politics
James Comey didn’t write a tell-all. He wrote a handbook.
What does ethical leadership look like?
by Robin Lovin
The many perspectives of American evangelicalism
A new book of essays shows that evangelicals aren't all the same culturally or politically. So what's holding them together?
by David Heim
The earnest, hilarious Al Franken
The senator's jokes are still funny, even if Trump has made his satire obsolete.
Saul, David, and the morality of power
How shrewdly the drama of mixed motives, mixed loyalties, and mixed feelings unfolds.
A cure for liberalism?
John Milbank & Adrian Pabst consider Western society’s many problems and offer a prescription: virtue.
by Samuel Wells
Are open borders the most ethical approach to immigration?
David Miller’s book doesn’t offer policy solutions. It does help us think clearly.
A new series on faith in election season
At his inauguration on January 20, 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower took an unprecedented step: after taking the oath of office, he led the nation in prayer. During his prayer, which historian Kevin Kruse notes helped make Eisenhower’s inauguration as much a “religious consecration” as a “political ceremony,” the new president asked God to “make full and complete [the executive branch’s] dedication to the service of the people.”
Eisenhower’s professed dedication to serve all the citizens of the United States and his willingness to rely upon God’s help were not entirely new.
No, the Democratic Party is (still) not the party of God (guest post)
In an effort to triumph over the religious right, many progressive Christians have married their faith and politics to the Democratic Party, leaving little to no gap between their political visions and the party’s policies. Instead of celebrating this as a successful strategy for re-ascendency, I see it compromising radical Christian commitments to peace and justice.
How old is racism?
Many will look at the tribal and ethnic tensions that exist all around the world as a problem as old as human civilization. Isn’t this a strong argument for the reality that the racism that was practiced by white/western Europe is indeed just a reflection of what has always been?
Carnal theology
Flesh is indeterminate. It flows, changes over time, and is consumed and transformed. It becomes the reality of rich spiritual encounter.
Pre-election themes for All Saints
Many churches, including mine, will mark All Saints Day this Sunday. Of course, politics will also be on everyone’s mind. At first it seemed to me that the two have little in common, but then several connections occurred to me.
Social media and social change
Social media can reduce activism to a fad—something that we take part in because a particular Twitter hashtag is trending, a video has become viral or a Facebook cause has become popular. It can ignore the hard work that has been taking place over decades and discount a long-term strategy that a community might have.
Love in a time of soundbites
I have found myself dreading Facebook lately. With the general election beginning to churn, the competing posts are out: “Evidence of Obama’s socialist conspiracy!” “Republicans plan to inspect every woman’s womb!” Some are rather scary while others I quietly cheer; still others simply draw me into grief over how little Jesus seems apparent in any of it.
By Brian Bantum
Charity vs. politics?
Yes, political advocacy is more effective than Band-Aid-style charity. But are those the only options?
Is this all Prop 8 defenders have got?
What was remarkable about the overturning of Proposition 8—California’s
ban on same-sex marriage—was the weakness of the case mounted by the
defense. At times during the proceedings, Judge Vaughn Walker had to
ask the legal team in charge of defending the proposition, in effect:
“Haven’t you got something better than this?”