Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76Dear Reader, “A little child shall lead them,” writes the prophet Isaiah, imagining a coming age when “the wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together.” Amidst the surfeit of books, programs, and online resources on parenting and education, it’s easy to conclude that there’s nothing new to say about childhood. And at least to those who aren’t parents or educators, the whole topic may seem over-hyped. But childhood and children matter immensely – especially to followers of the one who taught his hearers that they must “change and become like children” in order to share in the future age that Isaiah foretold (Matt. 18:3). The idea of childhood innocence, certain social historians and evolutionary biologists tell us, is a modern invention, a mere sentimental fantasy. But while the experience of ­ childhood has undeniably changed over the centuries, Jesus’ words remind us of truths that remain unchanged. The mystery of being a child, and of becoming a child, is central to the gospel, and has been so from the start. This issue opens with “Discovering Reverence” by Johann Christoph Arnold, whose new book Their Name Is Today: Reclaiming Childhood in a Hostile World (just released by Plough!) raises a host of urgent questions. In response, a surgeon shares what he’s learned from children with disabilities. Dispatches from Ferguson, Missouri, the US–Mexico border, the South Bronx, and America’s kindergartens focus on places where childhood is especially threatened. Other con- tributors examine public, homeschool, and Christian education; highlight the role that fathers play; and grapple with Jesus’ uncomfortable version of family values. The escalating violence in Iraq and Syria is another heartrending reminder that Isaiah’s vision of the peaceable kingdom has yet to be realized. These horrors also pose a tough challenge to those who are committed to Jesus’ way of nonviolent love: Is it still possible to insist on the absolute nonviolence taught by the early Christians and Martin Luther King Jr.? We ask this question of Ron Sider, a leading pacifist, in an interview on page 56. Do you have reactions, stories, or insights to share? How can we better put the gospel into practice? We look forward to hearing from you. In the words from Hebrews, let’s keep ­ “spurring one another on to faith and good deeds.” Warm greetings, Peter Mommsen Editor Fritz Eichenberg, detail, The Peacable Kingdom