To take just a slight break from contemporary political and economic events and issues, I discovered a “new” book last night which I would recommend to all freedom-loving and responsible people. Actually, it was published first in 1873, with a second edition the following year. The author was the now obscure James Fitzjames Stephen, and […]
Archives
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A Nice Discovery
04 Apr 2014
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Back to the Future: Politics in the Past
20 Feb 2014
After a few weeks of being immersed in arcane historical reading and teaching, I have concluded it isn’t so arcane as we think. Of course, I knew that already, but there is nothing like being away from blogging to remind one. What I mean is this: Many or most of the political thinkers and ideas […]
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Law and the Christian: A Modest Proposal
01 Feb 2014
Do you know the difference between right and wrong? Do you have a good idea of what ought to be illegal and what legal? Do you know why you know, if you do? In other words, what is your foundation for distinguishing right and wrong? Do you have a foundation at all? Our society of […]
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Legislating Morality? Addendum to Part 3
02 Jan 2014
Well, it seems the third in a series of blogs on “Legislating Morality?” has elicited a few comments on the, shall we say, opposing side of the issue. So in the interest of fairness and sympathy I will try to clarify in this blog a couple of issues. The two most controversial issues I raised […]
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In the first two blogs, I have begun the attempt to initiate greater reflection on the origins, role, authority, limits and functions of government, as well as our place as Christians under the authority of government. I said at the start that absolute answers were limited. This is true mainly because the Scriptures are relatively […]
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My colleague Jeff Haymond wrote in a comment on my recent blog, “Legislating Morality? Christians, Law and Politics,” that I had raised questions but not given answers. He was correct. So now that he has prodded me for answers I will put myself in jeopardy of all sorts of criticism by offering some tentative answers. […]
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Once upon a time, there was a group of Presbyterians and other Christian denominations in America who argued for the “crown rights of King Jesus” to be embodied in government and specifically in the United States Constitution. I know it sounds strange to our modern and secular ears to hear that in 1864 this odd […]
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The Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has told his people that a major appliance retailer in his country is unfairly selling televisions at high prices. His response was to send in troops to take over stores and auction off items at much lower prices. In particular, he believes that his supporters should have plasma televisions. It […]
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What Republicans Need or Don’t Need
05 Dec 2013
Mike Murphy has written a provocative editorial imploring the Republican Party to seize the moment. He is to be applauded for encouraging the party to act, but his proposal represents well the current debate among Republicans regarding how to move forward. For Murphy it is about dispatching the old, uncomfortable positions on social issues like […]
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“I’m a Christian! Vote for Me!”
05 Dec 2013
U.S. Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) is probably taking the first few steps of a political death march–and it shows. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mucYcm6moe0 With his election coming up in November 2014, why is Pryor doing this? Arkansas, like much of the South, has transitioned from a bastion of Democrat dominance into a reliably red-state of Republicanism. In 2012, […]
Bert Wheeler
Jeff Haymond
Marc Clauson
Mark Caleb Smith
Tom Mach