Gordon Lynch is Michael Ramsey Professor of Modern Theology at the University of Kent. His current research concerns a detailed study of post-war British child migration schemes to Australia, which is an extension of this recent volume. The book consists of the rigorous facts, histories, methods, and rationales of children re-location programs that grew “significantly in the United Kingdom and the United States, where more than 300,000 children were re-located away from birth parents and home communities between 1851 and 1970.” These schemes, influenced and strengthened by the moral sentiments of their time, were perceived as a means to grant children “better future and making them better people,” in order to save them from poverty, parental ill-condition, or family breakdown. It is important to note that, to obtain the tickets for the “orphan trains,” the majority of these children had to experience disconnection from their birth parents, family members, and their root community. Christianity played a crucial part in advancing these schemes: the society was dependent on the moral inspiration of the churches and charities and, in many cases, the participating institutions minimized the hidden problematic aspects in order to promote humanitarian piety and moral certainty. What is more, “child migration was presented as an excellent opportunity for relocating children to new environments in which their faith could be nurtured and protected.” Lynch, throughout the book, lays out the findings of his research and constantly reminds the readers to see the “shadow-side of this humanitarian ethos” so that we do not repeat “their failing in different ways today.” In brief, in the process of remembering child migration, one should always acknowledge the gap between the “obligation of the giver” and the “rights of the receiver”—the disparity that can only be mended with the “sensitivity to the experiences of those believed to be its beneficiaries.”

Richard R. Hammar, “Child Sexual Abuse: Far too many churches are legally vulnerable” Church Law & Tax Report (March-April 2016).

Image: Dmitry Ratushny

Samuel Ogles, “Answering Church Leaders’ Common Questions About Background Checks: Looking more closely at what is needed to effectively screen volunteers and employees who work with minors” Church Law & Tax Report (June 2015).

Tara Beecham, “Screening the Screener: What to Look For in a Background Check Service: Two simple steps to reduce the risk” Church Law & Tax Report (March 2013).

Elizabeth Jackson, “What Do You Do with Volunteers Who Exhibit ‘Gray Area’ Behavior?: Three attorneys explain how churches can respond to concerning situations involving church volunteers” Church Law & Tax Report (November 2016).

Richard J. Mathews, “What I Learned from Advising the Boy Scouts of America During Their Abuse Crisis: An attorney’s advice for organizations on preventing and responding to child sexual abuse” Church Law & Tax Report (August 2016).

I would also like to point you to resources from PneumaReview.com:

Jennifer Cisney, “Healing From the Pain of Sexual Assault” Enrichment (Spring 2009). Reviewed by Mara Lief Crabtree. As appearing in the Spring 2010 issue.

Andrew J. Schmutzer, “A Theology of Sexuality and its Abuse: Creation, Evil, and the Relational Ecosystem, Part 1.” As appearing in the Summer 2013 issue.

Andrew J. Schmutzer, “A Theology of Sexuality and its Abuse: Creation, Evil, and the Relational Ecosystem, Part 2.” As appearing in the Fall 2013 issue.

In Conversation with Andrew Schmutzer, Part 1. As appearing in the Summer 2013 issue. An interview with Andrew Schmutzer about The Long Journey Home: Understanding and Ministering to the Sexually Abused, and part 1 of his chapter, “A Theology of Sexuality and its Abuse: Creation, Evil, and the Relational Ecosystem.”

In Conversation with Andrew Schmutzer, Part 2. As appearing in the Fall 2013 issue. An interview with Andrew Schmutzer about The Long Journey Home: Understanding and Ministering to the Sexually Abused, and part 2 of his chapter, “A Theology of Sexuality and its Abuse: Creation, Evil, and the Relational Ecosystem.”

In Conversation with Andrew Schmutzer, Part 3. As appearing in the Winter 2014 issue. An interview with Andrew Schmutzer about The Long Journey Home: Understanding and Ministering to the Sexually Abused, and part 1 of the chapter, “A Charge for Church Leadership: Speaking Out Against Sexual Abuse and Ministering to Survivors.”

Nancy Nason–Clark and Stephen McMullin, “A Charge for Church Leadership: Speaking Out Against Sexual Abuse and Ministering to Survivors,” Part 1. As appearing in the Winter 2014 issue.

Nancy Nason–Clark and Stephen McMullin, “A Charge for Church Leadership: Speaking Out Against Sexual Abuse and Ministering to Survivors,” Part 2. As appearing in the Spring 2014 issue.

Andrew J. Schmutzer, “A Theology of Sexual Abuse: A Reflection on Creation and Devastation” JETS 51:4 (Dec 2008). Reviewed by Bradford L. McCall. Appearing in the Winter 2010 issue. Editor’s note: As you might gather from the title, this is a review of an article that originally appeared in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. This article became one of the anchor articles for the book, Andrew J. Schmutzer, ed., The Long Journey Home: Understanding and Ministering to the Sexually Abused (Resource Publications, 2011), and was later a featured excerpt in the Summer and Fall 2013 issues (see links above) at PneumaReview.com.

This is a difficult book to read, at least in some respects. But it tells a story of great importance and considerable relevance to us today. The Armstrong Girl is not difficult because it is hard to read or badly written, but rather because the story is harrowing.

Victorian England was Christian. Yet is any country Christian? Certainly some of the things that went on behind the scenes in nineteenth century Britain were horrific and deeply disturbing. One of the worst was child prostitution, and the Armstrong girl could well have become a child prostitute. Instead she became a pawn in a campaign to raise the age of consent and attack the exploitation of the children of the poor.

In 1885 Bramwell Booth, second-in-charge of The Salvation Army, and W. T. Stead, editor of the Pall Mall Gazette, became aware of children being sold into sexual slavery and, in some cases, being sent to brothels overseas. With the aid of others, who were mainly Christian, they hatched a clever plan to combat this. They “bought” thirteen-year old Eliza Armstrong from her mother and sent her to a brothel in London, where Stead greeted her. They later transported her to Paris, into the care of Salvationists, to show that it could be done. Various safety factors were put in place, to make sure that the girl would not be harmed and that they could not be accused of criminal behavior.

Then Stead launched forth with his “Maiden Tribute to Modern Babylon” campaign in the Gazette. It was vivid. It was dramatic. It was an early example of tabloid journalism at its most graphic. And it caused a great stir. Initially there was considerable criticism and some shops refused to sell the paper after the first edition. But as the week of articles progressed the tide turned, and with the support of many, including numerous church groups, the cry burst forth to end this terrible business.

The main result was to raise the age of consent in Britain from 13 to 16, which it still is today. Earlier proposals to raise the age of consent had failed in the House of Commons, so this was a major success.

But then things began to go wrong. They had technically committed a crime. They had broken the law, so in spite of their safeguards two court cases resulted, and Stead, Bramwell Booth and others were put on trial. Bramwell was found not guilty, Stead received six months in jail. Others were also imprisoned or lost their jobs because of their part in this campaign. Wickedly, those who made a living out of this evil trade escaped prosecution.