Preface
Political candidates who claim the moral high ground will stress social issues such as abortion and homosexual rights, while spending less time on education, job creation and taxes. In the early years of our country, political officials were often also Christian leaders: Roger Williams, William Bradford, John Winthrop. The church played an important role in the life of the community and how justice was administered: the trial of Anne Hutchinson; the Salem Witch Trials.
The argument that much has been built into our country as a result of Christian influence cannot be ignored: The Wall Street "Occupy Movement" is a Christian principle whose time has come!
Education would be without a foundation if it were not for the Christians who founded Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and Princeton. These are institutions that were founded by Christian leaders in early American history. The same Increase Mather who was a figure in the Salam Witch Trials was also an early president of Harvard. Today, Catholic and Protestant colleges and universities still play a major role in almost every region of the United States of America.
Hospitals and other social agencies that help the sick and needy many times include Christian titles in their names: Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, Mormon, and Seventh Day Adventist.
A study of the Inauguration Address of every president from Washington to Obama has included Christian references and emphasis.
What I am proposing is not a divisive idea, but a strategy for building unity in our great country. Christian Ethics’ asks but one question: What would Jesus Christ do in a given situation? I believe that my study as both a Christian and as an educator will show from Scripture that the rich and the poor are challenged.
|
