Rick Warren, Saddleback Pastor: Obama Has ‘Infringed’ Upon Religious Liberties
Obama had a quieter approach this year than four years ago in terms of overt religious outreach
Obama is “absolutely” unfriendly to religion and his administration’s policies have “intentionally infringed upon religious liberties,” Warren said in an interview Wednesday. The evangelical pastor, whose 20,000-member church in suburban Los Angeles is one of the largest in the nation, was on tour in New York City to promote to the 10th anniversary edition of... Continue Reading
A Pastor’s Thoughts in Memoriam of John Spencer: A Life Well Lived
John did not leave the land of the living for the land of the dead. He left the land of the dying for the land of the living!
PCA Ruling Elder John Edward Spencer (April 16, 1920 – November 22, 2012) lived in Birmingham, Ala., and served his local church and the PCA for many years. The following is the sermon preached by Dr. Harry Reeder, Senior Pastor of Briarwood Presbyterian Church, at RE Spencer’s memorial service on November 27. On Thanksgiving... Continue Reading
A Letter from Hobby Lobby Stores CEO on the HHS Mandate
Government health care mandate says that family business MUST provide abortion-causing drugs as part of health insurance
A new government health care mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health insurance. Being Christians, we don’t pay for drugs that might cause abortions, which means that we don’t cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill or the week-after pill… It goes against the... Continue Reading
An Apology for “Seven Notes from ‘Lincoln’”
I wrote the post originally while wrestling with the raw emotions I felt after viewing such a powerful film
In no way did I mean to imply that the Civil War was not about slavery. In fact I believe that it was primarily over the slavery issue. My point was that the war was complicated—and tragic. I should have stated that more clearly. Dear Reader, Please allow me to sincerely apologize to those... Continue Reading
No Crisis of Faith Necessary, Simply Exchange Conservative Beliefs for Liberal Ones
The subtlety of the theological slippery slope
Evangelicals are urged not only to give up a belief in Young Earth Creationism, but also the inerrancy of Scripture, a literal hell, and homosexuality and abortion as sins. It’s never just about evolution. To accept evolution as the “way God created” requires a type of mental gymnastics with what Scripture teaches. Once you give... Continue Reading
Same-Sex Marriage Ten Years On: Lessons from Canada
The Canadian experience is the best available evidence of the short-term impact of same-sex marriage in a democratic society very much like America
The effects of same-sex civil marriage in Canada—restrictions on free speech rights, parental rights in education, and autonomy rights of religious institutions, along with a weakening of the marriage culture—provide lessons for the United States. Would recognizing same-sex relationships as marriages be much of a game-changer? What impact, if any, would it have... Continue Reading
Family Culture vs. Pop Culture
There are many positive values that our society has lost in the past 150 years
Because many of us have never experienced the benefits of the family culture in our lifetimes, we may not even recognize our collective loss. Imagine with me, if you can, a culture where you are surrounded with people who know and love you…Allow me to outline some of the paradigm shifts that have occurred in... Continue Reading
New Pira Survey Reveals Real Reasons The Unchurched Don’t Attend Church
The real reasons the unchurched don’t attend church
A newly released Pira Survey of the Biblical texts reveals the real reasons why the unchurched do not attend church and the results are sending shockwaves through the seeker-driven and missional camps. Chris Rosebrough, lead researcher for Pira, the organization responsible for this Biblical survey said, “For decades the conventional wisdom in the broader church growth and missional... Continue Reading
Fallen Presbyterian Leader Finds Path to Renewal
John Mulder, former president of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, returns to ministry after rehab, scandal
“He had lost everything,” the Rev. Morgan Roberts said, … “He had lost his position. He had lost his reputation, which was huge in the denomination. Fortunately he hadn’t lost his marriage….” Mulder himself says, “What I did was terribly wrong. It was a violation of my marriage vows, my ordination vows. I will always... Continue Reading
What’s a ‘Faitheist’?
Chris Stedman is the assistant humanist chaplain at Harvard University; he went from a closeted gay evangelical Christian to an “out” atheist, and, eventually, a Humanist
On the blog NonProphet Status, and now in the book, Stedman calls for atheists and the religious to come together around interfaith work. It is a position that has earned him both strident — even violent — condemnation and high praise. Stedman talked with RNS about how and why the religious and atheists should work... Continue Reading