Category Archives: Contemporary Issues

“Is accepting a Covid-19 vaccination taking the Mark of the Beast?”

Short answer: No. How can I be so sure? Because biblically speaking, the “Mark of the Beast” as noted in the Apocalypse of John (aka Revelation) is a way of declaring a higher allegiance to a power other than Jesus/God. … Continue reading

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“God told me not to get a vaccination”

To start with, you might want to read David French’s column It’s Time to Stop Rationalizing and Enabling Evangelical Vaccine Rejection. I will try not to repeat what he has already said quite clearly in what I write below. I … Continue reading

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Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Kobes Du Mez

Jesus and John Wayne is the eye-catching title of a book by Kristen Kobes Du Mez. The subtitle is even more provocative: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. It’s a fine historical account written for a … Continue reading

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On the Cost of War: A Demonstration of Extreme Love and Loyalty at Great Cost

A recent trilogy of Rough Translation podcasts tells an amazing story of two people who make great sacrifices. I was struck by the display of the often unseen cost of war and violence and by the great display of love … Continue reading

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Dr. Michael Osterholm’s Covid-19 Podcast

Dr. Michael Osterholm runs CIDRAP, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, at the University of Minnesota. He has a Covid-19 podcast that is full of good information and… surprise… even encouragement! I listened to his latest episode today … Continue reading

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“Postmodernity, Critical (Race) Theory, Cultural Marxism, and you” – links to a series of articles

John Stackhouse is a theologian who teaches at Crandall University in Canada. He’s from a Plymouth Brethren background, educated at Queen’s University, Wheaton Graduate School, and the University of Chicago. He generally has a pretty sensible Christian view of most contemporary issues. … Continue reading

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Jesus Christ must be the center and norm for Christian public engagement.

Jesus Christ must be the center and the norm for Christian public engagement. Why? Because Christ and Christ’s Spirit aren’t at work only in our hearts, families, and churches, but in our civic communities, cities, nations, and the entire world. … Continue reading

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Facing Things, a Quote by James Baldwin

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” James Baldwin

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Resources for Understanding Racism and Prejudice in America

I’ve been engaged in quite a bit of recent discussion about the presence of racism and prejudice in the United States today. This is a list of resources that come to mind this morning and are thus weighted towards the … Continue reading

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The truth is always there, and it is…. jealous?

Some months ago, I watched the excellent Chernobyl mini-series on television. In the last episode (number five) the protagonist, Legasov, reflects on his experience with the nuclear disaster. Powerful people tried to cover it up and hide the magnitude of … Continue reading

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