attended the Academy schools they also felt secure, knowing they would fit in.
In recalling time spent doing lessons, one survey respondent remembered
“hearing stories from the Word with my mother.” Another testified having
become a member of the church “because of those lessons and my Mom
spending the time with us . . . and her making religion part of life.” The church
that meant so much to parents also “made an effort to have us participate.”
While conversations with parents are important during childhood,
conversations with others outside the family are especially important during
adolescence. One person reminisced: “I loved receiving letters from Rev. Karl
Alden. He brought out an affectional side of religion which brought it alive.”
Contact with corresponding teachers connected children with the
General Church, which was especially important for girls, who thrive on social
interaction. The average size of families receiving lessons was four children.
Teachers gave children from busy families important attention.
When asked at what age they first identified as New Church, 58% of girls
said before age five. For boys, 38% first identified as New Church during their
teen years while reading the Writings for themselves or attending Academy
Secondary Schools. Many who received Religion Lessons are active church
members today and live in church communities, attend services of worship
and send their children to New Church schools.
Women are natural experts on raising children. Under the flag of Theta
Alpha, the women of the General Church used their expertise to support
parents, especially mothers, in passing New Church ideas from one generation
to another.
The lessons developed by Theta Alpha continue to have an impact on the
Gene ral Church today as the forerunners of most children’s material available
today. They fostered the development of children’s songs, books and pictures,
many of which have been up-cycled and now take the form of YouTube videos,
Jacob’s Ladder lessons and Youth Journey Programs that continue to support
the General Church today. I invite you to take a look at education.newchurch.
org.
Sarah B. Odhner has had a lifelong association with the New
Church. An educator, she taught Sunday school for 30 years,
also taught at the Oak Arbor School in Rochester, Michigan,
and currently works at Bryn Athyn Church School and develops
religious education programs for General Church Education.
General Church Religion Lessons were an important part of her
own education in England and led her to explore their impact
on the General Church. Sarah and her husband, the Rev. Grant
Odhner, have six children and three grandchildren. They live in Huntingdon Valley,
Pennsylvania. Contact: [email protected]
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