What Is the Biblical Response to Contemporary Issues?
As Christians, not only must we work at keeping our worldview aligned with the Word of God, but we also need to understand the worldview shift in the greater culture.
George Barna of the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University points out in his research that few people hold a pure worldview. Most develop their lens for seeing reality by drawing from various belief systems. In his American Worldview Inventory 2021-22, Barna states that only six percent of American adults hold a biblical worldview. In 2023, this dropped to four percent.
Most self-identified Christians didn’t fare much better in the polling. The majority embrace Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Barna says this worldview, though prevalent, isn’t recognized by most who study worldviews.
Not only do we Christ followers need to evaluate our own beliefs regularly and make adjustments to align them with the Word of God, but we also need to recognize that our culture has experienced a paradigm shift.
In the past, Christians combated atheism, secular humanism, and naturalism, belief systems that rely on logic and reason. Many Americans still hold to aspects of these worldviews. However, cultural leaders have now embraced postmodernism mixed with cultural Maoism/Marxism, which rejects logic and reason. This belief system dominates our schools, corporations, and all levels of government.
Social Justice, a form of postmodernism also known as wokeness, is based on feelings and rejects science and reality. Everything in this worldview is considered a social construct and a struggle between the oppressors and the oppressed. Adherents zealously hold to their beliefs and reject dissent, thus creating the cancel culture.
As I said in my previous post, to reach others for Christ in our culture, we need to understand it and know how it differs from a biblical worldview.
Addressing Contemporary Issues
Last July, Academy Northwest (ANW), the hybrid homeschool/private school program that my two children attended for high school and for which I wrote a monthly blog, contacted me to help them update their resource list for their Biblical Worldview course, a graduation requirement.
Specifically, they needed a list of works addressing contemporary issues from a biblical worldview that would appeal to high schoolers. Plus, they wanted resources in various media: print, online blogs, audio, and video. Unfortunately, few resources exist for teens on these topics.
Below is a list of resources that I provided them. Not all are for teens, but also teachers and parents. Dear readers, I hope some of these resources will also benefit you.
Overviews on Contemporary Issues
ANW had already chosen to use A Student’s Guide to Culture. Listed in the recommendations below this title on Christianbook.com, I found So the Next Generation Will Know: Preparing Young Christians for a Challenging World by Sean McDowell and J. Warner Wallace, which I’ve read. Written for people who work with Gen Z, I recommend it for teachers and parents.
I also highly recommend Mama Bear Apologetics: Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Cultural Lies. This practical book explains how to look at a cultural issue through a biblical lens using a process called ROAR. See my review. This organization has published a study guide and a guide on sexuality.
Found on Summit Ministries: Challenging Conversations. This curriculum has a book, short videos (less than three minutes), a podcast, and a study guide (PDF) that lists more resources to read. It covers various cultural issues that create conflict within the church between those who hold a biblical worldview and those who have conformed to the world’s view.
Understanding the Culture: A Survey of Social Engagement for grades 9 to adult. Published by Summit Ministries.
Found on Rainbow Resource Center: Quick Answers to Social Issues for grade 6 to adult, published by Masters Books. Covers life issues, equality issues, marriage, sexual and gender issues, and environmental issues (climate).
Individual Topics
Information Age
Biblically Handling Technology and Social Media, a booklet by Biblical Discipleship Ministries
Remote Control: The Power of Hollywood in Today’s Culture
Brain Defense, a Digital Safety curriculum by Protect Young Minds seeks to explain and protect kids from pornography and teach them how technology shapes the brain (for grades 3-6).
Pornography
In 2020, I reviewed the children’s books Good Pictures, Bad Pictures, also by Protect Young Minds.
Hook-up Culture
Unprotected: A Campus Psychiatrist Reveals How Political Correctness in Her Profession Endangers Every Student by Miriam Grossman, MD. See my review and chapter summaries. Grossman’s website has a list of videos on sexuality and gender. She has a new book called Lost in Trans Nation: A Child Psychiatrist’s Guide Out of the Madness, which I have on my reading list.
Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
Critical Conversations: A Christian Parents’ Guide to Discussing Homosexuality with Teens by Tom Gilson. Although written for parents, its Q&A format makes it serve as a reference book on questions regarding homosexuality that teens may find beneficial.
Homosexuality and Gender Identity: A Biblical Review for Study and Teaching by Carrie Abbott and The Legacy Institute.
Love Thy Body by Nancy R. Pearcey. I’ve heard good reviews of this book (for grade 9 to adult).
Cloe Cole has become the young face of detransitioners and gives talks nationwide. See PragerU’s collection of her videos.
Riley Gains, a young female athlete, speaks on keeping biological men out of women’s sports. Also, see PragerU’s video on this subject.
