By Jim Denison During the presidency of Ronald Reagan, divorce rates escalated. Gay marriage first became legal during the administration of George W. Bush. How does culture change? What works? What doesn’t? James Davison Hunter’s latest work, To Change the…
When churches jump the shark
By Derik Hamby When does a church “jump the shark?” That phrase refers to the time Fonzi, the star of the TV comedy “Happy Days,” jumped a shark (literally) and has served as an example of a TV show that…
Opinion: How to change the world
(ABP) — During the presidency of Ronald Reagan, divorce rates escalated. Gay marriage first became legal during the administration of George W. Bush. How does culture change? What works? What doesn't? James Davison Hunter's latest work, To Change the World:…
The Texas textbook war in historical context
By Bruce Gourley The latest skirmish in white Southern religion’s war against history recently reached its climax in Texas. As has often been the case since the antebellum era, cultural religion won and American history lost. Christian fundamentalists on the…
Why ‘stuff’ happens
By J. Michael Poole “Stuff” happens. This slogan (except in a less family-friendly form) originated in the movie Forrest Gump when Forrest stepped into a clump of rather disgusting canine discard, prompting him to shrug his shoulders and say, “Stuff…
Our heretical Baptist heritage
By Cody J. Sanders One thing our Baptist heritage teaches us is that sometimes heretics make the best Christians (or at least good Baptists). So it’s not surprising to hear that Baptists are still being named as heretical for being…
The quiet, indispensable work of U.S. foreign aid
By David Gushee Many of the most important public-policy choices facing the United States occur quietly and out of the spotlight. This has the benefit of making them less susceptible to demagoguery and politicking. But, conversely, it means that we…
A few words for the Class of 2010
By Marv Knox The strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” have been wafting through auditoriums, arenas and gymnasiums for several weeks now. They will echo for a while longer, as schools — from kindergarten through university — conclude the academic year…
The importance of the pastoral prayer
By Chris Caldwell Question: What’s the second-most-important thing a pastor does every Sunday? Answer? The pastoral prayer. Even so, while most pastors spend hours on sermons, many of us merely jot a few notes down for the pastoral prayer —…