Louder

 

In the 1st chapter of the book of Romans, the apostle Paul offers a direct contrast between a Christian 
worldview and a worldview that contradicts Scripture. Regarding a worldview inspired by humanistic, secularistic principles, he writes:
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Paul takes aims at the idols of culture - in the Old Testament, they often took the form of graven images. In our day, cultural idolatry is represented by not only embracing the pleasures of this world that we put above God, but the ideas that contradict Scripture that contribute to the decline of a society. We need a collective change of mind and an embracing of God's truth, originating from His heart, spoken in His Word, rather than walking in the world's ways and then placing a religious stamp upon it. Just because it's "religious" doesn't mean it's Biblical.

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It is helpful to determine how our worldview influences the decisions that we make, and to ascertain 
that our belief system lines up with the truth of God's Word. Ephesians chapter 4 states:
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ...

Last week on the program, Os Guinness presented the phrase which has unfortunately become true in much of academia - the "long march through the institutions."  In America today, there has been in academic circles a rejection of absolute truth, found in the teachings of the Scriptures.  Moral relativism and worldly theories have come to rule the day.  And, today's college students, and I would submit, even the graduates thereof, are becoming radicalized, indoctrinated to a new and harmful way of thinking.

Ideas that do not conform to the dominant, humanist worldview are cast aside.  Active students openly defy their institutions, leaving the leaders and faculty to submit or risk being ostracized or dismissed. In an attempt to address this imbalance, the President issued an executive order last year, which states, according to the White House website:

Free inquiry is an essential feature of our Nation’s democracy, and it promotes learning, scientific discovery, and economic prosperity. We must encourage institutions to appropriately account for this bedrock principle in their administration of student life and to avoid creating environments that stifle competing perspectives, thereby potentially impeding beneficial research and undermining learning.

The order is designed "to ensure institutions that receive Federal research or education grants promote free inquiry, including through compliance with all applicable Federal laws, regulations, and policies."

That is a positive step, and in the overall landscape of higher education, there is a distinct role for Christian colleges and universities, who have a responsibility to train its students to think Biblically.  

Liberty University is one such institution - its founder, Jerry Falwell, Sr., determined that the school would raise up champions for Christ.  The son of the founder was recently ousted from the presidency of the school because of numerous indiscretions.  But, tens of thousands of students who attend the university are being raised up to influence this culture, and I believe that the DNA of the school is sound, despite the behavior of the man who was recently at the top.

One positive action that Jerry Falwell Jr. took was to play a part in the establishment of what is called the Falkirk Center, which is described in this way on its website:

...Liberty University has launched the Falkirk Center for Faith and Liberty with the purpose of educating, inspiring, and mobilizing Christians in the battle to preserve American liberty and rally citizens in an effort to shape government policies, national institutions, and American society through a Biblical worldview.

You might say that the Center got its name from a combination of Jerry Falwell and Charlie Kirk, who leads the organization, Turning Point USA, which mobilizes young people to speak out for America's founding values.  That makes sense.  The website points to the battle of Falkirk, depicted in the movie, Braveheart, a battle that was lost by William Wallace, but through it, as the website says, "he ignited the spark of freedom that ultimately won the war."

Recently, the Center held a Faith Summit.  A piece on the university's website says:

Pastors, political commentators, congressional candidates, professors, authors, and other Christian leaders participated in the “Get Louder Faith Summit: Fighting for the Soul of America” at Liberty University on Thursday, addressing the growing concern of progressive, antithetical ideals squeezing into the Church.

Prominent conservative voices included former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and best-selling author Eric Metaxas.

Center Executive Director Ryan Holfenbein stated, “Now, more than ever, it is critical for Christians to be educated on the cultural threats against our hearts and minds. The principles of what we practice are rooted in the Bible, not culture or subjective feelings. … There are many Christians nationwide who are bowing to the golden calf of political correctness and substituting the Truth of the Gospel for virtue signaling. We must combat the ravenous nature of this politically correct gospel that is marching to the front steps of the Church.”

The speaker lineup was diverse - not only from a racial perspective, but those who attended or watched the event saw presenters from a variety of generations. The press release said, "The nationally televised event, stretching seven hours, has already reached thousands through social media and America’s Voice Network. The event was streamed live on Facebook and YouTube (View the full event on the Falkirk Center’s Facebook or YouTube accounts.)"  And don't miss Charles Billingsley leading worship, with a guest appearance from the Governor - Huckabee, that is, on bass, on "I'll Fly Away."

The Champion, Liberty's student newspaper, was quite effusive in its praise for the event.  It said, regarding one panel:

Honored guests also heard from a panel consisting of Charlie Kirk, Erika Frantzve, David Harris Jr., Ryan Helfenbein and Malachi O’Brien. The speakers encouraged attendees to stand out, to not be afraid to speak their views and to be encouraged if they were persecuted.

The report also noted: 

Frantzve, Falkirk Fellow and host of Midweek Rise Up Podcast, went after the kneeling trend currently inhabiting America.

“In a kneeling culture, in a headline culture, we need to stand for Jesus,” Frantzve said.

U.S. House Candidate from Pennsylvania’s 4th District, Kathy Barnette encouraged Christians to be active in their faith.

“One of the overarching reasons we find ourselves in the culture we’re in now is because good people have decided to sit back and wait for somebody else,”Barnette said.

Barnette is African-America, so is Kimberly Klacik, who also spoke; she is running for Congress from Baltimore.

Just a cursory look at social media this morning reminds me that there needs to be an incredible amount of education from a Biblical worldview perspective.  And, we need more of these types of opportunities for people to share Biblical wisdom from a variety of backgrounds.  For instance, just today, I saw a lengthy thread on Twitter; which, by the way, if you can't say it in 280 characters - get a blog or website, and link to it with your tweet.  That's what I do with my daily commentary; otherwise, it gets hard to read.  But, there was a Christian author and podcast co-host who was ranting about how voting for someone who is pro-life doesn't actually reduce abortion.  As I referred to yesterday, according to Chuck Donovan of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, abortions dropped 18% between 2009 and 2018. Now, respondents chimed in with this false narrative that pro-life people are "pro-birth" and don't care about people once they are born. I'd like some evidence for that!  And, children in cages? Uh, that would be the Obama-Biden administration; the current administration took steps to curb that practice and evangelical leaders, such as Franklin Graham, called out the administration on it.

I contend that while policy is important, worldview is the driver - so are these people comfortable voting for someone who supports the taking of human life?  Or do they feel OK voting for someone who supports so-called "gay marriage?"  Or to throw the support of the government to lifestyles, such as transgenderism, that run counter to God's design?  Worldview is important, and we have to be determined to be a voice for the culture.

The fact that this event occurred on a college campus is key, and is a reminder to young people that those who want to live by Biblical values are not alone.  I think of the prophet Elijah who was so despondent because he thought he was the only one who was determined to follow God, who reminded him that there were 7000 others who had not bowed the knee to Baal.  Who are we bowing the knee to? And, do we recognize that there are others who are bowing to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?

OK, here's a mashup here.  With regard to embracing Biblical truth as a solution to the maladies of our culture, we can recognize that it's not a matter of right or left, blue or red, it's a matter of right and wrong - Biblically.  The question becomes, are we aligned with God's truth?