Ethical Issues for 2000 A.D. and Beyond
By Guy Greenfield
Dr. Greenfield is Director of The Family Growth C enter in Hereford, Texas, a pastoral counseling service and family life education agency covering six counties in west Texas. For over 10 years he was professor of Christian ethics at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He has been a pastor; and for several years he was also a professor of sociology on the university level. He is the author of five books, the most recent being Re-Igniting Love and Passion: 24 Marital Checkpoints (Baker Books, 1995).
While I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, in this article I am going to try to play the role of an amateur futurist. I will attempt to project what will be the major ethical issues faced by Christians in particular and American society in general as we approach the end of the twentieth century. The content is more generic than specific, technical, and scientific. Documentation with statistical material will also be avoided. This will be more of a sign pointing to potential ethical danger zones than a thorough analysis and prognosis of each issue.
Several books have been written in recent years which attempt to anticipate what life will be like by 2000 A.D. Two of the best are: Russell Chandler, Racing Toward 2001: The Forces Shaping America~ Religious Future (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), and George Barna, The Frog in the Kettle. What Christians Need to Know About Lift in the Year 2000 (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1990).
This article will offer two things: Identification of the ethical issues to be faced at the turn of the century and some recommendations of helpful books for further study. I do not necessarily endorse everything written in these recommended sources, but I have found them to be insightful, helpful, and available.
Various ethical issues are classified under seven general areas: Issues of
- Life and Death,
- Human Sexuality,
- Marriage and Family Life,
- Business and Professional Ethics,
- Economic Issues,
- Political Issues
- Professional Ministry Ethics.
Issues of Life and Death
Without question, the AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) crisis will be humanity`s most serious ethical issue at the turn of the century. Millions worldwide are already infected with the HIV virus (human immunodeficiency virus) which destroys a body`s immune system so that it cannot fight off infections. Deaths from AIDS complications will explode. The scourge will overshadow all other medical problems. It will no longer be simply a homosexual community problem. Actually, it never was exclusively such a problem. It is the new "Black Plague," but this time infecting the entire world. The financial cost will severely strain national budgets, as well as personal and family budgets. The social and emotional costs will far exceed the financial. The HIV-infected will be social pariahs. Churches will face complex problems regarding HIV infected members and attendees. Already churches are struggling with what to do when an HIV infected infant is brought to the nursery. For every HIV infected person, there will be dozens of friends, work associates, and relatives emotionally impacted with fear, frustration, and unanswered questions.
I recommend two books dealing with this issue: William M. Tillman, Jr., AIDS: A Christian Response (Nashville: Convention Press, 1990), and Gregg R. Albers, M.D., Counseling and AIDS, Vol. 24 "Resources for Christian Counseling," Gary R. Collins, ed. (Dallas: Word Publishers, 1990). Tillman is a Christian ethicist and Albers is a Christian physician. A good and newer resource is "AIDS: Facing Facts, Confronting Fears, Ministering to People," a video-based program available for $16.95 from the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission, 333 N. Washington, Dallas, TX 75246.
The second largest ethical issue regarding life and death will be hunger and resultant disease. World population will have exceeded six billion by 2000 A.D., and many third world countries will simply be unable to feed and care for their burgeoning masses. Crises similar to the one in Somalia will escalate by 2000 A.D. in several other countries. What will affluent nations and churches do about this?
Religious bodies already find themselves essentially paralyzed regarding world hunger needs. World hunger offerings have been drastically and tragically decreasing. A source of up-to-date and reliable information about hunger is the Office of Global Education of the National Council of Churches, 2115 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218.
The third most serious ethical concern in this area will be biomedical issues. Several types of research and implementation present serious ethical concerns: genetic engineering, the use of fetal tissue, particularly that of aborted fetuses, organ transplants (who gets the limited supply?), and artificial insemination. An especially difficult ethical issue arises regarding the use of a donor`s sperm not belonging to the woman`s husband. There will likely be other ethical issues in bio-medical research which we do not currently have enough information about to anticipate.
A helpful, though dated, resource dealing with several biomedical research issues is The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Ethics, edited by James F. Childress and John Macquarrie (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1986).
