At this writing, the media have been reviewing problems related to medical practices – doctor care, hospitals, and medication for Americans. Medicating, for both real and imagined illnesses, has dramatically increased, affecting the majority of citizens. In comparison with several other developed nations, the health of Americans is being criticized The United States has dropped below some other countries it once surpassed as indicated in serious health indices. There are various reasons for the current pattern. Impatient doctors have prescribed profusely, often in response to pressure from patients for a pill. Information on drugs, especially related to the side effects of them is spotty. This includes reports of numerous studies relative to side effects, but other problems, like insurance contracts, are numerous. Articles appear suggesting a need to introduce change, create programs, with substitutes in prescriptions and immunity shots – even those for the common cold. Abuses of systems are tragic. Variant stories challenge society’s confidence in insurance, health care and government. Conflicting stories appear about nutrition.
The purpose here is not to address the problems in health care, but to note that such an important matter as health care, to be successful, requires responsibility, honesty, reality, dedication, integrity and other virtues found in patients, doctors, researchers, suppliers, and hospital care givers. But we will not get excellence in performance as often as we should. If society is to work well, risk and trust are important, but violations of trust are many. My real purpose here is to note that whatever field of interest we engage we find breaks with right conducts, motives, and procedures in all. So there are crooked politicians, corrupt business men, dishonest police, and neglectful parents – the list is long even including carnal ministers and priests. None of this failure should cause us to give up on parenting, on politics, on business, on public protection, or the church. What would replace any of these? We do not abandon institutions because of the bad actors. Good and wise persons hone, renew, and protect their institutions, sometimes from themselves. Failures related to churches are perceived differently in that God is supposed to keep persons in line. Failures in congregations are often treated as though only found in the church.
This is a major problem for the church. A failing program, a fallen pastor, a fanatic, a violation here or there, with the publicity tearing at the truly faithful, become fodder for the skeptic, the atheist, the humanist, the pseudo-intellectual, the jaded historian or social critic, and the intense news reporter. One wonders if historians can ever report the Christian contribution to public institutions. If the story is told it includes the extensive formal life education of its adherent families; the effort to establish values in institutions for human needs such as healing centers, human rights, relief ventures, and mission programs for indigent persons and needy nations. The gospel wins not only in faith, but in relief from human despair. The uses of volunteer labor, the gifts of funding, the cooperation with other institutions, place the church at high level. The church does not dip into public tax revenue, does not ask for civil authority or responsibility. The church believes in good citizenship. Not taxed, the church ought to make voluntary contributions to local governments for some services such as police safety and fire protection. She serves the needs of people, not only her own but toward others. Life, virtue/values, service, volunteerism, education are important. To all this there is added immortality’s hope. All persons are invited. Returning to some of the original motivations that formed institutions would help to renew them. This renaissance includes nations and the church – but especially persons. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020