The Architect of Modern Evangelicalism (I)

I recently finished reading James Bratt's 2013 work - Abraham Kuyper: Modern Calvinist, Christian Democrat. I cannot recommend it enough. It was an excellent work, well done, and at times even something of a page turner. While some American readers might struggle at times with the dynamics of 19th century European politics, enough is explained that I think most will be able to persevere through it.

Poisoning the Minds of Children

Various news stories continue to emerge suggesting that kids lack self-control when it comes to social media and viewing videos, especially on platforms like TikTok. Experts speaks of an obsessive behaviour that needs to be curbed.

Inbox: Christian Kids in State Colleges (II)

For as 'woke' as the environment supposedly is – he's been appalled at the Establishment-friendly narratives (that while sometimes critical of the United States) in the end defend it and justify American policy and conduct in such contexts as Vietnam and its other more recent wars. And so while a Right-wing adherent would be critical of what's being said, a New Testament Christian is left offended by what is in the end a defense of the Establishment regime and its countless episodes of imperialist theft and murder. And it would only be worse in the context of a Christian college.

Inbox: Christian Kids in State Colleges (I)

After having stated on repeated occasions that I don't believe Christians should send their children to public school, how can I justify sending my son to a state or public college? Isn't this the same thing?

Public School is Not an Option for Christians (II)

What drives these Christian teachers to stay in the public system? For some it's just pragmatic concerns about job change and pensions. For all the whining about being underpaid, it's steady work with lots of time off and in rural areas it is in fact one of the better paying jobs.

Public School is Not an Option for Christians (I)

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/12/1121999705/sex-education-school-kindergarten

Parents need to understand the sodomite-feminist ethos is omnipresent in the culture and in the public school. It's something much bigger than the agenda of specific sex-ed classes. Pulling your children from these sessions is not enough. Christian parents must get their children out of public school. This is not negotiable. If it was at one time, that day is now long past.

Dominionism and the School Board Strategy

https://religiondispatches.org/baby-we-were-born-for-war-to-dominionist-christian-group-no-election-is-too-small-and-colorado-is-just-the-beginning/

This is a problematic article to be sure but nevertheless it should be read. The School Board Strategy is proving effecting and it's expanding – and it's likely that it's already affecting your church or soon will be. The author is sounding the alarm and we should be alarmed – but for reasons different than those of the Religion Dispatches reporter.

Macron and the New Edict of Fontainebleau

In October 2020, French president Emmanuel Macron proposed new education legislation that was meant to counter the influence of subcultures within France – particularly those of a religious nature.

New Testament Christianity, Homeschooling and the Collapse of French Pluralism

https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/8340/evangelicals-react-to-frances-plans-to-fight-islamist-separatism

I am certain that attitudes have changed in Europe since I spent considerable time there in the 1990's. At that time homeschooling was novel and while it was becoming popular in the United States, such expressions of individualism and counter-culture were not popular in Europe – even among Christians.

Anabaptist Storm Clouds on the Horizon (Part 2)

In some post-war Mennonite circles apolitical nonresistance was transformed into tacit uncritical endorsement of the world system. The war was a crisis for these movements which fragmented them and sent the various factions in different directions and yet both liberal and conservative groups (perhaps for different reasons) embraced secular education.

An Example of Kuyperian Two Kingdom Theology Applied

https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/should-churches-have-christian-schools-a-test-case-regarding-church-and-society

This is another example of what I often refer to as Pseudo-Two Kingdom Theology. While it purports to avoid the direct theocratic models advocated by some, it nevertheless operates on a Dominionist basis. The form is different and while it ostensibly observes the necessary distinction between Church and culture, it nevertheless operates on the false assumption that the Kingdom includes, incorporates and redeems culture. As Doriani states:

...the kingdom is wider than the visible church. The visible, corporate church is the vanguard, the concentration point, the training ground, and the sending agency for kingdom work, but kingdom work is broader than church work. 

Historical Lessons not Learned: British Nonconformity, Classical Liberalism and a Cycle of Self-Destruction (Part 2)

For almost two centuries large factions of Protestants have championed Classical Liberalism and now like a Golem or Frankenstein monster turning on its creator, the system is effectively at war with social and religious nonconformity. By conflation, Classical Liberalism has eroded Christian thought and Liberalism's failures have driven society in a communitarian direction, even while retaining many liberal concepts and forms. As a consequence Christians, who often held to communitarian positions themselves are left imperiled and confused and their large-scale social projects in the post-Enlightenment period have turned into something of a nightmare.

Historical Lessons not Learned: British Nonconformity, Classical Liberalism and a Cycle of Self-Destruction (Part 1)

Scotland made international news with its Named Person programme in 2014. This programme would effectively assign a social worker to every child so that the state would be involved in that child's life from infancy. Parents, privacy advocates and others were horrified at this attempt of gross intrusion by the state as well as the potential for abuses and in principle the loss of parental power and autonomy.

There was resistance and the act was partially blocked in 2016, though Edinburgh is still trying to implement it. Recently there was a scandal as a video emerged of local authorities encouraging teachers to override parental consent regarding collected personal information about children and their families. In other words the state is keeping files on everyone and teachers are being effectively trained to disregard parental concerns and objections. They know best of course. For obvious reasons Christians and others are alarmed.

A Study in Fools: Veneers and Big Questions

https://www.npr.org/2018/06/16/618217795/teaching-children-to-ask-the-big-questions-without-religion

This NPR story caught my attention the other day and I had to dig up the link and transcript and have another look. It's about parents that want to wrestle with the 'big questions'... apart from religion.

They want to discuss love and compassion and yet not restrict these ideas to a religious framework or one that approaches such questions with a degree of certainty.

Homeschool Hit Pieces

In the wake of the California scandal of a 'homeschool' family that was starving and torturing its children there has been a wave of 'hit' pieces circulating throughout the media landscape. This is but one of them.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42701297

Personally in the case of these rather sick people from California I think a great deal of blame belongs with the extended family. They knew something was odd and yet did not pursue it. When people fail to act within their own spheres they will inevitably abdicate their authority to the state. And now, everyone is viewed with suspicion.

The Rise of the New Religion

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/12/29/the-long-slow-death-of-religion/

It is not uncommon to encounter these types of articles and essays but as usual the author misses something. While he celebrates the demise of religion in the face of secular reason, it has completely escaped him that rather than religion being replaced by secularism, a religion is being replaced by... a new religion.

Addendum to the Fifth Republic

This is a follow-up discussion to the previous essay:

http://proto-protestantism.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-us-fifth-republic.html

In that article I posited the following scenario:

Evangelical Compromise and Wheaton College

While not a fan of Wheaton, this is one of those moments where the divide between Christians and the world becomes all too clear. The world is not going to understand the stance of an organisation like Wheaton in retaining 'statements of faith' as criteria for employment. Of course there are tensions present in the Christian College which attempts to maintain epistemological antithesis with the world and yet operate within it. Evangelical schools like Wheaton also seek to synthesize Christian beliefs with the world system in a way that Christians can be educated (as the world reckons the concept), but also maintain a distinct Christian identity.

Inbox: Media Sources

I've received various emails both in the past and as of late that request assistance with regard to what media sources I utilize. Where do I go for news?

Dissecting the News and Christian Anti-Intellectualism

I find it interesting that some conservatives are unable to grasp the issues behind the recent racial upheaval. I've seen some are posting stories of white teenagers being killed by black men and then criticising the media for not covering these stories.