“Systems of education are less and less adapted to new issues, to new emerging global society we are presently involved in. New priorities force us to redefine role of education, which should be conceived as a permanent learning process. Transmission of knowledge is no longer sufficient, and new objectives such as developing one's own potential and creativity, or capacity of adaptation to change are becoming essential in a rapidly changing world.

The Club of Rome considers that education is both part of global problematique and also an essential tool to become an effective actor in control of one's own life and within society. If there are "Limits to Growth", there are "No Limits to Learning" (titles of two Reports to Club of Rome).” (1)

Their recommendations to limit population growth can be seen from many points of view but their prognostications of doom and gloom have not considered various technologies which continue to make it possible that outcomes their reports have predicted will occur. In fact there are technologies I think they are not even aware of if you go by what they say on their web site.

Because Christians tend to pay almost exclusive attention to relatively few (albeit important) issues, they often ignore other important policies. The passions of Religious Right flair on issues of social morality and abortion, but they rarely think about issues of economic justice. The Scriptures, especially through prophets, give a more balanced picture. The interests of Religious Left are centered more tightly around fate of poor.

But their policy attentions in that realm are relatively narrow, focusing mostly on welfare and foreign aid. Pragmatism would seem to warrant discussion of a wider set of issues. Christian Libertarians are excited about voluntary displays of charity, but saddened that political shenanigans can so easily swamp efforts of ompassionate people.

All that said, care for poor and oppressed is not a strictly Christian exercise. And very few people-Christian or not-are informed about primary and secondary consequences of significant policy issues. Although Southeast Christian Church can be pleased and honored to pay part of Uncle Sam's tax bill for Sri Lankans, perhaps all of us should pay more attention to larger issues of trade protectionism and mechanics of economic justice.