Month: September 2010

Redeemed Beauty

We’ve never seen men and women as they were intended to be. We’ve never seen animals the way they were before the Fall. We see only marred remnants of what once was. Likewise, we’ve never seen nature unchained and undiminished. We’ve only seen it cursed and decaying. Yet even now we see a great deal that pleases and excites us, moving our hearts to worship. If the “wrong side” of Heaven can be so beautiful, what will the right side… Read more »

God, Government, and Eternity

I do a lot of political commentary in this blog. I also write a lot about the role of civil government. As I do, my goal has always been to point to the Biblical principles that undergird my thinking. After all, the name of this blog is Pondering Principles: Reflections on God, Man, and Life. Therefore, I try to offer my comments within that context. This makes my ponderings different than the typical political commentator. And I know some of… Read more »

Constitution and Citizenship Day

Yesterday was a banner day for Southeastern University, where I teach. It was Constitution and Citizenship Day, a day set aside to remind students of the value of our constitutional form of government. To commemorate the signing of the Constitution [which was 223 years ago this week], we had as our special speaker former attorney general of the United States John Ashcroft. Mr. Ashcroft first spoke in chapel, showing a rare mix of genuine humor and a clear grasp of… Read more »

A 9/11 Remembrance and Reflection

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, I was on my way to Patrick Henry College where I was a professor of history. Before arriving at the college, I stopped at a gas station. One of the other customers came up to me and informed me in a rather vague way that a plane had hit a building in New York City. I have to admit that didn’t sound all that bad to me—I assumed it was a small plane,… Read more »

Baneful Effects of NEA-Led Education

Since it’s Labor Day, what better day to talk about one of the largest and most influential unions in the country—the National Education Association [NEA]. This also allows me to continue my intermittent history of American education. The NEA was founded in Philadelphia in 1857. The ostensible rationale for its creation was to provide a voice for all teachers in the nation to promote the interests of the profession. A statement from that initial meeting said it hoped to one… Read more »