In Matthew 5:13-16, the Lord Jesus issued a series of shocking declarations about His disciples: After his discourse on the Beatitudes (5:1-12), he announced, ?You are the salt of the earth . . . the light of the world . . . a city set on a hill [that] cannot be hidden.? These metaphors used by Christ are rather striking, for they reject any sense of a group of secret, silent, secluded disciples. A city resting on top of a mountain (as most cities of the ancient world did), cannot be hidden. It is unabashedly conspicuous, visible and can be seen by everyone. Light is impossible to hide; it penetrates even the smallest crack or crevice. And salt, whether as a seasoning that adds flavor or as a preservative that prevents decay (the likely meaning in the ancient world), is unique and distinguishable. Jesus? disciples are distinct in the way they live their lives; they are genuine and exceptional. Why?

This May, the founder and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, invited a group of conservative leaders to his Silicon Valley board room to discuss the perceived Facebook bias against conservative views and positions being displayed on the Facebook platform. He denied bias against conservative views. The alleged censorship focuses on a feature on Facebook?s desktop version called ?trending topics,? which relies on special curators to help select the new items to highlight. . . But leaving aside this controversy over the ?trending topics? part of Facebook, I want to concentrate in this Perspective on the subtle but real power of this social network. A few items for consideration:

The Pew Research Center periodically issues valuable studies on religious movements, trends and often speculates on what present tendencies tell us about the future. The Pew Center recently published its Global Religious Futures, which gives focus to eight major global religious groups and speculates on what present tendencies tell us about these groups through 2050. What follows is a summary of the Center?s salient findings:

I recently came across a noteworthy article that summarizes Google searches among Americans seeking answers to religious questions. The results are curious and reveal much about American culture in the early 21st century. Here is a brief summary of some of the salient findings:

The number one Google question in America is ?who created God?? Second is why does God allow suffering? If God is all powerful and all good, how can He allow suffering? The third most-asked question is, ?why does God hate me?? The fourth is, ?why does God need so much praise??

Two recent books explore the impact social media and sexuality issues are having on American, adolescent girls: American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers by Nancy Jo Sales and Girls and Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape, by Peggy Orenstein. Several important insights are gained from these books:

America in the 21st century seems disorderly, somewhat chaotic and rather dysfunctional. There are four major forces sweeping through American civilization all of which partially explain this disorder. Columnist David Brooks capably summarizes these four forces: 1. Global migration is leading to demographic diversity. 2. Economic globalization is creating wider opportunity but also inequality. 3. The Internet is giving people more choices over what to buy and pay attention to. 4. A culture of autonomy validates individual choice and self-determination. The Economist emphasizes the importance of both Google and Facebook in this culture of autonomy. . .

In today?s Middle East, there are two major Islamic powers striving for power and influence?Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran. This rivalry is tense and fueled by centuries of bitter hatred and competition. This rivalry is evident in Yemen, Iraq and the bitter civil war in Syria. What is the difference between these two branches of Islam? Why does it matter and how important is this difference in understanding today?s complex world?

Evangelical Christians should, by nature, be optimists.  Our hope for the future is rooted in our confidence in Christ?s return and the establishment of His kingdom (Titus 2:13).  But, because evangelicals have enjoyed such influence in American culture, it is the immediate future that causes so much anxiety.  Evangelicals no longer influence public policy, culture?s
[continue reading…]

Important researcher and evangelical Christian, George Barna, has written: ?The Christian body in America is immersed in a crisis of biblical illiteracy. How else can you describe matters when most churchgoing adults reject the accuracy of the Bible, reject the existence of Satan, claim that Jesus sinned, see no need to evangelize, believe that good works are one of the keys to persuading God to forgive their sins, and describe their commitment to Christianity as moderate or even less firm?? Consider additional evidence Barna has surfaced of widespread biblical illiteracy in America:

Larycia Hawkins, tenured associate professor of political science at Wheaton College in Illinois, has taught at Wheaton since 2007, but, through her recent comments about Islam, has created a firestorm at this evangelical college. . . In December, Wheaton suspended her and placed her on administrative leave because her ?theological statements seemed inconsistent with Wheaton College?s doctrinal convictions.? The College explained that ?While Islam and Christianity are both monotheistic, we believe there are fundamental differences between the two faiths, including what they teach about God?s revelation to humanity, the nature of God, the path to salvation, and the life of prayer.?