It Is Hard To Keep Up
Patrick Anderson, editor
For those of us who try to make sense of the relentless moral and ethical issues we face, we can be overwhelmed. Now, as in each generation, we are confronted with old and new circumstances that challenge us to understand and respond in a faithful Christian manner.
Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine continues to destroy and kill many.
The thorny issue of abortion has reached an inflection point with the leaked text of a draft Supreme Court ruling that is intended to criminalize a decision to end a pregnancy. Religiously motivated people have sought that reversal of women’s legal rights to seek pregnancy-related reproductive and medical care for decades. In many ways, the dog has caught the car. Now what?
Public school systems throughout America are under siege by citizens who wish to shield children from factual explorations of our history, warts and all. The inclusion of any educational content regarding sex and human sexuality threatens those same people.
Our twice-impeached former president still leads a large collection of people intent on changing democracy as it has been historically envisioned.
It is hard to keep up.
While browsing earlier issues of Christian Ethics Today, in the second issue edited by Foy Valentine, I found an address entitled “There is Hope” given by the inimitable Will Campbell. I was struck and encouraged by the forthright, irascible and hopeful approach of Will Campbell. That address follows on the next page.
Alfred Smith, Sr., and I recently discussed an article I wrote in the Spring 2021 issue about my grandmother, the preacher. Not to be outdone, he offers his own experiences with strong women preachers in his lifetime. That is included in this issue along with Cameron Macky’s informative and inspiring reflection on neighborliness as exhibited by Mr. Rogers.
Tricia Bruce’s article reports her research which provides a rare window into how some Christians who, while opposed to abortion generally still offer assistance to friends and family who seek one. The question posed is: What is authentic Christianity?
Seminarian Lindsay Bruehl offers insights to the Biblical story of Ruth, from her vantage point of being the daughter-in-law of a Native American woman with a long history of oppression. Susan Shaw and Regina McClinton describe how “Critical Race Theory” can be best understood in the context of Jesus’ teachings about the Good Samaritan.
This issue is punctuated with some much-needed humor and good sense as John Crider describes his experience in “Decoration Day” services in graveyards throughout the deep south.
Mark Wingfield addresses the matter of public prayers at football games, and evangelical serenades on commercial airplanes, and what “freedom of religion” actually means.
David Julen encourages Christians to be involved in helping persons suffering substance abuse addiction and recovery. Ronald Perritt offers another viewpoint on the matter of God’s will and human suffering.
Rick Burnette reviews a book, Abundance, whose authors maintain that technological advances will result in the end of food insecurity within two centuries. He addresses their over reliance on technology and insufficient understanding of other, more human and practical approaches.
This journal offers us all help, insight and inspiration to respond in a faithful Christian manner to the moral and ethical issues that are of concern to contemporary Christians, to the church and to society. Enjoy.
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