November 26, 2008
Gay Marriage and the California Courts
William McGurn is Vice President at News Corporation who writes speeches for CEO Rupert Murdoch. Previously he served as Chief Speechwriter for President George W. Bush. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, McGurn expresses concern for the judicial system seeking to interrupt or bypass democratically selected standards on morally disputed matters, such as the decision of the California Supreme Court to review the legality of Proposition 8.
"The great achievement of our system was to create a political order where these great moral disputes, as a matter of policy, are left to the people -- with allowance for differences according to region and locale. Moral agents have a role to play, generally by shaping the larger culture in which these decisions are framed and debated. But the outcome is left to the people acting through their elected representatives, a process that inevitably involves compromise, trade-offs and messy accommodations."He describes three negative consequences of such judicial intervention:
1. The judges act as dishonest referees, imposing one set of preferences over another.
2. They cheat the American people of an honest political contest, where candidates need to persuade the people of their views to put them into effect. [Example supplied: Obama and Biden publicly are "against" gay marriage (a politically safe choice, for now, in most parts of America), yet never receive the ire of pro-gay political organizations. Why not? These organizations trust that Obama/Biden will appoint activist judges through whom a pro-gay agenda can advance.]
3. When courts usurp the role of the people, they inject cynicism and bitterness into America's body politic.
Read the whole thing.
November 24, 2008
Blacklisting of Yes on Proposition 8 People
Dr. Albert Mohler suggests that the blacklisting and persecution of Yes on Prop 8 individuals and organizations is a sign of things to come:
The response of Hollywood is the temptation to blacklist anyone who supported Proposition 8 and to eliminate or marginalize their influence in liberal Hollywood. This response deserves a close look, for it almost surely represents the shape of the future when it comes to the issue of gay marriage.The LA Times weighed in yesterday on the internal debate within pro-gay circles regarding blacklisting.For some time now, many legal scholars and observers have warned that the issue of same-sex marriage represents one of the most coercive dynamics in our culture. Where same-sex marriage is legal, the coercive effect is to punish anyone who will not recognize, endorse, or celebrate same-sex marriages. As groups like the Becket Fund have warned, churches and religious institutions are very vulnerable in this respect.
November 23, 2008
Fireproof Sizzles
My wife and I saw Fireproof this last weekend and found it to be simply outstanding. There are plenty of reasons why the movie is performing so well at the box office, in spite of precious little being spent on advertisement. The acting, plot, scripting, and just about everything was done very, very well.
Check out the story. And this trailer:
Christopher Hitchens - Doug Wilson Debate Video
On October 30, 2008, Scott Oliphant (Professor of Apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary) hosted a lively, almost two-hour debate between atheist Christopher Hitchens (author of God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything) and Christian Douglas Wilson (author of Letter from a Christian Citizen) on the existence of God. The entire video is available for free viewing online.
November 19, 2008
Let Detroit Go Bankrupt
Governor Mitt Romney in today's New York Times:
IF General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye. It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed.Read the whole thing. Romney's advice sounds like a balanced, judicious approach as opposed to what seems like a knee-jerk reaction on the part of Obama and his allies.Without that bailout, Detroit will need to drastically restructure itself. With it, the automakers will stay the course — the suicidal course of declining market shares, insurmountable labor and retiree burdens, technology atrophy, product inferiority and never-ending job losses. Detroit needs a turnaround, not a check.
Is Barack Obama a Christian?
Joe Carter helpfully breaks down a fascinating interview that Cathleen Falsani (a religion reporter with the Chicago Sun-Times) had with the President-Elect back on March 27, 2004, immediately after Obama had clinched the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat (he would go on to defeat Alan Keyes). Carter notes:
If you tell me that you’re a "Christian" I take that to mean that you subscribe to a common set of doctrines outlined in either the Apostle’s Creed or the Nicene Creed. Both of these creeds are ecumenical Christian statements of faith accepted by the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and almost all branches of Protestantism. They outline what it means to be a "mere" Christian. Included within these creeds is the belief that Jesus is the "Son of God", that Christ is a divine being. From this interview it does not appear that Obama believes this is true.Check out the full text of the interview.
