Colonial America saw the founding of important institutions of higher education, all of which stressed preparing men for leadership in the colonies, especially spiritual leadership: Harvard (1636), Yale (1701), the College of William and Mary (1693), the College of New Jersey [later known as Princeton University] (1746), and the Academy of Philadelphia [later known as the University of Pennsylvania] (1755). As each developed a unique intellectual identity, each wrestled with Puritan theology or Anglican theology, as well as the 18th century Enlightenment, which by the 1740s was penetrating all facets of American intellectual life. Each produced the key leaders of the American movement towards independence from Great Britain (e.g., Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Madison). These educational institutions were centers of both Protestant Reformation thinking and Enlightenment thinking. The tension that arose between these two intellectual and theological revolutions shaped the development of America.

Jesus stresses child-like faith, while emphasizing how wealth can become as a god in our lives.

The Supreme Court decision in 1973, Roe v. Wade was a watershed in judicial history. The 7-2 decision established the right of a woman to abort her baby up to the point of viability, usually understood to be during the first trimester of the pregnancy. The Court also permitted other situations where an abortion could occur within the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. The result was that America had one of the most liberal abortion standards in the world. Abortion therefore has been at the center of the culture war battles since 1973. It is far from resolved and it has further polarized American culture.

Jesus issues a call to radical discipleship and to be His salt in a broken world.

The “image” and “likeness” of God is not a human achievement, but a gift conferred on all humans through God’s creative act. According to Genesis 1, God’s creative activity reached its apex on Day 6, when the divine counsel determined to create man in God’s “image” (tselem) and “likeness” (demut). [Theologians call this the imago Dei.] These two terms define the first and fundamental truth about the human race: That humanity was created in God’s “image”, which means that humans represent God. Humans have the capacity to mirror God in everything—and are commanded to do so.

In two specific narratives, Jesus teaches the importance of faith in Him.

The mission of Issues in Perspective is to provide thoughtful, historical and biblically-centered perspectives on current ethical and cultural issues. Once again, the insidious nature of gambling is being exposed in the state of Nebraska, the state in which I live.  Nebraska sports’ betting is now legal after Gov. Pete Ricketts, earlier this year, signed
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As Jesus affirms the meaning of discipleship, He takes his inner circle of three to Mt. Hermon and is transfigured before them, manifesting His glory.

The war in Afghanistan lasted 19 years and 47 weeks, beginning with the first bombing of the Taliban on 7 October 2001. It was America’s longest war. Over the past two decades, the U.S. has been able to claim some accomplishments: American troops killed Osama bin Laden (in Pakistan, not Afghanistan) and captured or killed other architects of the 9/11 attacks. Afghanistan was temporarily turned into a democracy where schools improved and women could live more freely than before. For all of the bravery and sacrifice of the Afghan and American troops who fought together, their leaders failed to create an enduring government or functioning military.

When the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy of the early 20th century was brewing, one of Christianity’s greatest minds, J. Gresham Machen, published a book in 1921 entitled Christianity and Liberalism. In my judgment, it remains one of the most important books of the 20th century. It is relevant today for we who name the name of Christ believe that the Christian faith is not only a faith commitment to Jesus Christ, but is also a set of doctrinal beliefs.