Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 302
September 22, 2014
Congress approves war with ISIL with little debate
Congress signed off on President Obama’s plan for an air war against the Islamic State, both in Iraq and in Syria. The war authorization was attached to a budget bill, and it passed both the House and the Senate on a bi-partisan vote with virtually no debate. The last two times we entered a war [Read More...]
September 19, 2014
Theologically diverse churches?
One of the tenets of the “Revangelical” movement, which seeks to “renew, reform, and rethink” evangelicalism, is that churches today need to be “theologically diverse.” I wonder what that means and if it’s possible. And, according to both my experience and my convictions, I can’t see why it is desirable.I suppose being “theologically diverse” [Read More...]
Scotland votes to stay in Great Britain
The United Kingdom remains united, as Scotland voted not to secede. The final vote was pretty decisive, with 55% of Scots voting “no” and 45% voting “yes.” From In decisive vote, Scotland rejects independence, sticks with the U.K. – The Washington Post: Given a historic chance to go it alone as an independent nation, Scottish [Read More...]
Australia thwarts ISIL beheading plot
Islamic State jihadists planned to kidnap two random people off the street in Australia and then behead them, showing the video online as a way to demonstrate their worldwide reach. But Australian authorities discovered the plot, arresting 15 people in the country’s largest counterterrorism operation. Do you doubt that ISIL (I’m just going to start [Read More...]
September 18, 2014
Finding the true Cross
Last Sunday was Holy Cross Day, an ancient celebration that originally commemorated St. Helena (Constantine’s mother) supposedly finding the “true Cross.” You have got to see what our pastor, Rev. James Douthwaite, does with this, taking the occasion to plunge into some of the deepest waters of Lutheran spirituality, the theology of the Cross. From [Read More...]
“Revangelical”
Brandon Robertson is one of the spokesmen for the “Revangelical” movement, the prefix meaning, in his words, the effort to “rethink, reform, and renew my evangelical faith.” He has posted the results of an informal survey he conducted that goes against the grain of conventional “church growth” assumptions. For example, 51% prefer a “liturgical/contemplative” service, [Read More...]
Air Force will now allow atheist oaths
We blogged about the atheist airman who was not allowed to re-enlist unless he could swear the military oath to protect the Constitution “so help me God.” The Air Force has changed its policy to allow that part to be left out, a move being applauded by religious liberty groups. From Air Force says ‘so [Read More...]
September 17, 2014
“Can Nadia Bolz-Weber save evangelicalism?”
As we’ve blogged about, Nadia Bolz-Weber has been getting a lot of attention as an ELCA “pastorix” who, for all of her tattoos, ministry to gays, and violation of “culture wars” stereotypes, preaches justification by grace through faith, Christ’s Atonement for sin, and the theology of the Cross. Now a British journalist has written an [Read More...]
Belgium will give a sex offender euthanasia
Belgium has abolished capital punishment, but it has legalized euthanasia, even for small children. Now it will euthanize a sex offender who suffers from guilt for being a serial rapist and murderer. The prisoner had refused a chance at early parole, afraid that he would offend again, and was refused admission to a psychiatric facility. [Read More...]
How the government coerced Yahoo
It has come out how the government forced Yahoo to turn over online data to the NSA surveillance program known as PRISM. A “civil contempt” ruling would have fined the company $250,000 a day. Every week Yahoo refused to comply the fine would double. Doing the math, that would come to $25 million after a [Read More...]