The fourth major issue of life and death I foresee is that of euthanasia (the good or gentle death). Dr. Jack Kevorkian has already received nation-wide publicity over his "death machine" which allows the terminal patient to assist in his/her own death. In Great Britain a manual on how to carry out euthanasia has been in circulation for years. The medical profession is generally pulled in the direction of saving or prolonging lives at all costs while the terminally ill and their family members are often pulled in the direction of welcoming the inevitable end.
Many people are now preparing "living wills" regarding the eventuality of their having a terminal illness, leaving instructions on what is to be done under certain terminal circumstances. As more people are living longer, greater numbers of people will face the possibility of considering euthanasia, especially when terminal cancer and terminal AIDS complications become more common-place. The question is, Does a person in excruciating pain with a terminal illness have a right to die with dignity. And what about the person who is beyond the mental ability to give his/her consent?
For a brief yet helpful discussion on euthanasia see the article in the Westminster Dictionary previously cited. Also read Lewis B. Smedes, Mere Morality: What God Expects of Ordinary People (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983), pp. 145-154.
The fifth ethical issue for the next century will be abortion. Why have I not listed this earlier? As heated as the debate has been since Roe v. Wade, especially during the late 80`s and early 90`s, the issue of abortion is waning as the nation moves from a radical right wing stance to a more moderate stance. Only in Congress has the Far Right become stronger with the congressional election of 1994, and this had to do more with economics than abortion and the other litmus tests of the radical religious right. The majority of the people simply are not buying into the Fundamentalist and Right-to-Life anti-abortion arguments, as most polls clearly show. Freedom of choice is the prevailing mood.
However, the debate will continue even though by no means as a top national priority. Most women of child-bearing age will continue to insist on their right to make this decision personally, not allowing government to decide for them. The "abortion pill" (RU-486) will be common. It is expected to be approved for use in the U.S. by the end of this decade. Anti-abortion groups will continue to fight for some forms of restrictions (e.g., parental consent for teens; a waiting period involving counseling regarding alternatives, etc.). The courts generally will not uphold these, and Roe v. Wade will remain intact as the law of the land.
Another new direction to be expected regarding abortion will be greater efforts at preventing the unwanted pregnancies driving the engine of abortion in the first place. Denominations can be expected to give greater emphasis on theologically based Christian sex education in home and church. It is sad (and may prove to be their Achilles heel) that many in the anti-abortion movement have given about 95% of their energies to opposing abortion and certainly less than 5% to preventing unwanted pregnancies. When will Christians learn that it is better to build strong barriers at the top of the cliff than to run ambulance services at the bottom? Also, is one really "pro-life" when very little is done for the mother and unwanted infant after birth? Such inconsistency might better be called "pro-birth" rather than "pro-life." At least many "pro-life" groups say and do very little for mother and child after birth. The debate will go on, but most young adults will reject any national government ban on abortion.
The best ethical discussion of abortion may be found in Lewis B. Smedes, Mere Morality. What God Expects from Ordinary People (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983), pp. 124-145. Additional help may be found in C. Everett Koop, M.D. and Timothy Johnson, M.D., Letk Talk: An Honest Conversation on Critical Issues. Abortion, Euthanasia, AIDS, and Health Care (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992).
II. Issues of Human Sexuality
On the horizon I see several ethical issues in the area of human sexuality. Numerous gender issues will continue to consume much time and energy. Men do not easily give up positions of power and control over women. The next generation of religious leaders will see the struggle over gender power as one that has more to do with masculine insecurity and uncertainty than a simple hermeneutic battle over what the Bible really teaches regarding male and female leadership roles in home, church, and society. An increasing number of churches will recognize and accept women for ordination to the ministry and diaconate.
Teenage pregnancies will continue to be a major moral concern for the foreseeable future. The number of unwed mothers will continue to escalate toward epidemic proportions, and this problem will cut across all racial, ethnic, and economic lines. The question of sex education in the school systems will be a major arena of parental debate. The churches` call for abstinence among teens will generally fall on deaf ears in the public schools. Present trends indicate that by 2000 A.D., the majority of teens will be sexually active outside of marriage.
