Debate

On the airplane yesterday I read an interesting article in Newsweek about how inter-collegiate debate is the hot trend in Christian colleges. Apparently Liberty University's debate team is the best in the country, beating Harvard and other ivy-league schools consistently. The article also reported that 90% of debaters go on to law school (no surprising considering lawyers love to argue).

The bias of the reporter writing the article was pretty plain as the opening line read: "When you believe the end of the world is coming, you learn to talk fast." Referring to not only the speed at which the students speak during debates but also to the fact that most Liberty students (and modern evangelicals) are Dispensationalists. Bringing in the eschatology of these students was a low-blow and not related to the overall story but revealed, in the first sentence, the personal beliefs of the reporter.

Most of the students interviewed in the article stated that their purpose in joining the debate team and their plans to attend law school were for the sole purpose of engaging in the culture wars--especially the debate over abortion. These young activists believe that they will be on the forefront of changing national policy regarding abortion and other hot-button issues by fighting in the legal system.

While it is imperative that Christians engage in the culture war on every front, I think it's important to remember that the battlefront is not necessarily the best place to "win" a war. Yes, that is where the action is. But what induced the two combatants to first meet on the battlefield? In the culture wars, it boils down to a simple clash of worldviews: theocentric and anthropocentric; City of God or City of Man. The real war is taking place in the churches and homes in small-town America. As America abandons its Christian heritage, the remaining vestiges of a theocentric-dominant culture will eventually fade into memory. Yes, we must engage in debate and push back the gates of Hell, but the true battlefield is in the home, where future soldiers for both sides are currently in training.

Perhaps the reporter was right in referring to the eschatology of these young soldiers at Liberty. Afterall, your belief about where the world is headed definitely shapes your everyday actions. The belief that the world will soon end would encourage many to work harder for the Kingdom. At the end of the day, God probably doesn't value how many debates you won over how many lives you influenced for His glory. Some of us have been called to the frontlines of the culture war, while others have been called to remain behind the lines, supporting, exhorting and raising up new soldiers. Either way, every Christian involved in conquering the earth for the Kingdom of God is an invaluable soldier and will receive his/her reward when the battle is won.

I also find it interesting that so many Christian leaders believe that the legal field is the best place engage in the culture wars. The Newsweek article mentions that Jerry Falwell wants to produce thousands of Christian attorneys. This is also one of the goals of my law school, Oak Brook College of Law. This mentality reminds me of a great article published in Imprimis a while back about how the judicial system is the new battlefront on public policy because of judicial activism. We do need good Christian attorneys passionate about their faith to defend not only our religious freedom but our country's Christian heritage.

I'm encouraged that so many young soldiers are passionate about fighting for goodness, truth and beauty in our society--and that they are successfully out-arguing our enemies. But let us not forget the less glamorous ways in which our fellow believers are also fighting for the GTB.