Fuller Seminary Lecture Series Focuses on Children at Risk

Pasadena, CA (PRWEB) November 14, 2006

"Children and the Mission of God" was the theme of a lecture series offered at Fuller Theological Seminary in early November. The problem of children at risk is becoming an increasingly important area of emphasis at the seminary.

"A major, growing thrust of our school is a global engagement with children at risk: AIDS orphans, inner city youth, the street children of the world," said Doug McConnell, dean of Fuller's School of Intercultural Studies. "We're examining what we can do -- in partnership with the church -- to care for children, protect them, offer them justice, and present them with the life-saving message of the gospel."

Bryant Myers, Fuller's new professor of International Development, launched the November lecture series with an overview presentation. Myers, who brings 31 years' experience with World Vision International to his role, explained why we should be concerned about children at risk: "the well-being of the vulnerable is a test of the faithfulness of our worship," he said, and "the well-being of children is an indicator of the well-being of society."

Even though many of the world's children today are doing well, he said, way too many are not. An alarming 210 million children globally are involved in labor outside the home, half of them in full-time work -- taking them out of school and placing many in hazardous conditions. Of these, 1.8 million are involved in prostitution and pornography. Myers noted that those who exploit children often take advantage of disastrous situations; after the tsunami, he said, "the child exploiters arrived in Banda Aceh as soon as relief workers did."

Myers offered many more disturbing statistics: 5.7 million children are engaged in forced or bonded labor; 300,000 are child soldiers; 10 million are refugees, many without their families; tens of millions live on the streets; and vast numbers are unregistered, with no recognition by their governments. Myers also noted the very different kind of problem of "deceived children" in the U.S., where $12 billion is spent every year on advertising directed to children 12 and under.

"Children are in trouble everywhere in the world," Myers said. We must "act like Christ and be the Church" through tangible provisions of care for children at risk, by actively advocating for them, and by empowering them. "These children need to hear the gospel," Myers urged. "They need to learn the liberating news that Jesus weeps for them…and that he provides forgiveness." We must all think more intentionally about children and how our daily decisions will affect them, Myers concluded, citing a quote from John Whitehead: "Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see."

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