Adoption Is Everywhere
In December, Christianity Today editor at large Collin Hansen put evangelicals' growing attention to adoption as number six on his "Top Ten Theology Stories of 2009" for our website. It made a lot of sense: The Blind Side put the spotlight on adoption for moviegoers, while Russell Moore's Adopted for Life created buzz among Christian nonfiction readers.
The way 2010 is going, adoption is likely to rank higher than sixth place by year's end. Rick Warren devoted this year's Saddleback Civil Forum to orphans and adoption, joining popular conferences like Together for Adoption, the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit (which will be posted next week), and Moore's own Adopting for Life.
The trend goes beyond dedicated gatherings, however: Nearly every conference we've attended recently devoted attention to orphans, adoption, the fatherless, and so on. Church leadership conference Catalyst gave a major push to adoption at its main gathering in October and continues to highlight it at regional meetings. The keynote presentation at Q (a conference for Christian culture leaders) focused on fatherlessness, with calls to establish foster-care ministries, support adoptive families, and build orphanages abroad.
Adoption even became a main issue at this year's Wheaton Theology Conference, which was somewhat unlikely since it focused on the work of N. T. Wright. But theologian Kevin Vanhoozer argued that the theology of adoption was the key to reconciling Wright's views on justification with his Reformed critics'. The law court that finds us justified in Christ, Vanhoozer said, is less of a criminal court than a family court.
Socio-political reasons abound for why we're hearing more about orphans and adoption today. I have friends who, faced with the seemingly countless ways to pursue social justice and compassion, are starting with the "orphans and widows" of James 1:27. Other friends praise the focus on adoption for being an important family issue that sidesteps the ceaseless debates on "gay stuff." Then again, other friends see adoption as the new battleground over homosexuality.
But more often, I hear people talking theologically about adoption, highlighting it as the act that most directly mirrors God's actions toward us. I don't hear many guilt trips or apocalyptic warnings. Instead, I hear echoes of one of J. I. Packer's comments in Knowing God: "Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption." Moore helps us grasp it much better, starting here.
Next month: We look at the life and theology of Beth Moore, the most popular Bible study teacher in America; we hear what sociologist Robert Wuthnow thinks about fear; and we learn how atheism led Rob Moll to Christ.
Copyright © 2010 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Related Elsewhere:
Russell Moore wrote this month's cover story on adoption. Christianity Today also posted stories on how churches are involved with adoption and Jedd Medefind's top five books on orphan care.
Previous articles on adoption from CT include:
210 Million Reasons to Adopt | Haiti's devastating quake reminds us that orphans matter to God. (April 7, 2010)
State Department: Now's Not the Time for Haitian Adoptions | Official says first priority should be placing Haitian children with Haitian families. (February 10, 2010)
Idaho's Impact | Haiti scandal overshadows bigger threat to evangelical adoption efforts. (February 7, 2010)
Orphans on Deck | Adoption steps to the front lines of the culture wars. (January 5, 2010)
Star Trek Into Darkness
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Sue R
As someone who works in the realm of International Adoption I am shocked that people write comments referring to adoption as child trafficking or profit centers - Adoption is expensive, but trust me, no one is getting rich! Most of the cost goes to 3rd parties for providing services, or to humanitarian aid that helps children left behind in orphanages. There are massive layers of government requirements and regulations that add to the cost and reduce child trafficking. And yes, you can adopt from the foster care system in the US for little or no money. Some mothers are simply unable or unwilling to parent - it makes sense to support them in their loving sacrifice to create an adoption plan for their unborn child (when they could very easily abort the child). As an adoptive parent, I can assure you that our adopted child is loved and cared for and is a tremendous blessing to our family. A true gift from God.
Angela Baker
Just a sidenote on anyone who thinks that raising a child in a Christian home sidesteps debates about "gay stuff". I find it ironic that though my oldest son was raised in the church, that he is still "gay". The things one things they will have to deal with they don't and the things they never thought to worry about become prevalent. For a couple or person wanting to safeguard and become the gaurdian of a "true" orphan is one thing but to strip that child of their identity and try to assimilate them into upper middle class (or whatever) western culture is just. plain. wrong. Most adoption is legalized baby trafficking as far as I am concerned.It has become a big money maker and that is why it is being marketed everywhere. Do not fall prey to the trap.
jimm mandenberg
For adoption to be one of the "Top Ten Theology Stories of 2009", it had to be publicized greatly. Agencies trying to place true orphans do not have large advertising budgets so they are left out of the limelight. Hollywood ("The Blind Side") and agencies dealing in infants provide the dollars to promote the fallacy that millions of unwanted babies desperately need homes, while charging exhorbant "filing fees". Truth: you can adopt a child for $250 or less in most states. Run that past an adoption agency...then talk to your local social services agency.