A party of visiting schoolchildren were being shown around St Albans Abbey. They stopped at the window near the shrine which shows Alban about to be beheaded.

The teacher asked, ‘Who do you think that is in the window?’ A little girl said, ‘Is it Jesus?’ A little boy next to her retorted, ‘Don’t be stupid. Jesus didn’t get his head chopped off, he died on the cross. It’s the wife of Henry VIII innit?’

Each year the Abbey welcomes about 14,000 schoolchildren on visits. We hope they will not only learn about the history of the building, but also get a sense of living faith, and start asking some of the big questions about God, worship and life.

Children need teaching that is suited to their age, but sometimes we get stuck. Every time I take adult confirmation groups I find some are still saddled with childish ideas about religion which perhaps were appropriate when they were seven, but are now standing in the way of adult faith.

People are often surprised to discover, for example, they are not required to believe God literally made the world in seven days, or that Adam and Eve were historical figures, or that God damns all non-Christians to hell.

They are also surprised to be encouraged to ask questions, and allowed to have doubts.

St Paul says we all need to grow up spiritually as well as physically, from the ‘milk’ of childish teaching to the ‘solid food’ of adults. So don’t get stuck in spiritual childhood.

Ask questions. Argue. Seek – and you will find.

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