{Review} How Do We Know God Is Really There?
How Do We Know God Is Really There? is a beautiful hardbound children's book by Melissa Cain Travis, with illustrations by Christopher Voss, published by Apologia. We received this resource to review with the Mosaic Reviews team and it was a welcome addition for our summer learning!
What I Enjoyed About How Do We Know God Is Really There?
- The story demonstrates a loving relationship between a father and son
- The words inspire a sense of wonder and awe at God's Creation
- Basic scientific information on cosmology is introduced
- Edwin Hubble and the Hubble Telescope are briefly introduced
- The illustrations are warm and beautiful in their colorful simplicity
- The book can be used as a springboard to explore cosmological and theological concepts
- It is a very sturdy hardbound book that with withstand use
What You Need To Know Before Purchasing:
- Thomas has a very close relationship with his dad
- Their close relationship might be painful for children who do not have fathers in their lives
- The book presents the existence of God from a standpoint that appeared to be compatible with Intelligent Design. It does not use the word "Intelligent Design" within the text, but the argument for God's existence as the author/designer of the universe, is presented from less of a theological and doctrinal standpoint, and more towards a primary leaning on scientific observation. I was curious after reading this book about the background of the author Melissa Cain Travis, and discovered that she speaks on Intelligent Design topics.
My observation of the language leaning towards Intelligent Design is not a negative point. I offer this as an observation to readers who may choose to further explore these topics with their children from a theological/doctrinal standpoint.
In our home, we do not present the existence of God based on our own ability to prove His existence through scientific means. Science and theology have a beautiful harmony and they cannot be separated. However, our minds reason and observe with limited means, constrained to an entirely different plane and dimension than the Grand Designer of the Universe. We see dimly and comprehend very little of the full magnificence of God. We choose to argue for the existence of God based solely from a faith standpoint based on theology and doctrine from God's Word. We use scientific observations to appreciate the grandeur of God's creation.
Overall, this was a delightful book to read and we used it as a launching point to discuss several cosmological topics. The children and I have been exploring learning activities on the universe this summer, and we enjoyed reading this book several times together.
Title: How Do We Know God Is Really There?
Format: Hardcover text
Publisher: Apologia
Retail Price: $16.00
Publisher Description:
Thomas and his father escape to their backyard tree house most evenings to watch the night sky through a telescope. Thomas is dazzled by what he sees of God’s creation, but he has questions. “Dad, how do we know God is out there?” he asks one night. “I know the Bible says He’s there. But how do we really know that’s true?” Together, Thomas and his father begin to examine the cosmological evidence for God’s existence. This is the first in an exciting new series of picture books designed to introduce kids to important questions of the Christian faith in terms even pre-readers can understand. Read this aloud with your family, and you’ll come away knowing that “the heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1).
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Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this product from Apologia to help facilitate the writing of a frank and honest review for Mosaic Reviews. This author was under no obligation to offer a favorable review. All opinions shared about the product are the honest responses of Sharra Badgley. Your results and opinions may vary.
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