The 2016 election cycle, perhaps more than any other in recent memory, has put on full display the social, cultural, and political breakdown we are experiencing in the United States. We have seen politicians treat each other with disrespect and incivility; we have heard radio show hosts and cable network pundits issuing high-decibel invective and [ Read More ]
[Note: This post provides a glimpse into the life of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where I serve as Provost and Professor of Theology & Culture. Written as the opening presentation of our 2013 Faculty Workshop, it gives voice to Southeastern’s aspiration to be a “Great Commission Seminary.” The first portion of the essay articulates 3 core convictions [ Read More ]
Recently, I had the happy opportunity to interview evangelical political scientist Hunter Baker. Dr. Baker teaches political science at Union University, holds doctoral degrees in both law and political science, and is one of the foremost political scientists in the evangelical world. During the interview, I asked him about his conversion, why he ran for Congress, why [ Read More ]
Over the course of the past two decades, I’ve flown more than 2 million miles and visited approximately 50 nations in order to minister, lecture, research, or tour. In the midst of the diversity of destinations and purposes, however, there has been one bedrock of continuity: I cannot sleep on airplanes, even in the midst [ Read More ]
On Tuesday, the New York Times published James K. Glassman’s opinion, “Save the Republican Party: Vote for Clinton.” Glassman, a thoughtful and respected Republican who served in the George W. Bush administration, argues that Republicans who are opposed to Mr. Trump should vote for Mrs. Clinton instead of taking the timid and harmful option of [ Read More ]
In light of the racial tensions that have continued to surface in the United States over the past two years, white American Evangelicals should embrace the opportunity to reassess our views of race and reconsider how we might serve as agents of Christian healing and reconciliation. In our reassessment, we will discover that we have [ Read More ]
Any person with a pulse and even a modicum of cultural awareness knows there is a movement afoot to stifle free speech on college campuses. Controversies related to free speech have rocked the campuses of many universities, including Yale, Scripps, Oberlin, and Wesleyan. A number of colleges are authorizing “safe spaces,” “speech codes,” and “trigger [ Read More ]
Wednesday, Hillary Clinton offered a forcefully stated case for American exceptionalism in her address to the American Legion’s national convention. In the speech she championed America as having a unique and significant role in the world and in her own political aspirations. “If there’s one core belief that has guided and inspired me every step [ Read More ]
The past decade has made one thing clear to evangelicals: the social, cultural, and political ground is shifting beneath us. We are not “winning the day” with our vision of the good life. Although we have seen some incremental progress on the pro-life issue, we are experiencing consistent regression on other issues that matter most to us, such as [ Read More ]
When the resurrected Lord rebuked the church of Ephesus for leaving its first love, he was also serving notice to Christians of all times that they must work hard not to lose the passionate commitment and joy that attends our conversion. This should remind us that the Christian life has many temptations, none of which [ Read More ]