My ACT 3 Weekly this week, “Why Same-Sex Marriage Fails,” addressed the issue of same-sex marriage in our culture and the long-term prospects for preserving one-man and one-woman marriage in the United States. I showed that in the short range the advance toward homosexual marriage is clearly being defeated. Only Massachusetts has left the door open legally and that door may close soon if the voters are allowed to respond. You can read my article at www.act3online.com. It will be found in the resource link to the ACT 3 Weekly articles for the date of July 24.

Monte Wilson, a good friend in Atlanta, wrote several personal comments to me about my article that I think are worth sharing. He picked up on my comments about Jewish commentators understanding cultural issues much better than Christians. He concludes that they actually care about culture while evangelical Christians only care about culture if the issue is (1) prayer in the schools; (2) abortion; (3) Internet porn; or (4) Gay lifestyles/marriage. “But,” he adds, “to say that they

[i.e., the evangelicals] are concerned about such issues does not mean they are motivated to actually study the arguments.” And, he concludes, “Only in the last thirty years have evangelicals actually admitted the church should speak up at all on such things (after all, the Rapture does seem on hold).” Wilson surmises that in another generation or so we may actually get around to “knowing what we are talking about” in these areas. Then perhaps we will really engage some important cultural contributors to real life in America, contributors that include things such as movies, theatre and literature. Well said friend.

We do need to train young Christian minds how to think clearly and to respond critically. So long as we keep looking for an escape from this world we are not likely to care much about the world or the next generation. Thankfully most young Christians are not looking for an escape as my generation did during the Jesus Movement. We can thank a host of important voices for this shift including men like the late Francis Schaeffer and Charles Colson. Pray for the rising host of effective men and women who work to create cultural leaders, both for now and the future. This is a genuinely Christian work in this world. God is pleased when we care about all of his creation. If you do not believe me I suggest you read Genesis 1-3 again sometime. Maybe the important thing in these chapters is not whether the creation is old or young but whether we hear his command and "obey" what God commanded us to be doing with the world he gave to us to steward (cf. Genesis 1:26-31).

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Comments

  1. P. Andrew Sandlin July 25, 2006 at 5:12 pm

    John,
    A fine post. Most evangelcals are dwarfed by Roman Catholics on cultural issues because the latter tend to have a holistic view of the Faith, wheres most evangelicals have a healthy view of redemption but an impoverished view of creation.
    We need a robust view of both.
    Plus, evangelicals want quick fixes.
    But culture is never fixed quickly.

  2. Kevin D. Johnson July 26, 2006 at 11:20 pm

    You might consider that a proper theology of incarnation is part of the reason why Roman Catholics have the holistic view they do and it partially explains their fuller involvement in cultural issues than most Protestants.

  3. Nathan Petty July 28, 2006 at 9:58 am

    I realize this is a late post, but I was wondering if Kevin (or any interested party) might more fully explain Kevin’s comment regarding a connection between “a proper theology of incarnation” and a “holistic view” and cultural involvement.
    Thanks

  4. covenant youth fellowship April 25, 2007 at 8:31 pm

    Ask Monte Wilson why he had to leave Tallahassee, Florida in the mid 90’s. That is all. Just ask. The truth does not hide from inquiry.

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