Last spring I had the privilege of speaking at a conference for NFL players put on by Pro Athletes Outreach (PAO), a group which exists to unite a community of pro athletes and couples to grow as disciples of Jesus and positively impact their spheres of influence. They have a fantastic outreach to professional football and baseball athletes and their wives. I’ve seen firsthand the amazing difference they’re making. In the off-season I exchanged emails and texts with dozens of NFL players and cha..Continue reading→
Home
Thoughts
Motherhood Is a Marathon
I wanted to do great things for God. In the spring of my senior year of college, on the brink of embarking upon my own journey into adulthood, my future was undecided and that was simultaneously terrifying and thrilling. As a philosophy major, my path was narrower than I had realized, but I was sure it would take me on some grand and glorious adventure. I knew the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. “Glorify” sounds like such a grand term. It evokes images of battlefie..Continue reading→
1 Peter 5:7–8: How Not to Battle Anxiety
Anxieties attack our faith and torment our peace. The question with anxiety is not whether it will come, but rather, how can I fight it when it does? Watch NowContinue reading→
Is Love of Money Really the Root of All Evils?
Is the love of money the “root of all evils” or only the “root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10)? “All evils” is the formal English equivalent of the original Greek (pantōn tōn kakōn). It is remarkable that all older versions of the Bible translate 1 Timothy 6:10 in the more literal way: “The love of money is the root of all evils” (or all evil). This includes the Wycliffe Bible, Luther Bibel, Geneva Bible, King James Version, Douay-Rheims, Darby Bible, and Revised Standard Version. Bu..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
Pastor Greg Laurie says trials happen so Christians can grow up spiritually
Pastor Greg Laurie says, 'Many Christians are surprised to find that the Christian life is not a playground but a battleground.' Trials are difficult, and during these moments, Christians are left wondering if God is still watching over them. Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship says that people should not harbour these doubts because God is always with them. "Trials are a bit like a cloud that may obscure the rays of the sun. When you go ..Continue reading→
Hidden notes in rare Christian Bible show subversive use of Latin
Annotated page from England's first printed Bible For centuries, the Reformation has been regarded as a "clean break" of the Protestant Church of England with Rome. Secret texts discovered in a rare Bible at the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury reveal that it took far longer and was a more complex process than many imagine. Using the latest scientific techniques, researchers have found notes that had remained hidden for nearly 500 years between the pages ..Continue reading→
‘A breath of fresh air’: Franklin Graham praises Maria Sharapova for squarely admitting drug mistake
Maria Sharapova of Russia wipes her face during her women's singles match against Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic during the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, in this June 1, 2015 file picture. It is difficult for people to admit their mistakes, and this is why Reverend Franklin Graham was really impressed when tennis star Maria Sharapova bravely confronted her drug use allegations and did not try to pin the blame on anyone else. "Sha..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
To My Sisters in Christ
Contrary to Ben Carson’s explanation this sort of talk is not how most men talk about women in their absence. We do not believe that the number of a man’s sexual conquests or his willingness to force himself upon a woman is the measure of manhood. Quite the opposite. For many of us the arrogant swagger and adulterous boastings of Trump are the negation of genuine manhood. He is a petulant child grasping for validation by bragging about his sexual prowess to strangers on a bus. Over the weekend..Continue reading→
Can Depression Be Cured? Latest Research
Depression is a serious disorder that impacts the whole body, it is progressive, and it needs to be treated. 60% of people with depression in the United States remain untreated. The most effective way to treat depression at present is a combination of talking therapies and medication. In May 2016, the Library of Congress and the John Kluge Center hosted a symposium on Can Depression be Cured? at which four of the top medical researchers into depression and its treatments presented their latest ..Continue reading→
Notes From The Didache On The Early Christian View Of Abortion
The moral rigor of the Didache is also in contrast to the way some late-modern Christians speak about sexual ethics generally. The Didache unequivocally condemns sexual immorality. Again, it is hard to imagine the Didache countenancing the nomenclature, “gay Christian.” This much seems clear from the blanket condemnation of sexual immorality in 3:3. One of the more difficult and fascinating texts in the collection of texts known as the Apostolic Fathers is the Teaching of the Lord to the Gentil..Continue reading→
How to Actually Help When Tragic Events Happen in the World
