Can a man be content with a piece of bread and some change tossed his way from a passerby? Today's modern welfare state expects he can. Those who control the money in our society think that giving a dollar at the train station and then appropriating a billion dollars for federal housing can cure the ails of the homeless and the poor. But the crisis of the modern welfare state is more than a crisis of government. Private charities that dispense aid indiscriminately while ignoring the moral and spiritual needs of the poor are also to blame. Like animals in the zoo at feeding time, the needy are given a plate of food but rarely receive the love and time that only a person can give. Poverty fighters 100 years ago were more compassionate--in the literal meaning of "suffering with"--than many of us are now. They opened their own homes to deserted women and children. They offered employment to nomadic men who had abandoned hope and human contact. Most significantly, they made moral demands on recipients of aid. They saw family, work, freedom, and faith as central to our being, not as life-style options. No one was allowed to eat and run. Some kind of honest labor was required of those who needed food or a place to sleep in return. Woodyards next to homeless shelters were as common in the 1890s as liquor stores are in the 1990s. When an able bodied woman sought relief, she was given a seat in the "sewing room" and asked to work on garments given to the helpless poor. To begin where poverty fighters a century ago began, Marvin Olasky emphasizes seven ideas that recent welfare practice has put aside: affiliation, bonding, categorization, discernment, employment, freedom, and most importantly, belief in God. In the end, not much will be accomplished without a spiritual revival that transforms the everyday advice we give and receive, and the way we lead our lives. It's time we realized that there is only so much that public policy can do. That only a richness of spirit can battle a poverty of soul. The century-old question--does any given scheme of help... make great demands on men to give themselves to their brethren?--is still the right one to ask. Most of our 20th-century schemes have failed. It's time to learn from the warm hearts and hard heads of the 19th-century.
As Editor-in-Chief of World, Marvin Olasky has offered his views on current events and culture for more than twenty-five years. In this collection of columns, he shows readers how Christians can speak biblical truths while also living out the biblical values of grace and mercy in today's world.
A wealthy Christian widow, her assistant, and her nephew and his former college roommate become the target of a terrorist's kidnapping plot while on a tourist and archeological trip to Turkey.
Think of what revitalizing journalism would do for the cause of Christ in America! It is the most needed sort of pre-evangelism; it is training in Christian worldview; it is an aid to sanctification, and you need to teach people how to do it." --J. I. Packer to Marvin Olasky Telling the Truth is Dr. Olasky's valuable response to this charge from the noted theologian. In it he emphasizes both the philosophical and the practical: detailing the need for Christian journalists to have a well developed worldview, and giving essential instruction to help them hone their writing, editing, and interviewing skills. The shortcomings of modern journalism are many. Too often evangelical publications, instead of exhibiting the journalistic excitement of the hunt, are content printing public-relations releases and carrying on their business in a joyless manner. But it doesn't have to be this way. Indeed, as Christians, it must not be this way! We are called to excellence; to do our work in such a way that it glorifies the Creator Himself. This incisive book not only urges journalists to grasp the significance of their purpose but also shows them how to more effectively accomplish it. As Olasky says, "If even fifty new, talented, biblically directed journalists were to emerge in America during the next few years, the revitalization of Christian journalism would be well under way.
What makes a leader truly great? Is it simply a matter of management style and personality? Or is it character that matters most? Moral Visions takes an insightful look into America’s leaders of the past to answer these questions and demonstrates that values and moral convictions are critical to the strength of a nation. Supposedly, we learn about the candidates for the highest office through a series of tests called “debates,” which are instead an exchange of soundbites. We can’t know whether an aspirant to the presidency has the ability to ask good questions or only a suave or belligerent ability to answer them. Moral Vision is a human-interest introduction to American history through studies of nineteen leaders: presidents, almost presidents, a tycoon, a crusading journalist, and even a leading 19th century abortionist. Its lessons can help voters sort through the candidates in 2024 and beyond by measuring them against previous leaders—none of whom was faultless. It shows how the deepest views often grow out of religious belief and influence political goals, racial prejudices, sexual activities, uses of power, and senses of service. In his 1789 inaugural address, George Washington pledged that “the foundation for national policy will be laid in the sure and immutable principles of private morality.” Marvin Olasky shows how 19th-century leaders like Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and Grover Cleveland partly upheld and partly ignored that promise, and 20th-century leaders like Woodrow Wilson, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton tried to “compartmentalize” the private and the public. An extensively updated version of The American Leadership Tradition, Moral Vision is for anyone tired of today’s textbook tendencies to submerge the role of individuals as big economic and demographic waves roll in. History is more than statistics, economics, and group identities. Human beings are more than paper boats riding the rainfall into gutters.
