Culture & Public Square

Culture & Public Square helps Christians think biblically about life in society and engage today’s issues with conviction and compassion. Explore articles on current events, ethics, justice, race, technology, public life, and cultural trends—grounded in Scripture and shaped by Christian wisdom. You’ll find guidance for faithful witness, thoughtful dialogue, and making disciples in a complex world, while keeping the gospel at the center. Whether you’re navigating challenging conversations or seeking clarity for ministry and daily life, these resources equip you to live and speak with grace and truth in the public square.

November 12, 2010

Christian Standard

The Value of Justice

Karen Rees How valuable is justice? Few people in the United States give much thought to this question. But for many in the world, it”s a far different story. In the United States, justice is simply there, a part of the community. It looks like the local police officer or mayor or building inspector. We expect officials to do their jobs properly and treat us fairly. We expect the police to protect us to the best of their ability. Where I live, in Hong Kong, Britain”s 150-year colonial rule has left a similar legacy of justice. People expect to receive

October 3, 2010

Christian Standard

Reconciled

By Bruce Koblish I”m a child of the “60s, and my generation is no stranger to racial tension in our country. So I guess I should not have been surprised that when I became the president of the Gospel Music Association, I faced these same issues within the world of Christian music. The second day on the job I found myself in a room with 30 African-American members of the gospel music community, from artists to managers to attorneys. I may have been ill prepared to deal with such a setting, but I listened intently and resolved early in my

October 2, 2010

Christian Standard

Interview with Byron Davis

By Brad Dupray Dream of Destiny is casting a vision for Christian churches and churches of Christ across America to increase their evangelistic outreach through ethnic diversity in ministry. Dudley Rutherford, senior pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Church in Porter Ranch, California, challenged Byron Davis to spearhead the venture as a member of the staff at Shepherd. Byron left a career in pharmaceutical sales to join the church staff. He was a member of the U.S. National Swim Team from 1994 to 1996, was an eight-time All-American swimmer at UCLA, and was a U.S. Olympic team alternate in the

October 1, 2010

Christian Standard

We Have a Dream

By Dudley C. Rutherford At the midway point of Martin Luther King”s famous “I Have a Dream” speech on the footsteps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, he mentioned the white people in attendance that day. Most are not aware there were many white people who participated in that momentous march on Washington, D.C., and others are even less aware that King addressed that segment of the crowd in his memorable monologue. In the midst of this poetic oration he says, “For many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize

September 30, 2010

Christian Standard

“˜We Are Intentionally Multicultural”

By Darrel Rowland The elders are from the United States and the Philippines. The deacons include a member from the Caribbean. The pastor and musical director are Canadian. And the congregation looks like a mini-United Nations. Sure Keele Street Christian Church is located in one of the most multicultural cities of the world, Toronto. But the church”s tremendous diversity wasn”t an accident. “Are we intentionally multicultural? Absolutely,” says pastor Grant MacDonald. “Those who are here at Keele are here because they want to be part of a multicultural church. There are other options in Toronto to be sure. You can

September 30, 2010

Christian Standard

“˜Forcing This Issue Is a Waste of Time”

By Darrel Rowland We don”t all agree that God wants his churches to be multiculturally diverse, even in communities where such a goal can be achieved. “I think the issue of racial reconciliation is borderline irrelevant,” said Brian Jones, founding pastor of Christ”s Church of the Valley in suburban Philadelphia. “Forcing this issue, trying to create forced “˜reconciliation gatherings,” is just a waste of time and 99 times out of 100 stems from white guilt.” Fernando Soto, Hispanic minister with First Christian Church in Anaheim, said the vision of whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and others coming together for church services

September 29, 2010

Christian Standard

White as Snow? Guilty as Sin?

By Darrel Rowland Some 50 years ago Martin Luther King Jr. pierced the church”s soul by pointing out that the most segregated hour in America was 11:00 Sunday morning. Things sure have changed in the five decades since, haven”t they? I mean, we gather at all sorts of hours other than 11 am Sunday these days. But about that other part . . . Let”s just ask ourselves a brutally honest question: Why are Christian churches and churches of Christ among the last bastions of society to remain predominantly white? Once we answer that one, we must tackle an even

September 29, 2010

Christian Standard

“˜Look at What We Have in Common”

By Darrel Rowland The new church Reggie Moore had planted on the north side of Columbus, Ohio, had run out of space in the hotel conference room where it gathered. He was calling around to see where he could find a bigger place for his fledgling congregation when somebody suggested he contact a church in the nearby suburb of Westerville. It sounded good. But Moore”s biggest worry was about doctrine. Just what did these Christian church people believe anyway? Greg Bondurant was mugged by black toughs when he was a youngster in Akron. But years later as an established preacher,

September 8, 2010

Christian Standard

Anne Rice”s Decision Makes Me Sad

By Mark A. Taylor Perhaps you”re familiar with Anne Rice, the world-known novelist who left the Catholic faith of her childhood to become an atheist and then returned to a vibrant belief in God. Perhaps you know about her Facebook post July 28. “Today I quit being a Christian,” she wrote. “I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being “˜Christian” or to being part of Christianity. It”s simply impossible for me to “˜belong” to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group.” The next day she added, “My faith in Christ is central to my life. .

August 25, 2010

Christian Standard

Interview with Bill Ewing

By Brad Dupray As senior vice president of production administration at Columbia Pictures, Bill Ewing was overseeing production of movies such as Spiderman, Men in Black II, and Stuart Little 2. About that time, Bill felt God”s call to take a new direction with his talents. He left Sony Columbia in 2002. Today he is working to tell stories that inspire people to consider faith more seriously. Among others, he has produced the movie End of the Spear, which tells the story of the Waodani people of Ecuador and the five missionaries who were killed taking the gospel to them.

