http://www.summit.org/ en webmaster@summit.org Copyright 2010 2010-03-02T16:57:05+00:00 http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/students-abandoning-the-faith/ http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/students-abandoning-the-faith/ For over 45 years, Summit Ministries has been training students to face the challenges to their Christian faith by helping them navigate the world of ideas, answer the tough questions that often leave Christians speechless, and engage the significant cultural issues of our day from a Biblical worldview. A biblical worldview approach to life and learning has never been more needed than in today’s pluralistic/postmodern culture. Christian students face hostility to their faith from one side, and apathy to anything of importance from the other side. Students re-entering American culture from the outside are particularly vulnerable, especially if they are unaware of the vast cultural changes that are waiting for them. Sadly, the casualties are high... 2010-03-02T16:57:05+00:00 http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/the-ethics-of-ayn-rand/ http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/the-ethics-of-ayn-rand/ In popular usage, the word "selfishness" is a synonym of evil; the image it conjures is of a murderous brute who tramples over piles of corpses to achieve his own ends, who care for no living being and pursues nothing but the gratification of the mindless whims of any immediate moment. Yet the exact meaning and dictionary definition of the word "selfishness" is: concern for one's own interests.[7] One certainly can appreciate this clarification of "selfishness" as "concern for one's own interests." Rand advocates rational self-interest, a particular brand of ethical egoism. But she rejects psychological egoism, the position that asserts that we always act in our own self-interest anyway, whether consciously or not.[8] The egoism Rand advocates is neither automatic nor instinctual; rather, it is rational and must be chosen. Just as man cannot survive by any random means, but must discover and practice the principles which his survival requires, so man's self-interest cannot be determined by blind desires or random whims, but must be discovered and achieved by the guidance of rational principles. This is why the Objectivist ethics is a morality of rational self-interest — or of rational selfishness.[9] Rand's ethics of rational self-interest is an ethics of choice, guided by reason, with human survival as its goal. Standing diametrically opposed to her ethical system is what she refers to as "altruism." Altruism is an ethical system... Ethics, Modern Ethics 2010-01-09T17:44:33+00:00 http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/domestic-tranquility/ http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/domestic-tranquility/ Since the late 1960s, feminists have very successfully waged war against the traditional family, in which husbands are the principal breadwinners and wives are primarily homemakers. This war's immediate purpose has been to undermine the homemaker's position within both her family and society in order to drive her into the work force. Its long-term goal is to create a society in which women behave as much like men as possible, devoting as much time and energy to the pursuit of a career as men do, so that women will eventually hold equal political and economic power with men. This book examines feminism's successful onslaught against the traditional family, considers the possible ramifications of that success, and defends a woman's choice to be a homemaker. Feminists have used a variety of methods to achieve their goal. They have promoted a sexual revolution that encouraged women to mimic male sexual promiscuity. They have supported the enactment of no-fault divorce laws that have undermined housewives' social and economic security. And they obtained the application of affirmative action requirements to women as a class, gaining educational and job preferences for women and undermining the ability of men who are victimized by this discrimination to function as family breadwinners. A crucial weapon in feminism's arsenal has been... Art, Culture, and Society, Radical Feminism 2009-09-12T20:08:47+00:00 http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/principles-of-a-christian-environmental-ethic/ http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/principles-of-a-christian-environmental-ethic/ "Where do you live?" is a question most people have been asked many times. When answering this question, our automatic response is most likely to think about the place where our homes made out of brick, wood or stone are located. How would God answer the question of where each one of us lives? What physical home or homes has God given to all people? The Bible teaches that when we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, He will lead us to an eternal heavenly home prepared by God. But, until we are called to live forever with God in our heavenly homes, we must live within... Origins and Science, Radical Environmentalism 2009-09-11T20:51:06+00:00 http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/christian-environmentalism/ http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/christian-environmentalism/ The news media is full of stories concerning environmental disasters of one kind or another, from global warming to endangered species to destruction of the rain forests to nuclear accidents. It is not hard to notice that the environmental issue receives very little attention in Christian circles. There are so many other significant issues that occupy our attention that we seem to think of the environment as somebody else's issue. Many Christians are openly skeptical of the reality of any environmental crisis. It is viewed as a liberal issue, or New Age propaganda, or just plain unimportant since this earth will be destroyed after the millennium. What we fail to realize is that Christians have a sacred responsibility to the earth and the creatures within it. The earth is being affected by humans in an unprecedented manner, and we do not know what the short or long term effects will be. Origins and Science, Radical Environmentalism 2009-09-11T20:50:25+00:00 http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/islam-as-the-end-of-christianity/ http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/islam-as-the-end-of-christianity/ Following the stunning tragedies of 11 September 2001, the world has shifted attention not