One of my hobbies is astronomy. When I retired from higher education in 2012, my wife bought me a telescope. Studying the stars and the planets is breathtaking. But beyond my amateurish investigations, I love to view the amazing photos provided by NASA from the Hubble Telescope and now the James Webb Space Telescope. The beauty, scale and sharpness of these photos are magnificent. And when I realize that these stars, galaxies and nebula are millions of light years away, I am drawn to King David’s affirmation, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky above proclaims His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1, ESV).

Jesus finishes teaching His parables about the “mysteries of the kingdom,” and finds He is rejected by his hometown of Nazareth and by Herod Antipas.

Marriage was the first institution God created (Genesis 2:24-25). Given how important marriage is to God, what is the state of this institution in the early decades of the 21st century?

In light of rejection, Jesus unfolds the “mysteries of the Kingdom.”

The mission of Issues in Perspective is to provide thoughtful, historical and biblically-centered perspectives on current ethical and cultural issues. In line with this mission statement, several times I have addressed the issue of what does it mean to be a “conservative” in the 21st century? A label that captures my personal convictions is the phrase “principled conservativism.” The views and convictions I expressed in the 17 January 2026 edition of Issues are a helpful summary of what I believe. In this edition of Issues, I want to think about the future of the conservative moment in America.

Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their rejection of Him as the Messiah.

As the national debt of the US is a few months from reaching $39 trillion, and perhaps $40 trillion by the end of this year, “ it is puzzling how unperturbed the political class is,” writes George Will. Writer and political agitator Upton Sinclair (1878-1968) said: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” Will concludes: “There are no long-term fiscal gains without intense short-term political pains. So, because today’s congressional careers do not yet seem likely to coincide with coming dire consequences, let them come.”

Jesus has presented Himself as the Messiah, now Matthew records the response of Galilee to His Messiahship.

Over the last six months I have been reading the details as they unfold about Jeffrey Epstein. Words like disgusting, revolting, perverted, debauched come to mind. It is nauseating and horrifying. But this entire phenomenon tells us a great deal about the rich and powerful in America—indeed in much of the world. For so many of these rich and powerful there is a façade that hides a depravity that is now being exposed.

Jesus sends out His 12 Apostles and counsels them on expectations, preparation and the message.