Church and Mission
Late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century Protestant theology was dominated by the “fundamentalist-modernist” controversy, as many established Protestant seminaries and theologians aligned themselves with the liberal revisionism of Schleiermacher and his progeny. In response to the bizarre lucubrations and supercilious anti-orthodoxy of the revisionists, Protestant fundamentalists retreated from modern culture, formed intellectual ghettos, and cast a reactionary and [ Read More ]
One June 17, 1972, five perpetrators broke into the Democratic National headquarters in Washington, DC. Eventually, investigators discovered that then-President Nixon had approved plans to cover up his administration’s involvement in the break-in. In the end, 69 people were indicted and 48 persons convicted for clandestine and illegal activities on behalf of the Nixon administration [ Read More ]
Early-twentieth-century Catholic theology was dominated by the “modernist” school, marked by higher criticism, questioning of the Church, and assimilation with modern culture. Several popes fought this trend by silencing and deposing theologians. In 1962, Pope John XXIII called the Second Vatican Council, bringing about significant change. This list provides a good starting point for thoughtful [ Read More ]
odern theology is discourse about God in the context of modernity and the cultural ethos brought about by the Enlightenment. After Enlightenment thinkers denigrated special revelation in favor of natural theology, post-Enlightenment intellectual giants tried in various ways to move beyond their assertions. Kant focused on morality as the focal point of Christianity. Hegel homed [ Read More ]
After having received Edith Eger’s The Gift from a friend, I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out to be one of the best books I’ve read in recent years. I’m generally skeptical of “self-help” books—often finding them simplistic and sing-songy—but The Gift is different. It is a heartfelt, wise, and eloquent book. The author [ Read More ]
I began this series with the recognition that, during my adult life there have been two dark nights of the soul. These “nights” were entire seasons of life, spanning years, in which God seemed absent or, at least, silent. I felt like God was “nowhere to be found.” The more I prayed, the worse my [ Read More ]
I began this series with the recognition that, during my adult life there have been two dark nights of the soul. These “nights” were entire seasons of life, spanning years, in which God seemed absent or, at least, silent. I felt like God was “nowhere to be found.” The more I prayed, the worse my [ Read More ]
In one sense, the Bible is about us. But in a deeper and logically prior sense, it is about God. Composed of sixty-six books written by numerous authors and multiple genres, it nonetheless exhibits the coherence and quality of a grand dramatic narrative. In it, God is the director, screenwriter, and main actor. As the [ Read More ]
What hath Christian progressivism to do with Christian conservatism? Little to nothing, the authors of a new study argue. In One Faith No Longer: The Transformation of Christianity in Red and Blue America, sociologists George Yancey and Ashlee Quosigk contend that the differences between these two groups are so significant that it is time to regard [ Read More ]
As a political opinion writer and speechwriter, I am generally amused by many of the critical comments people leave on my website or my Fox News Opinion pieces; sometimes I am amused because the comments are insults, other times because they are patently inane. Yet, other times, the critical comments should be taken seriously because [ Read More ]
