If reenactment takes so much work and money, why do people do it?

There are many reasons. Some people reenact simply because they like history. They want to hang out with others who like history too. Others do it because they get to find out what life may have been like for their ancestors. Some want to learn and to teach others. Watching a battle happen might tell you a lot more than reading about it in a book. You also might better remember the things you learn.

Many reenactors think of themselves as stewards of the past. A steward is someone who takes care of something—especially something that belongs to someone else. God put the first man, Adam, in the Garden of Eden. When He did that, He made people stewards of His creation. History is a story God is telling. Reenactors tell the truth about God’s story. That’s part of taking care of His world.

If you could reenact a part of history, what time and place would you choose? Historical reenactors relive scenes from colonial times, the Civil War, the World Wars, medieval times, and many other periods. God has done so much in the world already—and He’s not done. People could spend years and years reenacting and not tell the whole story!