Originally published in 1991. This fascinating book of journalism history outlines the author’s concepts of the three ‘central ideas’ in journalism which have evolved through time. The first is the Official Story, that which state authorities wanted people to know; the second, the Corruption Story, emphasised the abuse of authority by those in power and focused on a willingness to oppose the official and tell the specific detail; and the third, the Oppression Story, where journalists present the cause of events as down to external influences and work to change the social environment. The book narrates the history from its European beginnings in the 16th and 17th Centuries up to the early 20th Century, expressing how all interpretive journalism has a philosophic, world-view, component and understanding journalism history entails understanding these insights of the times.
Compassionate conservatism is a new political force in the land, sweeping the grassroots of people of all faiths, races, and ethnicities. In its parts it offers solutions to many of our most intractable problems; in its whole it is nothing less than an innovative philosophy of government. No author is more qualified to explain its power and promise than Marvin Olasky, described by The New York Times as "the godfather of compassionate conservatism." Compassionate conservatism offers a new paradigm for how the government can and should intervene in the economy. It begins with a long-lost premise about human behavior: economics, by itself, is not what changes lives. Only faith, and deeply held beliefs, can do that. For decades government has focused only on material well-being, ignoring the passions and convictions that make life worth living. What is conservative about the new movement is that its leaders also know that government cannot instill these beliefs. What it can do is help them flourish. It can give aid, inspiration, and direction to America's natural "armies of compassion" that have been a hallmark of our history since the founding. Compassionate conservatism offers a way to transcend the root problems that currently oppress too many deserving Americans. It offers a unique vision of the triangular relationship between the state, our many churches, and our tens of thousands of charities. It is a true reinvention of welfare, a wholesale revolution in the welfare state, and a redefinition of the social safety net. In Compassionate Conservatism Marvin Olasky takes us on a road trip with his son, Daniel, across the country, showing exactly how the new movement is unfolding. Along the way, he offers a set of principles, and a brief tour through history to show that these are not so much radically new ideas as rediscoveries of long-lost wisdom. Read this book for a blueprint of the future of politics and welfare in America.
Why was the government not capable of responding to human need in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? How will the "Katrina failure" impact the next presidential election? And just what should we expect--and not expect--from the government in times of crisis? "Big government didn't work," says veteran journalist and political analyst Marvin Olasky. "And it is clear that a new paradigm for responding to national crisis has emerged. Private and faith-based organizations have stepped in and politics will never be the same.
Olasky, by looking back at American history, concludes that law with regards to abortion is not the crucial issue. He advises that the number of abortions can be reduced without relying on legislative changes alone. Within these pages, he explains his reasoning and how these changes might be effected.
The Religions Next Door: What We Need to Know About Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam - And What Reporters Are Missing will educate readers as to the truth about world religions that the media often misrepresent. Our neighborhoods are full of religious diversity these days, but the media would have us believe they all hold different variations of the same tenets. But this isn’t so, and it is in those missed details that serious and grave misjustice is done to the American people by the misreporting of religion. The Religions Next Door provides insight into the beliefs of four growing religions in America, and challenges the media community to report religion as real news - not as community relations fodder, but as stories of human and theological interest.
Media coverage at the time of the Scopes trial was far from accurate. This book sets the record straight, revealing how inaccuracies distorted the view of the Christian faith.