This is the beauty of the church. In it, we get to partner together as the body of Christ to accomplish more than we can ever hope to do alone. If we want to make a difference this week—or the next time tragedy strikes—we should look no further than our own local churches. Whatever the reason—be it the modern news cycle or the never-ending flow of social media reports—we’re all inundated with bad news every day. The latest school shooting and an unpredictable hurricane were the issues this wee..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Ohio Ballot Proposal Would Prosecute Abortion as Aggravated Murder
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A proposal to amend the Ohio Constitution and classify the performance of an abortion as an act of aggravated murder has been presented to the state attorney general for approval as a ballot measure. “No person shall perform, procure or attempt to perform an abortion,” the proposed text reads. “Whoever violates this section is guilty of aggravated murder and shall be punished in accordance with the penalties for that crime …” It notes that the measure would not apply to contra..Continue reading→
People reminded that prisoners are Christians, too: ‘We have a duty to support them, not segregate them’
It's true that prisoners have committed crimes and therefore have to pay for it. But Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster believes that prisoners should not be treated differently than others, since they can still deepen their faith and start new lives after returning to society. "We have a duty to support them, not segregate them. Without this welcome, any redemption they found in prison and any motivation they have to reform will be wasted, along with all that they have to ..Continue reading→
Parents angered by pranks at Catholic high school that showed a Jesus mascot dancing with the devil
A lot of parents got upset after some students of the Notre Dame Prep Catholic high school in Scottsdale, Arizona pulled some religious pranks at a football game, which included the vandalism of a Virgin Mary statue as well as a dancing Jesus Christ mascot. The pranks were staged last week before the school's Friday night football game against Desert Mountain, according to the Catholic News Agency. Some students thought it would be hilarious to place a mask of Hillary Clinton ov..Continue reading→
Sensitivity Video Teaches Police to Ask Transgenders Their Preferred Pronoun, Allow Restroom Preference
A sensitivity training video recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) teaches police officers nationwide to ask men who identify as women and vice versa which gender pronoun they prefer, and to allow them to use the restroom that correlates with their gender identity. The video, Law Enforcement and the Transgender Community, was produced by the DOJ’s Community Relations Service and features role playing skits to show officers how they are to respond to certain scenarios involvi..Continue reading→
Movies
Goodbye, Family Christian Stores
This week, it was announced that Family Christian Stores — one of the world’s largest Christian retailers — will close all 240 of its stores. This isn’t really shocking; Family Christian had gone through bankruptcy a few years back. But it will have an impact; more than 3,000 employees are going to lose their jobs as the stores shutter and Christian culture loses one of its largest and most diverse suppliers of books, music and trinkets. Granted, this is just the nature of the beast these days. ..Continue reading→
Have you caught up with “It’s My Favorite”?
Hey everyone, Not going to lie: it’s been a week. Work, school and home life have been busy, and the general insanity of our world right now has really robbed me of a lot of energy and will to write. It’s a shame, because I have some really good stuff on deck for you. One new series I want to write and one Oscar-related miniseries of articles, and I’m hoping that starting this weekend those will start posting. And in the weeks ahead I’m going to really be jumping into the reviewing pool again ha..Continue reading→
Watch: New music video for The Shack with new footage
Itching to see The Shack — or at least to get a taste of it before it comes out five weeks from now? Well, maybe this will tide you over: the powers that be have released two new songs from the film’s soundtrack, one of which even has a music video. Here is the video, for a new acoustic version of Skillet’s ‘Stars’: The studio has also released the full version of ‘Keep Your Eyes on Me’, which is sung by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and has previously been heard in the trailers. Here is a Spotify ..Continue reading→
The Story of God: Proof of the Divine
Photo by Amanda Slater, Flickr. C.C. Licensing. Season two of “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman” airs Mondays at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central) on the National Geographic Channel. Once again, I’m writing about it here each week from a Christian perspective as a preview. This post is about episode three, the season finale, “Proof of God.” In the final episode of “The Story of God’s” second season, Morgan Freeman travels the world speaking to people who believe they’ve experienced proof — often tang..Continue reading→
Oscar nominations — my own two bits, and a complete list
It looks like La La Land is the movie to beat at this year’s Oscars. The film, a jazzy musical that stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as a musician and an actress trying to make their way in Hollywood, racked up 14 Academy Award nominations this morning — tying the record set by 1950’s All About Eve and 1997’s Titanic. However, because La La Land was nominated twice for original song, it is actually nominated in 13 categories — which is more than the 12 categories that All About Eve was nominate..Continue reading→
Let’s talk Oscar noms!
