American civilization is in trouble. One troubling symptom is what sociologists are now calling “tribalism” within our civilization. In one sense, the state of our civilization resembles the period between 1850-1860, when the battle lines between the north and the south hardened, which ultimately produced the Civil War (1861-1865). But, the tribalism of 2021 is different. It is not about slavery and the direction of America—slave or free. It is much deeper.

Colonial America saw the founding of important institutions of higher education, all of which stressed preparing men for leadership in the colonies, especially spiritual leadership: Harvard (1636), Yale (1701), the College of William and Mary (1693), the College of New Jersey [later known as Princeton University] (1746), and the Academy of Philadelphia [later known as the University of Pennsylvania] (1755). As each developed a unique intellectual identity, each wrestled with Puritan theology or Anglican theology, as well as the 18th century Enlightenment, which by the 1740s was penetrating all facets of American intellectual life. Each produced the key leaders of the American movement towards independence from Great Britain (e.g., Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Madison). These educational institutions were centers of both Protestant Reformation thinking and Enlightenment thinking. The tension that arose between these two intellectual and theological revolutions shaped the development of America.

The Supreme Court decision in 1973, 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. It is far from resolved and it has further polarized American culture.

The “image” and “likeness” of God is not a human achievement, but a gift conferred on all humans through God’s creative act. According to Genesis 1, God’s creative activity reached its apex on Day 6, when the divine counsel determined to create man in God’s “image” (tselem) and “likeness” (demut). [Theologians call this the imago Dei.] These two terms define the first and fundamental truth about the human race: That humanity was created in God’s “image”, which means that humans represent God. Humans have the capacity to mirror God in everything—and are commanded to do so.

The mission of Issues in Perspective is to provide thoughtful, historical and biblically-centered perspectives on current ethical and cultural issues. Once again, the insidious nature of gambling is being exposed in the state of Nebraska, the state in which I live.  Nebraska sports’ betting is now legal after Gov. Pete Ricketts, earlier this year, signed
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The war in Afghanistan lasted 19 years and 47 weeks, beginning with the first bombing of the Taliban on 7 October 2001. It was America’s longest war. Over the past two decades, the U.S. has been able to claim some accomplishments: American troops killed Osama bin Laden (in Pakistan, not Afghanistan) and captured or killed other architects of the 9/11 attacks. Afghanistan was temporarily turned into a democracy where schools improved and women could live more freely than before. For all of the bravery and sacrifice of the Afghan and American troops who fought together, their leaders failed to create an enduring government or functioning military.

When the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy of the early 20th century was brewing, one of Christianity’s greatest minds, J. Gresham Machen, published a book in 1921 entitled Christianity and Liberalism. In my judgment, it remains one of the most important books of the 20th century. It is relevant today for we who name the name of Christ believe that the Christian faith is not only a faith commitment to Jesus Christ, but is also a set of doctrinal beliefs.

When the dignity of all humanity is disregarded, relegated or unintentionally overlooked by those in the body of Christ, the name of our God is disparaged. Believers are to mirror God: He loves all human beings; He values their existence and seeks to recognize their value as His image-bearers. God honors all human beings and has a vested interest in who they are as His creatures. He grants humans dignity and honors each one with responsible freedom. His protection of all humanity is reflected in His providential care (i.e., His common grace); in His love for them; and in His provision for their redemption through Jesus Christ.

At the very heart of Roman Catholic theology and practice is the Eucharist: The sacrificial presence of Jesus Christ in the elements of the Eucharist. At the prayer of consecration, the bread and the wine become the literal body and blood of Jesus. [The Church interprets the statements of Jesus, “This is my body” and “This is my blood” (Mark 14:22, 24), as the literal body and blood of Jesus. This doctrinal belief is called transubstantiation, which was made part of the official theology of Roman Catholicism in 1215.] It is His sacrificial presence which the believer receives when partaking of the elements that makes the Eucharist a sacrament, one of the several means by which God conveys salvific grace.

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus victoriously declared, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”[ESV] Yet, as we view the church in North America, victory does not seem to be the correct term to use. The church is in decline; toxic politics, discord over responding to COVID, and leadership failures are ripping it apart. At one level, discouragement, defeat and discord are more characteristic terms to describe the church in America. For some, the American church has lost its way; lost its passion; lost its power.