(HT: JT)
Together For The Gospel Live Album
Sovereign Grace Music will soon have a Together For the Gospel Live album. It is available now for pre-order, and one can listen to ~30 second samples of all of the songs. Speaking of which, check out the Together For The Gospel 2008 slideshow, which is set to the tune and lyrics of How sweet and Awful is the Place.
Amend ETS - On Wednesday Not Thursday
Denny Burk has an important correction to the previously provided information.
November 18, 2008
Ted Stevens Loses Alaska Senate Bid
Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in Senate history, narrowly lost his re-election bid Tuesday, marking the downfall of a Washington political power and Alaska icon who couldn't survive a conviction on federal corruption charges. His defeat to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich moves Senate Democrats closer to a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority.Read the whole thing. The Democrats now have 58 Senators, and would reach 60 if they can knock off Norm Coleman in Minnesota and Saxby Chambliss in Georgia. Chamberliss will face off with Democratic candidate Jim Martin in a special election on December 2. Meanwhile, a hand count of the 2.9 million ballots in the fiercely contested Coleman-Franken Senate race in Minnesota begins tomorrow, and should be finished in about a month, the Minnesota Star-Tribute reports. Republican Sen. Norm Coleman leads by 215 votes.
(HT: Daniel L. Patterson)
Concise Reformed Dogmatics - Book Sale
The Westminster bookstore is currently offering this long-awaited, almost 1000 page resource at 40% off -- this is a special introductory price available for one week only (through November 24). In what has been regarded by some as "the most exciting and important Dutch Reformed resource to come into English translation since Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics", Professors J. van Genderen and W. H. Velema, both of Theological University of the Christian Reformed Churches in the Netherlands in Apeldoorn, give a full treatment of topics such as revelation, God, the decree of God, creation, providence, man as God's image, sin, Christ the mediator, the covenant of grace, salvation, the church, the means of grace, and eschatology. It sounds like the authors also wrestle with contemporary theological issues. Those with a high regard for the theological tradition of John Calvin and Herman Bavinck will particularly welcome this new work.
Some Endorsements:
"When an 800 page book has "Concise" in its title, we expect a different perspective. Indeed, this book comes from the Netherlands, the land of Kuyper and Bavinck, where three- and four-volume theology texts are the rule. Indeed, Concise Reformed Dogmatics is immersed in the theological traditions and dialogues of continental Europe, though its main allegiance is to the Scriptures by which, the authors say, all dogmas must be tested. English speaking Christians should be better acquainted with the perspective of our European brothers. In this book we will get that broader picture, while being reminded that good, solid Reformed theology can be found in many locations. So the book edifies in both its similarities and its differences from the way we formulate doctrine."
- Dr. John Frame, Professor of Systematic Theology and Philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary
"At a time when there seems to be renewed interest in the Reformation and, specifically, the Reformed stream, this concise theology is a wellspring of the best that our confession has to offer in the desert of American religion. This is a treasure to be read again and again, making the heart leap for joy!"
- Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary, California
"For all but a few English speakers, insight into the world of contemporary confessional Dutch Reformed theology is limited to occasional glimpses. This translation opens a helpful, orthodox, window on discussions in the Netherlands and beyond and is a welcome contribution to the renaissance of Reformed dogmatics in our time."
- R. Scott Clark, Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, Westminster Seminary, California
"In the context of postmodernism's challenge, this 'Dogmatics' connects us with historic Christian doctrine. As a 'Reformed' dogmatics, this summary of classic Calvinism is textured with biblical richness and confessional fidelity. But equally important is the word 'Concise,' for this promises us the kind of accessibility and utility so difficult to package with responsible scholarship. The authors, translators, and publisher have served our generation well!"
- Nelson D. Kloosterman
"This translation is a most welcome example of contemporary conservative dogmatic theology in our post-conservative age."
- Derek W. H. Thomas
"Biblically based, confessionally rooted, and committed to the best of the Reformed tradition, notably Calvin and Bavinck. The authors are conversant with twentieth-century figures from Barth to Pannenberg. They explore a wide range of Dutch theologians. And they engage critical exegesis of Scripture, intellectual movements such a verificationism in philosophy, and social trends such as feminism. The church's mission and pastoral practice are never out of view. Even those who might disagree here and there with a detail will be well rewarded by this thorough and thoughtful work."
