposing kids to deep theological concepts usually thought of as well beyond their years so clicks with me because it gives us the same language and vocabulary to use within our family. This books stays true to orthodoxy and presents biblical ideas in an engaging way.
October 19, 2020
Loved this book and the truths it holds. Definitely too old for Lily’s age, but she loves to page through and babble her own words for each picture. Something we’ll read to her again for sure! We also love The Ology music album.
November 12, 2023
Wonderfully helpful in discipling my kids.
November 5, 2024
Enjoyed this one with the kids during breakfast each morning! Will probably revisit at some point.
February 6, 2023
Lovedddd this. We’ll definitely be returning to it with Susannah Jane as she gets older. Great for family worship and to spark discussion with older kids. And also really great for parents. 🙌🏾
March 20, 2019
What an absolutely lovely collection of theology written on a child's level.
In fact, adults may discover their own understanding of spiritual truths are sharpened by its simple presentations and profound explanations.
In fact, adults may discover their own understanding of spiritual truths are sharpened by its simple presentations and profound explanations.
February 4, 2023
We used this for family worship for the past year.
Really great!!!
Really great!!!
October 1, 2023
Read together slowly during morning time. He does a good job with his word pictures and analogies for understanding more difficult theology concepts.
April 18, 2022
This was beautifully written! My children and I leaned so much rich theology. It brought us to the Bible every single day, and it really helped give us a solid foundation in what we believe as Christian’s. I highly recommend for kids and new believers!
May 26, 2022
Awesome devotional for kids (and adults too)!
April 18, 2025
A great family devotion book! I as an adult enjoyed the analogies used to make often difficult to understand concepts, simple. It will definitely go into our before bed devotion rotation.
June 19, 2021
Excellent! Read to Caleb (age 8) in family devotions. The illustrations and explanations were clear and helpful. Ideal for ages 6-9.
September 1, 2023
This will be a book we read through regularly as a family! Bite-sized, theologically accurate and rich, yet put in terms kids will understand. Loved it!
May 11, 2016
Finished this tonight with my kids. What a great resource to introduce children to systematic theology and the doctrines of God's Word. Each chapter is short, the illustrations are great, and the content is excellent. If you are a parent with young kids, definitely check this out!
December 19, 2024
Thoughts:
• This is one of the most interesting children's books I've read. It's pretty much a systematic theology for kids.
• The art is pretty cool! I'd describe it as warmly quirky.
• Sometimes the writing made me wonder which age group this is best suited for - some examples seem too childish for older kids but some phrasing might fly above the heads of younger ones. But on the whole, I love the idea of introducing kids to deep theological concepts, because really theology is for anyone and everyone - everyone is a theologian, regardless of age. This seems great for cultivating thoughtful curiosity in kids and adults alike.
• I like how the author is quite neutral about some secondary level issues, namely paedobaptism (some families choose to baptise their infants and some families choose to wait until they are old enough to want to, but it doesn't make much practical difference in how Christian kids are raised), and the timing of the parousia (some have tried to predict it but only the Father knows!). This approach is helpful, it models theological triage and opens up questions from kids and prompts parents/teachers/leaders to thoughtfully explain.
• There is a glossary and a list of discussion points at the end of the book. I like how each page includes a key verse, with other relevant verses referenced on the illustrations.
• I'd have appreciated having a book like this when I was younger, it would have given my nerdy kid self plenty of things to think about and heaps of big questions to ponder.
• This has prompted me to think about how I could explain some chunky concepts to kids and teens and also consider some of the questions they might ask in response.
"I get it... The Ology is only the beginning. It's meant to point us back to God's Word."
• This is one of the most interesting children's books I've read. It's pretty much a systematic theology for kids.
• The art is pretty cool! I'd describe it as warmly quirky.
• Sometimes the writing made me wonder which age group this is best suited for - some examples seem too childish for older kids but some phrasing might fly above the heads of younger ones. But on the whole, I love the idea of introducing kids to deep theological concepts, because really theology is for anyone and everyone - everyone is a theologian, regardless of age. This seems great for cultivating thoughtful curiosity in kids and adults alike.
• I like how the author is quite neutral about some secondary level issues, namely paedobaptism (some families choose to baptise their infants and some families choose to wait until they are old enough to want to, but it doesn't make much practical difference in how Christian kids are raised), and the timing of the parousia (some have tried to predict it but only the Father knows!). This approach is helpful, it models theological triage and opens up questions from kids and prompts parents/teachers/leaders to thoughtfully explain.
• There is a glossary and a list of discussion points at the end of the book. I like how each page includes a key verse, with other relevant verses referenced on the illustrations.
