Foundations of responsibility for children

Abstract

Children’s vulnerability asks for people taking up responsibility for children. In this contribution, three different ways of thinking on foundations of (ethical and spiritual) responsibility for children are discussed, namely, a liberalist, a social‐constructivist and a naturalist paradigm. The author argues that cultural and natural elements are important in the reflection on responsibility, that is, the social‐culturally determined way in which one looks at children plays a role, but responsibility is never totally dependent of these cultural ideas. The idea of ‘heteronomous responsibility’ is developed. Theories cannot guarantee that parents take up their responsibility, but a parental promise can be made.

Keywords:

• responsibility
• hermeneutics
• children’s rights
• natural law
• spirituality

Notes

1. See also Proverbs 19:18, 22:15, 29:15.