If someone says “evangelical Christian” and “political party” in the same sentence, which party comes to mind? No one who follows national politics could deny that white evangelicals by and large see themselves, and are seen by politicians, pundits, political operatives, and the public in general, as being effectively married to the Republican Party. When… Read More »
In my article on The NAACP’s Divorce from the Black Church (published in the Harrisburg, PA Patriot-News under the title “Gay marriage issue splits black church and NAACP”) I made the claim that most African American Christians will stand firm on God’s word, and against same-sex relationships. I believe that will be the case. But… Read More »
NOTE: I’m pulling the bulk of this blog post in order to publish it elsewhere. You can see the original post at Why Christians Should Be Up In Arms About Voter ID Laws blog post. The point of the post is that although proponents say the purpose of voter ID requirements is to reduce voter… Read More »
This article was first published in the Harrisburg (PA) Patriot-News print (7/15/12) and online (7/14/12) editions under the title “Gay marriage issue splits black church and NAACP.” As I was growing up in the segregated South of the 1950s, the NAACP was an important part of my world. I heard about it in school –… Read More »
Where is the “Christian” plan for meeting the healthcare needs of the poor? The response of some high profile Christian leaders to the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the constitutionality of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been emphatic. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council declared, “Today’s Supreme Court decision will do serious… Read More »
The Persecution Trap: When sincere believers who are making questionable decisions won’t listen to correction because they consider it to be persecution. The unfettered opulence that characterizes the lifestyles of some prosperity gospel teachers has caught the attention of Congress. Senator Charles Grassley (R, Iowa), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, has conducted a… Read More »
“The prosperity gospel: the belief that God rewards faith with wealth, health, and happiness.” The “prosperity gospel” has given biblical prosperity a bad name. Take, for example, a recent New York Times article that highlights the lavish lifestyle of the founders of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). The article begins this way: The prosperity gospel… Read More »
There are two seemingly irreconcilable realities that confront Christians when we consider whether government should be in the business of helping to care for the poor. On the one hand, government is just not very good at helping poor people, and often ends up doing them great moral and spiritual harm. On the other hand,… Read More »
The church has been about the business of caring for the poor since its inception. But the poor are still with us in their millions because the job is too big for the church alone. I’ve heard Christians say, “If the government would just get out of the way, the church would get the job… Read More »
The Bible makes clear God’s imperative that we take care of the poor. Both the Old and New Testaments put far more emphasis on this than on issues like homosexuality or abortion (which are important in their own right). Think, for example, of the words of Jesus: For I was hungry and you gave Me… Read More »