Some quick thoughts on the 2017 Academy Award nominations, which were announced earlier today. A full list of nominees is available here. At first blush, my biggest surprise is that there isn’t a ton here I would bicker with. The list of nominees this year is really darn good, spread out over several movies. Maybe it’s because I saw fewer movies than normal this year or simply because so many of the nominated films are on my best-of list, but I can’t really find a bad choice among the films. Re..Continue reading→
Star Wars Episode 8 gains a title
Earlier today, the official Star Wars Twitter feed ended more than a year of speculation by revealing the title of the latest entry in the saga, due out this December: It’s official. STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI is the next chapter of the Skywalker saga. This December. #TheLastJedihttps://t.co/ySkVwQcMTPpic.twitter.com/eHrPgbsRJq — Star Wars (@starwars) January 23, 2017 [Read More...]Continue reading→
Encountering the Mystical in the ‘The Fits’
The fascinating film about adolescent encounters with the sublime gives us plenty to ponder. If you’re looking for a film that inspires lively conversation, you’ve got to check out The Fits. Anna Rose Helmer’s debut feature film runs a brief, but intense, 72 minutes, leaving plenty of time for discussion and debate afterwards. It caused a stir last year at Sundance, and critics have been talking about it ever since. Fortunately, Amazon Prime subscribers can currently stream it for free—and for ..Continue reading→
Review: The Resurrection of Gavin Stone (dir. Dallas Jenkins, 2017)
The Resurrection of Gavin Stone is a “faith-based” comedy about a washed-up former child star who, having trashed a hotel roof bar, is told to do a couple hundred hours of community service at a Chicago-based megachurch and ends up starring in their Easter play. It’s a safe, formulaic and utterly predictable film — precisely the kind of “Christian” movie I tend not to review here — but because of my interest in movies about Jesus, I was interested in seeing how this film would depict the play. T..Continue reading→
Music
One-Way Conversations by Hollyn
Hailing from Ohio, this Dove Awards New Artist of the Year nominee has been working the past year on her debut full length album titled "One-Way Conversations". Listeners were introduced to this vibrant you lady on TobyMac's latest release with the songs "Backseat Driver" and "Lights Shine Bright" and later with her debut #1 single "Alone (featuring TRU)". As a songwriter, Hollyn co-wrote all of the songs on her debut full length album and worked with producers Bryan Fowler (Ryan Stevenson), Wit and 42 North (Andy Mineo), Cole Walowac of Capital Kings, Eric Ramey (Britt Nicole) and more. The album[...]Continue reading→
Run The Race (Single) by Holly Starr
The new single from Holly Starr, co-written with and produced by Bryan Fowler (Ryan Stevenson, Tobymac, Mandisa, Hollyn).[...]Continue reading→
The Garden (Deluxe Edition) by Kari Jobe
Grammy nominated Kari Jobe is the premiere female worship leader in Christian music. Coming off her last live album, Majestic, which featured the worship anthem 'Forever' and radio hit 'I Am Not Alone', Kari Jobe has returned to the studio to record her new album, full of brand new worship anthems for the church and for personal reflection. Finding inspiration from life's joys and hardships, Kari leans into the firm foundation of Christ through it all. With career sales that top 1 million, Kari still comes back to the reason why she started in the first place- leading people into[...]Continue reading→
Back To Life by Anthony Evans
Recording Artist and Worship Leader Anthony Evans' highly-anticipated new album Back To Life releases February 3, 2017 through Sherman James Productions. A collection of worship songs, this new album features NBC's The Voice alumnus on 11 worship-themed tracks exploring authenticity, vulnerability, honesty and the way that the culmination of those three things brought him Back to Life. It marks Evans' eighth solo studio album and will be available through all digital retailers and exclusively at Lifeway Christian Stores. Back To Life is available for pre-order on January 6, 2017. "Over the last year, God has given me one revelation after[...]Continue reading→
Canopy by nobigdyl.
