Children, Religion and the Ethics of Influence: introduction to the symposium.

The article focuses on the ethical argument presented in John Tillson's book *Children, Religion and the Ethics of Influence*, which contends that it is morally impermissible for parents, educators, and others to initiate children into religious beliefs or similarly comprehensive and epistemically controversial belief systems, such as Marxism and materialism. Tillson grounds this claim in the moral responsibility to promote children's well-being, emphasizing that religious initiation involves an undue epistemic risk given the momentous and comprehensive nature of religious beliefs. The article also summarizes critiques from several scholars who propose alternative ethical frameworks or conditions under which religious initiation might be permissible, and it notes Tillson’s responses defending his position. The discussion highlights tensions between parental rights, children's autonomy, and the epistemic demands of moral influence in religious upbringing.