I am rethinking one of the books I read for ordination requirements: Graced Vulnerability: A Theology of Childhood by David Jensen. Jensen has made a significant contribution to theology in making the important point that childhood is foreign to systematic theology. Indeed, the IVP Dictionary of Biblical Theology, which one would expect to find a theology of childhood, only has the heading “childlessness.” Wow, I have never noticed this before and yet, as the bibliography attests, books within the last five years have begun to address this gap.
As I reflected on my own theology of childhood I read that Jensen mentions one of my own first thoughts, that “Israel valued and welcomed children” because of its understanding of covenant, of which children are explicitly members (2). Indeed, the sign of the covenant is the mark on the baby boy of 8 days. “Throughout the Hebrew Bible, children are seen as blessings for the future, signs of God’s creative intent and faithfulness that surpasses all generations” (3)
However, once we move beyond these basic statements and look in the Scriptures for a theology of sin and how that relates to children, Jensen points out the various ways children have been viewed over the years. He is not comfortable with the traditional understanding of the depravity of humanity, including children because more often that not, children are the victims of sin rather than the perpetrators (ch 4). At times he seems to want to move away from children’s culpability, a direction I am not comfortable with. Yet, the point he makes is that when Jesus takes a child into his arms he is not intent on talking about their “inherent goodness or internal depravity. He simply tells his disciples to welcome children in a gesture of personal hospitality” (91).
What is immediately applicable: care for the vulnerable, the widow, the orphan and stranger. Church is not a gated community, but as a refuge for children but a sanctuary that is still potent with images of God’s holiness. Jensen writes as an advocate and prophet to the church to welcome and protect children from the dangers in their lives.
But the reflections on vulnerability and the gospel were the part of the book that challenged me the most. “A child’s vulnerability is the locus of God’s grace” (ix). This dovetails with my own reflections on Philippians 3:10 and the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. Although human suffering is not redemptive, the consequence of identifying with Christ is the reality that we will suffer. This suffering comes because Christ himself was vulnerable. It is impossible to know Christ and Christ’s power without at the same time accepting his suffering. Our theology easily becomes triumphalist in light of post-resurrection, but the vulnerability of God at the hands of his subjects is ever present in our faith. This IS the heart of Christian faith and children help us accept this.
Jensen, David. Graced Vulnerability: A Theology of Childhood. Cleveland: Pilgrim
Press, 2005.
