Theology and debt from Childrens Society

http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-you-can-do/your-church/study/theology-and-debt

 

 

Our new collection of essays, Who Bears the Burden? Christian theology and the impact of debt on children, sets the practical challenges of child poverty and debt's impact on children into a theological context. 

Reflecting on these issues in the light of how we understand God raises some important questions. As the Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, says in his preface:

'Theology is never "merely academic" in the common sense that implies it has no practical application. On the contrary, theology – that is, thinking about God, the world and ourselves compels a response in action and decision-making. Sometimes the cost of such a response can be both high and demanding.'

This collection offers some theological reflections about the impact of debt on children and explores the ways in which churches and charities can respond. The essays remind us that, for Christians, words are never enough: they need to take flesh in lives and communities transformed by God's justice and his love.