Theology about the child is a very old and very new area of study. Theological perspectives of children are included in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, and many theologians throughout history have commented on children. Yet over the last century or so children have been marginalized by theology, overlooked by most theologians as apparently irrelevant to their main concerns

"Child Theology" is a phrase that is somewhat ambiguous, as some use it in a very general sense and others in a more specific manner. The creation of the phrase is attributed to Keith White, who suggested that it describes the difference that "placing a child in the midst" of the theological process could make. In some respects, this can be compared with feminist theology or liberation theology--it is an approach to doing theology that asks, "What difference would it make if we did as Jesus did, placing a child in the midst, and letting the child's perspective guide our approach to theology.

Some people use "child theology" to designate only the idea above, while others suggest it has a broader meaning. Historically, there has been regular interest in asking questions of theology in relation to the child in general and Christian children in particular. Such questions relate to topics such as the nature of the child, when children should be able to join the church or partake of the Eucharist or communion, what Jesus meant by makiing an example of children, and the like.

A third possible meaning of "child theology" is the theology created by the child. Rather than being something that creates amusement, the distinctive quality of the theology of children may reveal not only the kind of thinking that is taking place, but also the nature and quality of the relationship between God and the child. The study of children's theology is perhaps more a social science process than a theological process, yet the object of study is the child's theology.

This web page offers links to web sites that in one way or another relate to child theology as it emerges as a growing interest among theologians and others who care about children. The goal for this page is to encourage networking between people who have an interest in this area--however it is defined--and the organizations and leaders in this area. If you have suggestions for additions to this page, please email don@ratcliffs.net.