- John Bolt
November 16, 2008
Fight the Freedom of Choice Act
Speaking to Planned Parenthood before the election, Barack Obama promised that "The first thing I’d do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act." :
What is the Freedom of Choice Act? It is an attempt to eradicate state and federal laws which place any restrictions whatsoever on abortion. With one stroke of the pen, President Obama could eradicate state and federal laws that the majority of Americans support, such as:
1. Bans on Partial Birth Abortion
2. Requirements that women be given information about the risks of getting an abortion
3. Only licensed physicians can perform abortions
4. Parents must be informed and give consent to their minor daughter's abortion
Find out if your U.S. Senator or Congressperson is a sponsor of either the Senate or House version of FOCA.
Join the over 150,000 people that have signed the Fight FOCA Petition (scroll to the bottom), which will be sent to key Members of Congress upon the re-introduction of the Freedom of Choice Act in the 111th Congress, and to President-Elect Obama. The petition reads:
I oppose the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), because:
* FOCA is a radical attempt to enshrine abortion-on-demand into American law;
* FOCA seeks to sweep aside existing, protective laws that I and the majority of Americans support;
* FOCA will prevent states from enacting protective measures in the future.
(HT: James Grant)
Haykin Reviews Francis Beckwith's Return To Rome
Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin, Director of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, reviews Return to Rome: Confessions of an Evangelical Catholic
(HT: Robert E. Sagers)
November 14, 2008
Help Amend The ETS Constitution Next Week
Denny Burk and Ray Van Neste have co-sponsored a proposal to amend the doctrinal basis of the Constitution of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS). I think their proposal is excellent.
The current ETS doctrinal basis has two parts: (1) a statement on inerrancy, and (2) a statement on the Trinity. It reads as follows:
“The Bible alone, and the Bible in its entirety, is the Word of God written and is therefore inerrant in the autographs. God is a Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each an uncreated person, one in essence, equal in power and glory.”The changes proposed by Burk and Van Neste beef it up significantly. Their proposed changes are as follows:
ARTICLE III. DOCTRINAL BASIS
1. The Bible alone, and the Bible in its entirety, is the Word of God written and is therefore inerrant in the autographs. This written word of God consists of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments and is the supreme authority in all matters of belief and behavior.
2. God is a Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each an uncreated person, one in essence, equal in power and glory.
3. God is sovereign in creation, revelation, redemption and final judgment.
4. Since the fall, the whole of humankind is sinful and guilty, so that everyone is subject to God’s wrath and condemnation.
5. The Lord Jesus Christ, God’s incarnate Son, is fully God; he was born of a virgin; his humanity is real and sinless; he died on the cross, was raised bodily from death and is now reigning over heaven and earth.
6. Sinful human beings are redeemed from the guilt, penalty and power of sin only through the sacrificial death once and for all time of their representative and substitute, Jesus Christ, the only mediator between them and God.
7. Those who believe in Christ are pardoned all their sins and accepted in God’s sight only because of the righteousness of Christ credited to them; this justification is God’s act of undeserved mercy, received solely by trust in him and not by their own efforts.
8. The Holy Spirit alone makes the work of Christ effective to individual sinners, enabling them to turn to God from their sin and to trust in Jesus Christ.
9. The Holy Spirit lives in all those he has regenerated. He makes them increasingly Christ-like in character and behavior and gives them power for their witness in the world.
10. The one holy universal church is the Body of Christ, to which all true believers belong.
11. The Lord Jesus Christ will return in person, to judge everyone, to execute God’s just condemnation on those who have not repented and to receive the redeemed to eternal glory.
Read the background, and view a list of supporters gathered over the last year or so.
If you are attending the Evangelical Theological Society meeting in Providence, Rhode Island next week (November 19-21), please attend the following meetings:
11/20 – Thursday
5:20-6:00pm – Van Neste, Burk, and Executive Committee discuss the proposal followed by a Q & A with audience. Rhode Island Convention Center Ballroom E
8:30-9:30pm – Business Meeting: Discussion of the Amendment proposal. Rhode Island Convention Center Ballroom
11/21 - Friday
8:30-9:00am – Business Meeting: Vote on the Amendment proposal. Rhode Island Convention Center Ballroom A
November 12, 2008
Conference on Calvin's Legacy
2009 is the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth. Westminster Seminary in California is hosting what sounds like a very interesting conference: Calvin's Legacy: Reforming The Church Today. The Conference will be held January 16-17, 2009 at the Westminster Seminary campus in Escondido, CA. The breakdown of the messages to be presented:
Plenary I: "Calvin: Why He Still Matters"–W. Robert Godfrey
Plenary II: "Calvin and the Reform of Worship"–R. Scott Clark
Plenary III: "Calvin as Bible Interpreter"–Steven M. Baugh
Plenary IV: "Calvin on Law and Gospel"–Michael S. Horton
Plenary V: "Calvin and Preaching"–Hywel R. Jones
Plenary VI: "Calvin: The Friendly Reformer"–W. Robert Godfrey
Questions & Answers
Registration is $45 (after 12/1, $55). Check it out.
