John Mark Reynolds

I was once asked to wrote something critical about TBN.I chose not to do so, because enough people do it. Surely, adding one more voice to the chorus would not help. I am not a pastor or a theologian and so am not in a position where my judgment is required.My other thought was simpler: I . . . . Continue Reading »

The Constitution of 1789 and republican values.Ronald Reagan and tax cuts.Orthodoxy and icons.Some things go together naturally and pizza and NFL play-off football are two naturals. Over the course of my life no pizza was more guaranteed to disappoint than Domino’s. It was as fake as Ben . . . . Continue Reading »

If this pastor says “Allah” everyone knows he is a . . . . Continue Reading »

Not to be simple minded, but since Christians in the Middle East have been using “Allah” for centuries before there was Islam (what other word could they have used?), why are we worried about its use here?Is this a bit like being worried that English speakers are not worshipping Jesus, . . . . Continue Reading »

As an Evangelical blog of record, I suppose someone must say it here:Pat Robertson’s statements on Haiti are bad theology, bad philosophy, bad history, and bad pastorally.It is tempting not to pile on in the case of a fellow believer who is older, does a great deal of good through charity, and . . . . Continue Reading »

Frank Turk is not (to say the least) persuaded by my arguments against torture. Generally he thinks I am not Christian in my reasoning.He gives us two reasons for this.He thinks I am being cagey about what Paul is saying in Romans 13 about the state. Turk says:Paul is endorsing the function of . . . . Continue Reading »

I am thankful for Jeremy Pierce’s thoughtful reply to my posts on torture. You can find it here.If I do nothing else, perhaps my opposition to torture in this space will provoke more posts such as this one. In that case, my posts will have served a good purpose and perhaps merit the praise . . . . Continue Reading »

What is the role of government?What is justice?Hard questions, but a man should pray what he believes and I weekly pray the following:We beseech thee also, so to direct and dispose the hearts of all Christian Rulers, that they may truly and impartially administer justice, to the punishment of . . . . Continue Reading »

A gentleman can be trusted with power, but a cad cannot be trusted even when he appears powerless. It is an essential attribute of American conservatives that often telling a gentleman from a cad is hard.Some men start as gentlemen, but become cads. Some (thank God) of us start as cads, but become . . . . Continue Reading »

One small point:It has been claimed that to be opposed to torture and not be a pacifist is inconsistent.Opposition to torture must be (merely) a form of pacifism.I have shown this is false. A man may oppose torture (or the mutilation of corpses) on the grounds that torture is a form of blasphemy. . . . . Continue Reading »