Usury is the practice of making immoral monetary loans intended to unfairly enrich the lender. But what, for Christians, counts as an immoral loan? For much of church history, any interest was considered immoral. The 12th canon of the First Council of Carthage (345) and the 36th canon of the Council of Aix (789) declared it to be reprehensible even for anyone to make money by lending at interest. But that view eventually changed, and today even the Vatican participates...

The Federalist has published two articles recently that question whether thoughtful women still want to be labeled as “feminists.” It is not a case of, “let’s toss out our high heels and head back into the kitchen where we belong.” Rather, it’s a case of how “feminism” got high-jacked. Leslie Loftis says we should not throw out feminism. Instead, we women need to reclaim it. She says today’s feminists are allowing themselves to be used as pawns in political games,...

The events in Ferguson, MO and the tragic death of Eric Gardner have brought a variety oftensions to the forefront of our thinking and to the streets of many a city. But while the ensuing discussions have ranged from politics and policy to cultural attitudes about this or that, few have noted what theevents might signify as it relates to the intersection of faith, work, and vocation. Over at MISSION:WORK, Vincent Bacote fills thisgap, noting how the current response against...

He was 35 years old, and the Civil Rights Act had passed. For almost 10 years, he had been leading the national struggle in the United States for equality for all citizens, but especially blacks. Today, in 1964, Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke these words as he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize: After contemplation, I conclude that this award which I receive on behalf of that movement is a profound recognition that nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political...

As many as 15 million children are caught up in violent conflicts around the globe, reports UNICEF. Globally, an estimated 230 million children currently live in countries and areas affected by armed conflicts. “This has been a devastating year for millions of children,” said Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director. “Children have been killed while studying in the classroom and while sleeping in their beds; they have been orphaned, kidnapped, tortured, recruited, raped and even sold as slaves. Never in recent...

Religious believer or not, most of us agree that we should take care of the downtrodden. We have to feed and care for the homeless, the hurting, those who’ve temporarily hit hard times or those who, for whatever reason, cannot take care of themselves. These are the people who gather at the entrances of soup kitchens, who live atop garbage heaps, who salvage whatever they can for a shelter to call home. What about those who live in the “cyberslums?”...

Those interested in reviving Catholicism’s saliency in everyday life in Latin America, says Acton Research Director Samuel Gregg, should consider how they can make Christ front-and-center of their social outreach: It’s hardly surprising that the election of Latin America’s Pope Francis has focused more attention on Latin American Catholicism since the debates about liberation theology which shook global Christianity in the 1970s and 1980s. The sad irony, however, is that this renewed attention is highlighting something long known to many...

Today over at Think Christian I explorehow Christmas relates to material goods, and specifically how we are to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33). ...

A prototype with DC appliances connected.[Note: See this introduction post for an explanation of gleaner technology.] Forty percent of the world’s population, including a significant portion of the rural and urban poor sections of the population in India, does not have access to reliable electricity supply. But a new energy source for them e from an unlikely source: the 50 million lithium-ion laptop batteries are thrown away in the U.S. every year. According to MIT Technology Review, researchers at IBM...

The faith-work movement has risen in prominence across evangelicalism, with more and more pastors and congregations grabbing hold of the depth and breadth of Christian vocation and expanding their ministry focuses in turn. In an article at Missio Alliance, Charlie Self offers a helpful snapshot this trend, explaining where e from and why this shift in arc and emphasis is a e development for the church. To demonstrate its power and promise, Self begins with the story of Scotty, a...