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THE VIEW
FROM HERE
Religion.
Politics.
Money.
Your child’s (many) achievements.
Grotesque medical maladies.
Probably the top five subjects not to discuss at a
dinner party.
And if you ask me, it’s no wonder that civics has been
scored from the list of appropriate topics for polite
public conversation. Only a few months ago, I was
talking on the phone to a dear friend from childhood.
She has a few family members and friends currently
serving in the armed forces, so it didn’t take long for
the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to come
up . . . nor did it take long for feelings to get hurt.
Apparently, we hold quite opposite perspectives on
the issue, and I’m ashamed to say that by the end of
the conversation, we were both so frustrated by the
other’s “ignorance” that it took a while for us to be
able to talk to each other again.
It’s unfortunate that we allow politics to turn our
friends into enemies. Since that telephone conversation,
I’ve given a lot of thought to why this happens,
and I’ve come to conclude that the controversial
political issues of today’s world—immigration, fiscal
policy, war, abortion, gun control, euthanasia, trade
agreements—are not just political. They also speak to
some of our most fundamental beliefs about human
nature—and about faith. When we differ on issues
so elemental to our worldviews, sparks can fly!
So why tackle the themes of faith and politics in this
issue of In Part, especially when the potential for
disagreement—and even offense—is so high?
Well, first, we refuse to head for the hills every time we
face a complex or controversial matter. As brothers and
sisters, let’s face it: We don’t agree on everything. But
that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t listen to each other with
humility and respect (a lesson I’m continually learning).
Secondly, the purpose of discussing civics in this issue
is not to sermonize or woo you into sympathizing with
a particular political party. Rather, as we face a deeply
crucial time in the history of our nations, we want to
examine the conflict that exists between the kingdom
of this world and the kingdom of God while also
exploring how some in our family are responding
to the call to live in both.
And as is often the case, it helps to look at where we
Brethren in Christ have been in order to understand
where we are, as well as to imagine where we should
go next.
Kristine N. Frey
Editor
p.s. You can relax because we don’t talk about money,
the third most controversial conversation topic, in
this issue. After all, we had to save something for the
winter edition.
p.p.s. We on the BIC Communications team would love
to hear your thoughts on In Part magazine. Please feel
free to share your perspectives with us:
email: inpart@bic-church.org
mail: 431 Grantham Road
PO Box A
Grantham PA 17027