Over at The New York Times, Frank Bruni wrote on the subject of “Trump’s Relentless Tribe.” Partisanship is serving the current occupant in the Oval Office well, as Bruni convincingly argues. Still, I believe, if the Democrats had won, the same would have been the case for their victorious candidate of choice. Thus, I disagreed with Bruni’s assessment when he writes, “I doubt that Democrats, faced with a leader like Trump, would fall this pathetically into line. Bill Clinton and his presidency... Read more

Reuters reported yesterday: “U.S. intel chief warns of devastating cyber threat to U.S. infrastructure.” U.S. Intelligence Chief Dan Coats likened the level of concern surrounding cyber attacks to the situation preceding 9/11: “The system was blinking red. Here we are nearly two decades later and I’m here to say the warning lights are blinking red again.” “Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are launching daily cyber strikes on the computer networks of federal, state and local government agencies, U.S. corporations,... Read more

I find a lot of “They broke the law…Send them back” claims in the immigration debate. While the claims may be intended to shut down the debate, they only open Pandora’s Box. After all, breaking the law is quintessentially American. Every Fourth of July, we as a nation celebrate the rebellion of the American colonialists—British subjects—against their own empire. In Romans 13, Paul tells Christians that they are subject to the governing authorities, and that the ruler does not bear... Read more

John W. Morehead is the Director of the Evangelical Chapter of the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy. He is also a part of the Multi-faith Matters Collaborative Inquiry Team working on a grant on multi-faith engagement by evangelicals funded by the Louisville Institute. Paul Louis Metzger (PLM): John, in the last post (refer here), we discussed “multi-faith” in contradistinction to “interfaith” and referenced key influences on your thought, as well as key initiatives underway in this regard. At this point, I wish to highlight the... Read more

John W. Morehead is the Director of the Evangelical Chapter of the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy. He is also a part of the Multi-faith Matters Collaborative Inquiry Team working on a grant on multi-faith engagement by evangelicals funded by the Louisville Institute. Paul Louis Metzger (PLM): John, please explain the terminology “multi-faith” and how, on your view, it relates to and differs from “interfaith.” John W. Morehead (JWM): “Multi-faith engagement” is the term I prefer to use, or “religious diplomacy,” in distinction to “interfaith”... Read more

The name-calling from across the ideological spectrum has perhaps reached new heights in America and across the globe. I often hear the Nazi or fascist label being applied in various debates, especially toward those who take conservative stands. I also find the equivalent of anarchist or traitor applied to those who are on the cultural left. Take for example President Trump’s attack on Colin Kaepernick and others kneeling, not standing, for the National Anthem at the beginning of NFL games.... Read more

Judge people based on the content of their character, not country of origin or religion. That sounds like something Dr. King would say, but not President Trump. In front of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, Dr. King issued these famous words from his “I Have a Dream” speech. There he envisioned a future state of reality in America: “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by... Read more

Three names that were hallowed in my Evangelical Christian community when I was growing up were Corrie ten Boom, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and James Dobson. The first two were hailed in my Evangelical Christian community for their resistance to the Nazi authorities on behalf of the Jewish people in their native countries of the Netherlands and Germany. The latter individual was and is known for his focus on the nuclear family. Against this backdrop, I was deeply troubled to find some... Read more

Casual sex can refer to one night stands and non-relational sex, where there are no strings attached. How often do people approach God in similarly casual ways? Biblical prophets write of how God’s people often play the harlot (See Ezekiel 16, for example). The problem becomes so bad that God tells Hosea to take for himself a prostitute as a wife. Their marriage involving her various adulteries and Hosea’s faithfulness in the midst of her infidelities symbolizes God’s relationship with... Read more

The canonical gospels present Jesus’ complex and troubling relationship with Jerusalem. Take for example Matthew 23. Matthew 23 presents Jesus longing to gather its people to himself: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37; ESV). It should be noted that Jesus’ cry of longing follows his outcry against the religious hierarchy... Read more