I have been talking a lot about sex lately. Maybe a better way to put that is that I have been talking a lot about the ethics and dynamics of human sexuality lately. But when I tell folks I am going to talk about human sexuality they often think I’m going to give them “the... Continue Reading →
Trends I See
This series of posts are intended to be short thoughts on trends I see in the culture and church, both positive and negative. Given my cheery disposition, they will likely end up being mostly trending problems I see. These are not fully developed arguments, but the seeds of arguments. They are a placeholder for my... Continue Reading →
Capitalism, Greed and Self-Interest
It is not at all uncommon to hear modern critiques of capitalism citing “greed” as the root problem. Capitalism is sometimes defined as greed. Often it is said that capitalism cannot work without greed. In the movie Wall Street, the character Gordon Gekko pontificates, “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is... Continue Reading →
Socialism Mis-Defined
Our culture is wrestling with some big-picture economic questions. As polls show us, we are in a fairly precipitous slide toward the acceptance of socialism as a kind of universal panacea for culture’s ills. Having spent the first four years of my University education in economics, I am usually baffled by the general popularity of... Continue Reading →
Easter and Liberal Christianity
Around every Easter some large news item or set of columns make their way to the surface in which a few journalists tackle the intransigent Christian faith, especially the resurrection of Jesus. The point is always some version of the same idea – how crazy are those people who believe in the resurrection? Interviews are... Continue Reading →
My Economics Project: Introduction
I’m growing concerned about a trend in our culture that, on the face of it, may seem like just a change in economic values. That it is, but it is also a trend in a moral and spiritual direction. It may strike many as a non sequitur to see an economic belief as a moral... Continue Reading →
The Necessary Local Church
Karl Vaters has written a wonderful, almost poetic, reflection on the resilient power of small churches. I have spent a lot of time recently thinking about the importance of what are called “mediating institutions” in our culture, and what he says rings true. A mediating institution is a social organization that stands between... Continue Reading →
Letter to the Editor: Tying the Electoral College to the National Popular Vote
This bill, the "National Popular Vote" bill, is a nation-wide push to invalidate an individual state's electoral college vote, and tie them to the results of the national popular vote. It is a move away from part of what makes us a Republic to a raw Democracy. It is also the result of frustration over... Continue Reading →
Compelled Sex Ed
The Colorado State Legislature yesterday voted to pass on HB19-1032, titled, “Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education”. The summary of the bill, from the State website, begins, “The bill clarifies content requirements for public schools that offer comprehensive human sexuality education and prohibits instruction from explicitly or implicitly teaching or endorsing religious ideology or sectarian tenets... Continue Reading →
What Karen Pence’s Faith Revealed About Us
In just the past few days, it became a matter of national importance that the Second Lady, Karen Pence, took a part-time position at an Evangelical school. What seemed important to both the New York Times and the Washington Post – both as news and opinion items – was that she was working for a... Continue Reading →