Debates have long stemmed from the question: how far is too far when it comes to punishing children? Discipline is necessary, but according to recent reports, some parents “beat” their children while claiming it’s God’s will. A story on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” explored several incidents of abuse and in some cases, death, that have ties to parents who believed religious writings told them it was OK to discipline their children in that fashion. Last month, Larry and Carri Williams were arrested and charged with... Read more

If it was ever the case that I hoped or expected jurisprudence in America to act in ways that accord with Biblical teaching, I have now officially abandoned hope of that being true, or even mostly true. I do not expect lawyers, courts or executors in America to abide by Christian principles any longer. Furthermore, for those who are so minded, I think a reasonable case for state sanctioned capital punishment can be made on the basis of New Testament... Read more

The economic crisis has disproportionately affected people of color, in particular African Americans. Given the stark economic realities in communities of color, many people have wondered why the Occupy Wall Street movement hasn’t become a major site for mobilizing African Americans. For me, it’s not about the diversity of the protests. It’s about the rhetoric used by the white left that makes OWS unable to articulate, much less achieve, a transformative racial-justice agenda. One of the first photos I saw from... Read more

In recent months, we have been listening to ongoing discussions about the problems and promises of seminary education. Some of the talk is fraught with anxiety, and some of it is filled with hope, but it is all marked by a sharp awareness that seminaries must adapt to an increasingly complex world. What challenges do seminaries face in the coming years? How are they—and the churches and communities that are the focus of their mission—preparing for those challenges? What signs... Read more

Dan Aleshire is the Executive Director of The Association of Theological Schools. ATS is a membership organization of more than 260 graduate schools in the United States and Canada that conduct post-baccalaureate professional and academic degree programs to educate persons for the practice of ministry and for teaching and research in the theological disciplines. The Commission on Accrediting of ATS accredits the schools, approves the degree programs they offer, gathers strategic information from the schools, and explores critical issues in theological education. Of the... Read more

Religion has played a role in politics and in Presidential Elections dating back to John F. Kennedy Jr.’s run for the presidency when Protestants questioned whether Kennedy’s Roman Catholic faith would prevent him from making important national decisions. As we approach the 2012 elections, we have seen Republican candidate Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith being called into question, and Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry incorporate religious rhetoric in their campaigns. Dr. Obery Hendricks, professor of biblical interpretation at New York Theological... Read more

One year before the 2012 election, the role of religion in our public life is already a hot topic in the presidential race.  The idea that America is, or should be, a “Christian nation” is taught by Religious Right figures such as “historian” David Barton.  Prominent Religious Right advocates, including some closely associated with presidential candidates Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann and Newt Gingrich, insist that law and government must be run according to their interpretations of the Bible.... Read more

With the popularity of Islamic-based political parties in Tunisia and Egypt, and the announce of the continuation of a sharia law-based Libya, political Islam in some of the Arab Spring countries is it seems regaining momentum, re-launching the debate between democracy and Islam. After 9/11 and Osama Bin Laden’s jihadist based rhetoric which called for Muslims to wage war against the West, the struggle against terrorism became systematically associated with a ‘clash of civilisations’ between the West and Islam, a religion intertwined in the cultural... Read more

C.S. Lewis’ brilliant novel, The Screwtape Letters, reveals spiritual warfare from a demon’s point of view. This funny, provocative, and wickedly witty theatrical adaptation, starring Max McLean as Screwtape was a hit in New York where it ran for nine months and a sold out sensation in Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta & Washington D.C.! “A Gripping, Sizzling Dramatization!”  World Magazine “Fascinating, Entertaining and True to the Book!”   Catholic Herald THREE GREAT OFFERS! • Save $10 on Great Seats! (When buying two $49 or $59 tix. Use code... Read more

“[Wallis’] ideology is not Christian… It is, in fact, what Paul would call the doctrine of devils.” — Bishop Harry Jackson Wow. Strong words. So, how did we get to this place? A story titled “Preachers confront ‘last taboo’: Condemning greed amid Great Recession” by John Blake appeared on CNN and opened with some quotes from Bishop Harry Jackson. Jackson is not shy about stirring up controversy, but he stops short when it comes to preaching about greed. The Maryland bishop... Read more