As far as I can tell, the “Emergent Church” is to evangelicalism what the “postliberal” church is to mainline Protestantism, i.e. an attempt to come to grips with postmodernity through a recovery of a more robust sense of what it means to be the church, often drawing on pre-modern and pre-Reformation sources for inspiration. The…

As I mentioned here, I think a commitment to pacifism could have major ramifications for how one relates to the larger structures of society, especially the state. So, in that vein, I’ve been wondering: Does a pacifist have an obligation to avoid endorsing political leaders who employ violence? For instance, in his book Choosing Against…

This is very weird but fascinating. Not sure what to think about it.

The Nation has a forum up with input from various left-wing and liberal luminaries trying to hash out where they should go in the wake of the election. Here are some snippets I found of particular interest: SUSANNAH HESCHEL: Democrats are being advised to respond to their election losses by enhancing their rhetoric of religion.…

After some not-so-subtle prodding from me, Jennifer graciously responded in greater detail to some of my questions about “sectarian” Christian social ethics. Her response comes in the form of a reply to the criticisms offered by Robert Benne in this essay I had linked to earlier. Here’s Benne’s criticism: If God is indeed the creator…

In a comment on this post Bill Keezer questioned whether torture should be prohibited in all circumstances, raising the wrenching hypothetical dilemma of a loved one who can only be saved from certain death by applying torture. I tried to offer some reasons why one should never resort to torture, but it occured to me…

So says Jacob Hornberger.

Godspy interviews Pat Buchanan.

From Christianity Today: Once upon a time, in 4th- and 5th-century Gaul and Spain, “Advent” was a preparation not for Christmas but for Epiphany. Epipha-what? That’s the early-January celebration of such diverse events in Jesus’s life as his Baptism, the miracle at Cana, and the visit of the Magi. In those days, Epiphany was set…

I really like this theologically rich post by Jonathan at The Ivy Bush on why, despite his appreciation for Calvinism, he remains an Arminian/Wesleyan. As a Lutheran, I suppose I should be more sympathetic to the Calvinist side of the debate, but I’ve always thought that traditional Lutheran theology has a hard time avoiding the…