θαυμάζω

Before we can exist for the glory of God, we need to first believe that we can exist for any other purpose than to make ourselves happy. My daughter Abby has been going through some kind of funk lately. She used to love going to day care, but ever since she graduated from the "Tumbling Teddies" (ages 0-2yr) and entered the "Dancing Dolphins", she's lost her joy. Every morning (of the three days we put her in daycare), she will cry as we put on our shoes, cry as we pull into the parking lot, and lose it as we walk through the door. I am a weak dad. I have a tender heart for her, and I'm always tempted to give her the day off and let her muck around the house while I work from home. But I steel myself, and I try to offer words of comfort through her tears. "It's okay, sweetie! You'll love playing with your friends!" "You're gonna learn lots! You love your teachers!" "You're gonna have so much fun!" It's that la...

This is the final part of my three-part series on the covid-19 vaccine and abortion. Here is Part 1 and Part 2 . Taking into consideration the scientific facts, recognizing the tension between good and evil on this side of heaven, and applying* the principle of moral distance, I contend that Christians can and should take the covid-19 vaccines when it becomes available to them. Doing so would be an expression of stewardship over the body that God has given you and doing what’s necessary to protect it from harm. By the nature of how vaccines work, it will also constitute an act of love for your neighbor, since your immunity will protect those you come in contact with, especially if due to legitimate medical reasons, they themselves cannot take the vaccine (such as if they are immuno-compromised). Christians can take this vaccine without being morally responsible for the abortions that contributed to the vaccine. They can take the vaccine without being complicit or cooperating, even pas...

This is the first of a three-part series on the ethics of the Covid vaccine for Christians. Part 2 and Part 3 Late in 2020, news broke that we now had two vaccines available to combat the Covid-19 virus, both having been approved by the American Food and Drug Administration and both touted as highly effective and safe. This was received almost universally as good news amidst the pandemic, however a significant ethical question has come to light for Christians: Are either of the vaccines created with the use of aborted fetal tissue, and if so would it be unethical for Christians to take it? First, an illustration for context. The Italian Renaissance man Leonardo Da Vinci is considered one of the fathers of modern science. His findings on the anatomy of the human body (you might be familiar with the iconic Vitruvian Man drawing) as well as overall contribution to scientific principles of observation and empirical testing no doubt form a foundation for medical science that we benefit f...

In my first post , I sought to introduce the idea of "Moral Distance" and the quandary of living a good life in an evil world.  Two guiding attitudes As we consider the question at hand, I suggest two attitudes for us to uphold. The first is that of perspective. The dilemma that Christians face today when they consider whether they should take the Covid-19 vaccine is not new. It’s an old one with centuries of precedent, and we would be wise to learn from those that came before us. We must see that whether we like it or not, we will always be living in uncomfortable proximity to wickedness so long as we are on this earth before Jesus returns. We must not resign ourselves to evil, but acknowledge the discomfort that comes with it. We must remember that the line between good and evil cuts through our own hearts. And we must face the bleak truth that there are all too often “moral dead ends”, where there are no good options, only a choice between many evil options, some of whic...