Grappling with Contemporary Issues
There are certain Christian leaders and authors in every
generation who by grace leave a profoundly good influence upon the Christian
community and even unbelieving people. John Stott is one of those leaders.
Among his many excellent books I want to highlight one in particular. That one
is Issues
Facing Christians Today (4th edition). I think that this
book is essential reading for anyone who identifies him or herself as a
disciple of Jesus the Christ because Stott has outlined and modeled how we can
face the task of grappling with contemporary issues.
As is characteristic of Stott’s writing, he introduces the
contemporary issue (topically), lays before the reader the relevant biblical
doctrines and/or passages, the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary
approaches to understanding and addressing the issue and then presents what he
is convinced is the biblically rooted and reasonable way to think about it
(intellectual) and means to address it (practical response). The strength of
this book is the sound scholarship, the honest dialogue with contemporary
(non-Christian) thinkers and ideas, the rigorous yet clear explanation of
interpretative options for Christians and the generosity he displays towards
the people and positions which he disagrees with.
The broad outline of the book begins with the most basic questions
regarding active social involvement by Christians (section one) and shifts to
topics under “Global Issues” (section two) and then to topics under “Social
Issues” (section three) and to topics under “Sexual Issues” (section four) and
concludes with a section on Christian leadership. I will not elaborate here the
whole table of contents as these general sections give the reader an indication
of the breadth of Stott’s grappling with contemporary issues. His handling of
each topic is remarkable because of the clarity thought, coherence of his
arguments and reasonableness of his conclusions. In regard to those issues
about which I disagree with Stott I acknowledge the strength of his position. I
find that I must seriously consider what he has presented.
Selectively quoting from Issues Facing Christians Today,
like quoting from any great book, can be unhelpful because I could give the
reader the impression that those citations encompass the best sections of the
book. Stott’s work demonstrates the years of careful writing and revising that
went into this current edition. (Note: John Stott passed on to be with our Lord
in 2011.) My aim in citing several paragraphs here is to wet the readers
appetite to get this book and make a careful study of themselves.
First, in regard to environmental concerns, in the chapter
entitled “Caring for Creation,” Stott draws this general conclusion:
“Anxious public debate
continues, not least among Christians, about the application of these biblical
principles to such practices as vivisection, intensive farming, the shipping
and slaughter of animals for food, their domestication for work and play and
the keeping of pets. Christians should protest against all perceived cruelty to
animals, and campaign for their humane treatment in all circumstances, asking
ourselves whether each practice is consonant with their value (as God’s
creatures) and our responsibility (as God’s stewards).”[i]
Second, in regard to continuing urgency of people around the world
for working to establish just treatment of all people, Stott notes in the
chapter entitled “Human Rights”:
“Human rights language is a
moral language in that it is an attempt to describe the right and the good. But
it is also a political language. Appealing to human rights does not end a debate.
More often than not it starts a debate. . . . There is a need for some moral
framework beyond human rights from which they can derive their authority and
which provides their foundation. Without that framework they exist in a moral
vacuum and are in danger of becoming self-referential. . . . Yet, in the
twenty-first century, human rights do not only come into sharp focus when
people are threatened or denied the means to live with an adequate quality of
life. They are also essential to understand when we propose to create human
life. For this reason, human rights are also at the heart of the debates on cloning
and genetic engineering. Since the Bible focuses on the divine purpose for
human beings, it has much to say on this topic. Three words seem to summarize
it: ‘dignity’, ‘equality’ and ‘responsibility’.”[ii]
Third, in the chapter entitled, “Abortion and Euthanasia,” in
regard to the continuing debate over abortion and legal restrictions on it
Stott states:
“[W]e need to accept full
responsibility for the effects of a more restrictive abortion policy, if it can
be secured. To agitate for it without being prepared to bear its cost would be
sheer hypocrisy. Our intention is not to create a climate in which illegal ‘backstreet’
abortions become more common. Instead, we shall want to create a social climate
in which positive alternatives to abortion are widely promoted and recognized.
Every woman who carries an unwanted pregnancy deserves every possible personal,
medical, social and financial support. God tells us to ‘carry each other’s
burdens, and in this way…fulfil the law of Christ’ (Galatians 6:2). We shall
want to ensure that, although some babies are unwanted (and even unloved) by
their parents, no baby is unwanted by society in general and by the church in
particular.”[iii]
Finally, in the chapter entitled, “Same-sex Partnerships?” Stott
writes this:
“We are all human and we are
all sexual. If we stereotype and stigmatize one another, then we do not treat
each other with the respect that each person deserves. After all, as far as the
Bible is concerned, there is no such phenomenon as ‘a homosexual’: there are
only people made in the image of God. We all share in the glory and tragedy of
being human and we share it in our sexuality as well as other areas of our
lives. We may disapprove of homosexual practices; we have no liberty to
dehumanize those who engage in them. We are all frail and vulnerable and nobody
has been sexually sinless apart from Jesus. Although we must not shy away from
making judgements about what is right and wrong in the light of Scripture, we
are not to be judgemental. We shall be judged by the standards by which we love
others. Nobody has the right to be morally superior. Besides, sexual sins are
not the only sins, nor even necessarily the most sinful; pride and hypocrisy
are surely worse.”[iv]
And again,
“The secular world says: ‘Sex is essential to human fulfilment. To
expect homosexual people to abstain from homosexual practice is to condemn them
to frustration and to drive them to neurosis, despair and even suicide. It‘s
outrageous to ask them to deny themselves what to them is a normal and natural
mode of sexual expression.’ . . . But no, the teaching of the Word of God is
different. Sexual experience is not essential to human fulfilment. To be sure,
it is a good gift of God, but it is not given to all, and it is not
indispensable to humanness. People were saying in Paul’s day that it was. Their
slogan was, ‘Food for the stomach and the stomach for food; sex for the body
and the body for sex’ (1 Corinthians 6:13). But this is a lie of the devil.
Jesus Christ was single, yet perfect in his humanity. So it is possible to be
single and human at the same time! Besides, God’s commands are good and not
grievous. The yoke of Christ brings rest, not turmoil; conflict comes only to
those who resist it.”[v]
This last quote become even more meaningful and even takes on the
character of a testimony when we remember that John Stott chose celibacy over
marriage and lived a long and enormously influential life. This book reflects
his maturity as a Christian theologian and pastor as well as his convictions.
These quotes are just a sampling of the thoughtful and thought-provoking
writing as one follows Stott in his grappling with contemporary issues. I
commend this book to everyone for reading, study and reflection—whether you
find that you agree with Stott or not. This volume has become an indispensable
resource for me.
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