Democratic presidential candidates have spent the last few months introducing a rucksack of new policy proposals, some of which, if implemented, would be incredibly harmful. One of those proposals came from former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke, who argued that religious institutions must be stripped of their tax-exempt status if they oppose same-sex marriage. This is, sadly, not the [ Read More ]
As an American Christian, it’s clear to me that I’m living in an increasingly secular nation. And by secular, I don’t mean most Americans are atheist or agnostic. Nor do I mean most Americans are hesitant to bring their religion into public discussions. Instead, following philosopher Charles Taylor, I mean Christianity has been displaced from the [ Read More ]
Socialism is a highly-energized and mobilized political movement—especially among Millennials—in the United States right now. The 2016 presidential primaries saw a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, Bernie Sanders, almost defeat establishment candidate Hillary Clinton. The 2018 mid-term elections saw a 28-year-old democratic socialist, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, defeat incumbent House democrat Joseph Crowley. The 2020 elections are being influenced [ Read More ]
No Christian—and for that matter, “no soldier worth his salt” (as General Schwarzkopf put it)—should be “pro-war.” We should desire peace. And yet there is disagreement on how to define the peace for which we aim and how to achieve the peace we envision. On one end of the spectrum are pacifists, who wish to [ Read More ]
During an era in which many or most Americans view historic and biblical Christianity (especially its teachings on gender and sexuality) as implausible, unimaginable, and even reprehensible, it will be surprising if religious liberty does not increasingly come under attack. Thus, in a recent Acton Institute podcast with Caroline Roberts, I outline the ways Christians [ Read More ]
Socialism is a polarizing phenomenon in the United States, having caught the nation’s attention during the 2016 election cycle and continuing to exert an influence over the national conversation. There are many varieties of socialism, but what each has in common is an emphasis on material equality and communal property ownership. In this post, we [ Read More ]
Friends, one of the significant questions a pastor often grapples with is how to lead his congregation to live faithfully in our secular public square. For that reason, I’m inviting pastors and ministry leaders to join me for a webinar exploring the proper relationship between religion and politics, and between the church and state, before [ Read More ]
In his address at the Areopagus, the apostle Paul declared to the Athenians that God himself had chosen the time and place in which they lived (Acts 17:26). The same is true for us today; God has chosen to place us in a historical and cultural context in which rapidly emerging new digital technologies increasingly [ Read More ]
On Easter, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That much is clear. What is not clear to many people, however, is what the resurrection means to Christians and why we would make such a big deal of it. The resurrection only makes sense if we first understand what the Christian “gospel” is. In the [ Read More ]
This is among the shortest articles I’ve ever written, but don’t let its brevity undermine its gravity. What is the one thing I’d say to American citizens about their involvement in politics and public life? I mean, there are so many potential answers to that question. I could say that it doesn’t behoove us to [ Read More ]