How much do you know about the Old Testament? Take this quiz and find out. You may also want to check out my previous Bible quiz. Today’s quiz – like the earlier one — is divided into three parts with 10 multiple-choice questions in each section. The first section is fairly easy, but the questions become progressively harder as you proceed. Play individually or break into teams if your group is large enough. Earn 20 points for each correct answer in... Read more
America chose one of the most devout Christians to ever become president of the United States in 1976. As we prepare to lay President Jimmy Carter to rest on Jan. 9, we should recognize and honor him for a life well-lived and a faith for the ages. Looking at today’s political landscape, it seems highly unlikely that Americans will elect a morally upright person like Jimmy Carter to high office anytime soon. Voters either cannot tell the difference between honesty... Read more
Troll the Yuletide carol, fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la…. Hum a few fa-la-la’s and you may recognize the song as Deck the Halls. What about these words: make the Yuletide gay? It’s from the song Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. What is Yuletide? And what do Yuletide and Yule have to do with Christmas other than being mentioned in a few songs? It turns out they have a great deal to do with Christmas. How Yuletide Began Ancient Germanic pagans introduced the... Read more
What is Advent? Advent is a season within a season… a time when many Christians briefly put aside Santa, his elves and reindeer… stressful shopping trips to crowded malls… overspending… family arguments… and unfulfilled expectations for the holidays. Advent is a time when Christians seek the quiet, meaningful side of Christmas. It’s a time of hope and joy, warmth and light within us. And this inner light shines even when the world grows cold and dark and winter hits us... Read more
Three different points of view yield the same conclusion: Christian nationalism cannot exist. So, why does it? Pope Francis once said, “When a Christian becomes a disciple of ideology, he has lost the faith….” Minister and author Johnathan Leeman insists, “There is no such thing as a ‘Christian nation’ in a Baptistic understanding since the membership borders of the nation and the church will not overlap.” And the writer in me recognizes an oxymoron when I see one. The Oxford... Read more
The nation’s most extreme right-wing “Christians” have tapped into our deepest fears and prejudices, hijacked the Christian faith and attempted to overturn a legitimate secular election. As we vote once again, will we tolerate this behavior or not? Can we not find a better way to deal with “Christian” extremism and hatred in America? Christ warns us, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). And God the Father... Read more
A New Take on an Old Hymn Music soothes the savage breast – or is it savage beast? Either way, some music soothes the soul. In fact, a new study has found that “Amazing Grace” is the best song for heart health in older people with coronary artery disease. Over the years, various studies have shown that music helps people physically and mentally. But researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee wanted to take it a step further.... Read more
There Are Signs We Are As the U.S. 2024 presidential election draws ever closer, at least two positive changes may be occurring. The far-right extremist, white evangelical voting block may be beginning to crack, and at the same time, some post-evangelicals are pulling away from politics. The nation may finally be moving away from extremism and toward a new post-evangelical era. That’s according to new data and CNN’s new article, Post-evangelicals Shift Away from Faith Tied to Republican Politics. Moderate... Read more
God Has Me & He’s In Control – Riley Leonard Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard is “naturally curious, insanely talented, relentlessly competitive, deeply religious,” says the South Bend Tribune. And Leonard has noted, “I have that faith-based mindset that God has me and he’s in control.” These traits mean that Leonard is able to keep it clean “while cleaning the competition’s clock….” according to the Tribune. He “has passed test after test while thriving in a variety of ad-hoc displays... Read more
In a nation where people have the right to worship – or not worship – as their souls dictate, a presidential candidate’s relationship with God shouldn’t be open to public scrutiny. But it is. Less than three months from now, Americans will hold an election in which faith matters. It matters a great deal. So, let’s look at the faith of one candidate for president. Let’s look at Kamala’s faith. A Melting Pot America has been called a melting pot,... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In