simply toward the Middle East, but especially toward the religion of Islam. Unfortunately, many Americans perceive Islam merely to be the religion of terrorists. This is simplistic. And while Islam historically has been characterized by warfare and its own version of colonialism, it is understandable why many people in Central America, South Africa and elsewhere have perceived Christianity in similar terms. Since the retreat of the Ottoman Empire and the advance of colonialism by Europeans, Muslims voiced a similar perception of Christianity. Regardless of these perceptions or misperceptions we need to gain a better understanding of just how Muslims view Christianity (which they often identify simply with the West).1 In doing so, I believe we will gain a greater understanding of the Islamic faith itself. The trajectory of Islamic theology that is the focus of this study is that of abrogation; not the Qur’anic dynamic of legal abrogation,2 though that is touched upon, but the assertion that in the religion of Islam, Judaism and Christianity meet their end. Worldviews, Islam 2009-09-11T20:46:00+00:00 http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/the-worldviews-of-destruction-in-the-20th-century/ http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/the-worldviews-of-destruction-in-the-20th-century/ "Beware lest any man[educator, politician, rock star, news anchorman/woman] take you captive through vain and deceitful philosophy[naturalism, materialism, existentialism, pragmaticism], after the tradition of men[Marx, Darwin, Nietzsche, Wellhausen, Freud, Dewey, Foucault], after the rudiments of the world[socialism, evolution, higher criticism, humanism, moral relativism, deconstructionism, collectivism], and not after Christ." Colossians 2:8... Worldviews, Worldviews (General), Christianity, Marxism, Secular Humanism 2009-09-11T17:41:52+00:00 http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/total-truth/ http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/total-truth/ "Your earlier book says Christians are called to redeem entire cultures, not just individuals," a schoolteacher commented, joining me for lunch at a conference where I had just spoken. Then he added thoughtfully, "I'd never heard that before." The teacher was talking about "How Now Shall We Live?" and at his words I looked up from my plate in surprise. Was he really saying he'd never even heard the idea of being a redemptive force in every area of culture? He shook his head: "No, I've always thought of salvation strictly in terms of individual souls." That conversation helped confirm my decision to write a follow-up book dealing with the worldview themes in How Now Shall We Live? Just a few years ago, when I began my work on that earlier volume, using the term worldview was not on anyone's list of good conversation openers. To tell people that you were writing a book on worldview was to risk glazed stares and a quick change in subject. But today as I travel around the country, I sense Worldviews, Worldviews (General) 2009-09-11T16:33:23+00:00 http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/is-belief-in-jesus-necessary/ http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/is-belief-in-jesus-necessary/ Proponents of a view known as inclusivism argue that while no one is saved apart from the redemptive work of Jesus, it is not necessary either to know about the gospel or to believe in Jesus for salvation. Inclusivism eliminates the problem that those who haven’t heard the gospel will not be saved, but this feature does not mean that inclusivism is true or biblical. Paul, in fact, taught in Romans 1–3 that while general knowledge about a Creator is available to all through the light of creation, this knowledge does not bring about salvation. Only special revelation about God, sin, Jesus, and salvation that was given to the prophets and apostles and recorded in the Bible provides the information necessary for salvation. Inclusivists argue that the content of faith is not crucial and that the unevangelized may even be saved while practicing their non-Christian religions. Paul said in Romans 10:9–10, however, that knowledge of true information is part of saving faith. Paul also clearly said that neither he nor the unbelieving people to whom he preached were saved before believing in Jesus Christ. Inclusivists argue that if God saves infants and the mentally incompetent, who die never having come to faith in Jesus, then He can save the unevangelized. This view, however, ignores the fact that the unevangelized are accountable for their sin while infants and the mentally incompetent are not. Inclusivists also point to Old Testament believers as an example of saved people who did not know about Jesus, but just because they did not have explicit knowledge of Jesus does not mean they had no special revelation at all such as the unevangelized. The inclusivist view that those who have never heard the gospel will be saved has a serious, negative effect on Christian missions. In light of these and other problems, inclusivism should not be considered an acceptable option for Christians. Scripture, Theology, Religious Pluralism 2009-09-10T22:49:42+00:00 http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/is-jesus-the-only-savior/ http://www.summit.org/resources/essays/is-jesus-the-only-savior/ Historic Christianity says Jesus is the only Savior and belief in Him is the only hope for salvation (John 14:6). This exclusive view has been challenged in recent years by a view known as pluralism, which says there are many paths to God or Ultimate Reality. Pluralists such as John Hick, however, have put forth arguments that contain numerous difficulties for their own view. If, for example, God is all-loving, as pluralists have argued, then this means that religions that view God as nonpersonal are false, since to be loving is to be personal. If pluralists respond that we really can’t know what God is like, then this contradicts their claim to know that God is all-loving. Pluralists also accuse Christian exclusivists of being intolerant, but if intolerance means disagreeing with someone’s view, then pluralists are also intolerant since they disagree with exclusivists. Pluralism, furthermore, seeks to empty all religions of objective truth claims. Anyone who would embrace pluralism, therefore, will have to abandon basic tenets of his or her own faith. Pluralism has been a philosophical failure and, hence, should not be embraced. Scripture, Theology, Religious Pluralism 2009-09-10T22:47:44+00:00