ESV Study Bible Now Available on Portable Devices
A press release from Crossway:
Nation’s Best-Selling Study Bible Goes DigitalESV Study Bible Widely Available via Personal, Portable Devices
Wheaton, IL—After just four weeks on store shelves, the ESV Study Bible has sold more than 140,000 copies, immediately becoming the best-selling study Bible in the marketplace today. Now Crossway is pleased to announce the forthcoming release of the ESV Study Bible on a wide spectrum of digital platforms, including Mac, PC, Windows Mobile, Palm, iPhone, Blackberry, Google Android, and Symbian.
To achieve the widest possible digital distribution, Crossway has partnered with the leading digital software providers, including Accordance, Biblesoft, Laridian, Olive Tree, and WORDsearch, to make the ESV Study Bible available with all of its notes, articles, and features.
“We are excited to make the ESV Study Bible widely accessible, initially in a wide range of best-selling print editions, and now in every possible digital format available,” said Lane Dennis, president of Crossway Books & Bibles. “Our goal as a Christian publisher is to distribute the Bible and essential resources for understanding the Bible as broadly as possible around the world. It is a tremendous encouragement to me personally to see this goal become a reality as the ESV Study Bible will soon be available virtually anytime, anywhere in the world, by means of the new media revolution and our partnership with these digital software leaders.”
First published in the fall of 2001, the ESV Bible is an essentially literal Bible translation that combines word-for-word precision and accuracy with literary excellence, beauty, and depth of meaning. The ESV has been widely embraced by churches, ministries, and denominations around the world, with unit sales growing by more than 250 percent in the past three years.
Bethlehem College and Seminary
John Piper recently unpacked several biblical foundations for Bethlehem College and Seminary. As a University professor I greatly appreciate (and resonate with!) this one sentence Piper wrote thirty years ago when he was on the Bethel College faculty:
We aim to enable and to motivate the student to observe his subject matter accurately and thoroughly, to understand clearly what he has observed, to evaluate fairly what he has come to understand, to appropriate wisely in life what he has found valuable, and to express in speech and writing what he has seen, understood, evaluated, and appropriated in such a way that its accuracy, clarity, fairness, and value can be known and enjoyed by others.Read the whole thing.
(HT: JT)
The Ligonier Academy
Fowler White introduces the Ligonier Academy, a vehicle for post-graduate study for ministers and continuing education for laymen.
Proposed Future Academy Offerings:
* D. Min. program, continuing education courses, and seminars for pastors
* Certificate programs
* Studies for students with general and special interests
* Programs for Sunday school teachers and church officer candidates
* Courses on Scripture, theology, history, philosophy, apologetics, and ethics
* Onsite and online learning opportunities
Featuring Instruction and Leadership from:
* Alistair Begg
* D.A. Carson
* Mark Dever
* Ligon Duncan
* Sinclair B. Ferguson
* Robert Godfrey
* Michael Horton
* Steven J. Lawson
* Keith Mathison
* Archie Parrish
* Mark Ross
* R.C. Sproul
* R. Fowler White
Read the whole thing. Tomorrow the Ligonier blog will announce the first program offering of the Ligonier Academy (to occur July 2009).
Feed My Sheep - Piper, Sproul, MacArthur, Others
Earlier this year I had the privilege of reading through this manuscript for Reformation Trust and making various suggestions. Feed My Sheep is a simply outstanding collection of well-grounded, rich reflections on the preaching ministry from seasoned, deep-thinking, pastor-scholars. You might recall that an earlier edition of this book appeared in 2002 from Soli Deo Gloria ministries.