July 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Making a Difference at the Coffee Center

Although many people have heard the term “fair-trade” coffee, they often don”t understand the term”s meaning or the issues involved in growing and selling coffee beans. Every church has a pot of coffee going on Sunday morning; here are two groups making an international difference with every cup. Trading Up “The fair-trade designation is available only to small cooperative farming ventures, and guarantees the growers and workers receive a fair wage,” says Troy Jackson, senior minister at University Christian Church (Cincinnati, Ohio). “It also requires reinvestment of some of the profits back into the community. Many of the large plantations

July 4, 2010

Christian Standard

Interview with Rod Roberts

Rod Roberts By Brad Dupray Rod Roberts, a gubernatorial candidate in Iowa”s recent Republican primary, has served in his state”s House of Representatives since 2000. All the time he has served as a part-time legislator (four months of every year), he also has been executive director of the Christian Evangelistic Mission (CEM), planting churches in Iowa. CEM organized the church in Carroll, Iowa, in 1985 and hired Rod to be its first full-time minister. This came after Rod and his wife, Trish, had worked for five years establishing a church on Long Island, New York, under the direction of Go

July 4, 2010

Christian Standard

God Bless America?

By Marshall Leggett America has a rich heritage of faith, from its very beginning. Columbus, whose name means Christ bearer, saw his exploration of the New World as being guided by the providential hand of God. “Our Lord unlocked within me the determination to execute the idea,”Â Columbus wrote. “Who doubts that His was the illumination of the Holy Spirit? Our Lord wished to perform the clearest work of providence in this matter.”1 Then came the Pilgrims. Their Mayflower Compact expressed the intention of these Christians “to live under the rule of law based on the consent of the people.”2 Their desire, as explained here, was to

July 4, 2010

Christian Standard

For God and Country

By James B. North The tension between serving God and serving one”s country has been a source of dispute in Christian circles for a long time””going at least as far back as the conversion of Constantine, Roman Emperor in the fourth century. Even within the fellowship of the Restoration Movement, or the Christian churches/churches of Christ, this tension has been evident. David Lipscomb, longtime editor of the Gospel Advocate in Nashville, was not only a pacifist; he was opposed to Christians serving in the government, and even for Christian citizens to vote in political elections. Yet his has certainly been the

July 4, 2010

Christian Standard

A Religious Man for President

By Jerry Rushford On November 2, 1880, 10 million Americans went to the polls and elected James A. Garfield the 20th president of the United States. Garfield was deluged with congratulatory letters in the week after his election, but none more significant than the one penned by Burke Hinsdale who wrote: “I have been astonished . . . at the hold that your candidacy took of the religious mind of the country. “˜Now we are going to have a religious man for president” is a thought that has swelled in the hearts of thousands of religious men.” James Abram Garfield was born on

July 4, 2010

Christian Standard

“˜Be Nice or Leave!”

By Rick Grover I met with an African-American pastor in our community who told me his church has signs throughout its building that convey one of his church”s values. The signs read: Be Nice or Leave! He indicated his church in the past had a significant challenge with a certain group of longtime members who would run off new people. The established group felt threatened by anybody with new or different ideas. Sound familiar? Rather than dealing with those differences in a healthy, biblical way, members of the group would say critical things and act mean-spirited until those with whom they

June 20, 2010

Christian Standard

Crimes and Misdemeanors (a Parable)

By John Castelein Some movies arrest our imagination the same way parables do. For instance, when I saw Groundhog Day in the theater, I immediately experienced it as a profound parable of repentance. Other movies that have similar parabolic dimensions for me are Amadeus, Forrest Gump, and The Truman Show. Almost as many parables are presented in cinemas today as in sanctuaries. If Christians can use these movies as parables of our shared humanity, hopes, and fears, powerful bridges of communication with nonbelievers can be built. Are you able to use such teachable moments? The movie Crimes and Misdemeanors can be seen as

April 25, 2010

Christian Standard

The Arts–A Perfect Opportunity to Invite

By Shockley Flick Steve and Rhonda, Darlies and Shannon, and Susy and Roger are active in ministry here at East 91st Street Christian Church because of our orchestra. Janet, T.J., Erica, and Stephanie are here because of our dance ministry. Todd and Lisa, Chet, Jennifer, and Lisa attend because of our fine arts school. John and Adrienne have been attending for a year and play in the Restoration Brass ensemble. Our contemporary services use a fine rock band and creative graphics and attract more than 2,000 people each Sunday morning. Some who attend have little or no church background or

April 25, 2010

Christian Standard

God in the Cinema

By Joseph C. D’Alessandro Slow fade up from black. We hear the shuffling of feet and hushed whispers interrupted by the voice of a lecturer discussing the frescoes on the wall depicting the life and death of John the Baptist. The camera pulls back to reveal a group of exchange students looking up at the image of John”s head on a platter. The sight is familiar, yet also wonderful, dramatic, inspirational, and mysterious. This was the scene when I began my journey toward God. Much like the illiterate masses of the 15th century, I was ushered into a relationship with

April 21, 2010

Christian Standard

Tools to Help You Use the Arts

Seldom will we win a person to Christ without telling him truths of the gospel. But talking alone often is not the best first approach. This week”s writers remind us of a whole world of creativity that can engage doubters as well as disciples with the goodness of God. And I”m proud to add that Standard Publishing is getting ready to release a library of tools to help local churches use the arts in evangelism and Bible teaching. Watch for each of the following, available this June. “¢Â Stage It Right is a handbook for anyone doing drama or setting the stage

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