Matthew Anderson writes about the culture wars and the future of evangelical witness. The whole thing is a good read, but there are some nuggets in here worth highlighting. On marriage amendments, he writes, The overwhelming passage of traditional marriage amendments are not signs of our society’s health, but its disease–and we are all implicated in it. Anderson goes on to show that calls to get beyond the culture wars really miss the point. I think Anderson nails it in this paragraph.
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How Pres. Obama Invokes Jesus’ Support for Liberal Policies
Michael Gerson takes on President Obama’s proclivity for invoking Jesus in support of liberal public policies. Pay special attention to the last line. Gerson writes: Agree or disagree with the policies Obama recommends, his arguments can’t be called sophisticated. They are the liberal political application of a “What Would Jesus Do?” wristband. In a mirror reflection of the religious right, Obama has a tendency to engage in partisan proof texting — which is divisive in service to any ideology. Saying “I would just refer them to the Sermon on the Mount” is a claim of divine authority that short-circuits democratic debate. Even when Obama changes his political views, Jesus somehow…
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Tony Dungy on Pres. Obama’s Gay Marriage Stance
Tony Dungy tweeted a short word about his take on President Obama’s gay marriage announcement (HT). Dungy writes: I was disappointed he veered from biblical view. In 2007, Dungy spoke out publicly in favor of an amendment to the Indiana state constitution that would define marriage as between one man and one woman. He took some criticism for this, but he explained that his feelings on the matter grew directly out of his Christian convictions. In his own words: We’re not trying to downgrade anyone else. But we’re trying to promote the family — family values the Lord’s way. Elsewhere, Dungy says this: Family is important, and that’s what we’re…
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President Obama Endorses Gay Marriage
The evolution is over. President Obama has officially endorsed gay marriage (see video above). He says that civil unions are not sufficient and that gay marriage should be legal. In his own words: I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is…
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President Obama To Address Gay Marriage Tonight
After being hounded for the last few days about gay marriage, President Obama will sit down for an interview with ABC News to discuss the issue. The interview will be recorded this afternoon, and portions will air tonight on ABC Nightly News. The full interview will air on Thursday morning on Good Morning America, but ABC says it will immediately release any headlines from the interview. The White House cancelled its daily press briefing today, and everyone expects President Obama to make news with his remarks in this interview. I don’t think the President has any choice but to endorse gay marriage at this point. How will that work with…
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Some thoughts on Vice-President Biden’s Endorsement of Gay Marriage
Vice President Joe Biden made news Sunday morning when he endorsed same-sex marriage on NBC’s “Meet the Press” (see above). Here’s what he said:
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Some Thoughts on Rick Santorum’s Exit
GOP candidate Rick Santorum announced the end of his campaign for the presidency today (see video above). He spoke of his ailing daughter Bella and of recent primary losses. I can’t imagine what it would be like to run a presidential campaign while tending to a critically ill daughter. His family surrounded him on stage during the announcement, and they all looked worn-down as they choked back tears. You can’t help but feel sympathy for their situation.
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Republicans Retreat from Same-sex Marriage Issue
From Politico.com: It’s been one of the swiftest shifts in ideology and strategy for Republicans, as they’ve come nearly full circle on same-sex politics. What was once a front-and-center issue for rank-and-file Republicans — the subject of many hotly worded House and Senate floor speeches — is virtually a dead issue, as Republicans in Congress don’t care to have gay marriage litigated in the Capitol. Even more than that, Republican leadership has evolved, too. It has quietly worked behind the scenes to kill amendments that reaffirm opposition to same-sex unions, several sources told POLITICO. It’s not like the GOP has become a bastion of progressiveness on gay rights, but there…
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Santorum’s Roman Catholic Faith and Opus Dei
The Washington Post has a feature length article on Rick Santorum’s Catholic faith and, in particular, on his connection to the lay-renewal group called Opus Dei. I kept waiting for a reference to The Da Vinci Code, but thankfully it never came. Instead, the article tells the story of a man who began as a nominal Catholic but who has become committed to a conservative, Catholic position:
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Chuck Colson Takes-on Limbaugh
I think Chuck Colson nails it. You can listen to his Breakpoint Commentary below: [audio:http://www.breakpoint.org/images/content/breakpoint/audio/2012/030612_BP.mp3] Here’s a bit of the transcript: