For many people the mere mention of Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, brings with it a rather bleak picture of a situation gone out of control.  Many will dismiss Sri Lanka as a debt ridden, badly governed, poverty stricken country controlled by one family who, until recently, held key positions in government and wielded their power for their own gain. This is all true, and there is little that can be done when a majority representation in government has its way.

Christians worldwide may be hearing confusing news about abortion in the United States after the US Supreme Court decision on June 24, 2022, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health.[1]  As a civil rights attorney and previous adoption lawyer, I can summarize this consequential ruling.  Then I will suggest some ways forward for Christians, both in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Recently, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the American law recognizing the legality of abortion should be overturned. By that ruling, the law known as “Roe v. Wade” was rendered null and void. There has been much discussion of this matter and some of that discussion has suggested that evangelical Christians tend to demonstrate greater concern for the human fetus than for human beings after they are born. 

The Christian Reformed Church of North America (CRC) and my Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) are fraternal, ecumenical partners. One of the purposes of the World Reformed Fellowship is the facilitation of dialogue and conversation across denominational boundaries. It is in that spirit that I share my pastoral appreciations and critiques of the CRC’s report on human sexuality.

I certainly do not intend to exhaust the issue of inequality in this last article of the series on statism and idolatry. Yet, since I chose this as an illustration of the broader development, I will attempt to provide a very short sketch on how a specifically theological conception of the State in relation to society, in a discussion how to solve social and economic inequalities, would involve a combination of different areas of responsibilities by different spheres in the social order.

In the first part of this series I set forth my contention that, “To invest our redemptive yearnings in anything other than God’s action in Christ and through His body, the Church, to expect the rectification of “structural sin” or any kind of resolution for the identity-group-defined injustices through political action, is both naïve and dangerous: it is idolatrous.” Now, as promised I want to outline an alternative perspective. First, however, let me give you some context.

“Dr. Schaeffer, what is your biggest concern for the future of the church in America?” Robert Charles Sproul (1939-2017) asked the great Christian thinker of the twentieth century as they shared a cab in the early nineteen-eighties. Francis Andrew Schaeffer (1912-1984), already in his twilight years, did not hesitate: “Statism.” Sproul explains:

Things have changed. The difference between the political parties has grown and the heat seems to have been turned up in political debate. The Australian Electoral Study found that in 1996 almost 40% of Australian politicians described themselves as “moderate” – that is, centre-left Liberal and centre-right Labor politicians. By 2016 only 10% described themselves that way. Voters have followed the same trend — in 1993, 54% considered themselves to be  centrist. By 2016 only 42% did. This polarisation has been very obvious in the US. The same trends have impacted Australia.

Reading sometimes brings uncomfortable challenges.

In the last couple of days, I have been reading several different items, all of which, either directly or indirectly, ask the question which I have chosen as my title.

EVANGELICALS AND ABORTION: An Historical and Theological Study

by J. Cameron Fraser, D.Min.

(Former Pastor and Stated Clerk in Classis Alberta & Saskatchewan of the Christian Reformed Church, now focused mainly on writing and editing)

These are the first two chapters of a proposed book. Sam Logan kindly suggested that they be posted on the WRF Blog in order to solicit responses and suggestions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Solution to Christian Nationalism? Better Theology

(OPINION) The Capitol riot of Jan. 6 has both added urgency to and reshaped the discourse on how to heal our deep national divisions. Now, along with 'white supremacists', 'conspiracy theorists,' Trump and Antifa, fingers are being pointed at “Christian nationalism.” 

“In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider/look (heb.). God has made the one as well as the other in such a way that no one can find out what is to happen next.” Ecclesiastes 7:14.