Romans 13 is an often cited passage when Christians think about faith and politics. The very first verse of the chapter reads: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God (Romans 13:1, ESV). As St. Paul argues in his epistle to the Roman church, whoever disobeys these authorities disobeys God. Government is intended to encourage the doing of good and punish those... Read more
I’ve been wanting to write this article for a couple of years. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a widely misunderstood figure in American history. Dominant histories cast King as a moderate, passive, colorblind peacemaker. Today, we will not consider ourselves so much with the “historical King,” if I may. Rather, we will address the surging accusations that King was a heretic. I first saw this claim leveled by a former colleague of mine, and our collegiality ended sometime after.... Read more
Mexico’s first woman president, Claudia Sheinbaum, delivered an address in Mexico City on January 13. Sheinbaum’s speech centered on the international relationships between Mexico, the US, and Canada. Sheinbaum assured the nation that Mexico will continue the political project developed by former president Armando Manuel López Obrador: la Cuarta Transformación (the Fourth Transformation). Part of this transformation is what Sheinbaum called Mexican humanism. We examine one of the core tenets of this model of humanism: “por el bien de todos,... Read more
From Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Stanley Hauerwas, Christian theologians reject violence as a dogma of Christian social engagement. Indeed, there are several denominations that have enshrined nonviolence (or Christian pacifism) in their distinctives, formally or informally. The Mennonites, the Amish, and other Anabaptist traditions are prime examples of this. But those familiar with history will know that there have been many Christians (who apologists are likely to euphemize as “people who claimed to be Christian”) who enacted violence... Read more
O Holy Night is an indisputable Christmas classic. It is one of those songs which awakens a sense of peace, solemnity, and dozing by the fireplace. And like all pieces of great art, its lyrics and melody are better known than its story and meaning. It feels like I experience Christmas differently each year. The Christian calendar seems to be designed that way. Our lives are constantly shaped by the Word and the world. This constant flux reorients and reforms... Read more
This article follows the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The murderer, Luigi Mangione, has received condemnation from the corporate media, Ben Shapiro, and some of the American public. Mangione, however, has more broadly received sympathy, tacit approval, and even celebration from most of the American people. For those curious as to why, or for those strongly disgusted by this approval of violence, we set out in this article to explain the underpinnings of Mangione’s support. How could people... Read more
This week, another cultural hot-button issue went viral in American politics. Should trans women be able to use cis women’s bathrooms? This question entered the national spotlight when one representative, Nancy Mace, brought the issue to the House. McBride was recently elected as Delaware’s representative (Delaware only gets one). This makes her the first openly transgender person to be elected to the US Congress. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health in the Department of Health and Human Services, made similar... Read more
In this article, we think about how to resist what scientists are calling “polarized information ecosystems.” Polarization is widely discussed. But widely discussed subjects are rarely well-discussed. Too many commentators continue to utilize the increasingly insufficient “echo chamber” hypothesis to explain the political division we see in American society. I argue that Christians have a primary responsibility to live lives of holiness. Holiness demands distinct ways of living which transcend the negative and sinful ways that worldly systems attempt to... Read more
Today is Election Day. And Christian content creators, bloggers, and pastors are sending a clear message: no matter who is president, Jesus is King. Christ’s Kingship is the very foundation of Christian politics. He does not lead or rule like earthly kings do. Earthly rulers seek their self-interest. They sacrifice the people to get their way. Israel’s monarchy is a prime example of this. In the book of 1 Samuel, we see how the assembly of Israel rejected God’s Kingship... Read more
New Mexico had some breaking news this past Sunday: former president, and current presidential candidate Donald J. Trump is coming to Albuquerque. This will not be the first Trump rally in the Land of Enchantment. Back in 2019, Trump visited Rio Rancho. This year’s Halloween visit, scheduled this Thursday, is raising a number of eyebrows. Why visit a strongly blue state and overwhelmingly blue city? The rally will be held just five days before election day. And it is unusual... Read more
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