By Marty Machowski; Illustrated by Andy McGuire
Reviewed by Pastor Mike Willmer

We often imagine theologians as ivory tower hermits, huddled around candlelight examining dusty old tomes, averse to speaking any language other than Latin save for when using words that end with the letters t-i-o-n. So, we begin to believe that theology is either irrelevant or impossible to understand. In The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New, Marty Machowski shows us that neither of these things is true. Since theology “teaches us what the Bible says about God, people, sin, and God’s plan of salvation through Jesus,” it is always relevant to all people at all times, even to our children. This is a book that Christian parents and grandparents should read, and reread, with their families.  

The greatest strength of The Ology is its layered approach to studying theology.  This is clearly a children’s book, but it is a children’s book that will be read with profit by everyone from elementary school students to adults. For example, the youngest readers could have their parents read straight through the book chapter by chapter without pausing to reflect on the multiple Scripture references presented in each just to get an overview of the theology contained in the Bible. Young adults could read each chapter, memorizing one of the passages used to explain the theological topic discussed. Adults would benefit from reading each chapter with Bible in hand, tracking down and meditating on each of the texts referenced. This layered approach extends even to the glossary of theological terms in the back of the book where two definitions of varying difficulty are given for each word. Given this varying degree of depth and difficulty, I can’t imagine a family not growing in their understanding of theology and love for Jesus together while working through this book.

Some theological resources tend to organize their subjects in a way that is logical, but they don't seem to pay much attention to the unfolding storyline of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. However, The Ology takes the Bible’s own plotline into account in the ordering of its subjects. The immediate benefit of this arrangement is that parents may choose to read this book to their children in conjunction with either The Jesus Storybook Bible or The Big Picture Story Bible and find that it follows along nicely with the overarching narrative of Scripture.

You may have heard the expression “the main things are the plain things” somewhere. This is one of the most important things to remember when beginning a study of theology.  While all Christian parents will want their children to understand the main and plain doctrine of the Trinity in the same way, not all will want to pass on the same understanding of secondary issues.  Thankfully, Machowski understands and respects this. There is never a moment when it seems as though he is trying to force his own theological agenda into Christian homes with his particular understanding of secondary issues.  Instead, as in his explanation of baptism for example, he says things like, “While not everyone agrees on the best time to baptize children of believers, wise leaders on both sides agree that all children must turn away from their sin and place their only hope for salvation in Jesus."  This puts parents in the driver’s seat, enabling them to advocate their understanding of secondary issues if they choose while maintaining the priority of the gospel.  

I heartily recommend The Ology to anyone looking to introduce the study of theology to their young family.  It will challenge readers of multiple ages and levels of understanding, reinforce the storyline of the Bible, and emphasize the main and plain doctrines of Scripture. All of this while taking theology out of the ivory tower and into the family room where it is supposed to be.

You can pick up your copy of The Ology at Books by the Park. For more book recommendations to help you build your personal library, please visit our website.

About the Author

Marty Machowski is a Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he has served on the pastoral staff for over twenty years. He is the author of the Gospel Story for Kids series, which includes The Gospel Story Bible, Long Story Short, Old Story New, and the Gospel Story Curriculum, as well as the Advent devotional and curriculum Prepare Him Room. He and his wife, Lois, and their six children reside in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

About the Reviewer

Mike Willmer joined the Parkside staff in September 2010. Mike attended Kent State University and the Moody Bible Institute where he earned a degree in Biblical Studies and received his MDiv from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He leads our young adult ministry, Transit. Additionally, he is involved with our care ministries and internship program. Mike and his wife, Kelly, were married in 2007 and have a young son named Henry. In his spare time, Mike enjoys spending time with family and keeping up with the Cleveland Cavs.