Because of the importance of the moral issues and the hard challenges that the youths, parents, adults and Sunday School servants/teachers face, it was inevitable to put these issues on the table of discussion, and to present a Christian Orthodox view on most of these vital, critical and contemporary issues. This can be a guide and as instructions focused on questions of right and wrong, to develop Christian values, the standards by which people judge what is important, worth-while, and good according to the Holy Scriptures dogma. The topics concern us as citizens in this great country, and as people faced with many social, political, economic, medical, moral, cultural and religious issues. As a result, it became eminent for the holy Church to offer the Orthodox Christian perspective on these issues, to seek, to speak, and to be concerned for Christians of today, as they sit in church, live in the homes, labor in the working places, and exercise the duties of the citizens, supplying them with the Orthodox point view to be more relevant to the daily lives of people, and to stand tall before opposing views. We will attempt to handle these issues alphabetically. Fr. Markos R. Hanna August, 7th – 1997 The Virgin’s Fast

'Vital'...pertaining to life; essential; of critical importance. 'Contemporary'...of the present time; belonging to the same time or period. 'Issues'...a point or matter, the decision of which is of special or public importance. How does the Christian faith affect our understanding of vital contemporary issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and the AIDS crisis? How can we evaluate the moral conflicts of our era from the perspective of biblical truth, and what does the Bible say about social issues, modern-day claims to miraculous gifts, and the tragedy of suicide? 'Vital Contemporary Issues: Examining Current Questions and Controversies' draws upon the insights and studies of numerous evangelical scholars and writers to address crucial moral and social concerns. Some of the chapters included in this volume are: Biblical Absolutes and Moral Conflicts by Norman L. Geisler Euthanasia: A Biblical Approach by J. Kerby Anderson The Church and the AIDS Crisis by Timothy D. Howell Evangelical Pluralism: A Singular Problem by W. Gary Phillips Christian readers, church leaders, and pastors alike will appreciate the insight and guidance of 'Vital Contemporary Issues'.

To live in a global society and make sense of world events requires more than a cursory understanding of world religions and the roles they play. This fascinating, in-depth, academic study of the five major religions focuses on each group's response to some of the most critical social issues of our time: ecology, peace, and women's rights. The author also highlights individual religious "heroes" and provides links to numerous digital sources for further research, making this a particularly timely and personalized approach to the study of world religions and their far-reaching impact at every level of society. Book jacket.

This update of a classic text evaluates contemporary ethical options and pressing issues of the day from a biblical perspective.