This week on Twitter, a thousand theological experts emerged in a discussion over an evangelical school that, surprise, enforced a rule that their faculty adhere to evangelical doctrine. At the center of this debate was a statement by political science professor Larycia Hawkins on Facebook. In a well-meaning attempt to identify with the struggles of …
Continue...The overlords of today’s secular enterprise want the role of religion displaced from public life. On Monday, the Supreme Court handed down an important decision that works against the goals of the naked public square, instead helping stake out religion’s value to both individuals and communities. In Greece v. Galloway, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to uphold the rights …
Continue...Over the last several years, as our society has steadily worsened into deep confusion, I have often found myself disoriented culturally. But a single goal has continually driven me onward: I want to help the church think theologically about the way we engage with culture. So, what does it mean to think theologically? What does …
Continue...Each week my neighbors and I engage in a curious ethical ritual. On Wednesday morning before we leave for work we set outside our doors an artifact that expresses our obligation to the welfare of future generations. We call these objects recycling bins. Recycling is one example of an action that we take in the …
Continue...Perhaps you can remember an occasion where something was said and you felt a shudder of shame. Such a moment happened for me a couple of years ago, when I had convened a group of conservative evangelical women leaders to talk about various issues affecting the church. The conversation turned to the awful revelations of …
Continue...Public outrage is spreading over the City of Houston’s attempt to force pastors to hand over their sermons and other communications in a case where they are not parties. Just after midnight on Wednesday, Houston Mayor Annise Parker tweeted in defense of her subpoenas, saying pastors’ sermons are “fair game” if they concern an issue …
Continue...In order to renew anything, we must have a vision for what it is intended to be, for what’s gone wrong, and for how to bring about transformation. The following will establish that threefold vision for sexuality: 1. Christian faith revels in sexual fidelity The Bible is frank about sexual joy within the circle of …
Continue...Trillia Newbell, author of United: Captured by God's Vision for Diversity, illustrates why Christians should actively engage race relations. “Race can be such a difficult thing to talk about, but it shouldn't be,” Newbell said. “We should work to approach race relations–especially as Christians–because there shouldn't be a divide between us.” The following excerpt was adapted …
Continue...Read part 1 here. Like an outwardly working concentric circle, religious liberty hinges upon an understanding of (1) individual assent, (2) group association, and (3) institutional distinction. These are reflected in the practices of individual conversion and regenerate church membership, which entails a distinction between membership in the church and membership in society, and the …
Continue...Growing up in a Southern Baptist church in the 1970s and ’80s, I heard quite a bit about “the Rapture.” This was the dispensationalist apocalyptic teaching that some day, some day very soon, born-again Christians would be secretly whisked away to heaven, right before seven years of dystopian hell on earth. Evangelical gospel tracts, films, …
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