In the early spring of 1953, a sickly Russian novelist, covered with ice, out of the dark and the cold, staggered forth from the Soviet Gulag, the constellation of Communist prison camps that stretched from Siberia to South Asia. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, ill with cancer, had once been a proponent of the system that condemned him to forced labor. Now he saw his nations deep suffering, like his own, as redemptive… . Continue Reading»
In his June 13 testimony before the National Security Subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight and Governmental Reform, Dr. Thomas Farr of Georgetowns Berkley Center described the failures of U.S. international religious freedom policy over the past decade and a half … Continue Reading»
While traveling to Rio de Janeiro to preside over his first World Youth Day, Pope Francis declined to do a formal interview with the press pool. I dont give interviews. I dont know why… . Its tiresome. But I enjoy your company. On the return to Rome, the Holy Father… Continue Reading»
Abortion advocates and population planners eagerly promote the idea that preventing births saves money. To the contrary and as was already demonstrated in a recent First Things article, the birth of anyone, poor or not, will yield substantial economic benefit. Specifically, in Texas the $11,000 Medicaid-birth cost will on average return $430,000, or thirty-nine times the investment… Continue Reading»
In his 1934 book, The Kingdom of God in America, H. Richard Niebuhr depicted the creed of liberal Protestant theology, which was called “modernism” in those days, in these famous words: “A God without wrath brought man without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.” Niebuhr was no fundamentalist… Continue Reading»
The Catholic Church betrays Christs call to love; Its leadership works though domination, control, and punishment. So wrote Fr. Bert Thielen, S.J., in a long letter explaining his decision to renounce the priesthood and return to the lay state of life. His letter saddened me. It was Bert who received me into the Catholic Church… Continue Reading»
I try not to get caught up in the all-too-popular sport of Pat Robertson-bashing. For one thing, in the few times I have been with the Evangelical leader”one of those times for a leisurely luncheon meeting in his office at Regent Univeristy”I have found him to be an engaging and gracious conversationalist… . Continue Reading»
When I tell people I am a convert to Eastern Orthodoxy, I often get a puzzled reaction. Eastern Orthodoxy? some will say. Whats that? Others will ask whether I actually mean the Greek or the Russian Orthodox Church, mistakenly believing that they are different denominations. In fact, whether Greek, Russian, or Serbian, all are part of the same Church… Continue Reading»
Do you have something by Muir to read? asked a friend as I made last-minute preparations to embark for Yosemite National Park. The thought had previously crossed my mind, but his encouragement spurred me to action. Like Muir in 1869, I was off for My First Summer in the Sierra. I am so glad… Continue Reading»
In a deeply sobering article, R.R. Reno warns of the danger of faith becoming captive to political alliance: “First, religiosity now strongly correlates with partisan loyalty. Nones are overwhelmingly Democrat. Regular churchgoers, especially but not exclusively Evangelicals, trend Republican. This politicizes religion. Second, religious people are becoming more and more dependent on the Republican party to protect their interests… Continue Reading»