Millsaps College - Bobashela Yearbook (Jackson, MS)

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Changing Values In America 55 The topic for this year ' s Student Sympo- sium, Changing Values in America, proved to be a very intriguing and informative pro- gram. Sponsored by the Studeny Body Associ- ation, the two-day forum featured such well- known speakers as Dr. Ronald Sider, Reverend William Fore, and Reverend Donald Wildmon, a native of Tupelo, Mississippi and a graduate of Millsaps. Each of the speakers added a new dimension to the American value system as they projected their own views and experiences into the forum. The first speaker, Dr. Ronald Sider, is a profes- sor of Theology at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of fifteen books, the most recent of which is What Does It Mean to Be Pro-Life? His speech, entitled Evangelical Theology of Public Policy raised many ques- tions concerning social justice. Sider promoted the idea that there is a need for a new vision in today ' s society; an immediate solution to such a problem is to implement knowledge of the Bi- ble into today ' s society in public policy. Ac- knowledging that it is impossible to separate public life from ethical values, Sider empha- sized the idea of shaping law with Scriptures. The second speaker, Reverend William Fore, the Chief Executive Officer of the Communi- cation Commission of the Churches of Christ, spoke on the Replacement of Modern Day Value System. The central issue to him was how religion affects the mass media. Fore pre- sented the view that television, as one of the most powerful institutions in history, was com- peting with religion for our very souls. Further- more, the final speaker, Reverend Donald Wildmon, Executive Director of the American Family Association, entertained the topic of People Change, Values Don ' t. Wildmon concentrated on two value systems, the secular and the Christian. He portrayed Christianity as the superior system because it has a point of reference, Christ, while the secular system lacks such a reference. According to Wildmon, a value-free society is a valueless one and Christianity represents the only reliable value system. Clearly, the symposium speakers fea- tured varying religious and political perspec- tives on the American value system. This year ' s Student Symposium was very stimulating as it challenged our personal value system and forced us to see how America is changing its values. Now, we are more aware of what an effect television has on us or just how powerful public policy can be. It is up to each of us to formulate our own opinions on these per- ceptions and to decide how to apply this infor- mation to our lives. As the audience walked away feeling angry, perplexed, or concerned, the true purpose of the symposium was fulfilled in an educational experience that is inherent in the liberal arts tradition. : Above: The Forum on values brought together Fore, Wild- mon, Professor McElvaine of the History department at Millsaps and Father Manning, a local Catholic priest. Left: Sider expresses his view- point on theology and public policy. Far left: Professor Galien and Jimmy Kimbrell debate on the student faculty panel in oppo- sition to the speakers ' views.

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Inside Student Symposium Fall Fest Major Madnes! Plays i »n» 5 ki ti Tk r ■

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s , ■ . av» Ai Rev. Wildmon added much ex- citement to the Symposium with his reactionary- conservative views. Above: Professor Adams raises a challenging question to one of the Symposium speakers. Far left: Rev. Fore interjects an important point of his speech on America ' s value system.