Joe Carter

After President Obama delivered his Nobel Peace Prize speech last week, Politico noted it was “drawing praise from some unlikely quarters – conservative Republicans – who likened Obama’s defense of “just wars” to the worldview of his predecessor, Republican George W. . . . . Continue Reading »

The BBC has an interesting discussion of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda and his role in getting refugees out of Franco’s Spain: In 1938, Neruda was a diplomat, representing Chile in Paris. He chartered a ship, the SS Winnipeg, to convey 2,000 Spanish Republicans to Chile. He was there on the . . . . Continue Reading »

At NRO , George Weigel has a brief but enlightening article on the just war tradition : The classic just-war tradition did not begin with a “presumption against war.” Augustine didn’t begin there; Aquinas didn’t begin there. And indeed, no one in the tradition began there until . . . . Continue Reading »

Dan at City of God has is weary of evangelicalism’s newest buzz phrase: Can we just stop people in the church from using terms like “gospel-focused” or “gospel-centered” for the next couple of years? It seems this has been the terminology du jour much in the same way . . . . Continue Reading »

In his latest New York Times column , Ross Douthat explains the lesson politicians can take from the tragic shooting of four police officers in Washington State: If you’re a governor with presidential aspirations, you should never, under any circumstances, pardon a convict or reduce a . . . . Continue Reading »

According to the Centers for Disease Control , approximately sixty-seventy million landmines are scattered in approximately seventy countries across the globe. Each year an estimated 24,000 people, mostly civilians, are killed or injured because of these landmines and other unexploded ordinance. . . . . Continue Reading »

For almost a decade Iran has denied that their nuclear program has any military application and that it is solely focused on the production of energy for civilian use. That makes is a bit difficult to explain their need for a ” nuclear trigger ”: The notes, from Iran’s most . . . . Continue Reading »

Years of being away from home during the Christmas season have taught me to appreciate the continuity of traditions that are shared across America. I’ve learned to appreciate Christmas lights hung hastily along roof ledges, grade school pageants, watching It’s a Wonderful Life on TV , . . . . Continue Reading »

Although religious syncretism is as old as religion itself, it’s always depressing to be reminded of its prevalence . Going to church this Sunday? Look around. The chances are that one in five of the people there find “spiritual energy” in mountains or trees, and one in six . . . . Continue Reading »

For many people, the term “rural” is synonymous with low incomes and limited economic opportunities. However, a recent study at the University of Illinois found that much of rural America is actually prosperous . What accounts for their flourishing? Family ties and civic-minded . . . . Continue Reading »