The dark-rimmed clouds came sweeping in To shade the land like sullen sin. Such mirth is struck from human hearts; Such sombrous thought despair imparts!   What chance today for solar bright? What hope for coming starlit night? The forecast calls for trem’rous storms. Their rage remorselessly deforms.   “There…

Modern American culture defies any easy description.  Overall, one could say that it has no center that would make it a coherent phenomenon.  There are numerous hard things we can say about it.  Modern American culture defies the traditional virtues, both cardinal–courage, self-control, justice, and prudence and theological–faith, hope, and…

After a long respite, we continue our series on the early Christian apologists.  Athenagoras was a second century Christian writer from Athens.  He addresses his apology to Emperors Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus.  He reminds these rulers that nations have different customs, especially religious ones, that Rome tolerates,…

For the purpose of review, we return to the verse that started it all.  In I Peter we read, “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy,…

Was the article, State of the United States, disrespectful?  Let me answer my own question.  You should answer the question too. In that article I used such words as nonsense, psychosis, and silly to describe the views of those who oppose the Christian faith.  They are strong words, but are they…

We live in the midst of confusion, uncertainty, chaos, turmoil, near anarchy, and violence. The thesaurus could provide many more negative terms to describe our miserable plight.  Our elite offer us the option of complete rejection of our heritage, institutions, culture, and history in favor of a radical world view…

Albert Camus was a French philosopher whose literary output included essays and novels.  Recently, I read his book, La Chute (The Fall), adding to my list of The Stranger, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays, and The Plague.   The Fall is unusual in that it is a monologue of a man to…

To be a disciple of Christ means that we are engaged in a battle against evil.  A central tension in the plot of the Gospels is Christ’s battle with the devil and the human opponents who represent him or defend his cause (see the confession at Caesarea Philippi in Matthew…

The Church is divided.  This is not news.  Especially since the Reformation,  the Church has not been able to speak with one voice.  In America there exist hundreds of denominations and independent churches that can boggle the mind. How does this fact affect our witness?  Doctrines vary from one church…

Years ago, I happened to be in a Quaker meetinghouse.  I was astounded at what should not have surprised me.  The building contained no Christian symbols, pictorial or otherwise.  Banners were hung in the fellowship area, but not one of them included a Christian symbol.  This experience reminded me that…