Ministry on the Edge

Book excerpt: Ministry on the Edge tells the story of Dr. Kenneth Vaux's long-standing career as theologian and minister--the first bio-ethicist, a civil rights advocate, and interfaith pioneer. Through a collection of essays, articles, and sermons, Vaux traces his prophetic assessment of important ethical issues from the perspective of theology and religion. He offers readers a deeper appreciation of the ethical implications of human and civil rights; medical and healthcare issues (such as abortion, stem-cell research, transplantation, death and dying); public policy; science and technology; war and interfaith conflict. By modeling a way of thinking through the questions that matter most, he helps readers find their own theological lens for wrestling with important moral and ethical concerns. Vaux's reflections are universal, exploring theology and ministry "on the edge"--the boundary between Godly and worldly, sacred and secular, evangelical and ethical--what Bonhoeffer called the boundaries of good and evil, truth and falsehood, hope and despair.