Something I struggle with:

There are those who would erase any good done by men like John Lewis, on account of his support of abortion.

There are those who would erase any good done by men like Robert Dabney, on account of his support of slavery.

I think we fight against the already-not-yet in this situation. These men each, in their own way, contributed to the bettering of society in one way, while being detrimental in another.

So do we all.

We struggle to find the balance. How does the good and bad come out?

One served the public in profound ways through his public life as a representative of those who elected him; the other served the church in profound ways through his work in theology.

Yet both participated in, advanced, and prospered from what are truly crimes against humanity.

Crimes against the imago dei. This is sin of a high order.

My opinion:
We should be grateful for the positive contributions of both. We should even learn from them.

But the lessons we learn should be no less than three-fold:

1) Where they contributed to society, we should give them their due, but NOT overplay that contribution beyond its scope.

2) Where they participated in the sins of society, we should give them censure, but NOT overplay that contribution beyond its scope.

3) We should take guidance from both of the above, and inspect our own hearts and our own moral/ethical/theological systems and beliefs. Do we participate in or condone that which may be of a kind with either? Do we contribute in some way to the bettering of the lot of our day?

Are we willing to stand boldly, like Lewis or Dabney to influence others regarding sin, humanity, or God?

Are we willing to be corrected by others who see our contributions- yet do not want to see our contributions destroyed by our sins?

Are we willing that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts and the acts of our hands and feet would be 1) to the glory of God, 2) to the good of man, 3) not hidden behind doors in shame, 4) open to correction and repentance?

As we seek to find the place of each in history and culture, let us give honor where honor is due; let us give censure where censure is due; let us use these as opportunities to see ourselves in exhaustive detail.

We may learn more from either than we realize.

And in so doing (and even more when doing in public), we may contribute even more than we could imagine. For as we enter into history ourselves, we give those who come later the chance to observe and learn from us, as we have from these men.

Both have a greatness about them, as considered in scope of mankind.

Yet neither is 'good', for there is only one who may have such given to describe Him.