Category Archives: Culture commentary

Welcome to the Next Iteration of American Civil Religion

Posted on June 27, 2015 by PaulVK

In the 20th century religion, morality, politics and commerce aligned in America first to win WWII and then the Cold War. Growing up on the CRC left I always heard Civil Religion as a dirty word. Both SCOTUS and POTUS … Continue reading →

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My Blog Platform Thinks It has a Social Conscience

Posted on June 26, 2015 by PaulVK

Hmmm. What does it mean that my blog host wishes to express its social conscience views.

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Strom Thurmon, Who Is In Hell

Posted on June 25, 2015 by PaulVK

What amazes me is that a magazine like “mother jones” will seamlessly appropriate imagined Christian imagery. How are we to interpret such language? I think it is a subtle way of filling out our universe, whether we formally profess to … Continue reading →

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Did Satan Enter Into Dylann Root?

Posted on June 22, 2015 by PaulVK

At Synod During the Charleston Shootings I was in the Synodical bubble when the shootings took place. I heard about it, Synod wept and prayed about it, but I wasn’t available to watch the coverage or ponder the how the … Continue reading →

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The Magnitude of Theological Change implicit in “Inclusion” Demands A More Substantive Theology

Posted on June 10, 2015 by PaulVK

Still Mulling and Probably Won’t Stop It’s the most Synodical time of the year and young delegates eyes all turn to the question of same sex marriage. When word broke this week that Tony Campolo “came out” I knew he … Continue reading →

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David Brooks Nails the Implicit Contemporary Source of Identity and Moral Authority

Posted on May 28, 2015 by PaulVK

In progressive American culture If you were born at any time over the last sixty years, you were probably born into what the philosopher Charles Taylor has called “the culture of authenticity.” This mindset is based on the romantic idea … Continue reading →

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The Golden Rule and Lesbians in a Canadian Jewelry Shop

Posted on May 26, 2015 by PaulVK

The Golden Rule and “You will remain in my love if you do as I command” This is more elaboration on a point I made in this post on John 15. First to Recap: The “golden rule” is for many … Continue reading →

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Democrats and the History of Same sex Marriage

Posted on April 30, 2015 by PaulVK

Matt Bai

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David Brook’s Moral Bucket List, My Dying Friend and the Cross of Christ

Posted on April 22, 2015 by PaulVK

The Doctors Say A Friend of Mine is Dying He’s nearly my father’s age and his body just can’t take much more of his life. When I came to this church he knew we would be friends. He was always … Continue reading →

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Young Women Nostalgic for Past Evangelical Lives

Posted on April 17, 2015 by PaulVK

I remember this pieced last year “why I miss being born again” and I just read Dianna Anderson’s piece in a similar vein. I thought they were both lovely, honest posts. The young post-Christian nones may become one of the … Continue reading →

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