R. R. Reno is the editor of First Things, and his recent lecture at Hillsdale College on “Religion and Public Life in America” is not to be missed. Reno’s analysis of the current landscape may be the best that I’ve ever seen. I won’t summarize the entire article. I will leave it to you to take the time to read the whole thing. Just to give you a taste, however, here’s the intro:
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Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Deep Roots”
Steven Curtis Chapman has a new album out that I want to commend to you. It’s called “Deep Roots”. I suspect that the name reflects the fact that Chapman is not only going back to his musical roots in bluegrass, but also that he’s reprising songs that have meant a lot to him over the years. The song selection includes classic hymns and old gospel songs. His duet with Ricky Skaggs on “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” may be the best track on the record. But probably my favorites are his fresh acoustic renditions of some of his early work. And by “early work,” I mean material that…
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God help us if we don’t learn from Gosnell’s crimes
Kermit Gosnell was convicted yesterday of three charges of first degree murder. He killed countless other live-born infants, but prosecutors could only prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he murdered these three. Some were killed after being delivered alive into toilets. Others had their necks “snipped” with scissors after clinic workers had played with them. The crimes were so heinous and the conditions so gruesome that it’s staggering to imagine that people have been witnessing and participating in this horror for decades.
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Gosnell is found guilty of first degree murder
Kermit Gosnell has been found guilty of first degree murder in three of the four charges against him. For Gosnell, this will mean either a sentence of life in prison or the death penalty. The Washington Post reports: Abortion provider Kermit Gosnell was convicted Monday of three counts of first-degree murder for severing the spinal cords of infants born during abortions at his West Philadelphia clinic.
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Should Christians use birth control? See new JBMW.
The most recent issue of The Journal for Biblical Manhood & Womanhood has just released. The lead article is from Albert Mohler, who takes a critical look at the “contraceptive mentality” that so much defines the spirit of the age. Mohler writes: The effective separation of sex from procreation may be one of the most important defining marks of our age—and one of the most ominous. This awareness is spreading among American evangelicals, and it threatens to set loose a firestorm… A growing number of evangelicals are rethinking the issue of birth control—and facing the hard questions posed by reproductive technologies. Several developments contributed to this reconsideration, but the most…
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Maureen Dowd’s devastating critique of the administration’s handling of Benghazi
Maureen Dowd, a reliably liberal columnist for The New York Times, wrote a tough article critiquing the administration’s handling of the Benghazi terror attacks. This column is significant because it reveals that this whole matter cannot be summarily dismissed as the latest fetish from Fox News. Intellectually honest liberal commentators are coming to the conclusion that something is amiss in the administration’s handling of Benghazi, and the American public deserves to know the truth. Dowd writes:
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Benghazi then and now
If you haven’t been paying attention to the Congressional hearings regarding the Benghazi terrorist attacks, you need to be. I think Michael Gerson and Peggy Noonan have summed up the meaning of all of it as well as anyone, and I recommend that you read both articles. As I was reviewing some of my Benghazi articles from last Fall, I came across a most prescient editorial from The Wall Street Journal. Keep in mind that this was written six months ago:
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A “yo mama” battle like you’ve never seen before
For Mother’s Day, here’s a “yo mama” battle like you’ve never seen before. No insults here, only compliments. And they’re hilarious. Thanks, Rhett and Link! (HT: 22words)
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Governor Mark Sanford practices Buddhist meditation
Former Governor of South Carolina, Mark Sanford, has been trying to rehabilitate his political career after a personal scandal that seemed to end it only a few years ago. In his recent bid to reclaim his old congressional seat, he has been talking about the Christian theme of redemption and second chances. In an article with Yahoo News, he also explains his regular practice of Buddhist meditation. Here’s a brief excerpt from the interview:
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Is proselytizing outlawed in the U.S. military?
I have been troubled by recent reports about alleged religious liberty violations in the United States military. Some of the reports have turned out to be more hype than help, but there has been enough reporting to suggest some serious issues of concern.