Hurting Kids

“In her thoughtful and passionate book, Michelle Lelwica explores the ‘afterlife of religion in secular culture’ through the voices of delinquent youth for whom the multiple stresses of poverty and racism seem to reveal a judging and condemning God. Lelwica traces her own journey toward a realistic and compassionate awareness of systemic racism in a society in which all are both victims and perpetrators, a society in which some benefit while others are harmed. Hurting Kids is insightful and helpful, a necessary read.”


—Margaret R. Miles, professor emerita of historical theology, Graduate Theological Union





“This book is a veritable tour de force, a clear and compelling handbook for the heartbreaking pursuit of compassionate justice for our nation’s most vulnerable youth. A quilt of research and ‘me-search’ (memoir) of exploration and exposé, Hurting Kids shatters myths surrounding racism, inequity, justice, trauma, white supremacy, Christian theology, and the juvenile detention system. Read it, teach it, and act upon on it—the young people’s lives Lelwica bears witness to demand nothing less of us.”


—Jacqueline Bussie, author of Love without Limits





“Getting close to overlooked religious and social concerns is Michelle Lelwica’s forte. Her impeccable scholarship has offered keen insights into gender, our bodies, and now Hurting Kids—incarcerated youth. With a humble, kind, and critical eye, Lelwica invites us to witness the humanity of suffering juveniles, who in turn reveal what genuine compassion and freedom are. This remarkable book makes a compelling case for compassionate and responsible justice for hurting kids.”


—Roy Hammerling, professor emeritus of religion, Concordia College