"I wrote Canopy coming out of a time of isolation and darkness. It felt like my life was completely falling apart and I'd have to start over again from nothing. God showed me that sometimes there's safety and protection in isolation. Sometimes, the darkness makes it easier to see the light," confessed nobigdyl. when speaking of the anticipated release. 'Canopy' is nobigdyl.'s first album release since his debut in 2015 with the 'Smoke Signal' EP. Check out indie tribe and nobigdyl at his website, nobigdyl.com.[...]Continue reading→
Books
A Look at Notable 2016 Publications
TEDS President offers his list of best books “There is no end to the making of many books,” says the author of Ecclesiastes. In the United States alone, there were close to one million titles published during the past year, with revenue approaching $1.8 billion. Hundreds of titles competed for our attention during 2016. I offer the following observations with the recognition that I have no doubt missed several important works that some of you would have included in such a survey. The books not..Continue reading→
Recommended Biographies By or About Women
Faith Cook is an author, biographer, and hymn writer. She grew up as a missionary child in war-torn China and has chronicled her story in an autobiography. Her own biographical work has been on both men: Fearless Pilgrim: The Life and Times of John Bunyan William Grimshaw of Haworth and women: The Nine Day Queen of England: Lady Jane Grey, Selina: Countess of Huntingdon: Her Pivotal Role in the 18th Century Evangelical Awakening, and Anne Bradstreet: Pilgrim and PoetContinue reading→
Bibliotheca Bible – a Review
There are many things that I have great admiration for, but perhaps one of the things I enjoy the most is seeing a long-awaited, labor of love come to full fruition. The tenacity, hard work, dedication, and pitfalls along the way in seeing something through to the end is something that, for lack of better terms, gets me emotionally invested in a project. Yet not all projects are equal and not all catch my particular attention – but if we’re truthful, that’s precisely what makes these types of th..Continue reading→
Christianity Today’s 2017 Book Awards
Our picks for the books most likely to shape evangelical life, thought, and culture. Make a list of all the blessings the Protestant Reformation has brought, and eventually—long after jotting down iconic phrases like “salvation by grace alone through faith alone”—you’ll get around to the CT Book Awards. Books, of course, had existed long before Luther posted his 95 Theses. But there’s no denying that reading and the Reformation, with a vital assist from Gutenberg’s printing press, soared toget..Continue reading→
Where Should Our Women be Discipled?
Pastors and elders want thinking women in the church, right? And yet popular beliefs that came out of the nineteenth century’s cult of domesticity still seem to linger in the evangelical culture today. Back then, people taught that women’s brains were inferior to men’s intellectually and that women needed to reserve their energy and blood flow for reproductive purposes. These are ideas we usually joke about now, even to provoke a woman in innocent fun, because we know them to be scientifically p..Continue reading→
10 Books Every Christian Teenager Should Read
A reader recently asked the question: Do you have a suggested list of books for teenagers, something like a “Ten best books every Christian teenager should read?” It surprised me that I have never compiled such a list, especially since I’ve got two teenagers of my own. I decided I’d better remedy this oversight straight away. Here, then, is a list of ten great books every Christian teen ought to read—or at least consider reading. Please note that these are not necessarily the ten best books your teens will read in their lifetime. Not all of these books will stand the test of time as Christian classics. But each of them is suited to twenty-first century teenaged readers and together they will provide a foundation for the Christian life that will prove both deep and wide. I list them in no particular order. The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul. It is rare that a book is elevated to the ranks of the classics, but The Holiness of God is a prime candidate. Sproul’s book will introduce teens..Continue reading→
Signposts to God and More (RJS)
Books, books, books … What is the best book you’ve read on Science and Christian faith? It seems to be the season … not the holiday season, but the book season. I recently received three new books. Books by a physicist, a biologist (with training in theology as well), and a philosopher. All three tackle questions of science and Christian faith. Each of the three presents an interesting perspective – and I intend to dig into them more completely over the upcoming months. Peter Bussey’s book, Sign..Continue reading→
2016 Reading Challenge Update: September & October
This year I have been participating in the 2016 Reading Challenge, a fun way to increase and diversify your reading through another year. I took the challenge and set this year’s goal at 104 books. However, because so much of my reading has to go toward reviewing books that are recently published and of interest to Christians (both for reviews published here and in WORLD magazine), I decided to pick from all over the list rather than working through it in order. What follows are the books I completed in September and October and, in parentheses, the reading challenge category they fulfill. Below that is the complete list of categories I need to cover. As you can see, I did not finish many books over the past couple of months, something that is not unusual as my reading ebbs and flows over the course of the year. You can see my previous updates for January, February, March-April, May, June, and July-August. Sexual Morality in a Christless World by Matthew Rueger. This is a brilliant w..Continue reading→
