Well, we agree 95%.
The development of respect for children... predated the arrival of Christ in His Jewish faith tradition, however.
Indeed, much of the strong Jewish emphasis on family and children was already well-established. It did not suddenly leap into existence at Calvary. You can see it in Jesus’s own Jewish family (at least as tradition provides). Jesus’ Jewish (and later, many gentile) followers then spread this family-orientation (along with all the rest of the received Jewish morals and ethics) to multitudes of pagans as part and parcel of the spread of Christianity (especially insofar as Europe, etal were concerned).
See, for instance,,,,
http://www.academia.edu/8089274/Judaism_Children_in_Jewish_History_and_Culture_
in short, if we adopt the modern “Judeo=Christian” phrase for most of your essay, we get it right on.
Best,
Why, I don’t disagree. The Old Testament, without doubt, has great emphasis on the unique relationship that the children have with God. Christianity was building on a fertile ground.