Persecution in the Early Church: Did You Know?
Beginning as a despised, illicit religious sect, Christianity endured 300 years of hostility to emerge as the dominant force in the Roman Empire.
Late in 302 the emperors visited the shrine of Apollo at Didyma and the oracle complained of the baneful influence of the Christians (“the just on earth”) in its pronouncements. The die was now cast. On February 23, 303, the Feast of Terminalia, repression would start. Churches were destroyed, Christian services banned, and the Scriptures... Continue Reading
Debunking 4 Myths About Religious Freedom
Here are four popular myths about religious liberty I commonly encounter
Believe it or not, most religious people in this country have no desire to withhold their friendship, much less their business, from people with whom they disagree, even on serious issues. Some have suggested that bills spelling out religious freedom rights give businesses the “right to discriminate,” especially against gay and lesbian persons. This is... Continue Reading
Supreme Court Agrees to Arkansas Abortion Regulations
The Supreme Court refused to review a ruling from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that allowed the Arkansas law, passed in 2015, to take effect, according to Washington Examiner.
“The Supreme Court’s action today means that Arkansas will have another chance to defend its chemical abortion regulations in court,” pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List said in a statement. “That’s positive news.” The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a plea by the Planned Parenthood to challenge an Arkansas law that regulates medication-induced abortions, which... Continue Reading
Study: 1 in 5 Deaths in Young Adults is Opioid Related
1.68 million people died in 2016 alone, according to the research, with most deaths happening between the ages of 24 and 35.
It’s hard to write this article — honestly — without having some sort of emotional reaction to the numbers. It’s easy to read 1.6 million people, but that doesn’t quite touch upon those affected – be it friends, families, teachers, students, colleagues – by these deaths. How much of this is being pushed upon by... Continue Reading
The War Against Abstinence: Blockers, American Pie, and the Last Great Sexual Taboo
There may be no greater social shame today than the humiliation young adults feel when they are discovered to be virgins.
The last great sexual sin of our time is not related to any specific sex act or forbidden partner. The greatest sexual sin of our time is not a sin of commission but of omission: the sin of not doing it at all. The last great sexual taboo is the taboo of virginity. With... Continue Reading
The Church and Cultural Power
Times are definitely changing—we’re watching the rise of a generation for whom religious freedom, and indeed freedom of speech, are not the self-evident social goods which they were once considered to be.
Yet for all of the furore concerning society’s current anti-Christian moral tendencies, it is worth pausing for a moment to ask if Christians themselves have been complicit in the formation of this culture. Take marriage, for example—as Robby George argued in What is Marriage?, marriage was redefined as a sentimental attachment to last only as long... Continue Reading
A Royal Wedding Images THE Royal Wedding
Each human marriage is an image of the divine union between Christ and the church.
Harry and Meghan formed a covenant through the making of vows. Jesus Christ forms a covenant relationship of marriage with his bride, the church. The covenant unites not only the man and woman but also their families. Harry and Meghan made covenant vows before God and witnesses that united them in a one-flesh union. That... Continue Reading
College Board CEO: How Religious Education Helps Us Rethink the College Admissions Race
The “soulcraft” found in faith-based learning is just what higher ed needs right now.
Our culture pushes young people to excel in the college admissions process so much that many families and their children end up trading away happiness for a terrible bargain. We need to chart a different course. Religious education can provide valuable wisdom for how to help students not just set their sights on applying to... Continue Reading
Why the Winning Spelling Bee Word, ‘Koinonia,’ Is So Easy for Christians
The Greek word is common church lingo for fellowship and community
Christians have adopted the word koinonia from the Greek New Testament, where it is translated as fellowship, communion, or partnership. It’s the word behind verses such as Acts 2:45, where the early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship,” and Philippians 1:5, when Paul prays with joy of “partnership in the gospel.”... Continue Reading
Christian Repentance in a Callout Culture
"Callout” refers to the common practice of using one’s social media account to name and shame
“Repentance in our Western culture is already complicated by the fact that our sense of bondedness is incredibly liquid and loose. We are a fanatically voluntaristic society, and most Americans demand that virtually experience in their daily life be voluntaristic to the core. Contemporary society cherishes breakable bonds.” Our culture is increasingly a shame... Continue Reading
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