Reflections on God … Man … Life
Many of my regular readers know I’m on a sabbatical this year, and I’ve been alert to provide periodic updates on the progress of my various endeavors. Recently, I posted photos of my time at the Reagan and Nixon libraries and the Reagan Ranch as I research on the topic of spiritual advisers to presidents. The hope is that will turn into a series of books with my Southeastern colleague, Dr. Robert Crosby. I’m also deeply involved with a study… Read more »
If one book can be said to have introduced C. S. Lewis to the world on a wide scale, it would be The Screwtape Letters. They are witty and full of insight, as a senior devil gives advice to a junior devil on how to tempt his human into disobedience to God—who was termed “the Enemy” in the book. Lewis, though, says it was the hardest book he ever wrote, and I can understand why. He explained it this way:… Read more »
The New England colonies of Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay suffered through a terrible war with the natives in 1675-1676. It is called King Philip’s War and, percentage-wise, a higher portion of the population died in that war than in any other American war since; not even the Civil War or WWII suffered as high a casualty rate. What caused it? Who is to blame? We must take a balanced look at it. When we do, we see that there is… Read more »
It is now confirmed that another American has been beheaded by ISIS. Peter Kassig, a former Army Ranger who then became an aid worker in Syria, is the latest Westerner to die trying to help people in dire need. ISIS then released a statement saying that it intends to bring the war to the streets of America. Is it an idle threat? Not in their minds. And if we dismiss it as fantasy, we will regret that cavalier response. Too… Read more »
My sabbatical has given me more time than usual to simply sit and read—all for a purpose, of course. One of my projects is a proposed book on C. S. Lewis’s influence on Americans, so I am enjoying reading through his collected letters, sorting out those addressed to Americans. A couple days ago I came across one letter that was rather amusing. Lewis is well known as someone who felt more linked, academically and emotionally, to earlier ages than his… Read more »
My fourth and final commentary on C. S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man concentrates on the “conditioners” in our society who seek to remake man and society in their own image. Lewis saw this happening back in the 1940s. What would he say today about this? He saw the beginnings; we are seeing the fruit of that evil. Who are these conditioners? Lewis says they are the scientists, philosophers, and educators who have rejected what he calls the Tao, and… Read more »
In my previous American history posts about the Puritans we’ve seen the good (city on a hill, establishment of Christian education, the first American bill of rights and constitution) and the not-so-good (treatment of Quakers, the Halfway Covenant that watered down the message of salvation). What about their relationship with the natives? It was mixed. The Puritans weren’t as missions-oriented as later evangelicals. Yet there were attempts to reach out to the surrounding tribes. I want to give credit in… Read more »