The Sun’s Not Yellow, It’s Chicken: An Analogy for Chick-Fil-A Skeptics

August 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
the_suns_not_yellow_its_chicken_2_tees-r7cada9b2586345eb9ac13e144083d320_f0ceo_512

I came cross this blog post last night via the Facebook wall of Hunter Baker. On that blog, called "The American Jesus," a young Christian man named Zack Hunt explains why he did not participate in "Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day." (For some reason, "The American Jesus"  cannot be accessed right now. Hopefully, it is only a temporary glitch). Although I very much appreciate the thought that went into Zack's post, I want to focus on one claim he makes: "Regardless, for me, dedicating a day to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christians, Marriage, politics Tagged With: , , Leave a Comment

The Joy of Calvinism

April 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment
140977764

I just noticed that Greg Forster has published a new book, The Joy of Calvinism. Given the divisions that arose as a consequence of the movement that spawned Calvinism, perhaps a sequel to the book should be entitled The Joy of Sects. In all seriousness, Greg is a wonderful scholar, and the author of a three-part series that will be published at Public Discourse. The first installment is entitled "Evangelicals and Politics: The Hundred Years' War." … [Read more...]

Filed Under: politics, Protestantism Tagged With: , , Leave a Comment

What Reagan Can Teach Romney and Santorum

March 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
ronald-reagan-berlinwall

That's the title of my latest piece over at The Catholic Thing. Here's how it begins: American Conservative politicians are at a rhetorical disadvantage running for national office, not only because the national media are largely liberal. Our cultural vocabulary is infused with liberal assumptions. For this reason, many of us who largely agree with social and economic conservatism cringe when we listen to conservative politicians either struggling to convey a conservative answer without giving … [Read more...]

Filed Under: American Culture, Mitt Romney, politics, Rick Santorum, Ronald W. Reagan, The Catholic Thing Tagged With: , , , Leave a Comment

Read All About It!: President Obama to exempt religious organizations..[+Update]

February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment
6a00d834515b2069e200e54f2e99e58833-800wi

from the list of tax-exempt non-profits that a citizen can work for in order to have the government forgive the student's college loan. Read all about in the Washington Post On Faith blog. Here's an excerpt: Are clergy and teachers of religious faith/thought public servants? Is their work on par with that of others who work for 501c3 non-for-profit groups and for government agencies? It used to be, but as of January 31st, the federal government has changed its mind about that. Although not … [Read more...]

Filed Under: American Culture, President Barack Obama, Religious Liberty Tagged With: , , Leave a Comment

Too Many Ironies in the Fire

January 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment
ironic-yes-15

Newt claims that Mitt has character issues, and now Herman Cain is endorsing Newt. Looks like Newt has too many ironies in the fire. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , Leave a Comment

An Uncomfortable and Awkward Question for Conservative Christian Gingrich Supporters

January 23, 2012 By 37 Comments
Gingrich_2012_0b9a9-595

Are you prepared for America to have a First Lady who was a home wrecker and was once the President's mistress (if Gingrich were to become President)?  Many Christian conservatives--smitten by Newt's rhetorical flourishes, as they are of any "good preaching"--seem not to have the imagination to entertain this question. It crossed my mind weeks ago, but I thought it churlish to raise it online, until I witnessed Gingrich's retort to John King when the CNN correspondent brought up the ABC … [Read more...]

Filed Under: American Culture, Newt Gingrich, politics Tagged With: , 37 Comments

Religion, Politics, and the Public Square

November 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Over the years I've published several academic articles dealing with the separation of church and state and the status of theology as knowledge. I bring this to your attention because of the increasing attention on the religious beliefs of those running for the U. S. Presidency. Here are some of my articles with links: “How To Be An Anti-Intelligent Design Advocate,” University of St. Thomas Journal of Law & Public Policy 4.1 (2009-2010): 35-65. “Must Theology Sit in the Back of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: American Culture, politics Tagged With: , Leave a Comment

The Question Behind Our Political Divisions

November 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

That is the title of my most recent entry over at The Catholic Thing. Here's how it begins: The political regime of the United States of America is one founded on three core philosophical ideas:  natural rights, consent of the governed, and the rule of law. The American Founders put in place a structure – a federal constitutional government of divided powers consisting of states with their own republican governments – in order to ensure that these core philosophical ideas stood the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: American Culture, politics, The Catholic Thing Tagged With: , Leave a Comment

Government Forms (or Deforms) Your Soul

October 17, 2011 By 1 Comment

That is the title of an article I published last year (vol. 21, no. 5, September 2010) in This Rock (now Catholic Answers Magazine), the magazine of Catholic Answers. It is now available online. Portions of this article are adapted from portions of my most recent book, Politics for Christians: Statecraft as Soulcraft (InterVarsity Press, 2010). Here's how the article begins: “Statecraft,” Aristotle instructed his pupils, “is soulcraft.” What he meant is that the state or government, by … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Abortion, Catholic Answers, Marriage, Moral Theology, Philosophy, politics, Politics for Christians, Sanctity of Life Tagged With: , , , 1 Comment

President Obama: Ex-Liberal

October 14, 2011 By 1 Comment

That's the title of my latest entry over at The Catholic Thing. Here's how it begins: President Barack Obama has abandoned liberalism.  What I mean by liberalism is not the political philosophy that we typically associate with left of center politicians and candidates.  The President, of course, remains unabashedly in that camp. What I am referring to you is a particular posture concerning moral questions the President has publicly embraced on several occasions. It is from that liberalism he … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Abortion, American Culture, Barack Obama, Law, politics, The Catholic Thing Tagged With: , , , , 1 Comment