From the beginning there have been principled men alongside unprincipled ones in our government. Focusing on the lives and careers of 13 American leaders from Washington to Clinton, Marvin Olasky systematically examines the connections between personal faith and political decisions, offering indisputable evidence that private morality does indeed affect public policy. A serious work of historical scholarship, this succinct book guides Americans who are seeking their way in the moral fog of the new millennium.
The Great Escape, a 1963 film beloved by many, portrays an escape by allied prisoners of war from a German POW camp. The prisoners work on three tunnels simultaneously, calling them Tom, Dick, and Harry. When the Germans discover Tom—the tunnel furthest along that prisoners thought would be their liberation vehicle—they redouble their alternative efforts. Pro-life Americans over the decades have fought abortion in three ways. Tunnel Tom: Elect prolife legislators, pass laws, appoint the right judges. Tunnel Dick: Destroy or blockade abortion centers, expose abortionists, or (at the very rare extreme) shoot them. Tunnel Harry: Help women undergoing crisis pregnancies, show them what the beings in their wombs look like, create “a culture of life.” Abortion at the Crossroads offers a quick tour of all three tunnels. At the end, readers will have a better sense of which tunnels are filled with rubble and which offer the greatest hope of saving the most lives.
Culled from "World", a magazine devoted to reporting both the bad news of the world and the good news of Christ, this book contains 101 personally written editorials--compiled by two professional journalists--on nearly every major societal concern, including abortion, politics, education, race. This book helps Christians further define the issues that are shaping America's heart and mind, but develop a godly worldview.
Tracing the History of Abortion in America by Looking beyond the Laws to the Dramatic Stories and Colorful Personalities of the People They Touched Fifty years ago, the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion-on-demand sparked nationwide tensions that continue to this day. In the decades since that ruling, abortion opponents and proponents have descended on the Capitol each year for marches and protests. But this story didn't begin with the Supreme Court in the 1970s; arguments about abortion have been a part of American history since the 17th century. So how did we get here? The Story of Abortion in America traces the long cultural history of this pressing issue from 1652 to today, focusing on the street-level activities of those drawn into the battles willingly or unwillingly. Authors Marvin Olasky and Leah Savas show complex lives on both sides: Some sacrificed much to help the poor and others sacrificed the helpless to empower themselves. The Story of Abortion in America argues that whatever happens legally won't end the debate, but it will affect lives. A Fair Survey of the History of the Debate: Opening with a foreword by renowned social conservative thinker Robert P. George, this book explores historic cases and key cultural moments from 1652 to 2022 Examines 5 Selling Points Used by Each Side in Different Eras: Anatomy, Bible, Community, Danger, and Enforcement Chronicles the History of Abortion through Personal Narratives: Includes the memorable stories of Isaac Hathaway, Susan Warren, Elizabeth Lumbrozo, John McDowell, Hugh Hodge, Madame Restell, Augustus St. Clair, Inez Burns, Robert Dickinson, Sherri Finkbine, Henry Hyde, John Piper, Lila Rose, Terrisa Bukovinac, Mark Lee Dickson, and many others Written for a Diverse Audience: While particularly useful for Christians who want to understand the history of abortion and its impact on American politics and culture, the book speaks to anyone who cares about abortion
This volume presents a historical and objective overview of the field of public relations in the past century. It discusses some of the landmark cases in public relations, critiques the philosophies of innovators such as Ivy Lee and Edward Bernays, and explores how corporate public relations has affected economic and political trends. The author concludes by offering long-term alternatives for the future of public relations valuable to both practitioners and corporate executives.
In the nineteenth century, leading newspapers reported from a Christian perspective. Today, however, print and TV journalists increasingly take an anti-Christian stance while claiming to be neutral. Prodigal Press uncovers the shift to secular humanism that has radically altered what the media cover and how they report it. Issuing a clarion call for Christians to reclaim American journalism, Olasky and Smith examine the influence of worldviews on reporting, objectivity, sensationalism, and crusading; the impact of legal, ethical, and technological changes; and the changes brought about by the 24/7 news cycle, the Internet, and social media. - Back cover.
Skillfully analyzes American popular culture, tracing its development and influence throughout history, and ultimately exposes its impact on character. Part of the Turning Point Christian Worldview series.
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