I gave him as best an answer I could, along with some illustrations about how a theology can inform practice.

Here’s a link to one religious group’s theology of children. I think it’s well done in that is contains some of the key elements that need to go into a "theology for …"

http://www.directionjournal…

I had a chance to rant about this topic today at a conference at which I presented. I think that while most of the participants were challenged by my advocacy of keeping children in worship, and appreciated the rationale I presented, most struggled with wrapping their minds around the pragmatic logistics of keeping the kids in church and in working through the assumptions they have about keeping kids out of corporate worship.

It was very hopeful to hear what some folks shared with me in private conversations after the conference. A couple of them "got it" and shared their attempts at being more conscientious about the inclusion of children in their worship.

As you know, I wrote my thesis on this very topic. I am not the first to think this way as Horace Bushnell is a good guide. Another pioneering group is Faith Inkubators out of Stillwater, MN. Their website is http://www.faithink.com and they have created a wonderful resource called Faith Stepping Stones that helps the church do the very thing you suggest which is marking events in the family’s life cycle within the context of worship.

I do not want the comment to be longer than the original post so I shall end by simply saying, do not take children out of worship. Instead, learn from them about a pure, simple way to come into the presence of the Holy. Taking children out of worship during any part teaches the child to check out at the same time when they become an adult. We have congregations full of adults like that who don’t even challenge what a pastor says in the sermon.

Okay, so I can’t stop on this particular issue but I feel strongly enough about this that I left a ministry position when I was challenged on this very issue!