Link for Friday

You know you’re back in school when I only check my google reader once a day and it has over 50 blog posts for me to sort through.

Justin Taylor over at Between Two Worlds has some choice words regarding Obama’s views on abortion and the newly inagurated president’s statments on the topic.  The statement from the president was released on Thursday.  While I shy away from the political blinders seemingly worn by some who would reduce politicis to abortion and gay-marriage it seems that Christians ought to be at the forefront of criticizing this social evil.  Social justice is finally receiving much needed attention from the church in America.  AIDS work in Africa is being discussed.  Education is being pushed for children in developing countries.  Women’s rights are being championed in the Middle East.  Racial reconciliation is being pursued in America.  Micah Challenge is aggressively pushing their MDG’s (Millennium Development Goals) and we as a church ought to support all such endeavors.  However, the admonition of the apostle James to visit widows and orphans in their affliction (James 1:27) when applied in today’s context implies ministering to those who are unable to help themselves.  Certainly the unborn fit this description.  Our culture of convenience is creating a culture of death in which the unwanted, the unattractive, the unhealthy, the unfit and the underdeveloped can all be quickly, quietly and completely done away with.  Shame on us if we as church turn a blind eye to one evil for the sake of pursuing more attractive and acceptable social issus.

Micah Challenge

I had the privilege of attending a forum a couple weeks ago discussing the impact of American politics on developing nations.  The speakers, from Micah Challenge, urged those in attendance to consider the global impact of their votes in national elections.  For those of you who don’t know (and I didn’t until two weeks ago), Micah Challenge is a part of a global campaign by Christians to overcome poverty.  It seeks to do this by influencing leaders of countries to comitt to working towards eight Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).  Theses MDGs engage issues of poverty and hunger, primary education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, HIV/AIDS & other diseases, environmental sustainability, global partnership.  For more information check out their web site.

Cheers!