Recent developments both within the United States and outside our nation point to the astounding confusion about the value and worth of a human life. What gives value to life? Is a baby growing in its mother’s womb of value and worth? Is China’s repugnant one-child policy, which despite denials is still, practically speaking, the policy of China, acceptable or ethically wrong? How should we even think about the contraception issue that surfaced as a result of President Obama’s health care law? These are three interrelated categories that I seek to address on this edition of Issues.

In May 1960, the FDA approved a new oral contraceptive, which ushered in a veritable revolution in American culture—indeed for the whole world. It truly was one of those watersheds in human history. Today, over 100 million women use this oral contraceptive. But we are still working through the massive effects of this pill, which altered so much in our culture. How should we think about the social revolution brought about by the pill?

A retired anesthesiologist, Lawrence Egbert is an 84-year old doctor, who is in some ways the current public face of doctor-assisted suicide as a movement. He has replaced Dr. Jack Kevorkian as the symbol of this controversial practice.

Over this past year, I have done several programs on the sociological phenomenon called emerging adulthood. One of the most significant aspects of this age-group is the absence of a commitment to institutions. One of those institutions is, of course, marriage.

In November, the voters of Mississippi voted down a human personhood amendment by a 58% majority. Similar efforts have failed in other states as well. This amendment was a frontal assault on the legal and moral logic of Roe v. Wade.

We live in a curious culture! Scandals abound. But what we seem to ignore as a culture is that we all have the same problem—the Bible calls it sin.

Scripture teaches that humans, made in the image of God, have an innate sense of right and wrong, a moral monitor that either “approves or accuses.” Conscience serves as an umpire, which disposes the human to view life situations in a moral/ethical light, thus judging/determining that some actions are “right” and some are “wrong.”

As Christians, how are we to treat the physical world, including animals? What is the value of non-human life? How much care do we as Christians need to take in relation to nature? How does God look at non-human creation? What are we to think about all of this?

With the rise of reproductive and genetic technologies, the world has increased the number of options people have when it comes to having children. Technology has enhanced the power of choice. What technology has not done is enable culture to live with the consequences.

Sociologist Christian Smith recently led a research team that conducted in-depth interviews with 230 young adults from across America, all of which focused on the moral lives of today’s young adults. The results are quite depressing. Columnist David Brooks summarizes several of the salient findings: