Tag: Religion & Politics
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Christians & Politics: Faith-filled or Faith Fooled?
In case you have been sleeping like Rip Van Winkle, this is a Presidential Election year in the USA. Faith will be declared, inspected, invoked, and provoked from all sides over these next few months. Some will offer opinions from positions of knowledge, while others will offer authoritative sounding opinions from positions of functional ignorance. …
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What is Your Moral Gauge?
Here is a provocative article by Ben Stevens for the Huffington Post: Two Lesbians Raised a Baby: A Response. The premise behind Stevens’ piece is derived from the logic of a video of an Iowa college student named Zach Wahls that has gone viral. Wahls makes a compelling argument that he, though having been raised…
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Mormonism vs. Christianity
With the hubbub surrounding Baptist pastor Robert Jeffress’ endorsement of Gov. Rick Perry with a denouncement of Mitt Romney and his Mormanism, the bigger, more important point may be easily overlooked. It is easy to get caught up with the politically related issues. I for one wonder what the opponents of California’s Proposition 8 think…
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Never Exchange the Pulpit
With all the hubub that has surrounded Glen Beck and his aspiration to ascend to top of the Religious Right leadership, I was encouraged by an open letter written by Nancy Guthrie to the pastors of her church. Guthrie states that what has concerned her more than the fact that Beck is a Morman…
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To Speak or Not to Speak
I am torn. According to a recent article by the Florida Baptist Witness, a group of concerned citizens are recruiting pastors to challenge a 55 year old law that prohibits non-profit organizations, including churches, from endorsing specific political candidates. Practically speaking this law empowers the IRS to censor the content that is offered from church pulpits. …
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Navigating the Narrow Path Between the Gospel and Politics
It is a constant tension for me. How do I juggle my personal political views with my responsibility to remain faithful to the Gospel? How do I strive to keep the Gospel message pure and not pollute my teaching with political biases interjected? It is a difficult dilemma. Many political issues have moral roots, and can be informed by…
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Why I Am NOT Part of the Religious Right
One would think I’d be a good prospect to be a part of the Religious Right. 1. I am a conservative Evangelical pastor. 2. I first identified my political identity as a Republican in the 2nd Grade. (My teacher at Cedar Road Elementary School, Mrs. Manning, wanting to teach us a little about Civics, listed several candidates…