6 Reflections on Community Inspired by Bonhoeffer
My church has recently launched a series on community called Better Together. In conjunction with the sermon series, I, in collaboration with my senior pastor, wrote a small group curriculum to compliment the series. I love community, which is why I love small groups. Like many of you, I work hard on our small group system at my church to equip leaders and to help many in my church experience the fullness of community—the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, as I continue to reflect on communi..Continue reading→
World
Belgian Catholic nursing home has to pay damages for refusing euthanasia
A Catholic nursing home in Belgium is reported to have fallen foul of the country's courts after refusing to permit a resident to access euthanasia. The incident happened in 2011 when Huize Sint-Augustinus home in Diest refused to allow an elderly woman's doctor access to see her – when it was thought she was about to be given a lethal injection. The home has been ordered to pay €6,000 (approx $6,600 or £5,000) in damaged to the family of the woman. The civil court in Louva..Continue reading→
No more settlements on Palestinian land, Middle East Quartet to tell Israel
The West Bank Jewish settlement of Efrat is one of those deemed illegal by the UN. Israel should stop building settlements, denying Palestinian development and designating land for exclusive Israeli use that Palestinians seek for a future state, the Middle East peace Quartet recommended in a draft of an eagerly awaited report seen by Reuters. The draft report by the Quartet countries sponsoring the stalled Middle East peace process – the United States, Russia, the European Union and the..Continue reading→
Your Unchurched Friends Want to Know About Your Faith
And while they don’t want to go to church, they’re likely up for attending other church activities with you, LifeWay reports. Americans who don’t go to church are happy to talk about religion and often think about the meaning of life. They’re open to taking part in community service events hosted at a church or going to a church concert. But only about a third say they’d go to a worship service, if invited by a friend. Few think about what happens after they die. Those are among the findings ..Continue reading→
PCA Goes Back to Where It Started: Women’s Ordination
Meanwhile, the shrinking PCUSA makes plans to recover its identity. One of the reasons that the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) left the Presbyterian Church in the United States 40 years ago was because the new denomination opposed women in church leadership. Last week, the PCA General Assembly voted to form a committee to take up the issue again. The seven-person committee will look at the biblical basis and theology of ordination and of the office of deacon, then report back to the Gene..Continue reading→
American
“Children’s Hospital” Kills Unborn Children in Abortions
From a marketing perspective, the name “Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital” suggests a place where women and children can go seeking healthcare and health-affirming treatments in times of illness. However, a recent ABC News report divulges that abortions are occurring at this “children’s hospital.” There is nothing about abortion that suggests healthcare for either a mother or her child. “Certainly, not all women experience emotional problems following induced abortion. However…an alarm..
Roe v. Wade Attorney Sarah Weddington’s Shocking Answer When Asked, “Whatever Happened to Roe?”
February 18, 2017, Norma McCorvey passed away. Her long, hard journey on this harsh Earth behind her, she finally rests in the peace of our Lord. At last. Norma was one of the most broken people I have ever met, but her impact on the lives around her cannot be measured. Norma carried a crushing, unbearable weight around for most of her life. She felt the burden of the 58 million lost lives since the Roe v. Wade decision because Norma was Roe. I hate to type that because she was so much #moreth..
Boy Born With 2% of His Brain Stuns Doctors Years After His Mom Refused Abortion
A British boy who was born with just 2 percent of his brain continues to stun the world with his progress. Noah Wall’s life is being hailed as a medical miracle. Aletia reports Noah’s brain regrew to 80 percent of a normal brain by the time he was 3 years old; and today, he is attending school and learning to read and write. Here’s more: The family continues to keep Noah’s brain stimulated to aid his neurological growth. Dr. Claire Nicholson of Newcastle’s Great North Children’s Hospital in E..
Norma McCorvey, Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade, Passes Away: She Never Had an Abortion and Became Pro-Life
Norma McCorvey, who was the Jane Roe of the infamous Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court case legalizing virtually unlimited abortions, passed away today. McCorvey never had an abortion and eventually became pro-life and dedicated her life to overturning the horrible Supreme Court decision that bared her pseudonym. McCorvey died today at an assisted-living facility in Katy, Texas. She was 69. McCorvey never wanted an abortion — she was seeking a divorce from her husband — but young, pro-abortion femini..
Australia
A shipping container filled with thousands of children’s books is on its way to Kenya
Imagine the excitement and wonder of children at a school in Kenya when they first see the shelves of colourful books sent to them as a ready-made library by a church in Australia. Inside a 6-metre shipping container they will find an Aladdin’s cave of treasures: on the left are non-fiction books offering windows into their world, while on the right are fiction books of all kinds to feed their imaginations. It is this vision of Kenyan children discoveri..
