Various

In George Marsden’s “The Soul of the American University” (January), he proposes two remedies for the decline in religious life in the university: the demand for a true pluralism and the building of an alternative higher educational system in “various Christian subcultures.” As a . . . . Continue Reading »

Ungodly Women: Gender and the First Wave of American Fundamentalism by Betty A. Deberg Fortress Press, 165 pages, $9.95 paper DeBerg of Valparaiso University makes the argument that the “first wave” of fundamentalism, around the turn of the century, is in fact the progenitor of today’s . . . . Continue Reading »

It is a pity that First Things has printed a review of my book Sham Pearls for Real Swine (January) that appears to attack me rather than deal with the issues my book raises. My book is not a continuation of my late father, Francis Schaeffer’s, work. Nor was it written out of a . . . . Continue Reading »

I strongly believe that religion should play a central role in American public life, that a multiplicity of religious symbols belong in the public square. I am not now (nor have I ever been) comfortable with the liberal Jewish position that religion and public life must remain rigidly distinct. I . . . . Continue Reading »

OK, David Horowitz, I get your drift (“The Radical Paradigm and the New Racism,” November 1990). I too wish that certain religious, academic, and media people would stop giving so much attention to the flake-left movements. I too think their proposals are more than merely wrong, that such . . . . Continue Reading »

Religion in the New World: The Shaping of Religious Traditions in the United States by richard e. wentz fortress press, 370 pages, $19.95 Wentz, who teaches religion at Arizona State, set out to give the general reader an accessible overview of the diversities of religion in America. He has . . . . Continue Reading »

You have given in First Things almost twelve pages to Phillip E. Johnson (“Evolution as Dogma: The Establishment of Naturalism,” October 1990 and “A Reply to My Critics,” November 1990) and less than four pages to his critics (“Responses to Phillip . . . . Continue Reading »

Edmund Burke: Appraisals and Applicationsedited by daniel ritchietransaction books, 291 pages, $29.95 An excellent collection of essays on a political philosopher of timeless value and enduring interest. Burke, the prototype and progenitor of modern conservatism, is considered from various . . . . Continue Reading »

Faith and Intellectual Rigor Peter Berger describes well the tension experienced by many Christians who value intellectual rigor (“Worldly Wisdom, Christian Foolishness,” August/September). The temptation to succumb to the Zeitgeist is powerful as it offers recognition and affirmation from a . . . . Continue Reading »

God’s Army: The American Bible School: 1880-1940 by virginia lieson brereton Indiana University Press, 212 pages, $27.50 Few histories of American education include references to the likes of Moody Bible Institute. Ms. Brereton of Harvard argues convincingly that this is a serious oversight. The . . . . Continue Reading »