Consequently, the issue of birth control will be much debated. Educators, parents, politicians, and religious leaders will be caught up in the question of how to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Related to this will be how to prevent the spread of the HIV virus and other sexually transmitted diseases. The distribution of condoms or some as yet unknown medication will become the norm among most mid and senior high schools, especially in the large urban school systems, but this practice will quickly filter down to smaller towns and rural areas. The real battle between homes, schools, and churches will be over the type of sex education to be offered in the schools. To what degree will moral values be inserted? And whose values will be used? Can moral values be separated from religious teachings? The separation of church and state issue gets involved here. There will be no simple or easy answers.
Sexual crimes will be another major area of debate and action. Homosexuality will likely have been de-criminalized in all states. Churches will generally continue to reject and condemn the homosexual lifestyle. A tiny minority of congregations will be tolerant.
Among the more serious sexual crimes that will continue to increase will be child
Rape will continue to be a major sexual crime in the future. Because it is an expression of violence by people who come from dysfunctional family upbringing, this crime will be a growing problem due to continuing family breakdown. The entire socialization process in the family is the crux of the rape crisis. Family life education and stabilization contain the only ultimate hope to alleviate this problem. Tougher laws calling for more severe penalties will only slightly deter rage-filled men determined to rape.
The best book dealing with issues of human sexuality is Sexual Ethics: A Biblical Perspective by Christian theologian and ethicist Stanley Grenz (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1990).
III. Marriage and Family Life Issues
Closely related to issues of human sexuality is a cluster of marriage and family life issues that will be hotly debated into the next century. Among the churches the issues of divorce and remarriage will be at the forefront. The divorce rate will continue to be high as will the remarriage rate. Churches will tend to be more compassionate and accepting of the divorced and remarried. Divorced and remarried pastors will be more common than today.
Ultra-conservative churches with their traditional intolerance of the divorced and remarried will find themselves cut off from sexual abuse, including incest. This has already reached epidemic proportions in our society. It is going to get worse as the population increases, the influence of the churches wanes, the economy falters, moral values become more blurred, and family life fragments. Related to this issue is the growing pornography business: Americans spend millions of dollars each year on it, and they will continue to do so in a relatively free society. The moral and behavioral effects of pornography will continue to be debated, but as long as there is big money in its sale, it will flourish. The growth of the pornography business will be enhanced by new technologies such as the computer internet which simply gives sinful human nature new avenues for harmful expression.
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the large segment of society. These wounded persons and families will not attend churches with no compassion for their situation and status. Churches that will be able to reach the masses will develop an openness, an understanding, and an acceptance of these wounded persons. Their theology will be more grace-oriented.
Unfortunately, some of the best books on divorce and remarriage published in the past decade are out of print. One of the best is by F. Earl Joiner, A Christian Considers Divorce and Remarriage (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1983). However, Chapter 9, "Divorce and Remarriage" in TB. Maston (with William M. Tillman, Jr.), The Bible and Family Relations (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1983) is a classic statement that will be of value for years to come; and it is still in print.
Another family life ethical issue of the future will be cohabitation by the unmarried. Several million Americans are expected to be living together "without benefit of clergy" at the turn of the century. This trend has been developing rapidly since the 1960`s and will continue to be a lifestyle chosen by those who question their ability to maintain a commitment and who wish to avoid the pain they have observed in their divorced parents and friends. The big question will be, How will the churches respond to these millions of unmarried cohabitors?
Blended families will be competing for the norm by 2000 A.D. due to the large numbers of marriages that end in divorce and the resultant remarriages for most of them. The growing churches will be those who accept the blended families and specifically plan a ministry for their special needs. Blended families will not attend churches that convey the idea that the "normal" family consists of a never-divorced father and mother with a couple of children of their own, while all other family arrangements are considered abnormal and unacceptable.
Consequently, definitions of the family will be an area of much continued debate in the near future. What is a family? The answers that will be accepted will be formulated by churches that are flexible, compassionate, and tolerant of the differing experiences of people. A pluralism of family lifestyles will be the wave of the future.
Family violence will continue to be a major ethical problem, probably getting worse than it is today. Abusers in families tend to produce abusers in future families.
