“Mom” Gabriel says one day when he comes home from school, “For my birthday, can I have a Boys Backpack Bible?”
“A what?”
“A Boys Backpack Bible. It’s small so it can fit in my backpack.”
“Is it a kids bible? With pictures?”
“No, it’s a real Bible, just small.” This with an eyeroll.
Pretty much, when your eight year old son asks for a Bible for his birthday, you make that happen. Even if the good folks who make the backpack Bible don’t make a Catholic version.
Don’t worry my Catholic friends, Grandma was in charge of getting the Bible and when she was at the Religious Education Congress last week, she let some publishers know they got out maneuvered by the Protestants in the boys backpack Bible market.
The adults in my family, Catholic and non-dom church alike, could not wait to see what this backpack Bible was all about. When Gabriel opened it last weekend, we snatched it out of his hands and passed it around.
I can report that you need to be eight to read the teeny tiny print required to make the Bible backpack sized.
I can also report that there’s an insert called Grossology, with a list of scripture where gnarly things happen. And before you wonder if that’s appropriate, I found Gabe huddled with the Bible looking up those scripture, book, chapter and line. You know, studying.
There’s also a list of Good Guys and a list of bizarre happenings.
I think this is brilliant. Christians believe the Bible is a dynamic, inspired book but sometimes it doesn’t feel that way. Especially for kids. But here’s this approach—to meet the boys where they are and show them there is something for them in there.
Yes, there’s a girls version, but I haven’t seen it. We could get into the whole gender specific argument but this Christian mom is going to shake it. My eight year old is reading his bible, people. ‘Nough said.
The company who makes this bible is called Zondervan and they have a ton of different and accessible bibles for kids and young adults.
I did some preliminary research and couldn’t find a complete bible in a smaller, light size for Catholic kids. There are lots of kid’s versions here, but they don’t appear to be scripture. I am sure there is something out there that would do and I just didn’t find it.
And even if there’s not, Grandma made sure some people know that needs to change.
Full Of Graces 
How wonderful to have a son who asked for a bible — and Catholic or Protestant, or non-denom. We are more alike than different. I read somewhere last week — Just imagine if we could forget our differences and unite — together for Jesus!
Sounds like a good name for a movement, doesn’t it? 🙂
Oh, we are all Christians together, but from a purely technical standpoint, the Catholic Bible has 46 books in the Old Testament, as opposed to the Protestant version with 39. The new testaments match. But if he was ever to do bible study with a group of Catholics, he’d be missing some stuff. Which again, at age 8, is just fine with me.
That is the awesome sauce! God’s Word is God’s Word. I love that he was “huddled up… studying.” Love that so much!!!
Such a proud moment from a mom’s perspective!!! Go Gabe!