Every so often, the Church gets an issue in its sights, one that cuts past all the sectarian, class, or racial boundaries and brings us together to make something fantastic happen.
When ancient cultures were leaving their kids to die of exposure, we adopted them, and took care of them. We cared for the sick (even dying while helping plague victims) and built hospitals. We established centers of learning now called Universities. We outlawed the practice of throwing Hindu widows on funeral pyres. We led various international emancipation movements.
Right now, although attention is being given (rightly) to Life issues like euthanasia and abortion, as well as promoting traditional family issues; there’s another pressing issue not in the public eye.
Christians are looking to change that.
The issue is Human Trafficking. In the full sense of the term, we’re talking about modern slavery. And it’s more common than you think.
The TED talk video at the end of my recent column was one expression of it. There are many, many others.
Citing an article about 40,000 Christian college students gathered together to tackle this issue:
Christians throughout the world, including Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, drew a red “X” on their hands Thursday for “Shine A Light On Slavery Day” — advocates are calling for more aggressive government action, and pressuring corporate hotel chains and airlines to train their employees to recognize trafficking victims.
Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals and longtime spiritual adviser to Tim Pawlenty, said trafficking has migrated from a niche concern among liberally-minded “social justice Christians” to an increasingly prevalent platform plank for Evangelicals across the political spectrum. And while the nonpartisan nature of the cause has largely kept the cable news bookers at bay, Anderson predicted it could become the defining issue of politically active Evangelicals in years and decades to come.