Racism
On Race, One Blood Curriculum by Answers in Genesis. This curriculum discusses racism from the biblical worldview.
One Blood for Kids (64-page picture book)
One Race, One Blood book for teens & adults; DVD
Eraced: Uncovering the Lies of Critical Race Theory and Abortion by John K. Amanchukwu Sr. I heard this former college football player and now preacher at a pro-life conference in October 2022. The author addresses how an acceptance of CRT and abortion has crept into the church, particularly in the black church. This slim volume may not be the best written, but it clearly describes the history and the issues affecting the black church in America. He was great to listen to. Here are some videos.
Black Self-Genocide: What Black Lives Matter Won’t Say by Bishop Wellington Boone, endorsed by Dr. Ben Carson and George Barna. I have this in my to-read pile.
Sanctity of Life
Gianna: Aborted and Lived to Tell About It by Jessica Shaver (1995)—an incredible biography about an abortion survivor and her involvement in the pro-life movement.
Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader’s Eye-Opening Journey Across the Life Line by Abby Johnson. The movie is also available.
Students for Life of America is a pro-life organization that sets up clubs on middle school, high school, and college campuses to educate students on life issues. Their Learn page lists videos.
Social Justice/Identity Politics/Wokeness
Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice: An Urgent Appeal to Fellow Christians in a Time of Social Crisis by Scott David Allen. This book has an excellent table comparing biblical justice to social justice.
Allen also cowrote A Toxic New Religion: Understanding the Postmodern, Neo-Marxist Faith that Seeks to Destroy the Judeo-Christian Culture of the West. This work is based on a collection of blog posts by Allen and Darrow L. Miller and lacks the cohesion of the first book. Yet, it is easy to read.
Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and the Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe by Pastor Voddie T. Baucham Jr. He discusses how Critical Race Theory is incompatible with biblical justice and explains how this worldview has worked its way into churches, Christian colleges, and seminaries and is creating division in the Southern Baptist Conference. He brings the perspective of an American black who now works in Zambia, Africa.
Online Articles
The Stream
I regularly read this online Christian publication of “news, views, and inspiration.” The authors represent a broad spectrum of conservative Christians, and most of the articles are short and address the current headlines from a Christian point of view.
Got Questions
This site focuses on biblical questions but also touches on contemporary issues. Some questions are answered with a video. Each article, generally short, has an audio feature. See the Worldview on Social Issues section. The subcategories include the basics, justice, prejudice, pro-life, gender issues, LGBTQ+, and creation care. Below are some examples.
“What is the social gospel?” Explains its root in liberal theology.
“Are Christians guilty of hate speech?” A thoughtful discussion.
“What does the Bible say about homosexuality?” This makes a distinction between inclinations and behavior.
“Should Christians use the preferred pronouns of transgender individuals when referring to them?” This article discusses different sides of this complicated question and provides the reader with ideas to think about.
“How should a Christian view climate change?” Because the Bible doesn’t address this topic, the article encourages the reader to look at various aspects of the issue and consider that we are to care for the earth but also recognize it won’t last forever. So, we don’t need to “save” it.
Videos
“Would Jesus Bake This Cake?” is a video by Jack Black of the Worldview Academy that discusses religious liberty.
What Would You Say? by the Colson Center
This site lists these video topics that cover contemporary cultural issues.
Definitions Matter: rights, tolerance, truth, and freedom
Economics: capitalism, socialism, “Jesus Was a Socialist?”
Family: parental rights, divorce, and more
Gender: cohabitation, definition of woman, trans ideology
Government: religious liberty, voting, faith and politics.
History: “Does the Bible Endorse Slavery?”
How to Have a Conversation: videos on how to discuss challenging topics.
Justice and Civil Rights: racism, Critical Race Theory
LGBTQ: several videos
Life: abortion, assisted suicide, reproductive technology
Science: evolution, population control, climate, editing genes
Sexuality: Christian view on sex and porn
PragerU Videos
Even though PragerU isn’t a Christian site (Dennis Prager is a practicing Jew), it presents hundreds of videos on hot cultural topics from a conservative point of view. I have found their five-minute videos packed with easy-to-digest information. I agree with most but not all. PragerU’s target audience is Gen Z.
Also, see my brief review of PragerU for Kids. They have greatly expanded this material since I wrote my review.
The Babylon Bee
I haven’t been following the Bee as much either, but I have recently viewed two of their videos. Their satire well illustrates the issues of the day. For example,
“Alien Confused as Earth Leaders Try to Explain all the Human Genders”
“Girl Too Young for Tattoo Offered Irreversible Gender Surgery”
Follow a link to a topic or resource of interest, increase your knowledge of contemporary American culture, and learn how to think more biblically.
Please share in the comments what topics and resources you find most intriguing.