“From a renowned expert on children’s spirituality in the tradition of Robert Coles comes a book whose insights into children’s religious imagination will turn common assumptions upside down. Loaded with thought-provoking interview stories, this book is a reminder that attentive listening to children is itself an invaluable ‘faith practice’ that has the power to transform us as adults.”
—Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore, author of Letthe Children Come: Reimagining Childhood from a Christian Perspective

“There has been a flurry of research in recent years about the way children understand God: about whether they are confident that God is real, about what God knows, about what children learn from adults about God, and so forth. This engaging book deepens that work with rich accounts of the way that children not only reason about God but relate to him.”
—Tanya Marie Luhrmann, author of How God Becomes Real: Kindling the Presence of Invisible Others

“In the tradition of Robert Coles’s landmark work, Brad Wigger’s When Children Imagine God centers the voices of children and takes seriously the wisdom and insight only the youngest among us can offer. Wigger creates space for children to lead us into fresh imagination about age-old questions of who God is and who we are in relation to the Divine. For those who believe ‘a little child shall lead them,’ this book is a brilliant example of why we must listen to the voices of children and how they lead us in imagining a God beyond the confines of our adult perspectives. Professors, parents, grandparents, congregational leaders, and teachers will find in these pages an invaluable and inspiring conversation partner for nurturing the life of faith with children and families.”
—Rebecca L. Davis, director of the Font and Faith Initiative in Nurturing Faith in Children and Families

“When Children Imagine God ushers readers into a beautiful and creative space—a realm awash in spiritual wisdom. Refusing to treat children’s spirituality as simply a source for cute stories and giggles, Brad Wigger invites us to listen to children with patience and care. When we make time to attend to these observant souls, Wigger observes, we inevitably discover that they have a lot more going on spiritually than we may imagine. In fact, through these conversations, we discover reliable and winsome guides for our own spiritual journeys.”
—Scott Black Johnston, senior pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York

“As a scholar, pastor, and grandmother, I’m fascinated by Wigger’s reflections on children and their imaginative encounters with God. Each chapter provides new insights into childhood faith and suggests how religious leaders, parents, grandparents, and others can support children’s spiritual flourishing.”
—Karen-Marie Yust, author of Real Kids, Real Faith: Practices for Nurturing Children’s Spiritual Lives