Passover

Tonight my family and I will eat Seder-style as we think about the last meal that Jesus ate with his disciples. I showed my children the film above to remind them of our heritage. It is sometimes with amazement that I consider just how far divorced Christianity has become from the stories of the first Jewish people.

My explanation to school children, at church this morning, (our Easter experience takes them through the passion narrative in an active way) that in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed 'Abba' in Aramaic to his Father, received less raised eyebrows than I anticipated. I was also impressed by just how much of the passion narrative these 6 and 7 year olds were familiar with. I read to them from Mark's gospel and some of them could tell me where else in the Bible I would find this account.

Many of the children knew that Jesus was betrayed by Judas with a kiss and that the disciples had fallen asleep in the garden as Jesus prayed. One little boy could even tell me they had done so three times.

Are children really as biblically illiterate as the statistics try to persuade us?


Here you can watch the first episode free of an Easter Experience for adults if you wish.