“Is it okay to have an abortion if you were raped?”
“Should we allow immigrants if they are fleeing persecution in their country?”
“Should you attend the wedding of a gay couple if invited?”
“Should we as Christians engage in war?”
“Should we carry guns as a means of self-defense?”
“What worldview and narrative am I living from – hyper-nationalism, individualism, consumerism?”
As part of our ongoing development, and to continue receiving Minister’s Housing Allowance, Cru requires staff to take seminary level courses every few years. Ed has completed his, but because I was taking care of many kids while he took classes, I haven’t completed mine yet. This week, I took a class that is required called “Christian Worldview and Ethics.”
Because the course is only one week, we have lots of reading that is required beforehand and lots of assignments throughout. To say this class was interesting and challenging and intense would be an understatement. Our professor, who is a seminary professor, lectured and challenged us to think about heavy ethical questions and how we would, backing it up with Biblical evidence, handle it from a Christian worldview. We tackled immigration, race, war, guns, capital punishment, homosexuality, abortion, euthanasia, and so much more.
One of the questions he raised was “It is ethical and Biblical to jaywalk when the light has a sign that is lit up saying “Do Not Walk”?” Considering it is something we do SO MUCH in NYC and don’t even give it second thought, it was an eye-opening example to realize ways we just conform to our culture and don’t even recognize that we are doing it. Hear me out, I still jay-walked throughout the week, but it was very interesting to stop and ponder it. It was also interesting considering I was raised in a Southern culture that is very pro-death penality, pro-gun rights, anti-abortion and was very eye-opening to see how many things I believe/believed just because the “culture” said something, but not because I had really thought about it.
The last day of class, we talked about gun rights and one of the ladies, who lives in NYC, was describing how she carries pepper spray because she has been harassed and followed before. Admittedly, I often walk down the streets looking at my phone or thinking about something else and paying no attention to what is going on around me. That day, however, walking home, I saw a car that went past me, pulled over, waited until I passed a block or two, then pulled past me again, and did the same thing again. It happened 3 times on my walk from the train to our house and after the second time, I texted Ed, who was home, and told him I thought I was being followed. I can’t think of any reason that guy would have to have pulled ahead and then over until I passed, and then pulled ahead and over, and to do this three times on this stretch of street. And it was in the bright of day. Thankfully, Ed met me at the corner, the person drove away before we could get a license plate, but it was scary nonetheless. When things like that happen, it gives you a totally different perspective.
This book below, which we read the entire book for the class, was REALLY good and gave varying perspectives on a variety of topics. I would highly recommend you read this – but beware, its a longer one! I would love to hear your thoughts on these issues too!
