Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
The Age of Martyrs Is Far From Over
Ever since 9/11 - and even before - the concept of martyrdom has been freighted with a fanatic madness that defies legitimate faith. That a person could become a martyr for spiritual beliefs, or even for political or...
Future of Faith and Culture Depends on Understanding Past
For individuals, effective memory is frequently what makes life meaningful. Likewise, the loss of memory is often a first sign of disability and, in extreme cases, dehumanization. But in that transition from future to...
Editorial Pages Criticize Bush’s Tax Plan for Benefiting the Rich
Editorial pages across the country criticized President Bush's economic recovery plan of $674 billion in tax cuts over the next 10 years as a benefit for the rich. Unveiled on Tuesday at the Economic Club of Chicago,...
Ten Worst Movies of 2002
A new year brings many "best of" lists, and there were indeed many noteworthy movies in 2002. But there were some bad ones too, so I sit at the keyboard to point out what I consider the 10 worst. So here it goes, in no...
Columnists React to Legislation to Bring Back the Draft
Newspaper columnists and editorials reacted sharply to the proposed legislation to resume the military draft for war with Iraq. In an opinion column in the New York Times, Congressman Charles B. Rangel, D-N.Y.,...
The Church Alumni Association
The Church Alumni Association is one of the largest organizations in the United States. Except that it isn't really an organization. In fact, "disorganization" is a better word, if an adjective can be used as a noun....
Live to Tell: Evangelism for a Postmodern Age
Kallenberg is certainly right about the ineffectiveness of purely rational presentations of the gospel. Studies have shown that the most effective method of evangelism is friendship evangelism. Friendship evangelism...
“Catch Me If You Can”
Spielberg has crafted a movie dealing with issues historically important to his films. The movie may look like just another crime caper, but it asks deep questions about family and relationships. Steven Spielberg's...
Evangelicals Turn Good News Into Bad
In what is clearly one of the most dramatic reversals in history, evangelicals have transformed the meaning of good news into bad news. The very word "evangel" rings in the ears of non-believers as some sort of curse....
Struggling With Teenage Boundaries
It's natural that teenagers want to break free from their parents' boundaries and test their limits. It was with Jim and Kate's oldest son, Mark, that the battle over boundaries was more intense. When the children hit...
Away From the Manger, Out Into the Dangerous World
Nothing's ever over quite like Christmas. The tree comes down. Decorations go back into the attic. A new year arrives. Life returns to normal. This quick change isn't peculiar to our culture. The Gospel of Matthew...
The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy
Colleen Carroll writes to tell us why the younger generation is turning to religious orthodoxy: strong, traditional values, and a more conservative Christianity. Carroll, a secular journalist for the St. Louis...
BCE Announces Online, “Courageous Churches” Sunday School Curriculum
An online, adult Sunday School curriculum will be published this year, resulting from a creative partnership formed by the Baptist General Association of Virginia, Baptist Center for Ethics and Trinity Baptist Church...
If You Win the Powerball, Give Me a Call
It was bound to happen sooner or later. A winner of the Powerball lottery has given God the credit for letting him pick the right numbers. What's wrong with that? We are used to people thanking God for victory. Just...
Congressman Plans Legislation to Bring Back the Draft
Congressman Charles B. Rangel, D-N.Y., announced plans to introduce legislation next week to resume the military draft for the war with Iraq. In an opinion column in the New York Times, Rangel wrote, "I believe that if...
Liberation Theology: Its Latin American Roots
Liberation Theology has been a dominant concern in Christian theology for the last 30 years. Its influence has spread far beyond the land where it first appeared. Gustavo Gutierrez gave Liberation Theology its name,...
‘Adonis Complex’ for Image-obsessed Men, Boys
The "Adonis Complex" is a new phrase being used to describe "a variety of body image concerns which have been plaguing boys and men especially through the last decade," according to Addictions.net. The term comes from...
To Be Uninsured-Dangerous to Your Health
Access to health-care providers is a matter of justice. Justice is a core Christian value and the cornerstone of the United States' political system. Yet, it is clear that whatever measures of justice in health-care...
Finding Christ’s Face Through Forensics
Forensic anthropology has made it possible for scientists to construct what they believe is an accurate depiction of Jesus. Forensic anthropology has made it possible for scientists to construct what they believe is an...
‘Skinny Pill’ for Kids Draws Critics
Adults have long been swallowing supplements and appetite suppressors trying to waste away unwanted pounds. Now, thanks to Edita Kaye, a self-proclaimed nutritionist, chunky six- to 12-year-olds have the option of...
At Church, Celebrity Coaches Prefer to Be ‘Regular Members’
Amid all the intensity and pressure of college football, two Baptist pastors in football-rich Florida are grateful for the quiet consistency of a pair of church members who are among the nation's most celebrated...