Between Ecclesiology and Ethics: Promoting a Culture of Protection and Care in Church and Society

Abstract

The author underscores the ethical imperatives incumbent on the community called church in light of the needs and experiences of children. The immediate circumstance relates to ongoing revelation of widespread clergy sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults and the moral duty of the community called church to care for and protect them. This approach unfolds within two overlapping and overarching contexts: first, the ecclesiology of the Roman Catholic Church and, second, African cultural beliefs and religious traditions. A particular focus is placed on the paucity of Catholic theological or ethical reflection on the dignity of the child, and remedies for this lacuna, particularly with respect to the African Catholic Church.