The chapter titles and authors:
1. The Primacy of Preaching - R. Albert Mohler Jr
2. The Foolishness of Preaching - James Montgomery Boice
3. Expository Preaching - Derek W. H. Thomas
4. Experiential Preaching - Joel R. Beeke
5. The Teaching Preacher - R. C. Sproul
6. Preaching to the Mind - R. C. Sproul Jr
7. Preaching to the Heart - Sinclair B. Ferguson
8. Preaching with Authority - Don Kistler
9. Evangelistic Preaching - Eric J. Alexander
10. Preaching to Suffering People - John Piper
11. A Reminder to Shepherds - John MacArthur
Some of the endorsements:
“This is the most compelling plea to restore preaching to its time-honored status that I have ever read. This book deserves to be read and reread to light the fire of passion and conviction for all who would publicly proclaim, ‘Thus says the Lord.’”
—Erwin Lutzer
Senior Pastor, Moody Church
Chicago, Ill.
“This book combines the wisdom and experience of a number of the foremost preachers of the present day. If it is received as it ought to be, we may yet see a mighty change for good in the current spiritual scene. I hope it will be widely read.”
—Iain Murray
Co-founder, Banner of Truth Trust
Edinburgh, Scotland
“Feed My Sheep is not only a passionate plea for preaching, but also a thorough review of what constitutes good preaching. Every minister of God’s Word will profit from prayerfully reading this book.”
—Jerry Bridges
author of The Pursuit of Holiness
Colorado Springs, Colo.
“There are a lot of books on preaching today, but not many good ones—this one is good. The subjects covered (and the accents of the authors as well) commend this volume to the minister and seminary student—and, indeed, to the church member who wants to learn what a real preaching ministry looks like, and who wants that for his church and from his pastor. It is spiritually challenging and topically pertinent.”
—J. Ligon Duncan III
Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church
Jackson, Miss.
“When I was in seminary, my homiletics professor encouraged us to set a lifetime goal of reading at least one book each year on preaching. If you can read only one book this year on preaching, make it Feed My Sheep. Students and experienced preachers alike can find both timely and timeless teaching here. Feed My Sheep is simply one of the best books on preaching to come along in years.”
—Don Whitney
author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
Kansas City, Mo.
Read a sample chapter or buy the book.
November 11, 2008
A Guy's Guide to Marrying Well
While many men may be afraid to admit it or discuss it, annual surveys such as the Monitoring the Future report (scroll down to Figure 14) have found that about 70% of male high school seniors (wow!) have said that having a good marriage and family life is "extremely important." That's why I'm thankful for the team at Boundless. They've just announced what sounds like an excellent free resource: a guy's guide to marrying well.
Most men hope to marry some day, but there's no guarantee they will. Increasingly, young men are — as one writer put it — "stumbling on to the altar as if by accident."Check it out.Too many guys make their way into their 20s and 30s without the marriage modeling and insights that were once easy to find from dads, coaches, teachers, mentors and Christian leaders. When they do find advice about relationships, it's often spectacularly bad.
The simple purpose of the information here is to present a path that is as Biblical as possible in order to help you marry well. But not just so that you can experience all the happiness, health and wealth that guys who marry well enjoy, but so that your marriage can point to God's glory and His greater purposes.
This guide is based on a few timeless concepts — intentionality, purity, Christian compatibility and community — that we rarely encounter in popular culture but are a proven path to marrying well.
The Forgotten Man - Amity Shlaes
Most of us grew up hearing that Herbert Hoover was a cold, unfeeling President who refused to take action to help the massively troubled economy of his day. Capitalism run wild was to blame, and Roosevelt rode in to save us from the vicious, greedy private sector with the largehearted New Deal. In The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression
Shlaes' article in today's New York Post might serve as something of a primer. Her closing thoughts:
There is evidence, however, that FDR's very strength was a negative, because he used it to give himself a license to do true experimenting. In his second inaugural address, FDR said that he sought "an instrument of unimagined power for the establishment of a morally better world."No one knew what it meant, and markets were terrified. Everyone feared FDR would regulate or prosecute them next. Businesses refused to invest. The 1930s' second half proved frustrating for the country: The economy was always recovering but never quite recovered. The Dow didn't get back to its 1929 level until the mid-'50s.
These facts are important to bear in mind. The New Deal inspired. But it is the wrong deal for the country, even now.
