Emory Law Journal Volume 61 Issue 0 In Memoriam: David J. Bederman 2012 Christianity's Mixed Contributions to Children's Rights: Traditional Teachings, Modern Doubts John Witte Jr. Emory University School of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.law.emory.edu/elj Recommended Citation John Witte Jr., Christianity's Mixed Contributions to Children's Rights: Traditional Teachings, Modern Doubts, 61 Emory L. J. 991 (2012). Available at: https://scholarlycommons.law.emory.edu/elj/vol61/iss0/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Emory Law Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Emory Law Journal by an authorized editor of Emory Law Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. WITTE&BROWNING GALLEYS4 7/31/2012 11:09 AM CHRISTIANITY’S MIXED CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHILDREN’S RIGHTS: TRADITIONAL TEACHINGS, MODERN DOUBTS† ∗ John Witte, Jr. ∗∗ Don S. Browning INTRODUCTION The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child1 (CRC) is a landmark in the modern international protection of children’s rights. Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989, its fifty-four articles and two Optional Protocols set out a lengthy catalogue of rights for children. The CRC bans all discrimination against children, including on grounds of their birth status.2 It provides children with rights to life;3 to a name, a social identity, and the care and nurture of both parents;4 to education,5 health care,6 recreation, rest, and play;7 to freedom of association,8 expression,9 thought, conscience, and religion;10 and to freedom from neglect or negligent treatment, from physical and sexual abuse, from cruel and inhumane treatment,11 and from † This Article is reprinted in substantially similar form from Don S.