On Christmas Day, while many Americans were unwrapping gifts, the United States military was unwrapping a new phase of engagement in West Africa. At the direction of President Donald Trump, U.S. forces launched Tomahawk cruise missiles into Northwestern Nigeria, targeting…
‘When the wicked are in power …’
“Advent is the season that, when properly understood, does not flinch from the darkness that stalks us all in this world,” Fleming Rutledge says in Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ. In these final days of Advent, we…
Hegseth plans ‘cultural shift’ for military chaplains
“I’m here to tell you about a real problem facing our nation’s military,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth began in a video with a Christmas tree and a Department of War flag behind him. “It’s one you’re probably not aware…
Trump and Hegseth cut news media access
The White House and Pentagon are limiting press access by veteran reporters, favoring small right-wing media outlets over the Associated Press and legacy outlets that serve much larger audiences, and dishing out insults instead of answering questions. Most administrations have…
The unholy alliance that’s OK with bringing back slavery
A chilling and terrifying convergence is under way on the American religious right. On one side comes raw, unfiltered and vitriolic bigotry straight from the gutter. The most recent display of this came in the form of leaked Telegram chats…
A faithful response to the Wounded Knee decision
On Sept. 26, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the 20 soldiers who participated in the 1890 massacre of hundreds of Lakota men, women and children at Wounded Knee would retain the Medals of Honor awarded to them….
Pete Hegseth’s leadership falls flat
In the three weeks since Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth suddenly called the military’s top brass to Quantico for an anti-woke stump speech, his leadership has fallen flat. His Quantico address has been thoroughly scrutinized in the weeks since he…
Sorry, Secretary Hegseth, ‘Jesus don’t like killing’
In my younger days, I listened to a lot of music. Being of the rock ‘n roll generation, music was a defining part of our society. A personal favorite of mine was and is country rocker John Prine, whose observations…
The gospel of MAGA in their own words about Charlie Kirk
Last April — long before Charlie Kirk’s untimely and horrific assassination Sept. 10 — I wrote an article about his rise from college dropout to Trump influencer. Since Kirk’s murder, I’ve watched with fascination the battle over his legacy. The…
Conservative coalition plans patriotic programs for America’s 250th birthday
The U.S. Department of Education has formed an America 250 Civics Education Coalition with 41 conservative groups in preparation for the celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary next July 4. The coalition “is dedicated to renewing patriotism, strengthening civic knowledge…
The Department of War: A step backward for America
America once made a conscious choice to step away from the language of war. In 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act, reorganizing our armed forces after World War II. Two years later, the Department of War…
Du Mez calls conservatives to speak against Doug Wilson
Even conservative complementarian evangelicals should be speaking out against Doug Wilson, according to historian and author Kristin DuMez. In an Aug. 16 column on her Substack, the professor at Calvin University addressed the issue in light of the latest national…