Trump’s Thick-Headed Transgender Tweets
In a series of three Tweets on Wednesday July 26th, President Trump announced that “transgender individuals” would no longer be allowed to serve “in any capacity” in the military. This ruling is clearly intended to garner support from much of his base, which voted for him because of his disregard for political correctness and media […]
Guest Post by Pastor Doug Wilson: Christian Disobedience
Guest Post by Douglas Wilson In the light of various Supreme Court decisions—Roe, Obergefell, and other mutants—where they have sought to sanctify things that God has declared unholy, confused and abominable, our ongoing responsibility as Christians is to think through a biblical understanding of our relationship to the state. It is a pressing responsibility. We […]
Why the Left is Alright with Corporate Meddling
If there’s one thing the Left hates, it’s corporate America meddling in politics. Well not all of corporate America, but, like, Hobby Lobby and stuff. And not all politics: fighting against those wicked Southern Christians is okay. So maybe the Left isn’t actually against corporate greed. I mean, they sure seem to enjoy having a […]
Are Young People Leaving the Church? Probably Not
Post One in the series “A Church for the Next Generation” The church, we are told, is graying rapidly. Churches in rural areas are shrinking as Americans migrate to the cities, while churches in urban areas are not the bastions of ethnic and religious solidarity they once were. One Philadelphia church, its congregation having dwindled […]
The Big “E” on the Eye Chart
Resisting Evolutionary Theory is becoming more and more unpopular in evangelical circles. It isn’t considered respectable, or in any way intelligent, to maintain Creationism at all costs. Fighting the culture wars has been exhausting, and why shouldn’t we put our efforts into the new issues, like transgender bathrooms, and give the evolution fight up as […]
On Multiple Strategies in the Abortion Fight
Last week I posted an interview with my friend Emily Buchanan of the Susan B. Anthony List, a political organization based in Washington, D.C. We talked about abortion politics and the SBA List’s efforts to end the abortion carnage. I greatly appreciate Emily taking time to talk with CrossPolitic and for her organization’s continued pro-life […]
A Sentence Made of Fabric
When the Bloggers Go Forth to Battle As the summer months are upon us the Christian blogosphere has taken upon itself the task of rallying to their respective “modesty” camps. Some advocate for liberty of conscience for women to dress as they please, chiding anyone who would seek to cover up skin with either general […]
America and France: Allies, but not Friends
France and the United States have been politically linked since the Revolutionary War. The American and French Revolutions, while wildly different in ideology, were products of the same age, occurring within fifteen years of each other. In our respective revolutions, each of our countries cooperated, since we were ostensibly fighting for the same things: freedom […]
A Manifesto on Art and the Church
The Christian Church is in exile. Not that we are living in tents (though many church buildings may qualify as temporary). Instead, there is a deeper exile. The soul of the American Church is in the plot point of the epic poem in which the protagonist becomes a homeless wanderer Like the exiled warrior of […]
Interview: The SBA List and Abortion Politics
Recently I sat down with my friend Emily Buchanan to talk about abortion politics and her work as executive vice president of the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life organization in Washington, D.C. RB: Hi Emily, thanks for joining us. Can you introduce us to the SBA List? What do you guys do? EB: So […]
To Persuade or Alienate … that is the Question
As Christians, we are to be salty. Christians are to be winsome, but we’ve become increasingly unsavory. Let’s face it, most Christians are not known by what they are for, but by what they are against. Relentless criticism is never a good platform to persuade anyone. Long ago, Aristotle defined rhetoric as the art of […]
Is the Racial Wage Gap Actually Racial?
In 2015, 28% of Americans said that they were concerned about race relations. One of the biggest points of contention within race relations is the wage gap between races. The common narrative is that racial factors can lower wages and job prospects for non-‘privileged’ minorities. But we fail to consider that there may be other […]
Build the Wall?
What should Christians think of building “The Wall”? Conservative think-tank PragerU has produced a video giving some very practical reasons for building a border wall between America and Mexico. But, as Christians, we should not be “conservative” or “libertarian,” unanchored to our Christian convictions. Our constant refrain should be, “What does the Bible say?” For […]
“Make America Great Again” and Other Stupid Nationalist Songs
For a song that refers to itself as a “mighty melody,” it’s about what you’d expect: a florid piece of music, full of bombast and clanging cymbals. The Independent, a British newspaper, said that the production “has a strong North Korean vibe.” That may be overstating it, since the lyrics are more anodyne than jingoistic. But still, what are we supposed to do with a song like this? Will it join the great tradition of martial American songs that paint the aspirations of our nation as pre-blessed by an omnipotent and Americanized creator (cf. Battle Hymn of the Republic)? Or, as seems more likely, will it fade from our collective memory sooner than the swine flu hysteria?
A Prayer on the Fourth of July
Our Heavenly Father, On this July Fourth we give thanks that in your good providence you established us as a nation. Down through the centuries you have poured out blessings on us—blessings that we did not deserve, but for which we are profoundly grateful. Among these blessings is the wisdom and foresight you gave to […]
Marxism is Boring: The Hyper-Politicization of Public Art
Everyone has to have an overarching story. A mythos that holds what they see and hear together. When I lived in California, I did evangelism on Wednesdays. I hoped to do it other days as well, but Wednesdays I did my sermon prep at the neighborhood park. I introduced myself to people and invited folks to […]
When the State Decides Who Lives and Dies
News broke on Tuesday that a young boy in Britain would be denied access to further healthcare in the United States. Charlie Gard, a ten-month-old boy from London, was born last August with an incredibly rare genetic condition called infantile onset encephalomyopathy mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, or MDDS. At first, Charlie seemed completely normal; he […]
A Black Man Dead, A Cop Acquitted. The NRA? Silent.
This is the nadir of the Black Lives Matter movement; this the moment where it fizzles and dies, where it throws up its hands in exasperation and stops protesting, or when it becomes something altogether more sinister. It will be a battle within the movement, between ennui and anger. I do not support many of the aims and goals of the Black Lives Matter movement–in fact I think this movement fighting racism can be racist itself. But it doesn’t take much of a prophet to say that the more bad cops get acquitted, the more sway Black Lives Matter will have over the narrative on race in this country. That’s not a good thing.
Open Wide Your Hand: 4 Questions Regarding Social Welfare
Georgia’s food stamp program provides an interesting case study for thinking about the current debate surrounding social welfare. In good fiscal news Georgia has seen a sixteen percent drop in food stamp usage over the last four years, saving tens of millions of dollars each month for taxpayers. As the economy continues to strengthen and […]
Educating for Ignorance
Schools of all types desire an interdisciplinary education. Secular education strives for it, and liberal arts assumes to be the master of it (Newell, 2007; Edutopia Team, 2008). In order to be truly interdisciplinary, subjects must be united around a central theme or pedagogical goal. Most schools face a continual struggle to integrate topics across […]