On This Rock: A Call to Center the Christian Response to Child Abuse on the Life and Words of Jesus by Victor I. Vieth (review)

In this compact work, Victor Vieth provides a theology of childhood that directly confronts the evils of child abuse. An attorney who is nationally recognized for his leadership in the field, Mr. Vieth brings his concerns as a committed Lutheran to the prevention of child abuse in churches and other settings. This book provides strong tools for pastors, educators, and church leaders interested in theological and practical resources about this important, albeit challenging, topic.

Vieth begins by contrasting the poor treatment of children in the ancient world to Jesus' many positive words and deeds expressing God's concern for young people. The author considers the theological implications of Christ's own childhood, including the vulnerability inherent in the Word becoming flesh. Applying Lutheran theology to contemporary crises of child abuse, Vieth shows that church leaders like Martin Luther and C.F.W. Walther put care for Christ's little ones at the heart of their interpretation of Christ's gospel, adding that the tendency to ignore or minimize child abuse reveals a misuse of the "law and gospel" distinction taught so carefully by Luther, Walther, and others in the tradition.

The book concludes by making a strong case for effective congregational policies that protect children from abuse. Resources for practical use appear in the text, footnotes, and bibliography. Because it deals with a topic that is at once so prevalent and so uncomfortable, this book can provide a great starting place for communities of faith to become the safe and nurturing places that children need them to be and that God wants them to be.