For those monitoring the emerging research on the nature and nurture issues of LGBT matters, see the Fall edition of the New Atlantis, Special Report–Sexuality and Gender, and responses such as those from Warren Throckmorton at Grove City College, “The Editor of The New Atlantis Responds to My Critique of the Mayer and McHugh Article.” The […]
Does Religion Matter In Determining Altruism? For some years, a dispute has continued about the role and necessity of religion to the virtue of altruism. This brief commentary continues that discussion, reluctantly allowing that religion does predispose people to altruistic (2nd great commandment) behavior. The links and an additional search will add more resources to […]
On Secular Governance: This volume edited by Ron Duty and Marie Failinger (Eerdmans, 2016) offers a distinct Lutheran take on the intersection of law and religion in our society today with a range of subjects from women’s issues to property law and the environment, immigration reform, human trafficking, church-state questions, and more. See a review by Lawrence Novak […]
What Role Should the Bible Have in Society? This 38 min video panel discussion includes Alister McGrath, Tim Keller, Brian McClaren, and Dempsy Rasoles-Acosta. They consider how best to convey the Scriptures to our times and how the Bible is or isn’t authoritative in our lives today–questions that congregations and Christian colleges must also consider.
The Altar of Sport: The Olympics as a kind of religion — This brief discussion of a recurring topic may be new to students and could serve as a useful example of the intersections of religion and culture, civil religion, and two-kingdoms issues.
Sexual Inactivity During Young Adulthood Is More Common Among U.S. Millennials and iGen: Age, Period, and Cohort Effects on Having No Sexual Partners After Age 18 — Here is the study on diminished sexual interest among young adults that is receiving current attention. See for ex why-more-millennials-are-putting-off-sex in the Washington Post.
Putting the Fear of God in the Fashion Industry: Considering the name of the menswear brand, Fear of God, or that the promotional video for his latest collection features the church favorite “How Great is Our God,” it’s clear that this 39-year-old doesn’t shy away from the Christian faith that inspires his work. This profile takes […]
Walgreens faces pressure over religious contractors: SSM Health, a Catholic healthcare system based in St. Louis, will open 27 new express health clinics inside Walgreens stores in Missouri and Illinois. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), MergerWatch, and National Health Law Program authored joint letters to Walgreens and SSM to flag the health provider’s religious tenets. SSM adheres to the Ethical […]
Special Feature: Symposium before the oral arguments in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Pauley: Scotus Blog has hosted a symposium of 7 essays on the upcoming Supreme Court hearing on this case of whether the state of Missouri must provide playground surfacing for a church preschool. From the Intro essay: “The two sides (and […]
Ministerial Exception Doctrine Bars ADA Claim By Adventist Music Teacher: In Curl v. Beltsville Adventist School, (D MD, Aug. 15, 2016), a Maryland federal district court held that the ministerial exception doctrine applies to prevent a music teacher at a Seventh Day Adventist school from pursuing federal claims under the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in […]
