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from Dr. Gary Cass... The “Reverend” Barry Lynn and Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) are it it again. Known for their over-reaching attempts to silence Christians who are speaking out for our Christian values, Americans United is calling on the IRS to review Liberty University's tax-exempt status. Liberty University, founded by the late Jerry Falwell in 1971, is the largest evangelical university in the world. Known for its conservative theological and political views, the school has become a training ground for many outstanding Christian leaders. Why has AU complained that the school is in violation of their tax-exempt status? Because Liberty revoked its recognition of a student-run Democratic club. On May 15 Liberty alerted the club that they would no longer be recognized by the university. Since then, many have questioned the university’s intentions. Americans United argues that Liberty's recognition of a Republican club offers GOP candidates support ...

"Can a person be saved who has trusted Jesus as Savior but not as Lord?"

The nature of European theology has undergone radical change in the last centuries. A primary presupposition of the theology of the medieval period was the presence of an archetypal structure in the universe that provides cohesion for the whole of human life. It is this structure which supplied the underlying premise of “Christendom.” Despite the magisterial Reformers quarrel with High Scholasticism, they too believed that Christian theology articulates holistic implications for the whole of life. Luther and Calvin’s doctrines of vocation, in particular, did much to facilitate this message. However, by the mid-eighteenth century, the Virtuosi and men of letters were seeking to replace what they perceived as the darkness, ignorance, and grip of Christianity that had ruled men’s minds from the Middle Ages to the Thirty Years War with the “light” of human reason, autonomy, and tolerance. The “Age of Reason” revealed a prevailing trust in the twin pillars of science and human reason that ...

Art historians ask of Michelangelo’s David , “Is David sizing up Goliath, or looking in satisfaction at the defeated giant?” There are political and cultural ramifications to David . He was sculpted during a time of lingering political unrest in the city of Florence, this mostly due to the mess left by the ordeal of Savonarola (powerful and unprincipled Barons stepped in to rule Florence). Michelangelo chose to represent David as an athlete, very concentrated, holding a stone in his right hand, and ready to fight. Michelangelo was devoted to the ideals of the Republic and wanted each citizen to rightfully discharge his or her responsibilities by being committed to returning the city to its former freedom and political greatness. Michelangelo would write in his diary of the commission, “I found myself famous. The City Council asked me to carve a colossal David from a nineteen-foot block of marble -- and damaged to boot! I locked myself away in a workshop behind the cathedral, hammered ...

May 7th 2009 marked the observation of the National Day of Prayer. President Obama said vety little about this day. I cannot help but wonder why. Does this adminstration think that it can succeed and prosper without God's blessing? Let us consider how far we have fallen as a Christian nation in light of Abraham Lincoln's declaration setting aside a national day of prayer...and, I might add, "humiliation." A Proclamation. Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation. And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the subl...

I wish to thank those of you who have commented positively about my book, The Road From Eden. I do hope it is of great use to those of you who are interested in the study of this subject. Any further comments, pro or con, are most welcome right here.-- John

The Road from Eden: Studies in Christianity and Culture by John Barber Here's a statement regarding the book by Dr. John Frame, professor of Philosophy and Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida. "With an encyclopedic knowledge and a sharply discerning eye, John Barber analyzes here the whole history of Western culture, including art, music, philosophy, theology, science, and politics. Further, these analyses are not superficial, as one might fear, but solid and substantive. I found the book a great learning experience, even when John's interests overlapped mine, as in philosophy and theology. There is a great sweep to this discussion that we usually associate with mega-thinkers like Toynbee. There has never been anything like this in evangelical Christian circles. Francis Schaeffer tried to analyze civilization and culture comprehensively in How Shall We Then Live? But Barber's work is far more detailed, far more knowledgeable, and far more carefu...

From an observational point of view, compare the average Christian to the average non-Christian and generally speaking what do you see? One goes to church on Sunday, the other might, but likely doesn’t. One shows some level of interest in Christian theology, the other likely has very little interest at all. One anticipates attending some sort of mid-week, Christian corporate gathering, the other probably doesn’t. Now we could go on, but let me stop to ask a question. Where do you see similarity between the two? In how they live. These days, it’s become increasingly difficult to discern any real difference between the way Christians and non-Christians live. It’s a question of ethics. Those who make claim to the holiness of Christ, but show no manifestation of the Holy One who indwells them, are close to Jesus in their profession, but closer still to the atheist in practice. Such people are not fooling the Holy God of heaven. Paul couldn’t be more to the point. “They profess to know God,...