Saturday, August 30
Adoption as Plan-A
There is a renewed interest in adoption among Evangelical Christians--not just as a Plan-B fallback in cases of fertility, but as a wholistic application of the Biblical worldview. This is no small matter--indeed, the Evangelical groundswell has attracted the attention of the Wall Street Journal. Naomi Schaefer Riley explains that adoption is now a "hot topic in the Evangelical community" as Christians begin to understand adoption to be a theological issue, a sanctity-of-human-life issue, a mercy, justice, and humility issue.
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6 comments:
It's refreshing to hear that some in the church are finally catching on. My dear friends and youth leaders from high school adopted an eight year old (who had been adopted and rejected twice already) and became permanent guardians of a twelve year old. Only a handful in their church supported them, and most thought they were foolishly putting their biological family at risk. They chose a hard road, no doubt, but they chose to follow God's call on their lives. Perhaps couples who choose to be that courageous will now have support from their church family as a matter of course.
This really is putting the money where the mouth is. I knew I was seeing more of it, but I didn't realize it had taken off like this.
My wife and I married in Bible college, she was 18, I was 19 and we had 5 children in the first 7 years so we felt like our quiver was full. Now our children are 22 down to 15 and God in His marvelous providence recently dropped a 13 year old girl from Liberia, Africa into our family and we are learning all over again that children are a heritage from the Lord and the fruit of the womb (ours or someone elses) is a reward. Hallelujah.
My parents had 7 natural kids, adopted 2 more, and had many more that called them mom and dad. My wife and I adopted 2 boys and now that they are grown, we hope they do the same. This should be the norm for believing families...On a side note, our laws (USA) do make it hard to adopt, but my wife and I found it was much easier and less expensive, to go through government than to the Christian adoption agencies. We also were never judged by government for not being rich enough, for not being in the right church, or for being a bit older than the normal couples who choose to adopt.
McCain or Obama could open it up more...but whether they do or not, the church certainly can do more to take care of the orphans and widows.
Dr. Grant, My husband and I have 6 biological children and 4 multiply handicapped adopted children. 2 of our children have graduated from Gileskirk Humanities studies, and 2 more in the pike. Our worldview has always been that adoption solves so many problems. We are in Modernity, and I get to lead the discussion on Silas Marner soon. Every child is eternally important. Adopt one child.
From one of the Phoenix Families, we call ourselves "The Standfast Group".
this doesn't apply to your post! I've lost your email address and am no longer on the Gileskirk loop. Would you mail it to me at your convenience?
Robin McLain in Fairhope, AL
robinmclain@gmail.com
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