From a numbers perspective, the issue of aging will be among the most prominent ethical issues of the future. The population above 65 is rapidly expanding. People are living longer and with better health. This is due to better health care, new developments in medical research, and better nutrition for most Americans. A national health care insurance program for all citizens will likely be in effect by 2000 A.D. and this will further boost the numbers of active senior adults in our society. The big questions will be, What will be the quality of life for these large numbers of aged persons? And, how will the church respond?
A very helpful book dealing with family life is The Church`s Ministry with Families by Diana S. Richmond Garland and Diane L. Pancoast (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1990). The content and thrust of this book will be useful for many years to come.
IV. Business and Professional Ethics
In recent years there has been growing concern regarding business and professional ethics. Corporate leaders and C.E.O.s in all levels of business are frustrated over stealing within their ranks. The Saving & Loan scandals of the late 1980`s were but the tip of the iceberg of corporate thievery. Junk bond scandals, computer thievery, contractors stealing from the government by overcharges and the use of inferior materials, Wall Street "insider" trading in violation of federal laws, kick-backs by builders to those "with influence," accountants who "juggle the books" to take a haul for themselves, the selling of non-existent items to buyers, exorbitant fees by professionals for work either not done or poorly done, builders using inferior, even dangerous, materials in construction work, taking bankruptcy in order to escape paying money owed with no intention of ever paying it back, and taking sick leave when one isn`t sick, these are but a few examples of breaking the Eighth Commandment in the business and professional world.
A helpful treatment of this subject is Karen Lebacqz, Professional Ethics: Power and Paradox (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1985). Also, check your local library for issues of the journal Business and Professional Ethics.
V. Economic Issues
An area related to that of business and professional ethics is that of economic issues. There are many of these, but the two that will be the largest areas of debate by the year 2000 A.D. are: the crisis of wealth vs. poverty and the issue of health care for all citizens.
Ever since Michael Harrington`s The Other America published in the 1960`s that exposed the hidden dimension of severe poverty in the U.S., the poor continue to be a major concern of many national leaders. By the end of this century there will still be 20% of Americans struggling to make ends meet hoping to have the bare essentials of food, clothing, and shelter.
With the current Republican control of Congress and their efforts to balance the national budget by 2002, the impasse between the White House and Congress will eventually backlash against the Republicans who are being perceived by the public as pro-wealthy and anti-common person (not just anti-poor) as well as anti-elderly.
A related problem will be health care since it is so expensive with all of the advancements of medical science and the greed of many in the medical field. By 2000 A.D. the federal government`s administrative branch will have found a way to work with Congress to provide a national health insurance program that will cover all Americans. The unanswered question will be how the nation will pay for this. The wealthy will be pressured to help pay a greater portion of the bill.
The mental and physical sickness of the "street people" or homeless will continue to be a major problem simply because of the growing numbers of such persons. Since a large number of these people are afflicted with some form of mental illness, the mental health field will become more important than ever before.
Closely related to the poor and homeless are the problems of alcohol and drug abuse, which affect all levels of society. Alcohol and drug abuse will continue unabated to the turn of the century. There is simply so much money involved here that no religious or political institutions are on the horizon to stem the tide. These abuses will remain a curse upon our society. Poverty is the social soil in which these vices, including crime, tend to grow.
The crime rate will continue to be high in the U.S. at the turn of the century because so many Americans are school drop-outs or were poorly educated for decent jobs. The "new poor" will be the computer illiterates, and they will be a major pool out of which tomorrow`s criminals will come. Prison population will continue to grow to the point of being a national scandal in the eyes of other nations. Texas already has the largest prison system in the world.
VI. Political Issues
From an ethical perspective, I foresee three areas of major concern in the political arena still plaguing us. The first is racism and discrimination, including religious discrimination. Even in the "new" Germany, after their tragic history with Nazism, there continues to flourish a hateful racism. Black and white relations, Anglo and Hispanic relations, Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish relations, and Christian, Jewish, Muslim relations will continue to be serious problems in the future.
Democracy in the U.S. will be sorely tested by pluralism-racial, cultural, and religious. Government (through new laws and the model provided in the military) will be a greater force for change toward more harmonious relations between different groups in society than the church. A disturbing book on racism is William Pannell, The Coming Race Wars (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academie Books, 1993).
