- a polar bear dad describes a number of truths about Easter
- some disjointed writing and a few theological confusions*
- cute artwork
Type: picture book
Ages: 4-8
Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren
Illustrator: Laura J. Bryant
*So, my family has read a number of Bergren’s “God Gave…” books over the years, but it had honestly been a long time for me. We’ve grown in our faith, our maturity and our theological understandings, so it’s not surprising a few points in the book made me raise my eyebrow when I read it anew this week.
She nails certain points (like definite atonement–which is rare to see), but other teachings strayed too far for me. For example, God “whispers in our hearts.” This led to the daughter waking up the next morning to deliver a message she “received” from God, which is not a great direction to lead a child. The Bible is never mentioned (through which, by the way, God actually does speak to us).
All this led me to do more research. I could not find anything from the last few years, but I did discover her husband was a worship leader for over ten years at a woke church (the lead pastor affirms his queer child right in his bio). The Bergrens appear to be Lutheran.
Last note: Bergren follows a lot of suspect Instagram accounts–from woke authors I’ve researched in the past to false teachers like Beth Moore and Jen Hatmaker.
Do with that information what you will!