Do "rights" protect liberty, or do they create entitlements? Do they limit what the government can do, or do they increase the power and scope of government? Different assumptions about "rights" underlie the conflicts between conservatives and progressives.
For all of our alleged secularism, 83% of Americans believe in life after death. And 73% believe in a joyous Heaven, with 62% believing in Hell as a realm of eternal suffering.
The problem of suffering--how an almighty and loving God could allow so much pain in the world--has been seen as a major obstacle to faith in today's world. Surprisingly, though, a study of Americans' attitudes towards suffering shows that this conundrum is not a major concern for most people today after all.
Moses was raised as the son of Pharaoh's daughter, but he repudiated his life of wealth, social status, and power to be part of the People of God. But he didn't fit in with them either. He was a model for the Pilgrims, and he is a model for all Christians in their pilgrimage to the heavenly Promised Land.
Evangelicals today are associated with right wing conservatives, but in the 19th century they were associated with "progressive" causes such as the abolitionism of slavery and voting rights for women. To the point that Lincoln's new Thanksgiving holiday with its ties to New England Puritans was controversial.
"He comes." That is what "advent" means. But there is more to it than that: "He comes unto you." That we do not have to ascend to Christ, but that He descends to us is at the heart of the Gospel. That's Luther's point in his sermon for the First Sunday of Advent (1522).
Reversing a previous trend, single Christians between 18 and 35 are increasingly obeying the Bible when it comes to pre-marital sex.
Research has found that 50% of Americans "say grace" of some kind before meals, which is a larger percentage than go to church. Why this is healthy and important. And how it ties to vocation.
The Black Plague of the 14th century contributed to the rise of economic and political freedom, but the COVID pandemic is contributing to the loss of economic and political freedom.
The Bubonic Plague, also known as the "Black Death," wiped out nearly half the population of 14th century Europe. That is the bad news. But the plague was also a major factor in the rise of economic and political freedom.
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