Author Description

After taking a 42-year break from his interdisciplinary academic research, Peter Pitts re-publishes his Children’s Pictures of God book in an updated format with a brief academic introduction. While a graduate student in Sociology at the University of Iowa, Peter embarked on a project that combined Art, Education, Comparative Religion, Sociology, and Psychology. His quest? To see how children from various religious denominations would picture God. In the 1970’s his research was celebrated by educators on both a national and international level. This updated book is mostly pictures—delightful black and white pencil-and-paper drawings by children ages six to ten. During his 42-year hiatus from academic research, Peter remained in the world of academia as a college admission professional. Now that he is retired and has more time, he hopes with this book to rekindle discussion, on an international basis, of the development of the God concept. Regardless of readers’ religious beliefs, they are certain to marvel at the way children can express a complex concept in a simple drawing. These pictures may encourage readers to reflect on their own concepts of deity as well.