Whether they buy these or not — and both models are easy to critique — my students have now experienced for themselves how Calvin’s thought demands a way of life that would support it. They have wrestled with this thought together, religious and secular. Perhaps they have come to different conclusions about the theology or... Continue Reading

Fifth, what next? When conservatives were predicting this kind of thing 10 years ago as a consequence of accepting gay adoption and redefining marriage and family, they were accused of being bigots and alarmists. Now it is here, and they are bigots and alarmists for objecting to it. What if Evan and his female partner... Continue Reading

And so the Republican party asks, “Why shouldn’t we do what we want with our money and do all we can to maintain our nation’s power?” And so the Democratic party asks, “Why shouldn’t we fulfill every desire that is in our hearts?” Embedded in both is the same question: Why should we deny ourselves... Continue Reading

The law defines a place of public accommodation as any place, licensed or unlicensed, which is “open to and accepts or solicits the patronage of the general public.” It also claims that such places may not restrict access or deny services to a person because of gender identity.   The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD)... Continue Reading

“What I found was that the Life Center now touches nearly every part of citizens’ reproductive lives. It instructs public-school kids in sexual mores, intervenes when panicked women find out they’re pregnant, and leads young moms in the ways of Christ-focused parenting.”   Misty Stewart gave the worksheet to every student in the class: “The... Continue Reading

Indeed, the right to define one’s self-identity has become the ultimate moral touchstone. A sophisticated and clean version of the Burning Man philosophy came from Supreme Court Justice Kennedy: each person has “the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.” Such a definition... Continue Reading

“When their members are involved in protests, pastors should of course provide them with counsel and prayer. Sometimes, the issues behind the protests will need to be illuminated by clear teaching from God’s Word. But in general, the mission of the church is not well served by its direct involvement in government action.”   Last... Continue Reading

The country is littered with evidence of the change. Everywhere deconsecrated churches are reopening as bars and restaurants. Five hundred churches were turned into luxury homes over five years in London alone. Shrinking congregations and growing repair bills are typically the fatal combination: about a quarter of Sunday services are attended by fewer than 16... Continue Reading

A STAT-Harvard poll released early this month indicated Zika causes Americans to alter abortion views. A sample of 1,016 people was asked if they favored late-term abortions (after 24 weeks’ gestation). Only 23 percent said yes. But that number jumped to 59 percent if there was a serious possibility of microcephaly. “That is a challenge... Continue Reading

“Middle ground was always untenable, even when some version of middle ground was David Gushee’s own position. The demand of the LGBT revolution is not merely toleration or even legalization, but required celebration.”   Christians in America now face a moment of judgment at the hands of a secular culture that grows more intensely adversarial... Continue Reading