Sunday, September 9, 2007

We Are Called To Act With Justice

Today, we made Shef start Church School. He wasn’t that psyched, but it was time: he simply had to go.

For someone who had a very thoughtful and thorough religious upbringing, I’ve done a pretty shitty job of educating my child in the Christian faith. I think I mentioned Jesus once at Christmas last year, and then again at Easter, just before the traditional egg roll.

“Jesus is a baby,” Shef said then, confused.

“Oh, right,” I said lamely. “Well, he was one at Christmas, but now he’s died and, uh. Well. He’s risen from the dead.”

Blank stare.

"Here, have a jelly bean."

So, this morning, as we were playing with the knights, wiling away the time before our return to worship, I started in again: “So, Shef, what do you know about God?”

“Nothing,” he answered, snapping a mace into his jouster’s hand without looking up. “What is it?”

I'm afraid that Church School has a lot of heathen to knock out of him. Godspeed to them in their efforts.

5 comments:

Rachel said...

Our favorite hymn is the title to this blog. Don't think for a second it escaped my notice.

And now it's in my head.

Cyndy said...

TOTALLY love the blog title shout-out to "We Are Called." You can find it at number 718 in Gather Comprehensive. Or, if I'm remembering correctly, 301 in the old blue Gather books. It is definitely a fave at St. Al's. (So much so that no one notices that it hits a high E--a whole half-step higher than many of the hymns that people use as an example when they want to complain that 'the songs are too high.') Definitely keep us posted on Shef and church school. I have a feeling that will be good.

Ann said...

I was brought up Catholic but somehow religion has escaped our lives (my husband isn't Catholic - actually, not exactly sure what he is).

As you might see, we aren't praticing anything. I do try to keep Kathleen aprised of religion - I am somewhat shocked at what she knows and what she asks. What does God look like, why is heaven so beautiful etc.

Overall, though, we are doing a miserable job and I am not sure how to turn the ship around. I am eager to hear how the return goes.

Undomestic said...

Oh, good luck to Shef.

I debated about putting Cam in a religious school...as I have two close options..Catholic and Christian. I opted against Catholic because a)although I grew up Catholic, I'm now a non-denomenational Christian, and I figured Cameron might feel left out by not going through all the "sacraments" when the class goes to church. And b)everyone was white and blonde..didn't want him to feel even more different. And c)we would be last on the totem pole of people let in, so we probably wouldn't have made the cut anyhow. The other Christian school in the area where a lot of neighborhood kids go doesn't let them read Harry Potter. So that was a deal breaker for me!

LH said...

what's going on with the top chef
totals? I believe I've earned more points. Let's get those priorities straightened out, shall we????