Matthew Schmitz, writing at First Things: He believes that America remains more religious than people acknowledge—it’s the elites who have changed. “If you look at one measure of religious participation, just church membership in 1980 versus 2023 versus 1840, the country is not substantially less religious today . . . than it was 150 years ago.” Yet there is a profound obstacle facing anyone who aspires to be unapologetically both Christian and American. It is the conviction, shared by many of our elites and increasingly endorsed by the government, that anyone who dissents from progressive ide ..read more

Just watched "Bad Faith" yesterday, the laughable spawn of some outfit called Heretical Reason Productions, whose web site speaks volumes.  I urge my readers to have a look at both.  As to the documentary,  they will discover that it is a tissue of half-truths, glaring omissions of pertinent facts, ridiculous juxtapositions, straw man fallacies, biblical and theological misinterpretation, innuendo, hysteria, political grievances and self-congratulatory posturing. The footage featuring the preposterous religious lefty William Barber II, a political activist posing as a Christian ..read more

"As the Secret Service covered him with their bodies, even putting their hands protectively over his head, as they helped him to the car, the crowd could be seen turning to the media in the back and giving them the finger. They knew. They knew who did this. The left did this. The Democrats did this. The gutter press did this. The #NeverTrumpers did this. What did they think would happen after months and even years yelling at the top of their lungs that Trump is Hitler, that Trump will be a dictator, that Trump is an “existential threat to our democracy?” Violence was inevitable. Just a week ag ..read more

New and philosophically interesting critique from Cole Simmons writing at The North American Anglican (TNAA) of Witt's Icons of Christ: A Biblical and Systematic Theology for Women’s Ordination. The Rev'd Matt Colvin penned a 4-part review of Witt's book at TNAA shortly after its publication in 2020: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4.  It is far more comprehensive than Cole's and is more of a point-by-point refutation.   These articles in TNAA are mainly reflective of the ongoing battle between pro-WO and anti-WO factions in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), and as such they ..read more

Just finished reading this book. When N.T. Wright calls Thomas' work "theologically explosive", that is an understatement. If, as I believe, the New Perspective guys are right, and if it's the case that these earliest of Christian sources reveal a view of the "works of the Law" that is consistent with the NP, then stick a fork in the Protestant Reformation, English and Continental, it's done.  That means, inter alia, that the Articles and Homilies are indeed nothing more than "historical documents" that should not enjoy confessional status, and are therefore not binding on Anglicans, as t ..read more

Part 1 Part 2 Meh. Christians aren't political Anabaptists.  That's the first thing.  The second thing is this: "If you don’t want Christian nationalism, what kind of nationalism do you want? And if it’s not the Christianity that’s the problem, is it the nationalism? … if we don’t want nationalism, do we want globalism?” - Voddy Baucum Those are the choices before us, My Lord Bishop, and Anglicans, following Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, have historically understood the necessity of the symphony of a Christian Church and a Christian State.  Now, I do believe that Amer ..read more

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Pieter Valk is a homosexual man who professes orthodox Anglican faith and who has commited to a celibate life.  He is a member of the Anglican Church of North America's (ACNA) controversial Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others (C4SO), and the founder of the Nashville Family of Brothers, which bills itself as a "convent and monastery".  There Valk lives in community with several other "brothers".  (I'm not sure if there are actually any sisters there.)  In any event, late last year Valk reaffirmed his "lifetime commitments" in a ceremony at "Luminous Church" officiated ..read more

As the ACNA gears up to select it's new Archbishop, a group of Anglican clergy are making themselves clear to the PTB that women's ordination is a primary issue, not a secondary issue as the defenders of the practice maintain. They have been joined by ACNA's Diocese of Fort Worth.  Unfortunately, ACNA cannot change its oxymoronic "dual integrities" policy without a change to its constitution, and from what I understand that's a non-starter.  However, the more noise the orthodox make the more ACNA's leadership has to worry about a potential split.  I for one think that's the only ..read more

This is Dan Haseltine, an ACNA priest serving at something called "Luminous Anglican Parish", a parish of C4SO, Todd Hunter, "Diocesan" Bishop.  Draw your own conclusions. Here is the maudlin "Unity Prayer" at "Luminous Anglican's" web site: Unity Prayer All are welcome at the table of God Every human is God’s child For Christ brings peace to all Tearing down every hostile wall So that the many become one One heart One family One new humanity For God who is Love And Christ who is all and in all Show no partiality and make no distinction So neither race nor class Gender nor sexuality Pol ..read more