What is the presidential pardon power and what are its limits? Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution vests the president with a broad but limited power “to grant Reprieves and Pardons.” According to the Supreme Court, the pardon power is intended as a tool for justice and mercy (an “act of grace”) and to further “the public welfare.” As one federal court has held: “The President, who exercises that power as the elected representative of all the People, must always exercise it in the public interest.”

By the mid- to-late 19th century, Diaspora Jews, especially those who settled in western Europe, believed that they could assimilate into European culture. In fact, most of the European democracies had granted Jews citizenship, facilitating this cultural accommodation. But this was not the case in Eastern Europe and Russia where Jews were segregated into ghettos and regularly experienced the violence of pogroms—anti-Semitic, government-sponsored violence against the Jews. Thus, accommodation in the West and pogroms in the East threatened the survival of the Diaspora Jews.

Mark 12:30-31 declares that we are to love God with our heart, soul, mind and strength. The challenge for the believer is what theologians call the noetic effect of sin: 2 Corinthians 4:4 affirms the depths of sin’s effect on our minds. For that reason, one of the weighty commands of the New Testament is to “renew our minds” (e.g., Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:23). Colossians 3:2 commands: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul speaks of taking “every thought captive to obey Christ.”

During my years as a university president, one of my joys was to be involved in inviting various leaders to our campus for a lecture series, Bible conferences, and other university events. One of the highlights of that joy was a conference that introduced Rev. John M. Perkins to our students. He became one of my heroes and stands out as one of the important evangelical, Black leaders of the church.

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).

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?

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.

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.”

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.

n the new world order emerging in the 21st century, Russia and Iran will continue to play a leading role. It is important to step back and reflect on these two pariah nations. Each one has the potential to bring the world into a larger conflict with devasting consequences. Furthermoe, as the Republican Party deals with these pariah nations during the administration of Donald Trump, there is evidence that the Party is shifting from a pro-Israel stance to an anti-Israel one.