6.  The death of Alexander Solzhenitsyn marks end of an era.  The death of Alexander Solzhenitsyn on August 3 marked a symbolic end of the Cold War and served to remind the world of the horrors of the Soviet Union and its gulags.  A Nobel laureate, Solzhenitsyn lived long enough to return to his native Russia and to die there as he had promised.  He also lived long enough to see Russia return to many of its bad habits, including oligarchy.  His death seemed to put a coda on the Cold War, proving that the human spirit cannot be broken by persecution, however brutal.

7. Euthanasia is approved in Washington State.  Voters in Washington State adopted a measure legalizing "physician-assisted suicide," even as the record of the practice in neighboring Oregon should have served as sufficient warning.  Though the administration of lethal drugs was presented to voters in terms of alleviating pain and suffering for the terminally ill, in reality many of those who receive the drugs are not terminally ill at all.  The main thrust of the movement toward legalized euthanasia is a Promethean vision of personal autonomy and human life.  Late in the year, a judge in Montana put that state on a collision course with the controversy.

8.  John Edwards is caught in a sexual affair -- and America cared. Predictably, the media made a circus of the affair as former senator and presidential candidate John Edwards, the 2004 Democratic nominee for Vice President, was forced to admit to an extra-marital affair with a media consultant even as his wife was battling cancer.  After repeated denials, Edwards' admission came in the form of a Greek tragedy.  The significant aspect of this scandal was not so much about Edwards' political prospects, but about the fact that Americans, generally confused about sexual morality, still believe that extra-marital affairs are wrong and sinful.  Virtually no one seemed to argue that Edwards' affair was of no moral consequence.  That, it seems, is worth remembering.

9.  Atheists launch public relations efforts.  The so-called "New Atheists" continued to sell books and make controversy, but some decided to take an additional step and forged efforts that included public relations and advertising.  In the United States, an Atheist Alliance sought to present atheists and agnostics as mainstream.  In Great Britain, atheists launched a campaign that put signs on buses that read:  "There's probably no God.  Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."  It seemed that Londoners were not entirely reassured in atheism by the claim that God "probably" does not exist, sending the advertising team back to their drawing boards.

10.  The world takes note of a demographic downturn -- Where are the babies?  Citizens of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania learned in 2008 that deaths now outnumbered births within the city.  In most of Europe, a "demographic winter" took shape as birthrates had fallen well below population replacement.  Leaders of the Russian Army informed national leaders that the strength of the armed services was endangered by a lack of young males of military age.  In the United States, the birthrate is stable mostly because of immigrant and minority communities.  Once again, worldviews are seen to matter.

These and so many other developments marked 2008 as a year to remember.  Each year brings surprises, but few years bring so many.  Most of us hope that 2009 will be a bit less eventful than 2008.  The times, however, are in God's hands and not ours.

In addition to being one of Salem’s nationally syndicated radio talk show hosts, R. Albert Mohler, Jr. is the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and recognized as one of America’s leading theologians and cultural commentators. Contact Dr. Mohler at mail@albertmohler.com.