Theology and child protection

What is it about?

This short piece seeks to offer a theological framing to the issues raised by Garth Blake in his article ‘Child Protection and the Anglican Church of Australia’ in the same issue of JAS. What are some of the theological issues behind the current state of affairs with regard to child protection, and the church's attempts to remedy past failures to protect the children in its care? Several clusters of theological issues are outlined.

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Why is it important?

The issues discussed have become even more prominent since 2006 in Australia with further revelations of widespread abuse, especially sexual abuse, of children in the care of various institutions, including churches. This has been highlighted by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au