Posts by Kevin Schaal
My Opinion Does Not Matter
I am male, white, and middle-aged. The general message I am getting from our present woke culture is that I just need to “shut up.” Listening does not really matter for me either because my opinion is of no consequence, so changing it is also of no consequence. This is half true. Truly, my…
Read MoreWhy a New Generation of Catholic Women Is Wearing Chapel Veils | Religion & Politics
As I interviewed women who have readopted the veil, it was clear that many of them see veiling as an appeal to sexual modesty and purity, and as a physical reminder to remain pure. For Magdalena,* a 23-year-old Midwestern college student, “the significance behind the white and cream veil is that it is just a…
Read MoreThe Education of Whoopi Goldberg and Race in Christian Culture
Whoopi Goldberg was suspended two weeks from The View for stating on air that the holocaust was not about race. The Atlantic characterized the comments as follows: Yesterday, celebrated actor and TV host Whoopi Goldberg caused a minor meltdown on ABC’s The View when she asserted that the Holocaust “isn’t about race.” Later that day,…
Read MoreJordan Peterson says the Bible is the Foundation of Truth
In a long interview with Joe Rogan on Tuesday Jordan Peterson related his newfound understanding of the relationship of the Bible to truth. He had just gone through the Museum of the Bible in Washington DC and that event seemed to coincide with this new revelation for Peterson. “I just figured this out this week.”…
Read MoreCan God’s Blessing Become a Curse?
We had a deacon’s meeting this week in which we rejoiced in the financial blessings God has given our congregation through a very uncertain economic climate. It was almost 8 years ago now we embarked on a faith journey to take on the largest building project in our church’s history. We had hoped we could…
Read MorePrinciple not Pressure
The Arizona Democratic party this weekend censured Senator Kyrsten Sinema for not voting to get rid of the Senate filibuster—a parliamentary practice that has been in place for almost 200 years in our Senate. This democratic senator from Arizona has taken heat from both sides over the last few months. While I disagree with her…
Read MoreThe Three Worlds of Evangelicalism by Aaron M. Renn | Articles | First Things
[This is an article worth reading for any student of recent Christian history and the relationship of fundamentalism and evangelicalism to an increasingly hostile culture. It is not from a fundamentalist perspective but relates some interesting observations. KS] Fundamentalism prioritized doctrinal purity and was frequently separatist and hostile to outsiders or those who would compromise…
Read MoreThe Line Between Reverence and Irreverence is Often Determined by the Form
Bible verses, in and of themselves, are a good thing. What about printing them on t-shirts, bumper stickers, fast drink cups, socks, underwear, or baby diapers? “Now,” you say, “not all of those are the same!” I agree with you, but can you articulate why? Practices that seem like a good idea up close can…
Read MoreShould Christians Be Concerned About Their Carbon Footprint?
I don’t know for sure. Maybe you do. One danger Christians face today is the tendency to approach scientific debates theologically. I am not talking about the creation or flood debate. Those events are clearly related in scripture. I am talking about scientific issues that the Bible does not address. Galileo and Copernicus were persecuted…
Read MoreCan the Puritan and the Separatist Be Friends?
Can the Puritan and the Separatist Be Friends? As I write this, the old song from the musical Oklahoma! goes through my mind. Oh, the farmer and the cowman should be friends! In a musical, the answers seem easy. In real life, it wasn’t so easy. The way of doing things in the old west…
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