Faith: March 2018 Archives
Are We Now In a Post-Post Christian Pagan Australia? - The Gospel Coalition | Australia
John McClean writes: "I grew up being told that Western culture was trading on a Christian heritage without appreciating it. That is still true in terms of the structures and institutions of society. But it in terms of worldview there is almost nothing left on which to trade.
"Most of the opinion leaders and culture shapers in the West are not reacting against a culture which has been shaped by Christianity; they, largely, know nothing about the Christian past. Our society, at least on cultural leading edges, is post-post-Christian.
"And by 'pagan', I mean that people operate without any overarching, coherent, religion or worldview....
"Christian moral orthodoxy is rejected and critiqued. Our views of sexuality, and of life and death, are considered false and dangerous. For many of our non-Christian neighbours the conviction that the marriage is life-long commitment and that sex is only for marriage seems bizarre, oppressive and abusive. Religious education teachers are instructed to not present Christian sexual morality in school classes, because its 'judgementalism' is potentially damaging to students....
"Living as a Christian is always a difficult calling; but the more clearly we are out of step with our society and under suspicion, the more obviously difficult it is. Christians are seriously wondering if they can be open about their convictions and work in the public service, big corporates, the wedding industry, medicine and education (to list just a few)....
"Recently a minister told me about a migrant family, who had been coming along to church, and seemed interested in gospel, but suddenly stopped. When he followed up with them, the mother was clear about the reason they were not attending: 'I don't want my kids to become Christians. It will make it harder for them to get on in life'."
Talking to Young Christian Children about Sexual Abuse - Valerie Jacobsen
Giving tools to children to help keep them safe from predators -- Jacobsen provides several scripts for addressing this issue from a Christian perspective and in a way that is clear but comprehensible for younger children.
"Information should be given to children in small doses, formally and informally, frequently and with reminders. Our kids should know that their questions are always welcome, and we should question them casually, from time to time, to see what they remember. (If you have a number of children, keep a record of which conversations you have had with which children. Don't equate 'telling the children' with assuming that every child knows and remembers all of the content you mean to teach.)...
"Safe adults won't ask children for private help, they don't tell children their secrets, they don't ask children to hide with them, and they won't encourage children to be alone with them....
"Some people are very tricky people! They might tell you a lie, might scare you, might threaten to hurt somebody, might promise you something you want, might give you presents. They might say that if you tell me, you make me sad, or that I won't believe you. But I know the best ways to protect all of us from all the tricky people. I will never be too sad to help you, and I will always believe you...."
