American cities saw twenty years of decline (1970-1990) and twenty years of resurgence (1990-2010). But the economic bubbles that largely fueled the growth of cities are over. Almost certainly, the renaissance of American cities over the past 20 years has come to an end. But what is the future?

During roughly twenty years from 1970 to 1990, American cities went into sharp decline. The migration of African-Americans from the south to northern cities resulted in white flight and the creation of inner city ghettoes. In the late '70s and early '80s That There Were protracted recessions diminished tax Revenues and drove some cities into virtual or actual bankruptcy. Meanwhile, urban planning in the mid-20th century and privileged the automobile stores and big stadiums and lots of parking and no residents and massive housing projects for the poor. All of this led to downtowns That Were like ghost-towns after dark, and neighborhoods riddled with crime That Were. The middle class fled Along with many jobs, leaving the poor even poorer neighborhoods. Cities Were polarized into poor non-white centers and affluent white suburbs.

In the list of spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-23 “faithfulness” and “meekness” are listed next to each other. Faithfulness has to do with the keeping of promises, and the courageous declaration of truth. The Greek word prautas, which is translated “meekness” or “gentleness” in Galatians 5:23 means mildness and gentleness in dealing with people. It can mean to be teachable (James 1:21) or just modest, generous, humble, and considerate toward others (1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; James 3:13; 1 Peter 3:15.) 

Years ago, on the advice of an older and wiser Christian, I began trying to pray through the Psalms once every month. Don’t be too impressed—I seldom make it through all 150 of the psalms every 30 days. However, by making that the goal I am able to eventually ponder each one at least several times a year. 

In my reading this past month, I discovered that Immanuel Kant made a case for a Christian sexual ethic but without using any appeal to the Bible or theology. In "Duties Toward the Body in Respect of Sexual Impulse" (Kant, Lectures in Ethics) he argued that sex outside of marriage dishonors human dignity. He reasoned that when you ask for sex without giving your whole self to the other person in marriage ("person, body and soul, for good and ill and in every respect"), you turn the sex partner into an object, a mere means to a selfish end, instead of an end in him (or her) self. Kant's famous "categorical imperative" was that human beings should never be treated as means, but only as ends. Using only this belief, which is intuitive for many modern people, he argued that you should never have sex outside of marriage.