A fair summons to those in the theological disciplines to… wait for it… be more well-read! As if we didn’t have enough to read already! But I think the criticism is fair and I would wish to not be irresponsible. sigh. Time to add more books to the list. https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/07/61444/ In this 1999 article from the CATO Institute, Milton Frieman argues that businessmen tend to make poor decisions regarding their interactions with the government.

With so many cases having arisen out of the disastrous and faulty ruling of 2015, it is good to see religious liberty being defended on various fronts. While we as Christians don’t put our hope in political power or political victories, for our sole hope is in Jesus Christ, the matters and affairs of the state are important. The Reformers, such as Calvin and Luther, certainly understood this. The church is facing difficult things ahead in the Western world; the trials currently underway are only the beginning.

Quillette has been an interesting source of ideas. Though this article was published a couple of months ago, it makes some valuable points about what is the purpose of free speech. https://quillette.com/2019/08/18/free-speech-matters-even-when-its-not-protected-by-the-first-amendment/ UPDATE: 20200916 Well said. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/condemning-cuties-noncontroversial/ For a response (with which I disagree): https://quillette.com/2020/09/17/dont-listen-to-the-outrage-cuties-is-a-great-film/ Rom 3:8 “And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.”

It’s great to see discussions like these happening. While I may have worded the counsel provided in this article differently, I think it is still very useful. There’s also some good import from this article on how does our faith influence our art. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/not-cliquish-silent-faith-work/ UPDATE: 20191017 A solid basic introduction to the Bible and friendship. Another good serieson friendship from TGC by Kevin DeYoung, which I utilized in some discipleship meetings with a student, is his “The Gift of Friendship and the Godliness of Good Friends”.

Desiring God has said it well. In the age of social media, our ability to argue, debate, critically think, analyze, synthesize, and the like have been degraded, corroded, and starved. Unlike the humanistic renaissance, if Wikipedia doesn’t include something (and hasn’t edited it out of existence), people are bound not to know the history of their ideas, culture, faith, or the like. Many modern peoples are happy eclectics, believing in disparate doctrines and ignoring the gulfs between them.

See also Postermodernism. Social justice is a light and fluffy term; it is meant to carry so much weight and yet defining it is like holding onto water: it changes anytime you try to put a definite meaning to it. Our goal is witnessing to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the good which comes from the light of God shining into the dark places of the world. I have too often heard the very theologically incorrect statement that people will be converted by our acts of service and kindness.