TS Eliot observed, “Humankind cannot bear very much reality.” If that is true, the news media can bring us to breaking point at times. The cases of Baby P and the kidnapping of Shannon Matthews have been profoundly disturbing. The words of Kurtz to Marlow in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness spring to mind: “The horror!” The horror!”

Baby P died aged just 17 months after being tortured and abused. Three people were convicted of causing his death, but only one – Jason Owen- could be named for legal reasons. Karen Matthews was convicted with Michael Donovan of kidnapping her nine-year-old daughter Shannon. During the 24-day search for Shannon, Karen made a series of pleas for her safe return. We now know the whole episode was staged in an attempt to extort money.

Since the convictions, the newspapers have been packed with in-depth and often harrowing analysis of the cases and personalities involved. In both situations the victim was an innocent child. It’s difficult to imagine how anyone could inflict such suffering. It’s hard too for us to understand how a good and all-powerful God could allow it to take place. Space precludes a consideration of that thorny problem, but let me draw our attention to another one.

In both cases, the active sin of the individuals involved was accompanied by a passive sin on the part of their communities. We should be appalled at the extent of social breakdown on those estates. The problem is that it’s all too easy to point the finger at the people in Dewsbury and Haringey. What about every other neighbourhood? The two cases should challenge us about all the communities where we live. We’re commanded by Jesus to love our neighbours as ourselves. The problem is that most of us haven’t got a clue who they are.

This article first appeared in Christianity Magazine in February 2009.