On This Rock
Jesus was the descendant of sexually exploited women, narrowly survived a child homicide, and grew up to be the world’s most prominent defender of children. Jesus reserved his harshest words for those who abused or neglected children. He went so far as to say our treatment of children says everything about our view of God. The early church took this message to heart and distinguished itself by its treatment of children. Yet today the church has often failed to protect children from abuse and, in many instances, has contributed to their maltreatment.
In this insightful book, Christian theologian and internationally recognized child abuse expert Victor Vieth examines the role of Jesus’ life and teachings in reducing child abuse in the New Testament world. He urges Christians to once again take seriously everything Jesus had to say about children. Using the teachings of Jesus as a blueprint, Vieth sets forth a proposal for church reform to prevent many cases of abuse, improve the pastoral care of survivors of abuse, and witness to the world that Christian faith shows itself in service to children. Written especially for ministry leaders, this book contains a level of detail and understanding about theology and the workings of churches that is especially informative and helpful.
Author: Victor I. Vieth
62 pages
Reviewed by James Behringer on August 31, 2021
