Christianity Today has published a wake-up call to churches, saying that it is very likely that church giving will drop off in the not-too-distant future. I question some of the reasons given, but if this happens, what should congregations do?
Christianity Today has published a wake-up call to churches, saying that it is very likely that church giving will drop off in the not-too-distant future. I question some of the reasons given, but if this happens, what should congregations do?
American Samoa is a U.S. territory. A recent court ruling would give its residents full American citizenship. But some residents worry that citizenship would mean that U.S. law would not permit treasured cultural practices, such as family ownership of land and "prayer curfews," which require a daily break for family prayer.
The number of "Nones," those who claim no religious affiliation, has been going up dramatically, now constituting about a fifth of the population. But now researchers are finding evidence that the trend is leveling off and that the decline of religion is slowing.
How is it that moral relativists--those who don't believe in moral absolutes, who think morality is a cultural or individual construction, who reject traditional morality--are nevertheless so moralistic? Moral relativists today are so judgmental, so pre-occupied with virtue signaling, so unforgiving, so self-righteous? How can that be? A new book sees an unstable mashup between Nietzsche and Puritanism.
Penguin Books and Barnes & Noble thought they were being racially sensitive with their "Diverse Editions" of classic literature, which featured covers of white characters pictured as black. But African Americans were outraged at what they saw as "literary blackface."
Stella Marabito draws parallels between St. Valentine's martyrdom for defending marriage against the Roman state and today's similar hostility to marriage. She also traces how Valentine's Day has changed--from an emphasis on sacrificial love in marriage, to romance, to sex, and now to violence against women.
Bernie Sanders is now, at this point in the campaign, the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination. It's time to take him seriously, both as a potential candidate and as a potential president.
In his State of the Union address, President Trump pushed conservative ideas, but he also advocated social programs funded by a strong activist government. Hunter Baker says that Trump stands for "big-government conservatism," which is different from the Democrats' big-government progressivism.
Police in Finland are investigating the leader of an entire church denomination for publishing a booklet that disapproves of homosexuality. The author of that booklet, which sets forth the Biblical teachings about sexuality, is also under investigation for the crime of inciting hatred.
China's handling of the coronavirus epidemic--first covering it up and then locking down its citizens--has become a test case for two theories of government. Are authoritarian governments best equipped to deal with national emergencies, or do they underscore the importance of freedom and democracy?
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