Whatever people may think about Tiger Wood’s sincerity on Friday, one thing is clear to me. He’s on a Twelve Step program and is committed to finish it. For those who are familiar with Twelve Step programs, the format goes back to the early days of Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1940’s. They have been modified,... Continue Reading

Despite their theological differences, virtually all the founders maintained that morality depended on religion (which for them meant Christianity). They were convinced that their new republic could succeed only if its citizens were virtuous. One of today’s most contentious culture wars is over the religious commitments of our nation’s founders. Were most of them orthodox... Continue Reading

What if every human being has intrinsic worth simply because we are human and not based on whether we can act or not? What if life is more than biology, that humans have souls as well as bodies and are endowed by their Creator to have certain unalienable rights? I am not one who ventures... Continue Reading

“If you believe what you like in the Gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.” –Augustine Every generation faces challenges regarding the veracity of the Bible: Is it really the Word of God and does it speak truthfully in every area that God intended? Apologists from... Continue Reading

Scotland is not the land of Mel Gibson, Brigadoon, quaint wee redheaded Highland lasses, Eric Liddell running in the Glens and John Knox preaching in the pulpits. This is an updated version of an article I wrote a number of years ago on the Free Church website. It received a lot of comment, especially from... Continue Reading

The myriad of goods reflected in and derived from sport are part of the richness of our humanity. When athletes contest with one another, they revel in the very complex act of being human. Shirl Hoffman’s recent CT article, “Sports Fanatics,” questions an evangelical love for modern sports that confuses infatuation for true love. Repentance!... Continue Reading

“The Clintons remained seated, yet both—particularly the ever-politic Hillary—understood how behind-the-scenes power politics work within the Christian Right, and responded to the rebuke by finding “common ground” with the nun.“ At the National Prayer Breakfast, Hillary Clinton fondly remembered how Mother Teresa—or perhaps God—compelled her to encourage adoption. The behind-the-scenes story of how The Family... Continue Reading

“You see how far you’ve fallen? You see how difficult things have gotten in your inner world? And I want you to know that no matter how bad things are I’m still there and I’m never going to give up on you.” The books in the Bible can seem disconnected, even contradicting at times. Christian... Continue Reading

‘D. James Kennedy held rallies with names such as “Reclaiming America for Christ.” So far, it seems the Tea Partiers are mostly interested in reclaiming America for the Chamber of Commerce’ For what was presented as a rally of angry conservative Americans, last weekend’s National Tea Party Convention in Nashville was remarkably lacking in evangelical... Continue Reading

Brothers and Sisters, I have a hard word for you today. But it’s a word spoken in love. I was originally ordained to the ministry in the PCUSA, but I left in 2002 for the PCA. There was a time when I was angry at my fellow Evangelicals in the PCUSA. Now I am not,... Continue Reading