Sanctity of Life Sunday

Today is the day the Christian community sets aside to contemplate the sanctity of human life and what we can do to defend the powerless whose human dignity is being violated. The conversation includes beginning-of-life issues such as abortion (including gendercide), embryonic stem cell research, and in vitro fertilization. It includes nuclear bombs, use of arms, active euthanasia, war, the disposability of girls in China, and widows who are expected to commit suicide upon the deaths of their husbands. 

Moving beyond sanctity of life itself, we also consider that"human dignity" is grounded in Genesis 1. That has ramificationsfor...

Sex trafficking

Refusal of hydrating tubes

Human slavery

Rape culture

POW standards

Immigration policy

Homelessness

Hunger

Poverty

Proverbs 31:8–9 (NET)

Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak,

for the legal rights of all the dying.

Open your mouth, judge in righteousness,

and plead the cause of the poor and needy. 

Evangelicals and Political Involvement: A New Survey

Evangelical engagement in U.S. politics has ebbed and flowed through the years, especially rising to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s with the growing concern about protecting human life and strengthening families.  Since then, the evangelical agenda has broadened, and evangelical engagement in social justice issues has blossomed. But with disillusionment in the political process on the increase, what will become of evangelical engagement in the future?

While many acknowledged current frustrations, most evangelical leaders expect the level of political engagement among evangelicals to increase, according to the May Evangelical Leaders Survey. The poll asked, “What do you expect the level of political engagement among evangelicals will be in the next 10 years?” While 18 percent said political engagement among evangelicals will go down and 25 percent said it will stay the same, 57 percent believe that evangelicals will be more engaged in politics in 10 years than they are today.

“Evangelicals aren’t going away. The issues that motivated us to engage in politics in the past will keep and inspire engagement in the future,” said Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).

Marriage, sanctity of life, poverty and religious freedom top the list of issues that evangelical leaders say will elicit increased responsiveness in the political arena. Jo Anne Lyon, General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church, predicted that issues of religious freedom, in particular, will become more alarming, and she prays that evangelicals will “handle these times with grace, truth and love.”

The Evangelical Leaders Survey is a monthly poll of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals. They include the CEOs of denominations and representatives of a broad array of evangelical organizations including missions, universities, publishers and churches.

I love this video!

A friend of my brother-in-law, Mark, produced this life-affirming video. Love it!

Council for Life from Jonathan Culp on Vimeo.

Freebie articles

Through my eleven or twelve years as editor of Kindred Spirit, I've written some articles and had book excerpts posted on the DTS web site. Here are most of them. Anything here of interest to you?

Jordan: Encounter God as Storyteller
A great narrative needs a great setting. And God has often set His redemption story in Jordan.

The Gift God Still Wants
From the time of Cain and Abel until today God has been asking for only one gift. (Christmas focus)

Informed Consent
Read an excerpt from Informed Consent, a novel that considers a compassionate response to AIDS and end-of-life issues.

Premium Roast with Ruth
Book Excerpt: In the face of famine two women journey to the “house of bread.”

Vindicate the Villain?
This brief overview will introduce you to the fundamentals of Gnosticism, the philosophy behind the Gospel of Judas.

Espresso with Esther Click here to read this excerpt

Empty Arms, Heavy Burden
One in six couples struggles with infertility during their childbearing years. But they are not alone. Read a book excerpt from The Infertility Companion.

Storytelling: The Twelve Ways of Christmas
What other time of year can we walk into the mall and hear music that directs us to worship Christ the Lord? When else can we stroll through business offices and see strings of cards depicting nativity scenes? Let’s take advantage of the seasonal opportunities, keeping our focus on Christ and sharing the gospel in the process.

Why We Honor the Human Embryo

Expanding Our View on Sanctity of Life

Yesterday was Sanctity of Life Sunday. In the Christian community when we think of sanctity of life, we often limit our discourse to abortion. Yet we need to expand that conversation to include the taking of any innocent life:

Abortion
Active euthanasia
Nuclear bombs
Darfur
Embryonic stem cell research
Eugenics
Unlimited in vitro fertilization
The disposability of girls in China
Widows expected to commit suicide upon the deaths of their husbands

Moving beyond sanctity of life we also need to consider that "human dignity" is also grounded in Genesis 1. That has ramifications for...

Sex trafficking
Refusal of hydrating tubes
Slavery
POW standards
Immigration policy
Homelessness
Hunger
Poverty

I think politicians in both parties have taken too a high a view of humans at times. Unsupervised commerce fails to check greed, leading to economic disaster. And assuming that "a woman and her doctor" will interpret "the life of the mother" as applying only to life-and-death situations...?