Despite the frequent use of the term children of God to describe graced human existence, Christian theologians rarely consider childhood as an explicitly theological topic. Jensen argues that vulnerability is a dimension of the imageo Dei, and suggests that childhood provides a window for under-standing the shapes of graced human life and the violence that inhibits life. By offering a fresh understanding of the vulnerable child in the image of God, Jensen presents a compelling reinterpretation of sin, church practice, and Christian witness in a world in which the threats to children's lives--poverty, child labor, war, and the sex trade--seem overwhelming. Seminary students, pastors, educators, resource center directors, and those involved in the discipline of spiritual formation will find this book useful.