Make your faith count on census day
Atheists and Christians are united in calls for Australians to be honest about their religious affiliation as the fill in the census on Tuesday 9 August. The Atheist Foundation of Australia (AFA) is urging people who no longer practise or hold religious beliefs to vote “no religion” on census night. In an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney Anglican minister and regular Eternity contributor Michael Jensen writes, “I am all for the censu..
“Not silly, just forgiven,” students told at first 2016 Bible Society Masterclass
“People can view our beliefs as silly,” said Simon Smart from Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) to 300 high school students attending Bible Society’s first 2016 Masterclass in Queensland last week. Simon Smart from CPX at Masterclass in QLD. “Much more so in the world that you’re growing up in than the one I grew up in. This is because we are mixing more and more with people whose worldview is different than our own.” Smart was making ..
Christians on trial in Nepal in first religious freedom case since new Constitution
Eight Nepali Christians are on trial this month, arrested for distributing a pamphlet about Jesus in a school. It is Nepal’s first religious freedom case since the country’s new Constitution was implemented in September last year. While Nepal recognises the right to be Christian, converting someone to a different religion is prohibited. A new clause in the Constitution, Article 31(3) took that further, stating “any act to convert another person f..
Law & Government
Texas attorney general affirms constitutionality of courtroom prayer
Judge Wayne Mack gestures before his interview with 'Fox & Friends' on Aug. 22, 2016. In a legal opinion, Texas' attorney general said an opening prayer before a court proceeding and a voluntary chaplaincy programme are constitutional and do not violate the Establishment Clause. Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the legal opinion based on requests by Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and executive director Seana Willing of the State Commission on Judicial Conduc..
U.S. court upholds religious freedom case against transgender employee
The R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes in Michigan won the case under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). A federal court in the U.S. state of Michigan ruled last week in favour of a funeral home sued by the state for dismissing a transgender employee who wanted to wear women's clothes at work. In his ruling, Judge Sean Cox of the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan said there was no discrimination when R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Ho..
Federal Judge Upholds Funeral Home’s Firing of Male Director Who Desired to Dress as Woman
DETROIT, Mich. — A federal judge has upheld a Michigan funeral home’s decision to fire a male funeral director for his desire to dress as a woman on the job. As previously reported, Anthony Stephens, who now goes by the name Aimee Stephens, was hired as the funeral director and embalmer for RG & GR Harris Funeral Homes in 2007. In 2013, Stephens informed his employer that he had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and would therefore desire to wear a woman’s suit for work. Owner Thomas Rost, ..
Judge Refuses to Lift Injunction on Law Protecting Clerks Who Decline to Issue ‘Gay Marriage’ Licenses
JACKSON, Miss. — A federal judge appointed to the bench by Barack Obama is refusing to lift his injunction against Mississippi’s Freedom of Conscience Act, requiring clerks within the state to issue “gay marriage” licenses despite their religious convictions. “Issuing a marriage license to a gay couple is not like being forced into armed combat or to assist with an abortion,” Judge Carlton Reeves wrote on Friday. “To the extent the preliminary injunction will help alleviate the damage wrought o..
Entertainment
Must-See Wrongful Conviction Films and TV Shows from Innocence Project
Over at the Innocence Project they have posted an amazing list of films and television shows (and links to trailers) about wrongful convictions. Let’s hear it: Hurray for Hollywood – for the stories they tell that can make a difference in the world. This is just the first few; I’ve added the link to take you to the IP page. BY INNOCENCE STAFF Do you want to know more about wrongful conviction, but you’re not sure where to look? No worries. You don’t need to sit in court or be a lawyer to learn m..
What Makes The Innocents So Frightening … and So Perfect for Halloween
Comment countIt amazes me how many children show up in horror movies they’re not allowed to see. Kids are everywhere in fright flicks. Either they’re innocent waifs running from horrific, kid-killing entities (The Shining, The Conjuring, etc.) or they’re the horrific entities themselves, bent on ridding the world of a few adults (Children of the Corn, The Ring, etc.). Sometimes, like in The Exorcist, they manage to be both. Regan from The Exorcist, courtesy Warner Bros.But most of the time, we ..
