Ronald J. Sider
on a Most Conscientious Believer
I was saddened to learn about the death last summer of the Evangelical Christian activist and author Ron Sider (1939–2022). I’ve always found his ideas thought-provoking and have agreed with him in somewhat unexpected ways.
Before I came to Christ at age 23 in the peak year of the Jesus Movement, 1973, I had been taught that the main obligations of a Christian were to maintain one’s private devotions or “quiet times,” to attend and be involved in a church (though this was sometimes less important than the “quiet time”), to avoid sexual sin, to reach out and be a positive witness among one’s peer group, and to support world missions. We were in the middle of the first energy crisis, but nothing was said from the pulpit about good stewardship and conservation of energy. That was, I guess, “worldly” or something. As a child, I had heard in Sunday school that Christians were to be interested in the poor and in foreign lands. (However, I did not learn why I needed to trust Jesus. That had to wait till the Jesus Movement.)
THIS ARTICLE ONLY AVAILABLE TO SUBSCRIBERS.
FOR QUICK ACCESS:
Howard Ahmanson has run the philanthropic operation Fieldstead and Company since 1979. Fieldstead concerns itself with applying a Christian worldview in all areas, especially the arts and culture. Howard’s personal area of concern right now is housing affordability and land use law. He writes at Howard howardahmansonjr.com. His wife, Roberta, is especially concerned with the visual arts. They live in Orange County, California.
Get six issues (one year) of Touchstone PLUS full online access including pdf downloads for only $39.95. That's only $3.34 per month!
Get a one-year full-access subscription to the Touchstone online archives for only $19.95. That's only $1.66 per month!
bulk subscriptions
Order Touchstone subscriptions in bulk and save $10 per sub! Each subscription includes 6 issues of Touchstone plus full online access to touchstonemag.com—including archives, videos, and pdf downloads of recent issues for only $29.95 each! Great for churches or study groups.
Transactions will be processed on a secure server.
more on ministry from the online archives
32.1—January/February 2019
Sex, Women's Ordination & the Rejection of Hierarchy & Equality by James A. Altena
more from the online archives
22.3—April 2009
Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by J. Daryl Charles
calling all readers
Please Donate
"There are magazines worth reading but few worth saving . . . Touchstone is just such a magazine."
—Alice von Hildebrand
"Here we do not concede one square millimeter of territory to falsehood, folly, contemporary sentimentality, or fashion. We speak the truth, and let God be our judge. . . . Touchstone is the one committedly Christian conservative journal."
—Anthony Esolen, Touchstone senior editor
