A Reader in Child Theology for those alongside Children in Church and Mission. Articles and Papers from 2004 to 2020 - John Collier

Since the 1960s there have been fresh perspectives on Christian theology focusing on, and typically involving active participation by, groups previously marginalised, whether in church or other institutions and discourses. These have been variously described as liberation or contextual theologies.

1979, the International Year of the Child, marked a recognition of the growing attention to children worldwide across a range of academic disciplines, professions and institutions, including theology and church. This paid increasing attention to their agency, rights and voices. Until then study or engagement with children had tended to be "pre-paradigmatic", often within an existing discipline or framework such as "family" or "education".

In 2001 following a conference in De Bron, Holland, a new concept, with an associated process and network, has been developing using the title Child Theology. One of the groups helping to nurture this is the Child Theology Movement.

Spurred by hundreds of theological questions from Christians alongside children it has become a global movement that has engaged and involved people from every continent, usually in consultations of clergy and lay people, practitioners and academics. Reports of many of these circles are accessible via the CTM website: www.childtheologymovement.org

This reader and its companion A Reader in Theology for Theologians presents a selection of papers from, and some writing prompted by, those events.