The Gospel In Color: A Theology of Racial Reconciliation for Kids

by Curtis A. Woods, Jarvis J. Williams, Rommel Ruiz (Illustrator)

The Complex Issues of Race, the Gospel, and Reconciliation — Made Simple For Kids

Racism is a painful, complex issue, and can be challenging to explain to children. That’s why The Gospel in Color — For Kids is written to facilitate honest conversations about race and racial reconciliation between kids and their parents.
With vibrant illustrations and engaging text, this book explains how a false idea of race brings about suffering and division, and why the good news of Jesus Christ brings about the reconciliation the world needs.

By providing a biblical lens for viewing race, racism, and reconciliation, The Gospel in Color helps kids understand big ideas in a highly accessible way.

Genres: Christian, Childrens

48 pages, Paperback

Published July 19, 2018

Reviews

[Adam Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short Review: this is a project that is trying to facilitate discussions of race and racism within a Christian context for parents and children. There are many parts of this that I really love. The art is great. It clearly lays out the definitions that are used and uses the narrative arc of scripture, creation, fall, redemption as the basis of the structure. I appreciate that it roots reconciliation in God's reconciliation toward without dismissing the real needs for repairing relationships.

My two minor complaints are about two of the definitions. In trying to get across the idea that race is a social construct and not rooted in genetics or God's teleological plan, the authors use the phrases ‘imaginary concept’ or ‘fictional construct’ and I think those two phrase communicate something different.

I also think that while the definition of unity isn't bad, it is incomplete in emphasis. We have unity in Christ because we all follow Christ as Lord, not because we are organizationally or culturally similar.

Even with a few minor complaints, I really do appreciate the project and I hope it spreads widely.

My full review as well as some links to videos and a podcast interview about the project is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/gospel-in-color/

[Samuel Kassing · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good place to start the conversation around race and racism with an elementary-age child.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great read with our children, even as they range from age 14 to age 5. I especially appreciated the focus throughout on the doctrine of imago dei, which helps us understand far more than the sin of racism while also making clear sense of this specific sin. My one critique is the discussion questions, which were often difficult for our kids to answer. We would begin instead with more basic reading comprehension questions and move to application questions, first based on the scripture that each chapter focused on and then based on imagined scenarios. Real-world experiences with racism are certainly not foreign to our children, but they sometimes needed more help than this guide provided to connect the dots.

[Hopson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished working through this book with our children for family devotions. It was a helpful way to reinforce the Gospel, teach them about the sin of racism, and encourage them to be loving and inclusive. Grateful to Curtis Woods and Jarvis Williams for this resource. Check it out, parents, if you’d like to lead your kids in a discussion on the Gospel and race.

[Meredith Nunley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book and so very needed! It was straightforward, biblically based, gospel centered with sound theology. Easy to talk through and easy to understand. I am looking forward to when my kids are older so we can read through it again together.

[Breanne Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the way this book address racism and reconciliation through a biblical lens. Including Bibles stories many kids know opens the door for discussing racism. I like the reference to related scripture, questions for discussion, and prayers for change that are included with each chapter/story. This book is meant to be read with an adult, and the format is effective in introducing a conversation with kids about racism.

[Vanessa James-brooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations,  full of  fantastic stories for kids to learn about God and the bible. The only thing I found difficult  was because it was loaded as a file book  the print was small and some words overlapped  so I found it hard to read at times. Other  than that this was a great book to review.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book!
In today's racially charged world, this book would provide a perfect starting point with elementary-age kids on issues surrounding race and racism. It is also an amazing opportunity for parents to celebrate diversity! The illustrations are beautiful, it's rooted in the Gospel at every turn, and the discussion questions provide a great opportunity for parents to discuss relevant issues with their kids. I also love the fact that there's an accompanying book for parents!
Highly, highly recommend.

[Ruth]

A solid starting place for Christian families who haven't yet addressed this topic directly. If I had kids of my own, I'd consider using this as a jumping off point. The content is simple and practical, with lots of room for discussion and fleshing out according to the maturity level of any given child(ren). The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. I haven't read the accompanying parent guide yet because I wanted to approach the children's book on its own terms, but that's next on my agenda.

[Derek Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. It is perfect for introducing the truth about racism to your kids. It connects the idea of racial unity to the gospel in a way that also honestly speaks about racism in our world today. It is great to read with your younger kids or allow older kids to read and then follow up and discuss. It has great action points at the end of each section. I can't recommend this book enough!

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was younger, I remember being at the home of someone in our church. There had been some adult Bible study. As it finished and we were all running around, one of the other kids took a toy from me. I felt wronged and went to my dad to seek out justice. When I pled my case, the woman he was speaking to bent down to me and said, "Why don't you pray to God that the boy would have a changed heart and give it back to you?" Even as a child, I had a genuine faith that I was nurturing. But that response made me feel so empty and frustrated. Here were adults, in such a position to intervene, and they were going to instead sit back and see if God would divinely act?! Couldn't God act THROUGH the adults who were present and use this as a teachable moment?! I didn't have the words then, but now I see more so how that didn't rest well with me. We don't need to passively sit back -- we can live out our faith, stand up for those who have been wronged, and demand justice.

I've been intentionally reading fiction and non-fiction by people of color the last few years, trying to immerse myself in their experiences and stories and learn from them. I have age-appropriate conversations with my daughters and try to fill their library with diverse picture books.

The Gospel in Color -- For Kids: A Theology of Racial Reconciliation for Kids by Curtis A. Woods and Jarvis J. Williams caught my eye in hopes of it being a good resource to share with my daughters. At times I worried it might fall back into the passive role -- willing for us to pray for changed hearts so racism is erased, for instance. However, the authors didn't mince words in the introduction and throughout as they talk about events with a biblical lens:

"People have killed other people for racist reasons, yet sometimes racism is far more subtle and sneaky -- so sneaky it seems almost invisible at first. Racism can be present in words and actions that seem polite, but are actually subtle ways of letting people know they're less valuable because they're different."

There is an adult version of this book, whose chapter contents mirror these so that adults and children could work through the books alongside each other. In the Introduction, there are suggestions for how to go through the book based on the age of the child (ages 6-9 need more support, while children ten and up could do it more independently).

The chapters are written with accessible language and defined terms, along with discussion questions to supplement the material. Talk of sin, the good news, and reconciliation is prevalent. In the last chapter, the authors provide five ways to live out the gospel "in color." They encourage reconciling with others, but they do admit that: "Forgiving someone doesn't mean we pretend we aren't hurt, and it doesn't mean we just ignore whatever they do. Forgiveness means we don't retaliate with hate, but commit to loving them instead. Even when we forgive someone, the process of reconciliation means they must still seek to make things right, undo damage they've done, and face the consequences of their actions."

I appreciated this book as an introduction to racial reconciliation for children.

(I received a digital ARC from NetGalley and Patrol, LLC in exchange for my honest review.)