Religion Dispatches
…aking it appear to the American public that their values are sanctified by God. The Democrats, on the other hand, failed once again in understanding the allure and power of sacred symbols and actions to promote their vision of the economy, and the future of this nation. At least one national pastime can unite Americans of all political stripes: shopping. Thank God for Santa Claus….
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…s than one full percentage point). And generally speaking, black Americans between the ages of 18-29 are not leaving Christianity and ecclesiastical affiliation. Only among historically black Protestant denominations did that number trend downward significantly between 2007 and 2014; the 18-29 age group decreased from 24 to 20 percent among historically black Protestant denominations. The number of 18-29 year olds among Catholics and evangelical P…
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…in rise above to heal his family, his community, his legacy.” The ten-part BET documentary, executive-produced by Vick himself, relates the star’s infamous story through a series of testimonies, events (including a heartfelt speech Vick gave as part of his involvement with the Humane Society’s End Dogfighting campaign), and interviews with family and acquaintances. A contrived attempt at redeeming himself in the public eye, The Michael Vick Projec…
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…ghboring cities because of overregulation. We see the liberal agenda being promoted under the mantra of ‘Keep Fayetteville Funky,’ but it has never encroached on us personally…. In August, all that changed.” Meanwhile, another Fayetteville pastor, Duncan Campbell describes their side’s effort as a virtuous takeover from the outside. “It was light invading the darkness,” he explains, “and the center of the dark cloud was at the very gates of our ci…
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…cks the coalition-building skills that a certain bending of the truth can abet. He is willing to insult those whose support might help him actually gain power. The link between politics and politeness—both of which draw on artifice to smooth over conflict—is one he both understands and repudiates. As suicidal as it has proven to be, his refusal to change his behavior to appear more “presidential” has a certain integrity to it, which his supporters…
Read More…described in articles V and VIII; To determine matters for discussion at least six months before the Synod is to meet, if that be possible; To see to it that the material to be discussed is sent to those who ought to be concerned about the discussion of these matters; To set the agenda; To preside over the Synod personally or through someone else. In other words: the pope is clearly intended to preside over the content and conduct of the synod. T…
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…e crowds at the inauguration? What a flock, right? You had a great view, I bet, the original Eye in the Sky. Back me up, it was over a billion people. Huge. But I’m confused about this other line: “the quality of our lives is not defined by our material success but by our spiritual success.” I don’t get it. “Spiritual success”? Sounds like a dumb deal. Ewww…I don’t have money, I have my feeeelings… What do you think, Lord? What if I say that some…
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…m evangelical circles by people like David Barton on his radio show. It is promoted in books, conferences and Christian school/home school curricula. This is also the underpinning for any number of other administration policies. It’s why so many of Trump’s appointees literally oppose the efforts of the agencies they lead. Case in point, the Department of Education is led by one who believes that education is the responsibility of the family and th…
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…it’s less likely to be true. I can appreciate why someone would make that bet. The Great Pumpkin promises not just candy, but toys, maybe money. Linus’s adoring companion Sally seemed to me like the person whose faith is less sincere, but who nevertheless represents many believers as they actually are: tentative, conflicted, self-interested. After a year in which I followed the obsessive investigations into the mind of the Trump voter, my sympath…
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…ating between competing worldviews using human reason, but that our safest bet is to rely on the Holy Spirit and an essentially literal reading of the Bible for our understanding of truth. Christian presuppositionalists also argue that there can be no neutrality among competing worldviews, which is what allows them to so casually denounce points of view to which they are ideologically opposed, like environmentalism, as another “religion.” And they…
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