Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 54
September 13, 2017
The Natural Virtues, the Theological Virtues, & the Commandments
In thinking about “virtue ethics” and the Christian life, it is important not to confuse “virtues” with “moral truths.” A “virtue,” which literally means “strength,” is a character trait. A “moral truth” is an absolute tied to God’s Law. These two can be related, but they aren’t always. And when we consider the cultivation […]
Most Hurricane Relief Is Faith-based
Hurricane Irma has dissipated after killing 12 Americans and doing about $50 billion worth of damage. The islands of the Caribbean suffered even more, with 36 dead, major devastation, and now in St. Martin utter lawlessness, as looters plunder what’s left of businesses and terrorize survivors. But the hurricane’s toll could have been much worse. And […]
September 12, 2017
The Problem Isn’t “Too Much Gospel”
Some churches that seem to go easy on moral issues are accused of preaching "too much Gospel." But they might not be preaching the Gospel at all.
The problem isn’t “too much Gospel”
Some Christians concerned about the problem of immorality in the church say that pastors are preaching “too much Gospel.” Too much emphasis on Christ’s love and forgiveness, they say, encourages hearers to sin with impunity. Instead, pastors should preach the law in all of its fire and brimstone in order to get their listeners […]
Hostility to religion grows in U.S.A.
The United States found itself in unfamiliar company when it made the “Hall of Shame” in a report issued by International Christian Concern, a global watchdog monitoring religious persecution. Not that the U.S. puts believers to death, as in some of the other countries, but the study expresses concern about acts of violence against people because of their religion, […]
September 11, 2017
Virtue Ethics and the Christian Life
Given that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, why should Christians bother with good works or try to avoid sin? This question is as old as Romans 6:1, but it continues to bedevil many Christians, from naive teenagers who think that their baptism or “decision for Christ” means […]
Trump turns to the Democrats
President Trump has formed an alliance with the Democrats, to the consternation of Republicans. Is the president “turning to the left,” as some conservatives are charging? Or is he trying to break the logjam in Congress by forcing bipartisanship and unifying the country? If so, will the Democrats let him? Last week, President Trump met […]
September 8, 2017
Secularization Comes From Sex
Cohabiting couples tend to stay away from church. So do others engaged in sexual practices that they know violate Christian sexual morality.
And now Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Harvey finally dissipated on September 2, after killing 71 people, wreaking as much as $200 billion in property damage, and delivering the most rainfall ever recorded in the United States. And now, less than a week after Harvey officially dissipated, Hurricane Irma is set to hit Florida and the Southeast United States this weekend. And […]
September 7, 2017
The Decline of Religious Freedom and the Return of Religious Influence
Religious participation is declining, especially in the West. But religious influence has returned around the globe. (Islam in the Middle East; Eastern Orthodoxy in Russia; Roman Catholicism in Eastern Europe; Pentecostalism in Latin America; Islam and Christianity in Africa; Hinduism in India; Evangelical Christianity in the United States.) And yet, religious freedom is increasingly […]
