Our nation is roiled by a debate over whether it is systemically racist, and how to think about race. Christians wonder how the gospel applies to this confusing debate. How should we think about our nation’s racist history? Where does God fit in? How should we respond as Christians? I have been privileged to join IRD-hosted discussions with Jewish and Christian thinkers—mostly black—on this subject in the last few years. Based on these discussions and their writings, I propose five approaches to... Read more

Carl Trueman is an historian at Grove City College who seems to be everywhere these days.  He writes with spectacular punch at First Things and his recent book on the rise of the modern self has won plaudits from Right to Left.  In this podcast he chats with me and his cohost about the national covenant, race, and critical race theory.   Read more

FOR THOSE WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO OPEN THIS WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT . . . by J. Daryl Charles While cities and states have been struggling to adapt to life amid the coronavirus, it is possible that another pandemic afflicts American society in even greater proportions. For this reason, it is difficult to overstate the timeliness of a recent collection of essays edited by Gerald R. McDermott: Race and Covenant: Recovering the Religious Roots for American Reconciliation (Acton... Read more

  by J. Daryl Charles While cities and states have been struggling to adapt to life amid the coronavirus, it is possible that another pandemic afflicts American society in even greater proportions. For this reason, it is difficult to overstate the timeliness of a recent collection of essays edited by Gerald R. McDermott: Race and Covenant: Recovering the Religious Roots for American Reconciliation (Acton Institute Press, 2020). The essays comprising this volume issue from a February 2019 conference at Samford... Read more

A group of notable thinkers gathered to discuss biblical resources for addressing racial conflict in America in February 2019 at Samford University in Birmingham. Race and Covenant, the product of these scholars’ efforts, offers an analysis of America’s race dilemma and how to overcome it based on the idea of national covenant. The essays are even more relevant after the events of summer 2020, amidst the ensuing public discussion on race, justice, and social reform. Each essay stands alone, but the work expresses... Read more

I step with trepidation when I visit a new church in Holy Week. Typically the pastors and readers know little or nothing of the debates over the supposed anti-semitism gospel of John, from which many of the Holy Week texts are taken. So the readings often seem to pit Jesus against “the Jews,” and suggest that all “the Jews” supported the arrest and torture of the Messiah.  And worse yet, that Jesus himself condemned “the Jews” and therefore their religion.... Read more

Mark Connally is a delightful and erudite Irishman who interviews theologians and other scholars. Here is a podcast of his conversation with me on my life and career, race, God’s glory in this world, Israel, and Jonathan Edwards.  Our conversation ranges over several of my recent books. Dr Gerald R. McDermott: God’s Covenant: Race, Israel, and Jonathan Edwards – YouTube Read more

Friends, My latest book is now available.  Top scholars explain in accessible language the Jewish roots of Christianity. Here are some questions it answers: Did Jesus start a new religion, radically different from the Judaism of his day? Did Paul say we are now free from Jewish law? Does the book of Hebrews claim that God’s covenant with Israel is over? When did the churches and synagogues split from each other? Have the Christian churches been anti-semitic? What is messianic... Read more

It is easy to be led astray theologically when trying to be pastoral. You could say that was the mistake that the Episcopal Church made.  Starting in the 1970s its leaders said that in order to heal the hurts of the same-sex attracted (SSA) we must let them live out their sexual desires.  Later, that meant marriage for gays. It didn’t matter, for TEC, that the plain sense of Scripture and the whole Christian tradition were against these moves.  Scripture... Read more

Friends: Jerusalem Seminary is the only Protestant seminary in English in Israel.  It is now offering a splendid opportunity for you to study “there,” but from your home. Beginning next month, you can study “there” online the book of Matthew, beginning Hebrew, and the Jewish roots of prayer and music. The director of the new Jerusalem seminary, Baruch Kvasnica, is seen here with his family. See this short video in which he tells about this splendid opportunity: JS video Here is... Read more