The 1973 Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, was a watershed in judicial history. The 7-2 decision established the right of a woman to abort her baby up to the point of viability, usually understood to be during the first trimester of the pregnancy. The Court also permitted other situations where an abortion could occur within the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. The result was that America had one of the most liberal abortion standards in the world. Abortion therefore has been at the center of the culture war battles since 1973.

In last week’s Issues in Perspective, I quoted conservative author Rod Dreher: “. . . The conservative believes that there exists an enduring moral order. That order is made for man, and man is made for it: human nature is a constant, and moral truths are permanent. This word order signifies harmony. There are two aspects or types of order: the inner order of the soul, and the outer order of the commonwealth. . . . The problem of order has been a principal concern of conservatives ever since conservative became a term of politics.” Our 21st century world has experienced the hideous consequences of the collapse of belief in a moral order.

One historical aspect of America’s political culture is the rise and fall of political parties. The Federalist Party was the “faction” (George Washington’s term) associated with George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and John Adams. By the presidency of James Monroe it was dead. The Whig Party emerged in the early 1800s, but by 1856 it was dead, replaced by the Republican Party, the party of Lincoln. Today, the Republican Party seems hopelessly divided and the infighting is potentially fatal: Witness the intense struggle over Kevin McCarthy’s effort to become Speaker of the House. That struggle gave every evidence of a Party gravely divided.

The deep-seated commitment to the pursuit of personal autonomy, the vital center of the Postmodern, Post-Christian American culture, has produced several tragic effects. The Millennials, who passionately have bought into this commitment, have no loyalty to institutions. For that reason the local church, even if they are Christians, is not that important to them. Technology has enhanced this pursuit of autonomy, enabling Millennials to create and fashion their own digital reality. Recent census data confirm that Millennials prefer cohabitation to marriage, at least until they reach age 30.

Years ago my son gave me an article from the journal Wired that envisioned the future of human technology, which will be organized around genetics, robotics and nanotechnology. The article was indeed prophetic for the 21st century. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a synthesis of both robotics and nanotechnology. It is a remarkable advance in human understanding and mastery of the world of technology. As a Christian, I can also view this advance as an example of God’s common grace, enabling humanity to exercise dominion over His world.

In 2018, the US Supreme Court ruled, in what is now known as the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, that Jack Phillips, a Colorado baker who had declined to make custom cakes for gay weddings, had been treated unfairly by members of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, who had made comments hostile to religion. Phillips had pursued his claims based on his rights to the free exercise of religion and the freedom of speech in the First Amendment. The US Supreme Court handed down a limited decision based on religious issues. It did not rule on the freedom of speech claim that Philips had sought.  

One element of the mission of Issues in Perspective is to provide biblically-centered perspectives on cultural issues. Therefore, periodically I give emphasis to developments within Christianity. Recent census data demonstrate the significant changes occurring within Protestant Christianity. Daniel Sillman of Christianity Today provides a helpful summary of this data.

Thanksgiving weekend, former president Donald Trump had dinner with Kanye West and Nick Fuentes. The rap artist formerly known as Kanye West—who now goes by “Ye”—has posted comments using anti-Semitic tropes about the ‘influence’ of Jewish people, followed by an almost incomprehensible threat to go to ‘death con 3’ on Jewish people.

George Bailey is the hero of that sentimental movie classic associated with Christmas—Frank Capra’s 1946 “It’s A Wonderful Life.” George Bailey’s life was rather ordinary, but it was a life that fell frustratingly short of his ambitious dreams. Fateful decisions, piercing disappointments and the relentless threat of his nemesis, Mr. Potter, lead George to a moment of great despair: He is ready to jump off a bridge. But, through the intervention of an implausible angel named Clarence, George gets to see what his world would be like if he had never been born.

In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus declares that His disciples are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” Salt and light are metaphors, each with piercing meaning and application. In the ancient world, salt was primarily used for preservation purposes—to prevent perishable food from decay. Light exposes darkness for what it really is. So, as Jesus’ disciples walk with Him in loving obedience, they function as a preservative, preventing the surrounding culture from further decay.