Well, 2018 is in the rear-view mirror, but the issues and challenges it brought are still very much with us. Though the last thing you might want to hear is that not much has changed, it’s kind of true.
Especially for Christians who are serious about understanding and engaging the culture, here are four issues that merit special attention.
The first is the ongoing and intensifying conflict between LGBT rights and religious freedom, especially here in the U.S. Even as I write this, U.S. Senator Mike Lee is holding up the renomination of Chai Feldblum to head the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Lee’s reason is simple: Feldblum has been crystal clear that, in her mind, there’s not a single scenario where religious freedom should prevail over LGBT rights.
Even if Feldblum’s nomination fails, Jack Phillips still faces new charges of discrimination by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, and rumor has it that Nancy Pelosi may push forward the Equality Act in the House this year. And that’s just the beginning. In fact, 2019 might be the year Christians ought to get serious about developing that “theology of getting fired.” That is, it’s time for us to decide when losing our jobs and livelihoods for refusing to go along with the new sexual orthodoxy is exactly what Jesus expects of us.