Entries by Admin

Same-Sex Marriage and the Political Task

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In my experience, when Christians consider same sex marriage as a public policy issue, we often approach the subject as if we were in church. If we believe homosexual relationships are not part of God’s design, we say that governments should not recognize these relationships because they are sinful. Similarly, if we believe that the church should embrace homosexual Christians who make public commitments to each other, we conclude that the legal definition of marriage should be revised to include these relationships. My view is that these arguments may be beside the point.

Reflections on the Institution of Marriage

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It is hard to speak out as an advocate for traditional marriage today because so many observers immediately equate opposition to same-sex marriage with hatred or fear. As I hope to demonstrate below, I support marriage as a union between a man and a woman not out of dislike of gays and lesbians but out of conviction that traditional marriage is a universal social institution created by God for the good of all humanity. I hope that our discussion on this emotionally-charged issue will model a truly alternative political conversation with a spirit of mutual respect and desire for understanding.

Same-Sex Marriage: Living with our Deepest Differences

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Two facts stand out in my thinking about same-sex marriage . One is that putting same-sex unions on par with traditional, male-female marriages is to water down the whole concept of marriage and what it is. And marriage and family life is already being battered by many modern currents to the detriment of the common good of society. The second fact is that men and women with a same-sex orientation have, to our shame, often been treated unjustly by society, including by many Christians. They have been discriminated against in employment, bullied at school, and made the butt of jokes. In what admittedly is a very sensitive area, the question thereby becomes how to protect and defend marriage as it has rightly been understood and at the same time treat those with a same-sex orientation with the respect they as God’s image bearers deserve.

What is Marriage?

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In a pluralistic society such as the United States, the connection between God’s intended purposes for marriage and public policy must be made using arguments that carry weight with those for whom scripture is not a credible source. This is not to say that the biblical witness has no bearing on the public square. Indeed, the truths of scripture are manifest throughout the creation, which allows Christians to make biblical arguments without relying on scripture explicitly, relying instead on logic, sociology, history, science, and other means.

TOPIC # 7: Same-Sex Marriage

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Please consider the following potential leading questions   #1: What do you believe to be the meaning of “marriage,” and how does that meaning relate to what politicians say about “family values” and your own understanding of “family values?”   #2: Given that there is significant disagreement in our pluralistic society, both within and outside […]

When will we weep?

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In the course of history, moments come and go when leaders rise up and they lead. Such moments happen every day in families, churches, and communities across the country. Most times most of us never learn their names, but the world is a better place because they spoke, they set the course for action, and they counted and paid the costs of leadership. On the national stage of history such leaders have not only shaped the course of American life. Their passion, their words, and their actions have shaped America.

Clear Mandate, Complex Solutions

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Poverty is a complex problem with many deep-rooted causes. Although the biblical mandate to care for the poor is quite clear, the search for solutions will lead well-meaning Christians to different conclusions. In the following essay, I will consider some biblical principles that offer us guidance and suggest a few examples of public and private remedies that may help address the problem of poverty in the United States.

Poverty in the United States

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The United States is blessed with many God-given advantages that have contributed to the prosperity of our nation. But several key developments over the last 50 years have weakened our nation economically, contributed to growing income inequality, and entrenched a multigenerational underclass.

Economic Justice as Moral Duty

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Let me begin with my main claim: the fact that poverty continues to be found within America is an offence against the Gospel. The existence of pervasive poverty–46 million people, according to the Census Bureau–in a country as wealthy as the United States is not something that is merely sad or unfortunate or unpleasant, but more than all these, it is something immoral: it violates norms, founded in Scripture, concerning how human beings living in stable societies should care for each other.

Poor in the U.S.A

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These examples illustrate a critical point in any conversation about poverty in America today. There are two kinds: short-term and long-term. Generally speaking, it is the difference between someone whose temporary life circumstances have resulted in insufficiently adequate income to meet basic needs versus someone whose inability to provide for themselves is, essentially, permanently fixed. Public policy is devised to recognize this distinction and adapt accordingly. The crux of the argument is how government services can best help move poor individuals from positions of temporary poverty to self-sustenance.