After 7+ years of working in a PCUSA church that celebrated Reformation Sunday each year, I thought I knew the Reformation pretty well, but NOPE! I had a basic understanding for sure, but wow! Danika Cooley teaches so much about the Reformation in such a fun and easy-to-read way in her new Who, What, Why Series, especially this particular book, Why Did the Reformation Happen?
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Books in the Who, What, Why Series
Who is Danika Cooley?
Danika is…
- a wife
- a homeschool mom of four
- an award-winning children’s author
- a Bible curriculum developer
- University of Washington Grad
Why I LOVE This Book!
You know I think we learn best when we are playing and having fun. As with her last book, Danika Cooley delivers with the fun. Why Did the Reformation Happen?, while teaching church history, is so easy to read and interesting. It will definitely engage your kids and their imaginations.
My favorite thing about these books is her writing style. It feels as if I am listening in as she tells her kids stories. It really feels so sweet and endearing. You can feel a warm affection and silliness from her as the reader. I absolutely love it!
I also love the way she describes the Five Solas of the Reformation as “Five Slogans” and uses them as an outline for the book. Cooley does such a remarkable job of showing the way God worked through many events and people to draw his people back to himself through his Word.
Favorite Quotes
Alas– that’s a word which means oh no!– just over five hundred years ago, God’s people lost his Word to us. They didn’t exactly lose the Bible. Instead, they lost the words in the Bible. Oh, they were right there on the page, but instead of reading God’s words, his people wrote their own words–words that worshiped men instead of God.
pp 6-7
The Bible is enough for us to learn how to be saved from our sins and to follow Jesus. We don’t need extra commands.
p 17
God worked through the lives of individual Reformers to remind people of the importance of his Word and to bring people to himself through the Good News of Jesus.
p 76
Today, millions of Christians still live by the slogans Reformers created to remind believers why the Reformation happened in the first place– sola Scriptura, solus Christus, sola gratia, sola fide, and soli Deo gloria.
p 81
Why is Church History Important?
Cooley believes this is why:
- “God is the sovereign ruler of all things. It’s important for our kids to see his hand in the history of nations and in the lives of both peasants and kings.
- Christian history is the story of our family history. Our kids get to see how people who love Jesus follow him.
- Understanding history can help our kids learn historic and biblical theology. They learn what the Bible says and what that means for us. They also see when the study of Scripture has taken important turns that have changed the Church..
- Reading Christian biographies and history can be a wonderful way for kids to think outside their own time and culture. God’s Church spans centuries and includes people from every nation.
- Christian biographies help kids consider their own faith, walk with Jesus, and the impact their witness may one day have on others–and on history.”
Keep the Learning Going!
Whether you are a homeschooling family or not this book is a fun resource. To keep the learning going after you and your kiddos read the series, Danika Cooley is offering a set of 3 lapbooks, one for each book in the series, to you for FREE! You can’t find a better price than that!
Individual Book and Series Reviews
Final Thoughts
I am not a homeschooling mom, but I do think it is my role, not any school or church’s role, to teach my kids about God, the Bible, the Church, and Church History. This book is an amazing resource for that.
This book series has history, culture, theology, humor, and the gospel all in an easy-to-read, fun collection. I love Danika Cooley’s style of writing. It feels like I am listening to a mom playfully telling her kids stories from church history. The book is filled with grace and truth, as Cooley lovingly corrects the poor theology that caused the Reformation and points the reader to the gift of salvation through Christ alone.
The characters of the book, as well as the setting and culture, are brought to life in such intriguing and engaging ways. Your kids will use their imaginations, minds, and sense of humor as they see what God did through real-life events and people to bring His Word into the hands and heart languages of his people.
Such a great resource for Christian families!
