I've been following the work of Nicholas Kristof since fall of my junior year of college when I read the excellent book China Wakes, which he co-wrote with Sheryl WuDunn. Upon reading this book, Kristof immediately garnered my respect and admiration and I began following his discussions related to a myriad of issues. I particularly admire him as a writer who is deeply perceptive, brave, and humble. He often says things that transcend party lines and cut to the truth of a matter, many times at risk of his own acclaim.
In a piece published just yesterday for the New York Times, Kristof heralds the success of Christians in the international development landscape. He notes the particularly effective work of organizations like World Vision who the typical humanitarian would have once scoffed at for feeding Jesus pills to the hungry instead of food. Things have changed and Kristof is taking note; as he says: "A growing number of conservative Christians are explicitly and self-critically acknowledging that to be 'pro-life' must mean more than opposing abortion."
Well said, Kristof's words echo nicely the sentiments of Ron Sider who holds a similar, albeit controversial, stance on this issue. As Sider puts it: "To be completely pro-life means to defend human life wherever it is threatened". More and more Christians, whether conservative or liberal, are coming to hold the fore with such a stance and it is radically changing the way that they approach issues such as poverty, human trafficking, capital punishment, and free trade. I, for one, am excited to see the likes of Nicholas Kristof taking notice. And, more so, I am excited to see burned bridges rebuilt through the words and actions of authentic Christians who are expanding their view of justice in the public sphere.
Check out the rest of Kristof's column here.
If you enjoyed this, you may also enjoy this review of The Poor Will be Glad.
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