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The Templeton Foundation and Movieguide are sponsoring two panels at the ing Screenwriting Expo in Hollywood (Oct. 19-22). According to AgapePress (courtesy of The Church Report), “‘Christians in Hollywood’ and ‘Writing for the Family Film Market’ are the titles of two panels slated for what is billed as the world’s largest conference and trade show for screenwriters’.” “Christians in Hollywood” is briefly described in the catalog (PDF) as a chance to “Meet the players—and the prayers—in the Hollywood Christian Community,...

“Everyone is scared, permanently.”

As I was browsing news reports this morning on North Korea’s nuclear test, I stumbled upon this fascinating hour-long documentary on the world’s most reclusive country entitled e to North Korea. Dutch journalist and filmmaker Peter Tetteroo was somehow granted permission to bring his camera into North Korea, and the images that he brought back are haunting. One would be hard pressed to find a regime more oppressive and evil than the one entrenched in Pyongyang. Words fail me. I...

Creating Equality by Consolidating Power

Can you find the tension in the lead sentence from this WSJ story on the annual Communist Party meeting in China? Here it is: “China’s munist elite opened an annual meeting that will focus on policies for spreading the nation’s newfound prosperity more evenly and on President Hu Jintao’s attempts to further consolidate his power.” It still amazes me that so many people still think that centralizing political power is both an effective way to spread out wealth and one...

What Would Superman Do?

The latest take on the “What Would Jesus Do?” (WWJD) phenomenon is passed along by Allen Galbraith of Life is a Journal (HT: Lifehacker). Allen’s advice: “When dealing with difficult people imagine how one of your role models or heroes would deal with them.” Allen notes the possibilities of using Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, or Jesus as part of this thought experiment. But he also notes, “You could even use fictional characters as role models. In my case I would...

Wealth and Poverty in Light of the Gospel

Rev. Robert A. Sirico On Monday, October 2, Acton President Rev. Robert A. Sirico debated the President and Founder of Evangelicals for Social Action, Dr. Ronald J. Sider on the campus of Calvin Theological Seminary. The topic of their exchange was Wealth and Poverty in Light of the Gospel: How Can Christians Work Together if We Disagree? The event was jointly sponsored by Calvin Seminary and Western Theological Seminary. Their spirited exhange is now available online in both video(streaming video...

The Catholicity of the Reformation: Musings on Reason, Will, and Natural Law, Part 2

As I mentioned in Part 1 of this series, my aim is to probe the natural-law doctrines of only a few influential sixteenth-century Protestant theologians. Some, such as John Calvin, may already be familiar to you, while others, such as Peter Martyr Vermigli (known as Martyr) and Jerome Zanchi, may be entirely new. What is surprising about Martyr and Zanchi is how much their natural-law doctrines are in line with the metaphysical essentialism of Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus. Before...

Is God Green?

Tonight at 9 PM on PBS stations across the country, Bill Moyers’ program, Moyers on America, will take up the question, “Is God Green?” The one-hour documentary goes inside the conversation among evangelical Christians over the environment. The debate is not about whether or not Christians are called to care for creation. There is no disagreement about that. For more on this point, see Rev. Gerald Zandstra’s, “What is Evangelical Environmentalism?” The debate is rather about how we should best...

RELIGION & LIBERTY

World Vision Appeals Employment Discrimination Case to Ninth Circuit

　　This week Christian humanitarian aid organization World Vision appealed an employment discrimination case to the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Earlier this month, a lower federal judge had ordered the organization to pay $120,000 in damages in the case after ruling that the organization discriminated when it decided not to hire a job candidate in a...

Oct 13, 2026

What Christ’s Return Will Do for You

　　What Christ’s return will do for you 　　We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. -Romans 8:22-23 　　A...

Oct 13, 2026

God Is a Patient Father

　　God Is a Patient Father 　　Weekly Overview: 　　It’s vital to the Christian life that we as sons and daughters of the most high God allow our affections to be stirred by the loving, powerful nature of our heavenly Father. Too often we feel that God is distant or separated from us. Too often we allow misconceptions or lies to place...

Oct 13, 2026

A Prayer of Comfort for Families Missing Their Fallen Military Heroes

　　A Prayer of Comfort for Families Missing Their Fallen Military Heroes 　　By Lynette Kittle 　　“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants” - Psalm 116:15 　　Dr. Jerry Newcombe, Executive Director ofProvidence Forum, explains, “We are free in large part because others sacrificed on our behalf that we might be free. Memorial Day is an...

Oct 13, 2026

The Art of Remembrance

　　War movies shape public memory—and our remembrance of World War II most of all, since it was the moment America ascended to its current eminence among world powers. The memory we have of WWII, to the extent we have one, is formed by Saving Private Ryan and especially Band of Brothers. Peaceful liberals like Steven Spielberg, the all-American wizard of...

Oct 13, 2026

Lives of the Noble Americans

　　The following essay is adapted from Jeremy S. Adams’s new book Lessons in Liberty: Thirty Rules for Living from Ten Extraordinary Americans. 　　If you are a normal American citizen who hasn’t been a vigilant observer of intellectual trends on college campuses the past few decades, the nihilistic nonsense on vaudevillian display at some of America’s most exclusive universities the past...

Oct 13, 2026

God Is Right Next to You (Psalm 16:8)

　　God Is Right Next to You (Psalm 16:8) 　　By: Anne Peterson 　　I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.- Psalm 16:8 　　I woke up and started reading in the Word. We’re encouraged to do this as Christ-followers. It prepares us for the day. To me, it’s like nourishment....

Oct 13, 2026

The Enduring Allure of Soft Socialism

　　In 1951, urbanist Edward C. Banfield wrote a book called Government Project, based on his dissertation at the University of Chicago. Banfield had once been an ardent New Dealer who worked in the Farm Security Administration. He became dismayed with what he saw and channeled his thoughts into a study of a government-sponsored farm co-operative called Casa Grande in Arizona....

Oct 13, 2026

When Heaven Is Silent

　　Weekend, May 25, 2024 　　When Heaven Is Silent 　　Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help. (Psalm 86:1 NLT) 　　Have you ever prayed about something but there was no answer from Heaven? Maybe you’ve been praying a lot about a certain situation and it’s as though God isn’t listening to your prayer. 　　God...

Oct 13, 2026

American Missionaries Killed in Port

　　Two young American missionaries were murdered in Haiti on Thursday amid the ongoing crisis of gang violence that has overwhelmed the country. 　　Davy and Natalie Lloyd and a staff member named Judes Montis were ambushed by three trucks full of gang members while coming out of a youth group service at Missions in Haiti in Port-au-Prince, according to the missionary...

Oct 13, 2026