CHARLOTTE (RNS)—The host city for the Democratic National Convention is not a particularly political place. Charlotte is known for three things: banking, NASCAR and religion. And when it comes to religion, Billy Graham’s spirit looms large. America’s most famous evangelist…
Is work a punishment from God?
(RNS)—On the first Monday of September, America honors working stiffs by taking a paid day off. But does Labor Day celebrate an enterprise that God intended to be a punishment? In a recent New York Times essay on the frenetic…
HERITAGE: Life goes on
Life goes on at Careby Hall, the old house built by William E. Hatcher “upon the brow of a noble hill” overlooking the village of Fork Union, Va., about 35 miles west of Richmond. It was Hatcher’s summer home, which…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Blessed are the church leaders who make peace in their own congregations: Part 4
In three previous articles, we examined characteristics of Jesus that made him ideally suited to make peace and sought in the life of the early church examples of dealing with conflict. In this final article in the series, we will…
OUT LOUD
“I’ve never seen more irresponsible personal attacks, mean-spirited slander and flat-out dishonest attack ads, and I don’t expect that tone to change before the election.” Rick Warren The megachurch pastor was explaining to the Orange County Register why he canceled…
Mormons’ relationship with America: It’s complicated
SALT LAKE CITY (RNS)—When it comes to flag-waving, some Mormons may outdo their neighbors to express their outsized patriotism. Love of America, they believe, stretches beyond appreciation and gratitude. It is theological, prescribed in holy writ. When it comes to…
Mormonism: Mainstream values, unorthodox theology
Nearly 200 years after religious zeal prompted a young convert named Joseph Smith to found a movement called the Latter-day Saints, the once-despised minority “cult” increasingly is going mainstream. With a Mormon running for president, a hit Broadway musical titled…
WINN RECOMMENDS
Ecclesiastes, Peter Enns (Eerdmans) Enns has proven to be a provocative and thoughtful theologian, particularly from within Evangelical circles. In this new commentary on Ecclesiastes, Enns seeks to pay careful attention both to the exegetical arguments of the text and…
OPINION: Hidden gems
A friend told me about a phenomenon called “Hidden Gems,” an online community for people who regularly watch “Dancing with the Stars.” Every week as people tune in to watch the show they are entertained not only by the dancing…
Will candidates’ Mormon faith repel or attract voters?
WASHINGTON (RNS)—As the first Mormon selected by a major political party as its presidential candidate, will Mitt Romney’s barrier-breaking faith be a boon or bane to his White House campaign? Two studies on the question come to contradictory conclusions. In…
For Mormons, missions are like a ‘refiner’s fire’
WASHINGTON (RNS)—At age 19, Mitt Romney was a typical college student, schmoozing about politics, pulling pranks and sneaking away to see his girlfriend. Then he went on a 30-month Mormon mission in France. He returned to the United States in…
Will candidates’ Mormon faith repel or attract voters?
WASHINGTON (RNS)—As the first Mormon selected by a major political party as its presidential candidate, will Mitt Romney’s barrier-breaking faith be a boon or bane to his White House campaign? Two studies on the question come to contradictory conclusions. In…