Culture and the Christian: Separate, Identify or Transform?

Dec 31st, 2011 | By

As we begin 2012, as Americans and as evangelicals, we will face, no doubt, huge challenges?the economy, foreign policy challenges, and a national presidential election to name a few. To at least create a framework for answering questions that arise, the entire Issues in Perspective is devoted to the question.



Christmas: Themes of Hallelujah and Worship

Dec 24th, 2011 | By

Sometime during the 2011 Christmas season, you have no doubt heard the reverberating words from George Friderich Handel?s imposing oratorio, Messiah.



Charles Dickens and the Message of Christmas

Dec 24th, 2011 | By

For over 150 years Charles Dickens? story of the miserly, miserable Ebenezer Scrooge and his three ghosts has been a regular Christmas tradition throughout Western Civilization.



The Hope of Christmas

Dec 24th, 2011 | By

One of my favorite books, or actually series of books, is The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. In the first book of the series, Narnia is frozen in a seemingly permanent state of cold, frigid winter. There is never spring and there is never Christmas.



The Moral Logic of the Pro-Life Movement

Dec 17th, 2011 | By

In November, the voters of Mississippi voted down a human personhood amendment by a 58% majority. Similar efforts have failed in other states as well. This amendment was a frontal assault on the legal and moral logic of Roe v. Wade.



President Obama?s Speech and the Welfare State

Dec 17th, 2011 | By

On 6 December 2011, President Obama delivered an important speech at Osawatomie, Kansas, site of the famous 1910 Teddy Roosevelt speech. In this Perspective, I hope to not so much evaluate his speech but focus on the much larger issue of the role of the welfare state in our lives.



The Dark Side of Human Nature

Dec 17th, 2011 | By

We live in a curious culture! Scandals abound. But what we seem to ignore as a culture is that we all have the same problem?the Bible calls it sin.



Worldview, Values and the World Economy

Dec 10th, 2011 | By

Over 100 years ago, a path-breaking book by the famed sociologist Max Weber was published in which, among other things, Weber made a profoundly important argument about the connection between religion and economics.



Sound Doctrine and Joel Osteen

Dec 10th, 2011 | By

In his Pastoral Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus), the Apostle Paul argues very compellingly that ?sound doctrine? produces godly living. The two are thereby inextricably linked.



The Political Demise of Herman Cain

Dec 10th, 2011 | By

Herman Cain spent a part of his life in Omaha, Nebraska, where I live. Shortly after I became president of Grace University I met him.