The Real John McCain - Mark Saltar
By way of disclaimer: I did not vote for McCain in the primary, and while I agree with those who have criticized the aggressive tone of the race, I do not think McCain was more negative than Obama. Quite the opposite, in fact, with McCain being quick to defend Obama from slander and refusing to use the Jeremiah Wright association to brand him.
Mark Saltar is John McCain's biographer and has worked closely with McCain for many years. He was a senior adviser in McCain's failed bid for the presidency. Today he published a three-page reflection on the presidential race: the back-from-the-dead New Hampshire primary win, the selection of Sarah Palin, and the decision to suspend the campaign in the wake of the financial crisis. I found quite moving the fact that McCain's son was going into Iraq as part of the unpopular surge that McCain (almost entirely unaided, and to the detriment of his campaign) was promoting in 2007. Saltar beautifully defends the selection of Governor Palin, though he does not address the recent back-biting. I wish McCain had defended her this articulately:
The senator’s selection of Governor Palin, like almost every major decision in the campaign, was viewed as a cynical and self-interested choice intended to excite social conservatives, who hadn’t shown much enthusiasm for the top of the ticket. Surely, no one would have advised our candidate to choose a running mate who would have lengthened the odds against us. But overlooked in the brisk dismissal that Governor Palin might have qualities other than her social conservative credentials and obvious retail political skills was her actual appeal to John McCain. It also fails to credit his advisers’ conviction that, given the environment we were running in, a message of experience over the untested new guy would not succeed even if we executed perfectly. Arguing that John McCain actually had a record of risking his career to reform the institutions and practices of politics and our opponent didn’t had gotten us nowhere. To reporters and many voters, Senator Obama was change personified and John McCain was yesterday‘s news.Read the whole thing.Every candidate for office who takes on an incumbent runs on a message of change and reform. Few live up to their promise. Sarah Palin ran against the political establishment in Alaska with the promise to clean up the self-dealing and corruption that had finally worn out the patience of Alaskan voters. She defeated an incumbent Republican governor and a popular former Democratic one, an impressive accomplishment in itself. But she didn’t just run as a reformer. She governed as one. That was the source of her appeal to John McCain. He holds in high esteem anyone of either party who keeps their campaign commitments to reform. He greatly admired Senator Russ Feingold and the late Senator Paul Wellstone for that reason, despite their liberal credentials and views on most issues. He chose Sarah Palin to underscore his commitment to reform and help him keep his promise once in office. He recognized she had little experience in foreign affairs, but so did his opponent. She was well-versed in the area of energy security, which would have been a priority of a McCain administration. She is hardworking, intelligent, and a quick study, and he believed she would learn by study and experience all she would be required to know as next in line to the presidency.
One major question: If the bailout package lacked adequate input from House Republicans, and if the public was strongly opposed to it, might it not have been more prudent (not to mention politically savvy) to have rejected it, and in doing so, denounce the democratic leadership (Barney Frank, Chris Dodd) responsible for the Fannie Mae debacle? Regarding the latter, McCain made the case a bit, but not with sufficient clarity and consistency (in my opinion).
November 09, 2008
Evangelicals, Abortion, and President-Elect Obama
I've been curious about the extent to which Obama garnered evangelical support in his (massively) successful presidential bid. There appear to be various slants on the data, but here are some nuggets:
1. Exit polls say 26 percent of American voters in the 2008 general election called themselves evangelical or born-again Christians, and of these, 74 percent voted for McCain, with 25 percent voting for Obama. (HT: Ted Olsen) By comparison, George W. Bush won 78% of the evangelical vote in 2004.
2. However, Steve Waldeman reports that Obama doubled his support among evangelicals aged 18-29 (getting 32% compared to 16% in 2004). Obama actually went down among evangelicals 65 and older (Kerry got 32% of them; Obama got 26%).
More concerning is the data on abortion: Belief.net reports that one among every five Obama supporters was pro-life. That sounds a bit high (the belief.net data is not based on a scientific study and did not employ random sampling), but not absurd. So why would pro-life voters choose Obama? Obama pro-lifers, says Steve Waldeman, differ from McCain pro-lifers:
11% believe the best way to reduce the number of abortions is through legal restrictionsBy comparison, McCain pro-lifers favor legal restrictions by a 2-1 margin.
87% believe the best way is "by preventing unintended pregnancies (through education and birth control) or providing financial assistance to pregnant mothers."
