Walter Lippmann and Liberal Theology Conservative Presbyterian theologian J. Gresham Machen’s book Christianity and Liberalism was published in 1923. There he argued that liberal theology is incompatible with biblical, orthodox Christianity and even with Christianity at all. He argued that it is a different religion and liberal theologians should admit it. Soon after that, renowned public intellectual Walter Lippmann, a secular humanist, publicly agreed with Machen. Of course, numerous conservative Christians have agreed with both Machen and Lippmann. That is... Read more

The Prescience of Tony Campolo: He Warned Us The year was 1985. The “Reagan Era” was in full swing. Conservative Christians were shouting Reagan’s praises. In the midst of the noise evangelical writer and speaker Tony Campolo (d. 2024) wrote a chapter that warned about the future. The book was strangely titled: We Have Met the Enemy and They Are Partly Right. The book is about secular thinkers often labeled “the enemy” by conservative Christians in America and how they... Read more

Being in “Inner Exile” What is “inner exile?” I learned the phrase from President George Brushaber of Bethel College and University (now Bethel University) who used it to describe faculty members (and possibly staff) who have “check out” of the institution but who still function in it. In other words, it is a disposition, a posture toward “home” or “community” or “the leadership.” Immediately when I heard George (we were on a first name basis) say that, I knew what... Read more

Who Is A “Good Person?” New Years Day I was window shopping in a large suburban mall. I saw a new store. I’ve never seen it before. “The Be A Good Person Store.” Think about it for a moment. The store (and its web site) sells tee shirts, sweatshirts and other clothes that all display the imperative “Be A Good Person.” Streaming past the store were hundreds of people of many kinds. I wondered what the owners of the store... Read more

Either For Or Against Capital Punishment President Joe Biden recently commuted the sentences of about thirty federal prison inmates on death row. Reducing their sentences to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, he let three death row inmates’ death sentences stand. News reports said Biden is opposed to the death penalty. I propose that one cannot really be “opposed to the death penalty” and make exceptions—supporting the execution of even one person. Another example is Israel’s condemnation... Read more