Revised Ed. paperback by John H. Westerhoff, III Morehouse Publishing February 1, 2000 176 Pages

“It appears that as Christian faith has diminished, the schooling-instructional paradigm has encouraged us to busy ourselves with teaching about Christian religion. As our personal commitment to Christ has lapsed, many church persons have turned for solace to teaching children what the Bible says, what happened in the history of the church, what we believe, and what is right and wrong… But there is a great difference between learning about the Bible and living as a disciple of Jesus Christ.” – from Chapter 1

Originally written in 1976, this classic critique of Christian education is back in a revised edition. Christian education, according to Westerhoff, has modeled itself on the schooling-instructional paradigm of our secular schools. Instead of expecting faith formation to happen within a variety of contexts-the family, the church family, the school, and the church school-religious education has been relegated entirely to Sunday morning classes. There children learn the facts about religion, but will they learn or experience faith? How can we be communities that nourish and nurture the faith of children, instead of only teaching them facts?

This revised edition includes a new foreword that summarizes Westerhoff’s own faith journey that led him to write this book, and even to rethink portions of it today. Each of the original chapters concludes with notes that reveal some of Westerhoff’s rethinking of the material since 1976. A new Afterword explores the context in which we live currently, and its implications for catechetical ministry.

John H. Westerhoff was Professor of Theology and Christian Nurture at Duke University Divinity School for twenty years, and is now the founding director of the Institute for Pastoral Studies at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Ga.

Reviews for Will Our Children Have Faith? Revised Ed.

Will Our Children Have Faith? Is critically important reading for parents, clergy, as well as church school administrators and teachers. — John H. Westerhoff, III

“The thought provoking classic from the seventies has much to offer to determine the course of Christian Education today especially as it relates to the local church.” — Raymond B. Knudsen, Editor, The Counselor, December 17, 2000

This is oe of the most important books in the field of Christian Education written in the last 25 years..No one has articulated better the ways in which the whole life of a congregation teaches from its liturgy to the plaques naming the wealthy on our sanctuary walls.. The updates give readers a chance to hear how the author’s thoughts have changed over the years, as well as where they have endured and deepened. This way readers get young, passionate ideas held together with seasoned wisdom all in one little book.” J. Bradley Wigger, Louisvilee Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Family Ministry Winter 2002