A friend’s Facebook link took me to a CNN article that I thought would infuriate me. The headline was “McDonnell won’t disavow Robertson’s Islam remarks.” What CNN failed to articulate was, to my surprise, that Virginia Governor-elect McDonnell sounded more Madisonian than Robertsonian. You’ll recall that in response to Nidal Hasan’s shooting rampage at Ft.... Continue Reading

It is the tradition of this column every year at this time to recount the story of Thanksgiving. This year, with capitalism under attack from all quarters, it’s more important than ever to revisit the history of the Pilgrims’ early years in America and appreciate the message. Whether you think the government’s response to the... Continue Reading

Many are familiar with the term “10/40 Window” – the geographical frame with the largest population of non-Christians in the world. The mission strategist who coined that phrase believes the new emphasis should be on the “4/14 Window”. The 4/14 Window, as coined by Dr. Luis Bush, international facilitator of Transform World Connections, describes a... Continue Reading

By the time the “sweet pudding of native corn” makes its appearance, delivered by period-costumed servers in brightly colored, flowing wool skirts and breeches, there could be little doubt as to how a 17th-century Pilgrim banquet, commonly known as a “groaning board,” got its name. Preceding it was a sallet (salad), mussels, sauc’d turkey, and... Continue Reading

The number of hate crimes against religious groups in the U.S. jumped more than 8 percent during 2008 — the most notable increase in a variety of hate crime statistics reported in data released Monday by the FBI. In all, 7,783 hate crimes were included in the FBI’s 2008 Hate Crime Statistics report. The report... Continue Reading

I am not inclined to sign manifestos or petitions. While believing strongly and passionately about many causes, I am not usually impressed with the effectiveness of such statements and I am generally concerned about how such statements might be used or construed by others. I am not reluctant to speak for myself and from my... Continue Reading

As American families sit down to their traditional Thanksgiving feasts, they will naturally recall the familiar story of the Pilgrims and, in the process, distort the true character of the nation’s religious heritage. Most children learn that the Mayflower settlers came to the New World to escape persecution and to establish religious freedom. But the... Continue Reading

Growing concern about incivility is one of America’s more appealing trends. Increasingly, individuals and institutions are seeking ways to burnish the Golden Rule. The concern isn’t new — professor P.M. Forni started the Johns Hopkins Civility Project 12 years ago and published a book in 2002: Choosing Civility: The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct. Civility... Continue Reading

Martin Luther had a lot to say about education. Like many of his fellow reformers, he knew how important biblical literacy was for the people of God. In one of his sermons, he exhorted his parishioners with the following: “For we certainly want to provide not only for our children’s bellies but for their souls... Continue Reading

Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, and evangelical leaders stood together Friday to release the Manhattan Declaration, a statement of Christian convictions on the matters of life, family, and religious liberty. Chuck Colson, head of Prison Fellowship and one of the initiators of the declaration, told me after document’s release, “I can’t find any other case, in... Continue Reading