Category: Culture

by Daniel Sutkowski

Anti-Gossip

Gossip is one of those sins that is remarkably evasive and, in my experience, seldom taken seriously. Gossip is difficult to describe and easy to categorize away, making it easier and easier for Christians to fall into the habit of gossip. For instance, most would agree that you are not gossiping when you discuss the weakest points of a candidate with other interviewers in a hiring process. In fact, addressing the weak points can help determine if the role is good for the candidate and open up areas for further improvement. On the other side, it is fairly obvious one … Continue reading “Anti-Gossip” →

by Zachary Shuster

躺平 and China’s Recent Video Game Restrictions

Chinese culture generally discourages standing out from the crowd and attracting attention. If you can “pass the days” (过日子) with your head down, swallow the pain, and survive, you have a better fate than a martyr. Although China’s long history has suffered rebellions, modern-day China sees few protests considering the grievances the authorities place upon the people. Of course, this may have a thing or two to do with the Chinese Communist Party’s history of violently shutting down protests. If you read The Art of War, you get the idea that a high-ranking commander cannot rely on lower-ranking officers to … Continue reading “躺平 and China’s Recent Video Game Restrictions” →

by Daniel Sutkowski

The Role of a President

The modern political world often idealizes leaders who “get things done” — in other words, are able to enact an agenda effectively. I see a lot of merit in the arguments for a more powerful executive, though to be fair I have not personally acquainted myself with the arguments against the strong executive. While I am relatively unanchored concerning this debate, I nevertheless want to explore ideas in this piece that look toward scripture to highlight the proper role of a President. To start, consider one of the most pertinent passages regarding this topic when Israel receives its king in … Continue reading “The Role of a President” →

by Sarah Michalak

Why Abortion Must Be Dismantled Culturally

Abortion is the greatest injustice of our time. Over 3,000 children are aborted every single day in the United States. Pope Saint John Paul II taught that the deliberate destruction of human life is a symptom of a deeper loss of human respect. It is jarring to hear abortion called a symptom and not the central difficulty. For the past two years, I have been working full time in the pro-life movement and after having thousands of conversations on campus, I realized that not only is Saint John Paul’s assessment correct, it is essential to understanding the pro-abortion mindset. The … Continue reading “Why Abortion Must Be Dismantled Culturally” →

by Daniel Sutkowski

The Power of Forgiveness

We take many things for granted in our post-Christian world. Consistent with our human nature, we can be given the Son of God as a sacrifice for all of our faults, and get used to it. Moreover, we can gloss through many of the lessons Jesus teaches us to enact as cliche phrases with little change in our lives. One of these teachings—that we forgive those who trespass against us—is the subject of what I wanted to write about today. Recently I watched and reread sections from the book and screen adaptation of Silence, by Shūsaku Endō. The story follows … Continue reading “The Power of Forgiveness” →

by Benjamin Bjorkman

Christianity of the Third Millennium

I can see the merits of Sola Scriptura. I can see why so many people choose to adopt that ideology. Just as Jesus seemingly condensed the law into two rules, so a summary compilation of the tenets of the faith, the Bible, condenses the work of millennia. It’s easier to read, and, in theory, it’s all a Christian needs to learn the faith. I posit, however, that adhering to Sola Scriptura alone can lead to dangerous levels of oversight. In 2020 Anno Domini, poverty is considerably less of an issue than in 20 Anno Domini. Is the means of our … Continue reading “Christianity of the Third Millennium” →

by Benjamin Bjorkman

The Point of Denominations

In my region of the world, it’s a taboo for a church to have a denomination. Churches that have one are said to be divisive and misleading. I disagree. Christianity is the only ideology that can span all times, cultures, and situations, but show me a single organization that could manage that much territory. No nation has been able to do it in the history of the world. Those that have come close never managed to last a century after their peak. And that’s for good reason; some cultures mix about as well as oil and water. How well did … Continue reading “The Point of Denominations” →

by Daniel Sutkowski

Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin

Growing up I often heard the phrase “love the sinner, hate the sin” used as a way to approach the complexity of living in a world where we are called to love a broken and sinful people. This phrase actually comes from St Augustine in his Letter 211 where he writes, “Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum” or “With love for mankind and hatred of sins.” The phrase, albeit simple, captures an important struggle of taking a nuanced look at each person, distinguishing the good from the bad. While the phrase is not direct from scripture, it is based on … Continue reading “Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin” →

by Vlad Smetanko

Just Say it in American

Here I am, back from a long break, and the best block of content that I could think of was a guide on how to pronounce foreign words in English. How does this have to do with Christianity? Let’s just say that you will find out later. But in the spirit of writing about religious topics, I will begin by referencing an issue related to Islam. Months ago, Fox News contributor Judge Jeanine Pirro made a statement (in the form of a question) about Congresswoman Ilhan Omar that resulted in the judge’s two week suspension from her news network. “Think … Continue reading “Just Say it in American” →