Extremism will be the second political issue of major concern in the future.
Extremists from far Left to far Right will continue to preach their messages of hate and exclusivity. Although the Religious Right will continue to be a vocal force in the U.S., they will gradually wane in their influence. They are probably becoming a rude hangover of the faltering religious Fundamentalism in our society. Fundamentalists get their steam from fighting the future, and this could spell their demise given time. The future always wins. Communism (the far Left) is already dead, so it will only be in the history books by 2000 A.D. Denominationalism as we have known it in most of the present century could easily become a thing of the past and at the very least will be significantly diminished by the early years of the twenty-first century.
This topic is well covered by Lloyd J. Averill, Religious Right, Religious Wrong: A Critique of the Fundamentalist Phenomenon (New York: Pilgrim Press, 1989). A fine sociological and historical treatment is given by Nancy Tatom Ammerman, Bible Believers. Fundamentalists in the Modern World (New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1987). Ammerman is a Baptist sociologist.
The third major political issue of the future will be the ongoing debate about church and state separation. New Religious Right leaders will continue to use the political arena in their attempts to transform society, something the older Fundamentalists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries accused the Social Gospel Liberals of doing in their day. Self-serving religionists will keep trying to use government for their own advantage, especially seeking tax dollars for their own private sectarian schools.
A good treatment of this topic is by Robert Maddox, Separation of Church and State. Guarantor of Religious Freedom (New York: Crossroad, 1987). Maddox is a Baptist pastor who once served in President Carter`s White House and then became the director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Readers are encouraged to subscribe, for $10 annually, to Report From the Capitol (Washington, D.C.), the hi-weekly newsletter of the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, 200 Maryland Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002. Also very helpful is the monthly publication of Americans United, Church and State, available for $18 per year from A.U., 1816 Jefferson Place NW, Washington, D.C. 20036.
An issue which is both political and economic is that of gambling. It appears that gambling in all forms will be widely approved in our highly secular and materialistic society by 2000 A.D. State governments are so eager for tax revenues that they will acquiesce and legalize, with some restrictions, the lottery as the major form of gambling in most states. A smaller number of states will approve of pari-mutuel gambling. Gambling cities like Las Vegas and Atlantic City will continue to be few and far between, for the purpose of control. Gambling will continue to be debated in both church and legislature because of the economic harm done especially to low-income families and persons who become addicted to gambling. The politicians will find themselves in a catch-22 situation because legalized gambling will be both economically appealing (tax revenues) and socially damaging (family disintegration and resulting higher welfare costs and crime escalation).
A helpful treatment of gambling is by attorney-ethicist-educatot Larry Braidfoot, Gambling (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1985).
VII. Professional Ministry Ethics
The last two decades of the twentieth century have seen a rash of moral failures by numerous prominent television evangelists and pastoral leaders in local churches. Even today, many still ask, Who will be next? Most of these moral failures involved either sexual immorality or monetary scandal or both. This will continue to be a major problem for the church directly and for society indirectly. On-going stress, materialism, the attitude of some ministers who believe that they "live above the law," and the spiritual failure of weak ethical character will guarantee this to be a major problem 2000 A.D. There seems to be no let-up in preacher failures during the rest of the 90`s as many "shoot themselves in the foot" with immoral involvement with women in the congregation.
On the topic of clergy ethics, see Walter E. Wiest and Elwyn A.Smith, Ethics in Ministry. A Guide for the Professional (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1990). See also Joe E. Trull & James F. Carter, Ministerial Ethics: Being a Good Minister in a Not-So-Good World (Broadman & Holman, 1993).
Conclusion
Ethical issues will be among the hot topics of concern as we approach the twenty-first century. The stability of human society depends upon the moral convictions of its people. Ethical responsibility is what makes and keeps us human.
Christians especially have a unique responsibility to be informed regarding the ethics of the Bible and the applications of those teachings to contemporary life, which is the subject of Christian ethics. Therefore, Christian ethics will be the most crucial topic confronted by the church and society as we enter the twenty-first century. Without a solid grasp of Christian ethics in belief and practice, the church will have no credibility; and without credibility there would be little future for the church.
