There's Nothing Wrong with "Rotary Club Theology"

Regular readers know of my view that anyone who follows the Great Commandment and Summary of the Law is a Christian, be s/he Episcopalian, Anglican, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Jew, Muslim, Hindu . . . .   Some have derided this view as mere Rotary Club theology. 

I don’t know much about the Rotary Club.  They apparently emphasize service to others and a high ethical standard, as exemplified by their Four-Way Test of the things we think, say, or do.  An April 12 Wall Street Journal editorial ($) notes the Rotary Club’s pivotal role in essentially wiping out polio from the world:

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Salk polio vaccine. Poliomyelitis, also know as infantile paralysis, used to be one of childhood's most feared diseases. . . .  Today polio has disappeared from the Americas, Europe and the Western Pacific and is nearly gone from the rest of the world.

A too-little known part of this feat is the role played by Rotary, the international businessman's club, which 20 years ago adopted the goal of wiping out the disease. Rotary understood that medical breakthroughs are worthless unless people aren't afraid to immunize their children and efficient delivery systems exist to get the vaccine to them. And so it mobilized its members in 30,100 clubs in 166 countries to make it happen.

*  *  * 

An economist of our acquaintance calls Rotary's effort the most successful private health-care initiative ever. A vaccine-company CEO recently volunteered to us that the work of Rotary and the Gates Foundation, both private groups, has been more effective than any government in promoting vaccines to save lives. It's become fashionable in some quarters to deride civic volunteerism, but Rotary's unsung polio effort deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.

If that’s “Rotary Club theology,” we could do worse — and often do. 

Comments

[Wayne]

QC, Thanks for that bit of history. All I can say is "Amen, brother". From what I read, the Rotary Club is busy practicing the religion of Jesus instead of arguing the minutiae of a religion about Jesus. My fondest dream is that Christianity would be defined by the former instead of the latter.

[bls]

If that’s “Rotary Club theology,” we could do worse — and often do.

I totally agree.

[Jeff]

Thanks for that bit of "hidden history".

I was amazed to find out about the Shriners' Hospitals, where patients are treated for free. Anyone who has ever been an inpatient knows how incredibly quickly hospitals eat up money. The fact that these places can lose money year after year and still stay open speaks to a deep-seated value of charity in these men that we rarely see anywhere else.

[drs. J.G. Hoekstra]

There is something wrong with the Rotary, its foundation is Masonry! And as a christian one knows: Free masonry (Odd Fellows idem)is an anti christian organisation! Most service clubs have their roots in masonry.
My advise: don't join them! If you already do, leave them.

[Jason]

Wow -- "Drs. J.G. Hoekstra" (above) -- you are a quick one to pass judgement. Why do you suppose you are like that?

Have you been to a Rotary meeting? I am not a member, but have been to a couple of their meetings and am considering joining as I am very impressed with their spirit of service. Incidently, every meeting I have been to began with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a Christian prayer.

"If you wish to see truth, then hold no opinion for or against it." - Osho

[Bill Green]

Rotary has nothing to do with Freemasons and everything to do with finding those things that connect us and putting to one side those things that can divide us if we let them. Some Rotarians may be masons as Rotarians come from all walks of life. Many are Christians and some have no belief in any deity at all so I am sure all creeds are represented amongst the 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide.

It has high aims such as world peace and does much humanitarian work around the globe. I do not know where Drs. J.G. Hoekstra has obtained his prejudicial view but I am sure researching the many Rotary websites should help to show that that view couldn't be more wrong. I am not even sure that it is true of other service clubs.

In fact I understand that one has to declare a belief in a supreme being to even become a mason.

[Kenya]

I think it is prudent for one to really pray and enquire from God before joining any of these service groups. One needs to know the spirit behind these groups.

[bee]

i have been to rotary meetings. they want people to leave ISLAM and their CULTURE. they want women to become naked and do all thats wrong and opposite to our CULTURE and RELIGION. rotay should emphasis on HUMANOTY works, instead peoples privicies

[Savanarola]

"There is something wrong with the Rotary, its foundation is Masonry!"

Oops - should we scrap that church founded by a meglomoniacal, adulterous, murderous king ?

Or those churches that tolerated (justified) slavery for centuries ?

Or those churches whose provincial churches backed all sides of nationalistic wars fought primarily over resources or maintaining imperialist hegemony?

Maybe we can cut the Rotary Club a little slack for its founders having flirted with an eceumenical club that has always accepted Christians and welcomed members of other faiths without prejudice...