Related: Regardless of what people believe or know, pro-life officials significantly reduce abortion rates, which means (sadly) we may be going backwards in the near future.
November 08, 2008
Video of Albert Mohler on ABC News
The Charles Gibson interview (video and text).
November 06, 2008
Albert Mohler To Appear on ABC World News Tonight
A Southern Seminary News Release:
R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, is scheduled to appear tonight on ABC World News with Charles Gibson. Mohler was interviewed today by correspondent Dan Harris on the evangelical reaction to the election of Sen. Barack Obama. ABC World News airs nationally at 6:30 PM EST.
November 05, 2008
The Ongoing Battle For The Unborn
Justin Taylor interviews Scott Klusendorf. Mr. Klusendorf is the President of Life Training Institute and the author of The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture
Klusendorf's remarks remind us to neither lose heart nor zeal in our efforts for the unborn. The first question:
JT: Just how bad was this election for pro-lifers? Give us the big picture.
SK: There’s no doubt we’ve experienced a crushing defeat in the current political cycle. The executive and legislative branches of the federal government are now firmly in the hands of those deeply committed to the proposition that an entire class of human beings can be set aside to be killed simply because they are in the way of something we want. In the weeks ahead, even before the inaugural events get underway, we can expect abortion-choicers, along with their allies in the media, to declare the abortion debate over--at least politically.
They have reason to gloat. President-elect Obama, with eager support from a Democrat Congress, can easily deliver on his promises to sign the federal Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), provide federal funding for destructive embryo research (including cloning), stack the federal courts with activist judges, and craft a national health care plan that includes abortion coverage. This is all very bad.
But surrender is not an option. We have work to do.
Marriage Amendments All Pass: CA, FL, and AZ
This is excellent news -- many were pessimistic about Proposition 8 (concerned that the strong Obama turnout might kill it). But it passed. Maggie Gallagher:
California is huge, of course. It proves that when it comes to marriage, there are no blue states/red states. Americans believe unions of husband and wife really are unique and deserve a unique status in our culture and law.
Florida is huge because we had to get to 60 percent — and we surpassed that with 62 percent of the vote.
Arizona is huge because Arizona was the only state ever to reject a marriage amendment in 2006. This year, Arizonans decided to correct that anomaly, bringing to 30 the number of states that protect marriage in their state constitutions.
And also: giving marriage a perfect 30 out of 30 record of victory at the ballot box.
All victories are temporary in a fallen world. But this one is sweet.
President-Elect Barack Obama
My hearty congratulations to the first African-American President of the United States of America. Though I abhor his stated policy goals, it is a wonderful thing that the Jim Crow days are behind us. I echo Dr. Albert Mohler's sentiments:
That victory is a hallmark moment in history for all Americans -- not just for those who voted for Sen. Obama. As a nation, we will never think of ourselves the same way again. Americans rich and poor, black and white, old and young, will look to an African-American man and know him as President of the United States. The President. The only President. The elected President. Our President.I hope and pray it will lead to further narrowing of the achievement gap in the academy and the work force, and drastically reduce the percentage of African-American men who do jail time. I echo John Podhoretz's reflection:
Its [Obama's victory] positive social impact is incalculable; it was only eight years ago that Al Gore traveled to Harlem to kiss Al Sharpton’s ring, which was only seven years after Sharpton had provoked a riot on 125th street that led to a fire that killed seven people. Sharpton was, at that point, by default the most important black politician in America. Obama’s ascension to the White House, if it does nothing else, may at last bring down the curtain on race hucksters like Sharpton, whose power has always been rooted in the political alienation of inner-city blacks.
Also Eric Redmond, author of Where Are All the Brothers?: Straight Answers to Men's Questions about the Church and an African-American man, pens an outstanding reflection on his own inner wrestlings with Obama's candidacy (and, now, with his victory). I think he eloquently speaks on behalf of many.
Lastly, I echo John Piper's sentiments that we can (and should) be thankful for just about any government.
November 03, 2008
Barack Obama's Grandmother Has Died
Senator Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Lee Payne Dunham, has passed away early this morning. She was 86 years old. When I read Dreams from My Father
A Gracious, Critical Response to Piper's Political Messages
I agree with the spirit and the arguments Justin Taylor sets forth in response to John Piper's recent remarks (here and here) about the upcoming presidential election.
