This is how Chirsitanity is meant to function in society-not just as a private faith but as a creative force in the culture. The inner life of faith must shape our action out in the world. In every choice and decision we make, we either help to overcome the forces of babarism-whether midieval or modern-or acquiesce to those forces; we either help build a life-giving, peace-loving ethos, or fan the flames of egoism and destruction.(p.302)
Coleson and Pearcey discuss a destructive philosophy in the current method of education:
...education has been greatly influenced by a therapeutic model of redemption, in which teachers treat children's psyches while teaching hem the ABCs. The source of this widespread trend is the philosophy of existentialism, which casts each individual as an autonomous self. According to this worldview, people must create their own puropse by making choices, even though there is no standard to tell them whether or not the choices they are making are right...(p.335)
They also point out a theory as to how crime gets so bad, and how enforcing the little laws can greatly dimish the big crimes (this happens to demonstrate how a Christian worldview fits reality better than the others):
...in the early 1980's, a breakthrough came when social scientists George Kelling and James Q. Wilson advanced what became known as the broken-window theory. They discovered that if a broken window in a building is left unrepaired, soon all the windows are knocked out. Why? Because damage left untended sends a message that no on cares, that no one is in charge, and that further vandalism will incur no penalty. A single broken window soon attracts the kind of people who will smash more windows. Likewise, a city that allows pockets of public disorder, starting with graffiti and litter, sends a message that authorities are either unwilling or unable to enfore standards of behavior-to control their space and their citizens. And once a city sends that message, law abiding citizens leave, and the criminal element is attracted-exactly the cycle that has ravaged Amercia's major cities.(p.364)
The authors say that moral authority is greater than civil authority and that civil authority is grounded in moral authority. To this they make several points as to the effect of losing that moral authority:
1. "The loss of moral authority in the law removes restraints on individual behavior."
2. "The loss of moral authority in the law means government is reduced to utilitarisan procedures."
3. "The loss of moral basis for law means we can no longer engage in moral debate."
4. "The loss of moral authority in the law means we have forfeited the rule of law and reverted to arbitrary human rule."(p.409-410)
The authors expound these more, but we can see the effects of losing moral authority in our country based on how the meaning of law has been changing over the past decades.
Then they give the reasons why Chritiantiy set forth a worldview that made science possible.
1. "The physical world is real, not an illusion."
2. "Nature is good but not divine."
3. "Nature is orderly and predictable."
4. "Humans can discover nature's order."
5. "We need to experiment."
The ending of the book gives several examples of how Christians of the past century have been a creative force in culture. Some of the examples may show the Chrisitan worldview, but also shows the brokenness of our world, which is not always suitible for children. The concrete examples where helpful in understanding what the authors mean when they mean by influencing and transforming culture.
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