Homeland Security
So the past few weeks have been . . . interesting. I feel like the end of August was like a micro-2020 for the Spiegels. We were just going along like any other fall and “Wham!” out of nowhere came … Continued
Christian Joy
In Galatians 5 we are told that joy is a fruit of the spirit, a virtue that is an important mark of the Christian life. We also know from such passages as 1 Cor 9:24-27 and 1 Tim 4:7-8 that … Continued
God in the Whirlwind
As Jim will tell you, my mind is generally a whirlwind of ideas, wide-ranging and seemingly disconnected ideas all swirling, and sometimes colliding, in my head. Thoughts about home improvement projects I want done spiraling alongside books I want to … Continued
Review of Michael Austin’s God and Guns in America
The recent wave of violent protests has brought in its wake a surge of shootings in major U.S. cities and a spike in gun sales around the country. This prompts, yet again, questions about gun violence and gun rights in … Continued
Individual Humans as the Primary Source of Sin
Recent discussions regarding racism have prompted an important question: What is the primary source of human sin? Is it individual human beings or is it human institutions, organized collectives of human beings? Or perhaps this is a false dichotomy. Might … Continued
Covid-19, Churches, and Hardware Stores
Here is another point about the issue of government bans on Church worship services that in my two previous posts I have taken for granted but which I evidently need to make explicit. Do these bans really accomplish much given … Continued
More Thoughts on Government Bans of Worship Services
In his powerful plea to keep churches open during the Coronavirus pandemic, First Things editor R. R. Reno declared that “the massive shutdown of just about everything reflects the spirit of our age, which regards the prospect of death as … Continued
Are Government Bans on Religious Worship Services Morally Appropriate?
During the Covid-19 pandemic many state governments across the country have banned church worship services. Some states have prohibited religious services altogether, while others have placed severe restrictions on the number of people who may gather to worship. While the … Continued
Dealing with Anxiety about the Suffering of Others
Recently a student shared with me her struggle to concentrate on her school work due to the COVID-19 pandemic: I know that suffering is always going on in the world, and if we let that get to us we’ll never … Continued
The Penitent Thief: Why His faith Was Great
One of the most remarkable passages in the Holy Week Gospel narratives regards the responses to Jesus on the part of the two criminals crucified on either side of him. Luke gives us this account: One of the criminals who … Continued