• I'd have appreciated having a book like this when I was younger, it would have given my nerdy kid self plenty of things to think about and heaps of big questions to ponder.
• This has prompted me to think about how I could explain some chunky concepts to kids and teens and also consider some of the questions they might ask in response.
"I get it... The Ology is only the beginning. It's meant to point us back to God's Word."
April 17, 2021
The Ology systematically works through the basics of Bible doctrine, including truths about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, sin, God's Word, heaven, and a few more. It was written in a clear, easy to read style that was understandable for my 6yo, but would be appropriate even for teens. I missed the fact that there were questions available for each lesson at the back of the book until we were nearly done, but that's not the book's fault. Each lesson had at least 1-2 correlating Scripture verses written out in a frame towards the margin, but many other references were listed around the pictures. You could use this as I did with my youngest, and simply read each lesson with a couple questions for understanding (~5 min), or it could be the basis for a much more in depth Bible study with older children (or even adults). Personally though, I wouldn't recommend using this with children much younger than 6-7.
May 10, 2019
Pretty good. My girls (6 and 3) really enjoyed the pictures. They were great conversation starters! The lessons worked better when I paraphrased them and actually taught (family devotions) rather than just read.
The theology is based on Grudem’s systematic theology. I disagreed with some of the eschatology lessons (the book takes an Amillennial approach), and some of the soteriology lessons were a little more Calvinistic than I would prefer (e.g. regeneration before faith), but overall it was very good. Probably better for older children, though.
The theology is based on Grudem’s systematic theology. I disagreed with some of the eschatology lessons (the book takes an Amillennial approach), and some of the soteriology lessons were a little more Calvinistic than I would prefer (e.g. regeneration before faith), but overall it was very good. Probably better for older children, though.
May 15, 2019
We read this together in the mornings as a devotional book, a page a day.
The content is excellent and as the title suggests it focuses on truths from the bible, covering topics such as Sin, God, Adoption, the Church, End times etc. I will say that this is more for upper Primary school age. I definitely had to elaborate more and explain things, that I knew some of my kids weren't grasping. In terms of engagement The Radical Book for Kids was a bigger hit with our kids.
The content is excellent and as the title suggests it focuses on truths from the bible, covering topics such as Sin, God, Adoption, the Church, End times etc. I will say that this is more for upper Primary school age. I definitely had to elaborate more and explain things, that I knew some of my kids weren't grasping. In terms of engagement The Radical Book for Kids was a bigger hit with our kids.
January 20, 2024
Great resource that I will return to with my kids again as they grow! It presented several doctrines in language that made it accessible to my kids (6 and 4) and they always enjoyed looking at the illustrations that went with each topic. I loved that there were several additional scripture references for each topic, as well as questions to discuss. I didn’t use these tools as much this first time, but as my kids age I think it will be a helpful resource for diving deeper into topics.
January 26, 2023
Loved this book as part of our morning time with my kids aged 17-7. Will make a great book for family devotionals too as each concept discussed is short, succinct, and provides scripture references if you want to go deeper and discuss exactly where in Scripture these theological truths are found. I think it very helpful to know that this book holds to a reformed/Calvinist perspective.
May 21, 2024
We enjoyed this overall, but I was disappointed by the discussion of Eve’s part in the fall and the failure of Adam to lead and protect. The description was feministic and individualistic without a proper portrayal of headship. Otherwise the systematic theology was good. This was the first book of this kind that I’ve seen directed towards children.
January 3, 2021
Ok. It's a Systematic Theology for children!!! And it's simply amazing in content and format. I would never throw aside the tried and true catechisms (Heidelberg, Westminster Shorter, etc.), but taking my daughters through this modern but Biblically based systematic was very rewarding.
April 22, 2023
Absolutely fantastic read-aloud devotion my kids and I read through together. Theologically-sound and well-organized. And we loved that there were several scripture passages to look up to go along with each reading. It’s one we’ll read through again and again.
April 8, 2019
Loved reading this to my 8 and 10yo boys. Good discussions, and they frequently wanted more than 1 reading per night.
May 17, 2019
An amazing resource for teaching children systematic theology in a way they will understand. I highly recommend it!
November 15, 2021
This is one of the best introductions to Christian theology for young children and teens (and wonderfully written for adults to enjoy as well). Each chapter structured around the main categories of systematic theology provides ways to engage children of all ages.
Recommend for anyone wanting a fun way to introduce children to serious theology.
Recommend for anyone wanting a fun way to introduce children to serious theology.
June 3, 2023
This is a fantastic book filled with truth. It brought about a lot of good discussion between me and my kids. Would highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews