Presented as part of the Theology in the City 2019 conference.
Children are an often ignored but nevertheless indispensable factor in gaining and maintaining a political consensus that fosters hope and resilience despite the diverse and even conflicting perspectives of citizens. What is their significance? Children, as Duke theologian Stanley Hauerwas argues, signal to the future that life, despite its difficulties, is worth living. Their very presence says something about how a given society views itself. Given the pluralist context of most cities today, it is therefore worthwhile to explore diverse perspectives on children and childhood in order to locate the focus of a consensus that might, itself, play a vital role in nurturing hope and resilience.