Little Theologians: Children, Culture, and the Making of Theological Meaning

Children don't just learn theology. They actively create it, playing with ideas and drawing together aspects of their own lives to form theological understanding. In Little Theologians David Csinos offers a groundbreaking exploration of how cultural contexts intersect with the theological meaning-making of children. The qualitative research that Csinos undertook opened windows onto the religious and spiritual lives of children within four culturally distinct congregations of the United Church of Canada. He began by inviting the children to draw pictures of God and encouraging them to describe what they had drawn. Their answers led to revealing exchanges about who God is, how children understand spiritual experiences, what it means to believe, and what it means that people may believe differently. This innovative study offers an in-depth look at each congregation and how children make theological meaning in ways that reflect the broader culture around them, as well as ways that are all their own. By illuminating the diverse theological understanding of children, Csinos highlights characteristics that are shared among children and those that are unique to each child. Providing a radical twist of perspective, Little Theologians looks to the theological insights and experiences of children to provide a lens for critiquing broader discourses surrounding cultural diversity and spirituality.