Mark Twain once said that everyone complains about the weather but nobody does anything about it. As Frederica Mathewes-Green says in this recent piece in Christianity Today, instead of trying to change the weather, maybe we should pay more attention to sheltering a few individuals from the storm.
Christians in America are so caught up in fighting the culture wars, that they risk losing a much bigger battle. Whether Roman Catholics or Evangelicals, we talk about overturning Roe and cleaning up prime-time T.V. but think too little about humility and grace. Instead of focusing on something as amorphous as "the culture," perhaps we should concentrate on serving our neighbor through our vocations.
I support many of the causes typically espoused by traditionalist Christians in these so-called culture wars, but FMG has a point. Let's not miss the trees for the forest.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Frederica Mathewes-Green on the Culture Wars
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1 comment:
Quite true.
Additionally, if we truly practiced our vocations, "the culture" would be impacted through such practice. Focusing on a single tree nevertheless impacts the forest.
In one's vocation as a citizen of his or her state and country, he or she is enabled to vote on life issues and other social concerns, or write to his or her elected officials regarding these issues.
For the father or mother or guardian living in his or her vocation as parental figure, he or she trains up a child empowered by the Gospel to live a holy life.
For the artist living in his or her vocation, he or she can produce meaningful music, television, a movie, &c. - not necessarily overtly Christian in nature, but conforming to the Christian moral ethic, which impacts "the culture".
For the doctor living in his or her vocation, he or she can protect the unborn, give wholesome medical counsel to expectant mothers, &c. to serve "the culture".
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