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Why I am not a social conservative

From First Thoughts

It’s true. I am not a social conservative, but that does not mean I am unsympathetic with the concerns of those who describe themselves as such. I am certainly much closer to them than I am to the economic libertarians in the conservative movement or to the lifestyle libertarianism that has . . . . Continue Reading »

Nurtured on the Word

From First Thoughts

Some Christians accept without reservation the teachings of their church, including the status of Scripture as the Word of God, but they nevertheless seldom read it and consequently do not know it very well. This is definitely not true of most evangelicals, who from an early age are taught to read . . . . Continue Reading »

The future of church decline

From First Thoughts

There is a once sizeable but now declining protestant denomination here in Canada that is said to be so well-heeled financially that it could keep going for decades after the last member has died.  Presumably this would provide a golden opportunity for market diversification at the corporate . . . . Continue Reading »

A confessional core versus pragmatism

From First Thoughts

I was born and raised in Wheaton, Illinois. For some people that might be thought to say everything. Wheaton is the home of Wheaton College, that 156-year-old bastion of evangelical higher education. The city itself hosts the head offices of numerous missionary and parachurch organizations, though, . . . . Continue Reading »