On July 4th, Americans will wave our flags proudly, belt out our national songs triumphantly, and consume our barbecue and lemonade a little too freely. Why? Because we live in America, the best nation this planet has had the privilege to host. I’m grateful to be an American, and I enjoy the many freedoms and benefits that come with my citizenship. Nonetheless, our nation’s history has a track record for taking patriotism beyond gratitude and into nationalist idolatry. Many Americans through the … [Read more...]
Silver Linings in DOMA Case?
June 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment
From a legal and political perspective, I'm with Hadley Arkes that this is an unmitigated disaster. But from the perspective of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I can agree with Dr. Russell Moore that there is always good news, even though, as he puts it, "Same-sex marriage is headed for your community." Wise words for those of us who don't plan to give in - ever - regardless of what the Court might say. … [Read more...]
What Wendy Davis’s Filibuster Means for Christian Communion
June 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment
by Rachana ChhinIf you have been swept up in all the news with the recent Supreme Court rulings on marriage, you probably have not heard about a significant event that happened in Texas. Around midnight on Tuesday night, after an 11 hour filibuster, the Texas special legislative session ended and with it a pro-life omnibus bill called SB5.There is much misinformation about what the bill actually does but, in essence, it comprised four parts. One part of SB5 would have banned abortion at … [Read more...]
This Is Not About Gay Marriage
June 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The following is an excerpt from an exclusive feature available only in Issue #6 of the Christ and Pop Culture Magazine. For more features like this, download our app for iPad and iPhone from Apple's App Store. After a one-week free trial, monthly and yearly subscriptions are available for $2.99 and $29.99 respectively. New issues are made available every other week. More information here. Too often, the term “gay marriage” lands on the table with a thud and Christians seize on the “gay” part. … [Read more...]
Whatever the Court Says About Marriage: Carry On
June 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
This morning, the Supreme Court will announce its decisions in the two so-called gay marriage cases. Anxiety is high across the nation. Hundreds of people lined up to have a chance to witness the announcement first hand; throngs of activists, spectators, and media will surround the entrance as the nation waits for the marshall to bring the court to order. Whatever happens, these cases are sure to be among the most anticipated, most observed, and most commented-on in the Court's long history. The … [Read more...]
Patenting Genes Is Like Patenting Sunlight
June 17, 2013 by Leave a Comment
J. R. R. Tolkien popularized the concept of humans acting as "sub-creators." God is the master Creator, and we are made in his image, bearing his likeness by representing him and following his example in cultivating and caring for the world. When we use the gifts God has given us to create new things, we are imitating God's creative work, obeying the first commands he gave Adam and Eve and glorifying Him by pointing back to Him as the original Creator. Tolkien applied this to writing fantasy … [Read more...]
Bordering on Chaos: Threading The Needle With Immigration Reform
June 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Nothing brings the United States Senate together quite like larding up a farm bill with goodies for their constituents. But the goodwill and cheer is about to end, as the Senate today voted 84–15 on Tuesday to proceed with debate on so-called comprehensive immigration reform. The measure is splitting coalitions in unpredictable ways, pitting natural allies against one another and deepening generational intraparty rifts.Immigration reform has eluded policymakers for at decades now. The last m … [Read more...]
Through the PRISM: How To Submit to Authorities When They’re Spying On You
June 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
"Privacy" has taken on new meaning in our generation. When the Fourth Amendment was penned, the government had to physically break down doors or at least creep up next to a window or something to gather information on private citizens. Now, we voluntarily share most of our lives on social media, and all the rest is zinging around through cyberspace.For the most part, third parties do it for us - Google, Facebook, Verizon, our banks. When we use these services, we agree to give them our data … [Read more...]
A New Gospel-Inspired Peace in Honduras
June 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
I've been to Honduras, I think, four times in my life--twice that I can remember and a couple of trips when I was an infant. It's where my parents were born, my mother grew up, and a majority of my extended family still lives. My mom still goes back regularly to see our family in the capital city of Tegucigalpa and I'd love to take my wife there one day to meet them as well. It's a beautiful country with a rich culture and generous people. Of course, to me the best part of Honduras is my family, … [Read more...]
Citizenship Confusion: Valedictorian Prays but Should Christians Rejoice?
June 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Each week in Citizenship Confusion, Alan Noble discusses how we confuse our heavenly citizenship with citizenship to the state, culture, and world. When the State announced that it would no longer include prayer during the graduation ceremony at Liberty High School in Pickens County, South Carolina, Roy Costner IV, a valedictorian, took matters into his own hands. The local school district had received complaints from the Freedom From Religion Foundation about school sponsored prayer in the … [Read more...]
