Charles Marsh argues that Evangelicals in the United States have undermined the credibility of their moral and evangelistic witness in the world by supporting the war in Iraq. The essay is titled “Wayward Christian Soldiers.” Marsh recently read sermons delivered in 2002-2003 by prominent evangelicals who supported the President’s decision to go to war. What surprised me, looking at these sermons nearly three years later, was how little attention they paid to actual Christian moral doctrine . . . As a result, many ministers dismissed [just war] theory as no longer relevant . . . The single common theme among the war sermons appeared to be this: our president is…
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The Essence of Idolatry: Worshipping the God of My Understanding
Larry King conducted a panel discussion on Tuesday that used the widely-acclaimed movie “Brokeback Mountain” as a catalyst for discussing the issue of the wider culture’s debate over the morality of homosexuality (transcript). The discussion focused on the question of homosexual rights and, in particular, the question of homosexual “marriage.”
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David Howard on the Story behind “End of the Spear”
David Howard of Bethel University has penned and excellent opinion piece in today’s Wall Street Journal titled “Triumph From Tragedy: Five missionaries’ murders were not the end of the story.” It’s the kind of essay that will pique interest in the faith that led these five men to die martyr’s deaths. Go read it. Tell others.
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Big Security Council Members Agree on Iran
The AP reports that the members of the U. N. Security council are coming together against the recent, provocative steps taken by Iran. Here’s the article: “Big Security Council Members Agree on Iran.” The developments reported here are significant because it’s the first sign that Russia and China might oppose the actions taken by Iran. Russian and China are permanent members of the Security Council and can veto any sanctions that the other members might propose. Hopefully, this is a sign that they are moving toward challenging Iran. According to this article, Russia is hinting that it may do just that. If you are wondering what might happen if the…
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The Great Gulf War of 2007
A great big Hat Tip to Dr. Mohler for bringing our attention to Niall Ferguson’s OP-ED piece in today’s LA Times: “Tomorrow’s world war today.” This piece is narrated as if it were written by a historian looking back on the “Great Gulf War” of 2007. The essay rings eerily prescient and is a must read. If you don’t read any thing else today, read this one.
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Fighting the Good Fight against Abortion
Dr. William Cutrer is the medical director of a crisis pregnancy center that is featured in today’s New York Times. The article is titled “Some Abortion Foes Forgo Politics for Quiet Talk.” Dr. Cutrer is an OB-GYN who also serves as a Professor of Christian Ministry at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also a special friend who ministered to my wife and me while we were living in Louisville, KY. This article puts to the lie the notion that pro-life people do not care about women. A Woman’s Choice Resource Center where Dr. Cutrer works not only counsels women against abortion, but also provides material and financial resources…
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Cronkite Joins the Ranks of the Not-Serious
It would be an understatement to say that the Iraq war has caused some controversy here in the U. S. and abroad. Public opinion about the war ranges all the way from “This is a just war worth winning” to “This war is an evil act of aggression, and the U. S. should pull out of Iraq now.” In other words, opinions range all the way from totally serious to totally not serious. Unfortunately, it appears that the man who was once hailed as the most trusted man in America has joined the ranks of the decidedly not serious. Walter Cronkite, former CBS anchorman, delivered these remarks just yesterday to…
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Peggy Noonan on the Confirmation Hearings
I look forward every week to Peggy Noonan’s column in The Wall Street Journal, and her piece this morning is a gem. Today she decided to lampoon the outlandish senators and their preposterous grand-standing in the confirmation hearings of Judge Alito. My favorite part of the article is when she begins channeling Senator Biden of Delaware, who is notorious for patronizing, self-aggrandizing speeches that do not stay on topic. Here’s the kind of “question” that Biden so often “asks” according to Noonan: What if a fella–I’m just hypothesizing here, Judge Alito–what if a fella said, “Well I don’t want to hire you because I don’t like the kind of eyeglasses…
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The New York Times Blames President Bush for the Mining Disaster!
I can’t believe it. Someone has found a way to blame President Bush for the mining disaster in West Virginia last week. Who better to make such a charge than one of the usual suspects, the editors at The New York Times? Here’s the money-line: The pro-company bias of the administration is itself a factor deserving full investigation if the inquiries now being promised are to have any credible effect. The editorial is titled “Lost Time, Lost Lives in the Mine.”
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Review of Bart Ehrman’s ‘Misquoting Jesus’
Bart D. Ehrman. Misquoting Jesus: The Story behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. HarperSanFrancisco, 2005. 242pp. $24.95. UPDATE! (January 15, 2007) Touchstone magazine recently published my review, and it is now available in their December 2006 issue. They also have made available an online version which can be accessed here.