Untitled Document

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.


more on ministry from the online archives

33.5—September/October 2020

Killing Homicide

on Missing Fathers & Redemption in Prison by Bob Perry

32.4—July/August 2019

Pastor Prime

on a Steady Presence in an Unsteady World by Preston Jones

32.1—January/February 2019

Role Reversals

Sex, Women's Ordination & the Rejection of Hierarchy & Equality by James A. Altena

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

Support Touchstone

• Not a subscriber or wish to renew your subscription? Subscribe to Touchstone today for full online access. Over 30 years of publishing!


personal subscriptions

Purchase Print &
Online Subscription

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!


RENEW your print/online
subscription

Purchase
Online Subscription

Get a one-year full-access subscription to the Touchstone online archives including pdf downloads for only $19.95. That's only $1.66 per month!


RENEW your online subscription

gift subscriptions

GIVE Print &
Online Subscription

Give six issues (one year) of Touchstone PLUS full online access including pdf downloads for the reduced rate of $29.95. That's only $2.50 per month!


RENEW your gift subscription

Transactions will be processed on a secure server.

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.

kindle subscription

OR get a subscription to Touchstone to read on your Kindle for only $1.99 per month! (This option is KINDLE ONLY and does not include either print or online.)

Your subscription goes a long way to ensure that Touchstone is able to continue its mission of publishing quality Christian articles and commentary.


more from the online archives

25.4—July/August 2012

All the Lonely People

The Corrosive & Far-Reaching Fallout of the Sexual Revolution by Anthony Esolen

33.2—March/April 2020

Glory to Be Revealed

on How Bodily Resurrection Informs Social Justice by W. Ross Blackburn

30.3—May/June 2017

Known Trespassing

on the Misuse of Property Rights to Justify Slavery & Abortion by Robert Hart

00