Monday, September 24, 2007

Life Links 9/24/07

There's a new New Atlantis out. It includes a piece by Yuval Levin on ethical alternatives to embryonic stem cells, Cheryl Miller reviews the book Everything Conceivable, and Gilbert Meilaender explores human dignity.


Wesley Smith on Ian Wilmut's most recent cloning claims.


Pastor John Piper's son and daughter-in-law discovered their child, due to be delivered on Sunday, was died in the womb.


Daily Herald columnist Joni Hirschman Blackmun is comparing abortion to tobacco. She says tobacco kills (which, of course, isn't really true since it's typically the long term use of tobacco which can lead to various types of cancer which can kill) but she doesn't harass stores which sell tobacco products so, in the same way, opponents of abortion shouldn't be protesting the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Aurora. It's an incredibly weak analogy but she at least seems to recognize that abortion kills.


Scott Klusendorf posts the notes to his speech for being a prolife pastor in the 21st Century.
I'll tell you how some churches I know respond: They give the local crisis pregnancy center (CPC) director five minute each year--on 'Sanctity of Human Life Sunday'--to briefly discuss her ministry to women in need, followed by a vague sermon that says little about abortion per se, but rather discusses our need to be 'pro-life' in all areas like caring for the poor, feeding the homeless, stopping spousal abuse, etc. Now, there's nothing wrong with a discussion of these topics or with giving the CPC director time to highlight her work (indeed, we should give her much more time than that!), but is a tepid pro-life Sunday once each year going to equip lay people to persuasively respond to these assaults on human dignity? What's needed is pastoral leadership that preaches truth and equips lay-persons to engage the culture with a robust, but graciously communicated, biblical worldview.

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