There's a reason why this isn't listed with the rest of his works. This was meant for his family and maybe should have stayed that way, like how each family's parents knows the right things to say to their children at the right times. Maybe this was what his children needed at the time. I wouldn't, however, read it to my children. It's not completely accurate and it's kind of a watered down version of Jesus Christ. I would just read the Bible instead.

Charles Dickens wanted his children to understand who Jesus was, so he wrote, almost as letters, his take on the life of Christ. It isn't perfect, and theologians might wish to alter it to be more scripturally sound, but I still enjoyed and appreciated his effort. The copy I stumbled on has beautiful lettering, copies of Dicken's own handwriting, and colorful flowers to gussy it up a bit. It also explains that the family didn't want it published early on, but later descendants deemed it worthwhile.

I absolutely love the story behind this book. A man determined that his children would hear the story of Jesus from his own lips, his own account, after researching, and putting the Gospels in order. That motivation is marvelous and fantastic.

Dickens’ theology is a bit off in places where he opines about Jesus’ motivations (teaching all people to “do better”), and even about our “duty” to do good. However, when I reminded myself he was writing for his children, perhaps, he knew these things but was simply writing in a way to make things understandable to them.

Dickens is so brilliant a writer. He should be lauded more for this posthumous work which reveals his deep desire that his children know Jesus.

https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3071012.html

A not terribly remarkable re-telling of the Gospels for children, mainly interesting because, in line with the author’s wishes, it was not published until after the last of his children had died, 64 years after Dickens’ death and almost 90 years after it was first written. Readers will be interested to learn that Sunday was the Jewish sabbath, along with other helpful observations.

Dicken's paraphrase of Luke for his children is beautifully written, if simplistic. However, Dickens uses his version of the Gospel story to strip the deity of Christ away and use the Gospel to preach social justice and works salvation. Here are just a few examples:

"There is a child born to-day in the city of Bethlehem near here, who will grow up so good that God will love Him as His own Son..." p. 18

"The most miserable... wretched creatures that live, will be bright Angels in Heaven if they are good here on earth..." p. 33

"...for if I am cruel to anything, even a poor little fly, God, who is so good, will never love me." p. 126

As such, this is an insightful little book into the worldview and theology of Dickens, but a decidedly unorthodox paraphrase of Scripture.

2023 reread

Loved this simple yet powerful story of Christ’s life.

Lovely little read, only takes a couple of hours. Some wonderful insights into the scriptures and Christ's teachings via Dickens's commentary on the parables, etc. Really enjoyed it.

"REMEMBER! It is Christianity TO DO GOOD always — even to those who do evil to us. It is Christianity to love our neighbor as ourself, and to do to all men as we would have them Do to us. It is Christianity to be gentle, merciful, and forgiving, and to keep those qualities quiet in our own hearts and never make a boast of them, or of our prayers or of our love of God, but always to shew that we love Him by humbly trying to do right in everything. If we do this, and remember the life and lessons of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and try to act up to them, we may confidently hope that God will forgive us our sins and mistakes, and enable us to live and die in Peace."

My kids enjoyed listening to this during Advent.

Love anything and everything Charles Dickens. He wrote this for his children and never wanted it published. His great-great grandson finally published it in 1933. Love it

This book was such a great book to compare with Tolstoy’s retelling of the Gospels. Dickens was obviously a great writer too and David Copperfield pretty much shaped my character and morals in my early twenties. Tolstoy edited the miracles out of the story. Dickens kept them in. I think Tolstoy’s re-telling allowed me to accept the intellectual side of the teachings but Dickens’ spoke to my heart. As always it’s up to the reader if emotions (‘heart’) mean anything or not. It’s a good read that’ll at least make one somewhat kinder to others for the day ahead. Can’t hurt to read it.

Reading this aloud together each December is one of my favorite Christmas traditions.

"La única historia que Dickens quiso secreta es la más universal y conocida de toda la historia de la Humanidad. Quiso transmitir a sus hijos, y luego a nosotros, [...] que tanta grandeza cabe en lo más íntimo y escondido de nuestros corazones".▪️Charles Dickens escribió para sus hijos la historia de Jesús en forma de cuento corto y dejó anotado que no fuera hasta después de su muerte cuando pudiera ver la luz más allá de la intimidad de su paternidad. Ahora la Editorial Renacimiento (Espuela de Plata) lo recupera, y ya que se acerca la Navidad, no dudé en comprarlo. A pesar de estar narrado de una forma más infantil a la que Dickens nos tiene acostumbrados, sigue teniendo su pluma y espíritu, por lo que se lee en un par de horas de una forma amena y agradable. Me gusta que aparezcan referencias explicativas más personalizadas hacia sus hijos, da esa sensación de lectura familiar antes de dormir así como un toque íntimo y especial a la historia que prácticamente todos conocemos. Esta obra junto a sus "Cuentos de Navidad" forman un conjunto de aprendizajes y reflexiones en torno al Cristianismo muy dulces y cálidas. El autor trata de transmitir mediante la historia de Jesucristo un mensaje de bondad y amor por el prójimo que, aunque pueda sonar repetitivo, la realidad es que se olvida muy fácilmente. Con esta pequeña nueva edición lo hacemos perdurar y nos acercamos de una forma algo distinta (más inocente tal vez) a la misteriosa figura de Cristo, alguien que siempre a despertado mucha curiosidad en mi.