Category: USA

by Benjamin Bjorkman

Fourth of July Special

I understand that people across the nation are concerned, and it’s good to lighten the mood in abysmally dark times. So today, in celebration of the Fourth of July tomorrow, I want to highlight the good in America. For obvious reasons, the United States was never mentioned in the Bible, but the United States encompasses a lot of what Israel was intended to be. The nation of Israel was part of God’s covenant with Abraham, that He would make an innumerable nation through his servant, but the excuse presented to Pharaoh for the exodus of the Israelites was “that [God’s … Continue reading “Fourth of July Special” →

by Benjamin Bjorkman

The Case for Space

There are a great many things to discuss this week, but the best thing I can talk about, somewhat like the event itself, is a brief distraction. I found the SpaceX launch to be both exhilarating and exciting. Today, then, I want to argue why humanity should pursue space travel, from a biblical perspective. An initial look at the Bible with regards to space will need clarification. Deuteronomy 4:19 warns the nation of Israel against being “lured away” by looking at the Sun and other stars. The Old Testament warns against those who place their haunches amongst the heavens, and … Continue reading “The Case for Space” →

by Morning Walk

Morning Walk Marches for Life (2020)

Many thanks to all who came and to those who supported our trip to the March for Life this year! Here are some pictures from the March for Life in Washington, DC and from the Walk for Life in San Francisco:

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 Z S

Book Review: The Old Testament is Dying by Brent Strawn

“The world only exists out of the merit of the discourse found when small children study.” –Shulhan Arukh, Yoreh De’ah 245:7 “Welcome, OnScript superfans–and now we know that includes Dr. Brent Strawn,” the podcast host began. (OnScript is a podcast on the Bible that invites Biblical scholars to talk about their work.) At the end of the podcast, the host light-heartedly quizzed his guest, asking him to identify where a couple Biblical quotes came from. The guest identified the first correctly: “Then the king told his attendants, ‘tie him, hand and foot, and throw him outside into the darkness, where … Continue reading “Book Review: The Old Testament is Dying by Brent Strawn” →

by Daniel Sutkowski

Justice, Politics, and Thomas Aquinas

A 2017 Gallup Poll found that Americans are becoming more and more partisan on a number of issues. The two parties are as far apart as they have ever been in the past half a century. More alarming is the separation between parties on a large variety of issues. In the past when party tensions rode high, they usually focused on a single issue. However, now the parties have grown more partisan on a number of issues simultaneously. Lack of inter-partisan dialogue, increasing tribalism, and decreasing association with members of opposing political viewpoints all lead to a place where people … Continue reading “Justice, Politics, and Thomas Aquinas” →

by Vlad Smetanko

The Strange Image of America

degenerate_image_USA

It is common in American immigrant communities to view things from their ancestral homeland as sacred and holy, while viewing everything American as profane and disposable. This trend is difficult to quantify, and it is based solely on my observations. Yet I noticed it consistently throughout immigrants from Eastern Europe as well as even some immigrants from China. It is not an explicit view that anyone articulates, but it is most similar to a gut feeling or a bias that ascribes more moral value to the heritage culture than to its American counterpart. In fact, I was myself prone to … Continue reading “The Strange Image of America” →

by Vlad Smetanko

Religious Freedom in the Original Colonies

Barry_Lawrence_Ruderman_thirteen_Colonies

We all hear about American founding principles, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to self-defense, and many others. Yet we less often hear about the fact that these founding principles were, in many ways, a crossover between competing sets of values. We even less often think about the fact that these sets of values remain in contest with one another to this day. The history of religious freedom in three of the most important colonies (Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) says quite a bit about the contrasting sets of principles that compete for American values. I am uncertain … Continue reading “Religious Freedom in the Original Colonies” →