November 02, 2008
John Piper on Same-Sex Marriage
This is a five minute audio clip from a Desiring God radio podcast. Piper says that Christians should be involved in the public dialogue on the institution of marriage and that "it is right to put in place, if possible, a legal definition of marriage that makes it one man and one woman." Helpfully, Piper also alludes to the negative effects on children from growing up in households led by same-sex couples.
John Piper Speak Out on Women and the Presidency
The John Piper video I recently posted led to significant discussion in various circles. In particular, some took Piper's concern regarding Sarah Palin's decision to pursue the Vice-Presidency in spite of having young children (including one with Down Syndrome) as an implicit endorsement of Senator Obama. However, we should recall that Piper has publicly stated that he would never vote for a pro-choice candidate. Today, he ads a few clarifications about his views on women, the Presidency, the role of law, and voting. He closed with this paragraph:
“A person with my view may very well vote for a woman to be President if the man running against her holds views and espouses policies that may, as far as we can see, do more harm to more people than we think would be done by electing a woman President and thus exalting a flawed pattern of womanhood. In my view, defending abortion is far worse sin for a man than serving as Vice President is for a woman.”Definitely read the whole thing.
The Definition of Marriage: Why It Matters
Maggie Gallagher is the President of the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy, and President of the National Organization for Marriage. Her most recent book, co-authored with University of Chicago Professor Linda Waite, is The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better Off Financially
Marriage between a man and a woman is rooted in our nature--''in biology, not bigotry''--sex between men and women makes babies, society needs babies, and babies need a father as well as a mother. But the proponents of same-sex marriage want the government to declare in law that there is no difference between same-sex and opposite-sex unions, and anyone who thinks otherwise is promoting bigotry. This will have major ramifications for those who believe in marriage in the traditional sense--especially religious citizens and organizations.This matter is on the ballot this Tuesday, November 4 in California, Arizona, and Florida. The thrust of Gallaher's argument:
Marriage as a universal human idea has deep roots in three enduring truths about human beings everywhere: Sex between men and women makes babies, society needs babies, and babies need a father as well as a mother.Elsewhere she notes, "Marriage is civilization's great effort to connect sex, love, money, babies, men and women, mothers and fathers." She also explains the implications for religious liberties, and why the notion of a homosexual "right" to marriage is not comparable to the civil rights movement. The best way to articulate the latter is to look at interracial marriage bans:Put it this way: When a baby is born, there is bound to be a mother somewhere close by. If we want fathers to be there both for their children and the mothers of their children, biology alone will not take us very far. Clearly we need a cultural mechanism for connecting fathers to the mother-child bond, and for communicating to the next generation of young people in the throes of erotic and romantic dramas that they have a serious obligation to act in ways that will protect the children their bodies make together.
Bans on interracial marriage, in other words, were about keeping two races separate so that one race could oppress the other--and that was bad. But marriage is about bringing together the two great halves of humanity--male and female--in part so that children can know and be known by, love and be loved by, their own mother and fathers--and that is a great and important good.Read the whole thing.
November 01, 2008
Free Audio Book By John Calvin
John Calvin: Of Prayer and The Christian Life (Unabridged) is the free audio book of the month from Christian Audio. Use the coupon code NOV2008 to freely download this audio resource, which is but a section within Calvin's magnum opus, Institutes of the Christian Religion.
McCain Trusted More on Taxes and Economy
After several weeks of John McCain’s campaign attacks on Barack Obama’s tax plan and idea of “spreading the wealth around”, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds voters trust McCain more than Obama on taxes, 47% to 45%.McCain also has gained ground as the candidate to trust on economic issues. Forty-eight percent (48%) now trust the Republican hopeful more than the Democrat while 47% hold the opposite view. This is the first time McCain has led on the issue that has hurt his campaign since September 17. One month ago, Obama held a nine-point advantage when it came to economic issues.
Alex and Brett Harris on Young Evangelicals and Politics
Alex and Brett Harris, co-authors of Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations, are interviewed from 4:57 to 8:10 in this ten-minute video made by PBS Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly as part of a study on young evangelicals and their political leanings (compared to those of their parents).
John Piper On The Presidential Election
(HT: JT)
Update: Piper adds a few more thoughts on women and the Presidency
Related: Piper on same-sex marriage
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