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Ben Op Book Update

Need help on the Work chapter. Can you give it to me?

You readers have been very patient with me these past two weeks as I’ve been getting ready for our move to Baton Rouge, and facing this August 5 deadline to have the manuscript for The Benedict Option finalized. I have some news to share, and a favor to ask.

My publisher has decided to delay publication till March, for various reasons. This is good for me because it gives me another week or two to work on the manuscript. And I’ll need it, because my editor has asked me to add a chapter about Work in the Benedict Option. That is, she wants me to do some reporting to find out what conservative Christians who find themselves unable to work in their chosen professions because of the emerging social situation can do to support themselves, and each other.

A friend is a theologian at a Catholic college. What happens if the college loses its accreditation because it won’t submit to federal requirements on LGBT matters, out of religious conscience? He’s got advanced degrees in religion — what does he do for a living? And what can the community of orthodox Christians do to help him find meaningful work?

Another friend works in the finance industry. He is a devout Christian who doesn’t advertise that fact at work. But the atmosphere within his company is becoming such that he believes he will be forced to participate in pro-LGBT activities that have nothing to do with his job, but which are effectively used to weed out “bigots.” He has a reasonable fear that he will be fired or asked to resign eventually, or violate his conscience. What will he do if that happens? What can he do? What will the rest of us help him do?

What about small businesses?

What will faithful Christians do when whole fields or business areas are closed to them because of conscience issues? What does someone who wants to be a doctor do should the day come when medical school training requires them to learn to do abortions, and to participate in abortions?

All these questions are coming. I had put the Work and Economics chapter aside, because I didn’t have space for it, and the other chapters seemed more pressing. I’m glad that we’re going to make space for it.

But I need your help. Please post your ideas here or send them to me at rod – at – amconmag – dot -com . Please include as much detail as you can, including names and contacts. (Caleb Bernacchio, where y’at? I need you stat!) Please indicate in the subject line of your e-mail that you’re responding to this Ben Op Work bleg. I’m getting tons of e-mail now, and I can’t keep up with it. I don’t want to miss your e-mail.

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