In the wake of President Obama’s public support for same-sex marriage and the passage of Amendment 1 in North Carolina, there has been heightened attention (as if such a thing were possible) on the way evangelical political engagement has had a focus on matters related to sex. One prominent conversation has concerned the ambivalence of young evangelicals regarding the public rhetoric and political strategies aimed at restricting abortion and fighting the cultural and legislative efforts tied to homosexuality.

This is actually not a new set of concerns; at least ten years ago many in the media pointed out that younger evangelicals wanted to be publically engaged but also wanted to expand the agenda beyond these hot-button issues. While I echo the need to have a public agenda that expands to include greater attention to issues such as poverty, environmental issues, the crisis in education and racial/ethnic/class concerns, I want to briefly draw attention to a few reasons why we very much need to do important work on matters related to sexuality.

First, it is important that we do a better job of helping Christians understand the importance of biblically rooted approach to sexuality while also putting it in proper perspective. I find myself wondering if the evangelical effort to seize the narrative about “great sex” from the clutches of the sexual revolution (in its various forms) has unwittingly led to giving sexual fulfillment in marriage such centrality to the description of a “normal” life that we have, perhaps unintentionally, stigmatized singleness of various forms. It is very important that we support traditional marriage and espouse that marital sex is great, but sexual fulfillment is not necessary to a truly full life, or do we want to suggest that even the life of Jesus was not fulfilling? FULL POST

Many words have been and will be written about the death of Trayvon Martin, and the cocktail of grief, outrage, and confusion will likely linger long after the matter is resolved in one way or another. The circumstances of this unfortunate event have directed our attention to some of the challenges we face as a nation and as human beings, with considerable focus on the persistent difficulties connected to race. Whether or not Martin was racially profiled, this tragedy presents the opportunity to take paths that will lead us to better expressions of our humanity.

As director of Wheaton College’s Center for Applied Christian Ethics I had the privilege of participating in an event entitled “Civil War and Sacred Ground: Moral Reflections on War” (co-sponsored with The Raven Foundation). Two points raised at this thought provoking conference can be helpful as we consider the long shadow of our history with race, particularly for followers of Christ. First, I continue to hear the echo of the following statement (paraphrased here) from Luke Harlow of Oakland University: “At the time of the Civil War, white supremacy was essentially held as an article of faith.” By this, he meant most citizens in the United States, North and South. Upon hearing this, I thought “no wonder it is so difficult for us to overcome the negative legacy of race.” FULL POST

Eyes on the World will have a few regular guest bloggers.  The first is Greg Ayers, my former student and teaching assistant and astute cultural observer.

A man swinging at the end of his rope - this is the constant image running throughout songs in the Black Keys catalog. A man cheated, abandoned, and abused by friends and lovers. A man utterly alone.

No man was alone Friday night when the Black Keys played a sold-out show at Washington, D.C.'s Verizon Center, which boasts an estimated capacity of over 20,000 seats.

In a day and age when music consumption focuses solely on individual experience, why would 20,000 plus men and women go see a band they could listen to alone?

Because, as the good Book says, "Man was not meant to be alone."

According to Dr. Steve Garber of the Washington Institute, "Art at its best is always an image of man." Rock concerts are performance art. Music is created and interpreted in a communal experience shared by artist and audience - art in real time. The concert is an art form that exhibits the transformative nature of human relationships in a powerful way.

Before I attended the Black Keys concert, I was an isolated member of an abstract community - one fan listening to Black Keys albums on his iPod, apart from other Black Keys fans who I knew existed but whom I failed to know in truth. On Friday night, that community became flesh and blood. Our common bond - the band itself - took on flesh when they took the stage. FULL POST

Whitney Houston has joined the long list of celebrities with tremendous gifts and tragic lives. Whether you are a fan or not, it takes little effort to appreciate Houston’s distinctive vocal instrument as we hear it on our national anthem or her version of Dolly Parton’s "I Will Always Love You."  In Houston’s voice we encountered sonic beauty yet, as her life went on, we began to see that brokenness and tragedy became constant companions as well.

This is hardly unique to Houston, as we can see it with figures ranging from Jackie Wilson to Charlie Parker to Etta James to Chet Baker. For some artists, the crushing experiences of life served as inspiration for some of their greatest music while for others the dark clouds brought storms of destruction and ultimately death. While none of this is unfamiliar, and while some decry the excessive attention our culture gives celebrities, we cannot forget why we paid so much attention to Houston and others.

Apart from all the tabloid fodder that celebrity dysfunction provides, our attention is first drawn to the immense God-given talent that we see or hear. Beautifully inflected words, well crafted songs and skillful musicianship and production bring us joy and often reminds us of the greatness and generosity of God. We pay attention because the gift has been offered and whether the steward of the gift acknowledges God or not, Christians should always be mindful of the ultimate source of the beauty we encounter in someone like Whitney Houston.

But now she’s gone, and we lament the trajectory her life took since the mid-90s. When great talents no longer play or sing for us because of a tragic demise, we often look at their circumstance and think “what a waste” or “how could this happen again to yet another one?”

Here is where I think the death of Whitney Houston gives Christians an opportunity for a posture beyond lament. Since watching the U2 documentary From the Sky Down, it has occurred to me that as a viewing/listening public, we are quick to enjoy the best that artists can produce, but also often quick to express our disappointment when we see artists young and old make unwise decisions or pursue questionable paths. How many of us make it our practice to regularly pray for those who find themselves in great prominence because of their artistic success (or any other form of success really)?

Many are unsure how to navigate life on an ocean that is new to them when they were used to paddling in a little creek. The ocean of success overwhelms many who rise to prominence and sometimes we seem surprised that even successful Christians disappoint us when they are in the ocean. Even when they have a community of support, it is a harder life than many of us can imagine. What should be our posture regarding those who are struggling to navigate life on the ocean of success?

We need to be in constant prayer for those who could become the next cautionary tale. I have often heard Christians criticize celebrities, but I rarely have heard them call for prayer. So, now is the time for us to not only enjoy what celebrities produce but also to pray for God’s hand on their life. Support with our prayers is more important than our applause and dollars.