For stories that ‘transcend daily life’: CIMA presents 23rd annual entertainment awards
Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron (from left), Archbishop José H. Gomez and Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP, are pictured during the 23rd annual CIMA Awards, where Bishop Barron received the CIMA Communicator Award. (photo/Victor Aléman) These days, when many perceive heaven and Hollywood to be polar opposite, mutually exclusive destinations, it’s easy to forget that film and faith have the capacity to intersect in vital, remarkable ways. Catholics in Media Associates (CIMA) was founded in 1992 to serve a..
Watch: An Exclusive “Denial” Featurette
Patheos is pleased to share an exclusive featurette for Denial that highlights the importance of interfaith dialogue in a world that seems to be increasingly divided. Denial is based on Deborah E. Lipstadt’s book History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier. The movie portray’s Lipstadt’s (Rachel Weisz) legal battle against David Irving (Timothy Spall), who accused her of libel when she declared him a Holocaust denier. In her defense, her legal team actually had to prove the histor..
US
Who will pray at Trump’s inauguration
The six religious leaders who will offer prayers at Donald Trump’s inauguration have been announced. They include three Pentecostals: Paula White, Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, and Samuel Rodriguez. White and Jackson, a black megachurch pastor, are prominent preachers of the “prosperity Gospel.’ (See our earlier post on White.) Rodriguez is a Hispanic Assemblies of God minister also preaches a perhaps less extreme version of the prosperity gospel. The others are Franklin Graham, whose father Billy no..
Trump vows trade deal with UK
UK Prime Minister Theresa May In an interview with the London Times [subscription required], Donald Trump promised a quick trade deal with the UK, thus helping its Brexit transition. (British prime minister Theresa May and other Brexit supporters were delighted at the news.) He also gave other indications of what his new foreign policy would be like: He said he supported NATO, though he considered it “obsolete,” saying only five NATO members are paying their dues. He also said he might suspend s..
Obama gets tough on immigration
With about a week left in office, President Obama has finally cracked down on immigration: against Cubans. Escapees from our Communist neighbor have long been given automatic legal immigrant status once they arrive on our shores. But no more. Now they will be returned for punishment. The Obama administration says that now, in light of our “normalized relations” with Cuba, Cuban refugees will be treated like any other immigrants. Except other immigrants are allowed to enter illegally with impunit..
Letter from a Birmingham Jail
To observe Martin Luther King Day, read his classic “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” It was written to fellow pastors who were concerned that a man of the cloth would engage in protests that would get him arrested. The letter is interesting in itself for the case that it makes for civil disobedience, under certain very restrictive conditions. Some of what he says will resonate with pro-lifers and religious freedom advocates. The letter also shows how it was possible back then in 1963 to continua..
Church & Theology
When the Battlefield Terrain Is Different Than You Planned
Do you ever have a day go differently than you planned? Or a year? Or an entire season of your life? I’m a planner, and although I know in theory that God may change my plans and, in fact, has every right to intervene, I don’t always see His hand in the unplanned delays, changes, or upsets in the moment they occur. I recently came across the paragraph below, written by an Irish Baptist pastor in 1840. It was a great encouragement to me: Nothing can be more consoling to the man of God, than th..
Is Your Motivation Style Demotivating?
I’m excited to announce a relaunch of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast—beginning with this episode! While past episodes were primarily audio leadership lessons that had been recorded in other venues, such as Spiritual Leadership or Striving Together Conferences, the new podcast will include episodes video recorded specifically for this podcast. Each monthly episode will focus on practical ministry leadership, with this first one being about biblical motivation. Future episodes will dedicate ti..
Why I’m Reordering My Social Media Life
Follow @BrandonSmith85 When I joined Facebook over a decade ago, I assumed it would be a fun little social network like MySpace. I’d check it once a day at most, but probably no more than 4-5 times per week. After all, I barely knew anyone who was using it. It was largely the same handful of people that would comment back and forth with me on our “walls.” There was really no opportunity to catch up on news or any type of day-to-day commentary. In 2009, I joined Twitter because Facebook was getti..
4 Ways Grace Works in Our Hearts
The grace of God is an incredible gift. It not only brings salvation (Titus 2:11), but it is the ongoing provision for our Christian walk. It’s a peculiar thing about grace, however: it seems practically every Christian has their “angle” on the best way to use God’s grace—what grace is really all about. Perhaps part of the reason for that is that grace is indeed multi-faceted. It doesn’t only bring salvation, only give Christian liberty, or only produce holiness. God uses His grace at every le..