Church leaders, theologians, and child protection specialists from around the world gathered online for the launch of the book God’s Heart and Child Protection: Practical Theology in Global Perspective. The publication calls on Christians to view child safeguarding not as an administrative requirement but as one of the most essential expressions of the Gospel message.
This was reported by Christian Daily.
Published by Langham Publishing in partnership with VIVA, the Lausanne Children at Risk Issue Network, and the Global Child Protection Alliance, the book brings together more than 30 contributors from five continents. It examines the problem of child abuse through the lens of biblical theology while also offering practical guidance and real-world examples drawn from ministry in different countries.
During the online launch, the book’s co-editor, Dr Martin Munyao, said that the volume was intended to address a significant gap in theological education and church ministry resources.
“We cannot ignore the scale of child abuse,” Munyao said, citing global statistics. One in four girls and one in thirteen boys experience sexual abuse before the age of 18, while more than 600 million children live amid armed conflict or humanitarian crises. He also stressed that cases of abuse within churches often go unreported and that many theological institutions still lack child safeguarding systems.
“Today we are talking about child safeguarding. This is not merely an optional addition for Christians. It is an imperative that flows from the Gospel,” he said.
The book addresses topics including gender-based violence, child trafficking, online sexual exploitation, child marriage, the challenges faced by children with disabilities, domestic violence, humanitarian crises, and church ministry. Each chapter combines a global overview of the issue with biblical reflection and practical case studies. The book is intended for seminaries, churches, Christian organisations, and NGOs.
As LF previously reported, participants in hearings held by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, USCIRF, believe that children bear the greatest burden of violations of freedom of religion or belief.
