• Culture,  Politics

    William F. Buckley, R.I.P.

    The New York Times reports: ‘William F. Buckley Jr., who marshaled polysyllabic exuberance, famously arched eyebrows and a refined, perspicacious mind to elevate conservatism to the center of American political discourse, died Wednesday at his home in Stamford, Conn. ‘Mr Buckley, 82, suffered from diabetes and emphysema, his son Christopher said, although the exact cause of death was not immediately known. He was found at his desk in the study of his home, his son said. “He might have been working on a column,” Mr. Buckley said.’ Here’s the rest: “William F. Buckley Jr. Is Dead at 82.” See also the AP story: “William F. Buckley Jr. Dies at 82.”

  • Christianity,  Politics

    Jim Wallis’ Less Than Prophetic Voice on Abortion

    In an interview with The Boston Globe, Jim Wallis says that evangelicals must not “allow politics to trump our prophetic voice.” Yet when asked about abortion, Wallis’s “evangelical” voice is anything but prophetic. He writes, “This new evangelical agenda is not one issue, it’s broader and deeper. . . What ties it all together is the defense of the vulnerable. Let’s not pit unborn children against poor children — they’re both in the category of the vulnerable, and Jesus calls us to defend the vulnerable. I think we’ve got to embrace a full range of concerns. For example, I’m going to press really hard the Democratic nominee, whoever that is,…

  • Politics,  Theology/Bible

    Were the Invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq Just?

    My friend Scot McKnight posed a fair question in the comments section of a previous post (comment #65), and I think a proper response deserves a new post. Here’s Scot’s question: “Do you really believe our invasion of either Afghanistan or Iraq was just war?” Before answering the question, I need to clear the decks with a couple of clarifications. First, please note that Scot is not asking whether I hold to some form of the just war position. He’s a pacifist and knows that I am not. He is not asking me to justify just war theory. He’s asking if these two particular invasions can be reconciled with the…

  • Politics

    Romney To Drop Out of Race

    CNN and Time magazine report that Gov. Mitt Romney will drop out of the race for president as early as today. Here’s the bulletin from CNN: “Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will suspend his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, GOP sources tell CNN. “A candidate may “suspend” his or her campaign rather than dropping out, and technically remain a candidate. In this case, he or she is entitled to keep any statewide pledged delegates as well as their district-level delegates. “Candidates who officially drop out must forfeit statewide delegates.”

  • Politics

    Conservative Talk Radio Hosts Back Romney

    Conservative talk-radio hosts are beginning to line-up behind Mitt Romney. They do not necessarily sound like they are excited about Mitt Romney. They sound like they are against John McCain. You can listen to Sean Hannity’s and Laura Ingraham’s endorsements below. Sean Hannity Endorsement [audio:http://hotair.cachefly.net/audio/2007-12/hannity-vote-romney.mp3] Laura Ingraham and Rick Santorum Endorsements [audio:http://hotair.cachefly.net/audio/2007-12/santorum-endorse-romney.mp3] By the way, I’m not making any endorsements. I’m just passing along the info. For an evangelical perspective on Romney, check out Wayne Grudem’s essay from last year in support of his candidacy: “Why Evangelicals Should Support Mitt Romney.” (HT: HotAir.com)

  • Politics,  Theology/Bible

    Richard Land’s Criswell Theological Lectures

    Dr. Richard Land has been on the campus of Criswell College giving our annual Criswell Theological Lectures. Dr. Land’s subject matter derives from material contained in his new book The Divided States of America?. Audio recordings of the lectures are available here, or on the Jerry Johnson Live podcast. A local Fox News reporter came to campus during Dr. Land’s first lecture to tape a story about evangelicals and the current presidential election. The story features Dr. Land, his new book, and some students from the College. I saw the piece on television last night, and the video is available online here. Dr. Land delivered his third and final lecture…

  • Politics

    Giuliani Out: There’s Still One Pro-life Party

    Everyone who cares about protecting the unborn can breathe a sigh of relief now that Guiliani has decided to drop out of the race for President (see here). Giuliani was not able to inspire social conservatives to support his candidacy, and that is the primary reason he was not competitive once the actual votes were cast. His nomination would have effectively given Americans two pro-choice parties, and the pro-life movement would have been banished to the political margins. Thankfully, we have avoided that calamity in this cycle.