Pope Francis, Jonathan Merritt, and Denying Reality

July 16, 2014 By Samuel James

Jonathan Merritt’s article on Pope Francis and cultural attitudes towards Christianity reminded me of college. Specifically, it reminded me of Philosophy 102 and how there’s always that one guy in those courses who lives for the “gotcha” moment. You know who I am talking about: The student who waits for everyone to finish their whiff at the problem of evil or Augustine’s metaphysics, before dropping a zesty observation or a handwringing moral dilemma that has the rest of the class stunned... Read more

The World Cup and Me

July 15, 2014 By Samuel James

I was once again captivated by the World Cup this year, which concluded on Sunday with Germany taking home planet Earth’s biggest sporting trophy. I was captivated for all the typical reasons: The mesmerizing pace and beauty of soccer, the thrilling global stage, the national solidarity that comes uniquely through sports, etc. There is one reason, however, this World Cup has been uniquely meaningful for me. The 2014 World Cup is the first time I’ve watched the quadrennial competition while... Read more

Hobby Lobby and the Rage of the Liberal Machine

July 9, 2014 By Samuel James

Last week the Supreme Court voted 5-4 that the Obama administration and the Affordable Care Act could not force “closely held companies” to violate religious conviction by furnishing abortifacient contraception in insurance plans. The case was not just a minor legal quarrel over a detail in Obamacare but a serious defense of religious liberty applied in the public marketplace. The Left has been declaring scorched earth since the decision, from Justice Ginsburg’s apocalyptic dissent to various expressions of unbridled outrage... Read more

Book Review: The Pastor’s Kid

July 7, 2014 By Samuel James

“Once a PK, always a PK. It is an indelible mark.” So says Barnabas Piper in his wonderful new book The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity. Being a pastor’s kid (PK) is something that nobody chooses, many dislike and many more completely misunderstand. One person who gets it is Barnabas Piper. You may or may not know who he is but the odds are very good you know his dad, John Piper, who served as senior pastor... Read more

Two Weeks

June 24, 2014 By Samuel James

Best wishes and God bless to all my readers for the next two weeks. I’ll be in New England from June 27 to July 5 on vacation, a much needed respite following by far the busiest and most stressful year I can remember. I’ve decided to step away from the blogging universe for an extra week starting tomorrow, which will help me focus on getting everything done and give me a few days to “recover” from vacation. Have a blessed July 4th... Read more

On Good Faith

June 24, 2014 By Samuel James

Kevin Williamson, a writer who is quickly ascending on my list of must read pundits, has a terrific piece today on the follies of applying the logic of the Affordable Care Act to other elements of culture. Read the post and be enlightened. But I want to draw attention to a comment left by a reader that I think raises an important point for any and all who engage in dialogue (especially the digital kind): But what if they are... Read more

“Gone Home” and the Michael Sam Syndrome

June 23, 2014 By Samuel James

Note: This post discusses the plot resolution of the video game “Gone Home.” It contains spoilers. Last August Polygon, a respected video game web journal, gave its coveted perfect rating to a game that features no villains, no levels, and no puzzles. The game is called Gone Home and it is the first major success for the small Fulbright Company, a group of game developers in Portland. (more…) Read more

On Bowdoin: Freedom of conscience, or just the thought of it?

June 19, 2014 By Samuel James

“Who’d you really love? Girl I see through, through your love. Who do you love–me, or the thought of me?”–John Mayer, “I Don’t Trust Myself” In writing up on the Bowdoin Christian Fellowship controversy, John Leo asks: “Is Religious Freedom Discriminatory?” Before I go any further, I want to draw attention to the way language can shape a debate. The word “discriminate” has evolved in our culture to take on an implied meaning not etymologically integral to the word itself.... Read more

Reviewing Roger Ebert

June 19, 2014 By Samuel James

Roger Ebert died last April after a ten year co-existence with thyroid cancer. I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news, a Shoney’s somewhere in Tennessee. One of the televisions was broadcasting a soccer game; the other was showing CNN, and that’s where I saw that my favorite film critic had passed. I remember where I was for the same reason I remember where I was when I read my first Ebert review. Like a true millennial,... Read more

Native Americans, the NFL, and Christian Priority

June 18, 2014 By Samuel James

On Wednesday the US Trademark and Patent Office cancelled six registered trademarks belonging to the NFL’s Washington Redskins. The office issued a ruling in favor of plaintiff Amanda Blackhorse, who argued that the name of the franchise was derogatory towards Native Americans. This is the first significant legal action in the controversy over Daniel Snyder’s NFL franchise, the third most profitable NFL team in America. The cultural conversation about the team’s name has been heating up in the last couple years. As the... Read more