Church and State

Vote or Shut Up

By Jaime Nava –

There’s a lot of voting going on this year. For Missouri-Synod members at the Convention, we’ll be voting on a multitude, even a plethora, of resolutions and positions. I’m on my way there now. The deacon thing is sure to be a hot topic. So is that constitutional thing I got all the propaganda about from that megachurch near the Purple Palace. I’m sure every convention has its hot topic. Let’s not forget the circus, err, election coming up for the United States (as if you could). We’ve got Donald Drumpf posing as a Republican, kinda like Gov. Arnold did here in KAH-LEE-FORRR-NYAA. Then you’ve got Hillary, who didn’t get in trouble because she’s basically not an ordinary citizen, I guess? There’re some others, sure, but overall, it looks to be a loser of an election and a loser Supreme Court nomination term, as well. Great.

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Freedom in the Left-Hand Kingdom

By Caleb Keith –

It’s Tuesday evening. I am sitting in front of my computer trying to think of something meaningful to write for my blog tomorrow morning. The trouble is, I am finding it difficult to connect any topic on my mind right now to Jesus or the Gospel. However, as I sit here, I am reminded of the most recent episode of the Thinking Fellows that I posted last Friday on the doctrine of God’s two kingdoms. If you haven’t already, you should go check it out. That episode is a solid reminder that, while everything in our lives is impacted by the Gospel, not everything is directly related to it. In fact, much of the day-in, day-out of our lives happens in what’s referred to as the left-hand kingdom.

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The Church Doesn’t Need The Government

By Joel A. Hess –

Surely, this 4th of July has been one of saddest for me. It’s hard to get excited about the freedoms our country was founded upon as they are speedily being stolen from us by the current administration, aristocratic courts, and big businesses. The current forced cultural revolution looks exactly like the one imposed by the Chinese tyrant Mao Zedong. Leaders who come in the name of progress almost always leave the people they say they are helping dead.

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Happy 4th of July! I Don’t Feel Free!!

By Scott Keith –

Today, we celebrate our independence. Today, we shoot fireworks into the air, dress in red, white, and blue, drink American beer, and try to remember what makes the 4th of July such a big deal. Today, I wonder why I’m no longer patriotic. Today, I look around me and wonder if those who are celebrating so intently even know why they celebrate. (Watch this at your own risk: FAIL – Americans Don’t Know Why We Celebrate 4th of July!) Today, I ask myself why I no longer feel free.

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Christian Education and The State

By Caleb Keith –

If you are in any way associated with Christian higher education, you are probably aware of California Senate Bill 1146 (SB1146). The bill threatens the way religious colleges operate in the state of California. To understand what the bill proposes, I read and re-read it several times last night. The essential function or purpose of SB1146 is to trap and punish religious higher education institutions who currently operate under a title IX discrimination exception. Under the current exemption, religious organizations can “discriminate” in their hiring and admissions practices so long as they are in line with their religious beliefs. For example, a Christian college may require all of its professors to be Christian and reserves the right not to employ non-Christians. Currently, schools which fall under title IX and certain California state exemptions can and often do receive federal and state aid.

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The Church Will Suffer, and I’m Okay with That

By Jaime Nava –

The United States feels like it’s in a tail spin, at least to me. More than likely, I think the next president will be a goon. Subjective morality has become the local truth which is no truth at all without absolute truth. Socialism is the glimmer in the eye of so many millennials now. We’re setting ourselves up for the same wall that Germany and Russia ran into. First, we’ll try to be great one last time only to get kicked in the nuts as a nation. Next, we’ll sulk and blame the old ways for all the troubles. Following that will be a leader who promises to send us to greatness. He’ll do this with total control because the people want him to have it. With each and every step, the church will be relegated to a room, then a corner, then finally kicked out.

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Post-Christian?

By Jaime Nava –

America has been considered a Christian nation for quite some time. It’s considered that because of the number of Christians who are here and the values they hold, not because everyone here is automatically converted. People have been saying for years that America is becoming or has become a post-Christian nation. What do they mean by that? Usually, it means that there are fewer people going to church in the US or that attendance is down. Those things are true. Attendance across all denominations is dropping.

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A Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty?

By Caleb Keith –

Most of the people reading this probably haven’t heard of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty (LCRL). I hadn’t heard of the LCRL until this past summer, and it wasn’t until this last semester that I really understood what the LCRL is and what they do. As part of a research paper for my Christians and Ethics course this semester, I examined the LCRL and reviewed its functions in light of the classical view of Lutheran two-kingdom theory.

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