The other day, the Abilene Christian University Board of Trustees issued a statement of confidence in the school’s president, who is in the midst of a divorce. The Christian Chronicle, a well-respected newspaper within churches of Christ, published an article reporting on the incident. When they received criticism for the article that was published, I took the side of the journalists, arguing that such reporting about a public figure was warranted.
That said, I think we need to learn the difference between the responsibilities of a journalist and those of a brother in Christ. That is, I’m not a publication. I’m not expected to treat Christians “objectively”; I’m to treat them as family. I should look at a “public figure” and see a person. I should look at tragedies in their lives as moments for ministry, not talking points for doctrinal issues nor university politics.
The Christian Chronicle was right to report on this issue. That’s their responsibility as journalists. Now it’s up to us to pray for healing and to let this news spur us on to minister to all hurting couples within our brotherhood.
I’ve always been skeptical about the “duties” of any particular job and whether they exempt us from anything. I’m not saying that the Christian Chronicle was wrong – in fact, I see nothing wrong with publishing the story that they ended up putting up on their website. After all, it’s not like they did a sweeping exposé of someone’s personal life. There was no muckraking at all, at least as far as I can tell.
But you’re right. Any obligation that comes with being a journalist (or a police officer, or a judge, or a lawyer, or a professor) is secondary to the what is expected of all Christians.