I am a Christian. And I am a Zionist. But it took me years of being both to realize that I’m a Christian Zionist. Though I consider myself a strong Christian and a committed lover of Israel, out of college I was leery of calling myself a Christian Zionist. http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=283104 Read more

I am not Catholic—in fact, I was raised a Mormon, though I have had serious doubts about the Latter-day Saint faith for decades. Yet my journey of the heart—which ultimately ended in the Catholic Church—came long after I had intellectually departed—so I cannot receive Holy Communion. But when Archbishop Raymond Burke places his hand on my head in a blessing, the extraordinary presence of Jesus Christ moves my soul to tears. I now know, in my head and in my... Read more

Despite his claims otherwise, he’s more or less the last survivor of a group of intellectuals who thought systemic political violence and totalitarian control were essentially good things. He babbles about human rights all the time, but when you look at the regimes and groups he’s supported, it’s a very bloody list indeed. http://frontpagemag.com/2012/michael-j-totten/noam-chomsky-the-last-totalitarian/ Read more

Christians are in the “hard place” of trying to survive the existential threat of Boko Haram and the lack of protection by their government. The radical Islamist sect demands the total Islamization of Nigeria and is working towards that goal by killing as many Christians and destroying as many churches as possible. Thousands of Christians have been attacked and killed in recent months, and the government of Christian President Goodluck Jonathan seems unable to bring the perpetrators to justice. http://www.theird.org/issues/religious-liberty/the-church-in-nigeria-between-a-rock-and-a-very-hard-place-?erid=1636598&trid=65ca25ad-8d77-4bdd-8efd-97b17f1e93ae Read more

He used to work on a building site. Now he’s got an MBA from Harvard and runs the Jerusalem YMCA. What went right for Forsan Hussein? And why is his story at once an inspiration and an indictment? http://www.jidaily.com/bf93a?utm_source=Jewish+Ideas+Daily+Insider&utm_campaign=1083590cac-Insider&utm_medium=email Read more

Political anti-Mormonism was a real force in late nineteenth-century America. Commentators across the country denounced Mormonism as “the octopus of our political life” and as being distinctly “un-American.” Every level of the federal government weighed in. The Supreme Court ruled against Mormon polygamy in the Reynolds v. U.S. decision in 1879, and Congress passed anti-polygamy legislation in 1862, 1874, 1882, and 1887, all of which was accompanied with strident anti-Mormon sentiment. Anti-Mormonism also captivated the White House, as every president... Read more

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, left a smoking crater in lower Manhattan, it’s been common knowledge that religion divides people. After all, the hijackers who steered jetliners into some of the world’s best-known buildings were hardline Islamists, motivated by a grim theological doctrine of holy war against the West. When taken against the backdrop of history, with its endless Crusades and holy wars, these horrific attacks cast religion as the root cause of human violence and strife.... Read more

A Mormon President? Religious and Political Perspectives Robert L. Millet, one of the world’s leading Mormon theologians, will discuss Romney’s Mormonism with Gerald McDermott, Roanoke College professor of religion and co-author of a book on Mormonism; Harry Wilson, RC political scientist; and Robert Benne, author of Good and Bad Ways to Think About Religion and Politics. Friday, September 14, 7:30 pm, Antrim Chapel, Roanoke College. Tickets are required but free. Call 540-378-5125. Read more

What does it really mean? Especially in light of the First Amendment? At next Thursday’s Theology on Tap (our last for the summer), we will discuss recent studies of this question. Thursday, August 23, 8 PM 419 bar/restaurant out front, under the awning Read more

Friends: World records are being set by a 62-year-old man in Miami. His is a fascinating story. I have run and swum with him on South Beach, and he has nicknamed me “The Theologian.” (He gives a nickname to everyone who runs 8 miles with him and then swims a half-mile with him.) Click below to see and listen to his story–as told by two fetching women. If you are a runner, you might want to help contribute to his... Read more