Double-Crossed: A Double Disappointment

I was eager to pick up Matthew Avery Sutton's 'Double Crossed: The Missionaries Who Spied for the United States During the Second World War', hoping to find an account of reflection and regret, of ethical wrestling and theology. I guess I was a bit overly optimistic if not naive.

The book started out rather interesting touching on some of the controversies of the day in terms of the Church in Germany, American Fundamentalism, and the heretical spectre who repeatedly haunts the pages - Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971). Niebuhr's so-called realist ethics affected not only Mainline Christianity, but post-war Anabaptism as well. Even figures like James Comey and Barack Obama cite his influence.

A Blind Squirrel Gets an Acorn

https://theaquilareport.com/vivek-ramaswamy-demolishes-evangelical-christians-view-of-america/

As readers will know I'm generally very opposed to anything the Theonomist Larry Ball has to say. As his writings are frequently published at The Aquila Report - which is something I look at almost every day, I often encounter his writings and occasionally respond to them.

The Iran-Lebanon War Cover-up

https://truthout.org/articles/trump-administration-covering-up-extensive-damage-done-to-us-bases-by-iran/

https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/israel-largest-tank-losses-40yrs-ambushes-21-merkava

It's not surprising to learn that the Pentagon has been trying to cover-up losses and damage to US assets. The fact that Iran can strike back does not fit with the US narrative.

A New Wave of US Troop Withdrawals from Germany

As a form of punishment and warning, Donald Trump has announced the withdrawal of 5,000 US troops from Germany. It must be recognized this is a symbolic action and means little to nothing as all the systems and infrastructure that are in place will not change. He is frustrated that NATO is not coming to his rescue as the Iran War has not gone according to plan and is generating significant economic trouble at home. Given the mid-term elections are in six months, he's starting to worry. I also would add there's a great deal that's been covered up with regard to US and Israeli losses - that will eventually come out.

Warping the Bible's Teaching Regarding Women and War

https://billmuehlenberg.com/2026/03/08/on-biblical-warrior-women/

Muehlenberg never disappoints. If there's a way to twist Scripture, he seems bent on finding it - and The Aquila Report just loves to keep re-posting his material.

As he glories in the killing of Iranian leaders and calls on Christians to rejoice and sing in celebration, he distorts what is happening in Judges.

Disinformation Regarding Cole Allen

https://religionnews.com/2026/04/27/the-christian-dna-of-suspected-white-house-correspondents-shooter/

Following recent statements issued by Donald Trump (a notorious and serial prevaricator), Christian media continues to insist that Allen (the would-be assassin at the Washington Hilton) was motivated by Anti-Christian beliefs.

European Evangelicals Condemn Franklin Graham

https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/34493/giacomo-ciccone-franklin-graham-remains-incapable-of-embodying-any-prophetic-responsibility-he-is-lost-in-a-servile-posture

I'm not usually thrilled with the proclamations of Lausanne-style Evangelicals but this was somewhat refreshing, and all the more given that they specifically condemn the son of Billy Graham. Graham-style Evangelicalism is their hallmark and while these groups are hardly what I would call conservative or Biblical, they have enough sense to realize that Franklin has gone off the rails and lost his way.

Fantasy Historical Revisionism - Loconte's Manipulation of Middle-Earth, Narnia, and the New Testament

For some time I've received recommendations of Joseph Loconte's 'The War for Middle-Earth: JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis Confront the Gathering Storm, 1933-1945'. I was dubious, and so when I was recently in a Barnes and Noble and saw the book, I picked it up and spent some time perusing it. It was what I had feared, a Right-wing attempt to hijack these authors and appropriate them to contemporary political struggle. It immediately reminded my of the kind of skewed historical work produced by Eric Metaxas, most famously with his Bonhoeffer biography which despite being discredited, continues to sell.

Growing Militarism and Fears of World War

https://www.politico.eu/article/world-war-iii-defense-spending-europe-poll/

Politico is well known as a pro-Atlanticist publication and thus is going to represent a NATO-bias in its reporting. Despite this shortcoming, there's still some good information to be gleaned from time to time.

In this case, the article is neither profound nor surprising but rather affirming what many already sense - the world is heading toward global conflict. Indeed, history may look back and reckon the next world war as having begun in the early 2020's with the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and now Iran. These wars are becoming ever more related and interconnected and as Donald Trump discovered they are not easily disentangled or disengaged from as so many issues are woven together.

Whitewashing US Aggression in Cuba and Venezuela

https://thegrayzone.substack.com/p/deprivation-and-depopulation-inside

We can hope that Trump's failures and frustrations in connection with Iran might lead him to back off his militarist rhetoric regarding Cuba. But if anything he's likely to strike the island as a means of distraction - just as Iran helped steer the conversation away from his connections to the Epstein scandal. That is until his wife (in an attempt to protect her supposedly 'good name') rekindled the fire.

The Deranged and Violent Fantasies of Today's Evangelical Leaders

https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/ap-at-pentagon-christian-service-hegseth-prays-for-violence-against-those-who-deserve-no-mercy/

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/cpac-republicans-close-ranks-behind-trump-iran-war-2026-03-26/

https://consortiumnews.com/2026/03/05/hegseth-brags-of-mass-killing-in-iran/

The Hegseth prayer has received quite a bit of press coverage but unfortunately the media interactions I have encountered are from Liberal/Modernist Theologian-types that are incapable of providing a robust Biblical rejection of his theology.

NPR, JP Morgan Chase, and Establishment Media

The Right would have us believe that the Liberals are out to destroy the United States and reduce its might and wealth. This is patently ridiculous - as I have argued on many occasions. The Left (so-called) is just as invested in the Empire as the Right is. The leaders of the DNC and the so-called Liberal Media are all avid capitalists and support the US Empire, its projects and its wars.

However they do like to have it all packaged with a nice humanitarian and legally justified veneer - even if it's all rubbish. They attach interpretive narratives as to how it all works so that it can appear legal, humane, and enlightened. In some respects I find myself despising them all the more for their hypocrisy - though there's plenty to go around.

I was reminded of this listening to NPR's Steve Inskeep interview Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan. It was quite chummy with Inskeep employing his trademark over the top laugh. He was hardly an impartial or watchdog reporter let alone an adversarial one.

Zambia in the Crosshairs

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-admin-threatens-withhold-hiv-192256406.html

The US acts as if its AIDS treatment and prevention programmes are rooted in altruism. That's never been the case. These were opportunities for the Empire to exercise soft power, make contacts, lay foundations for future business investment, and establish relationships with political leaders. It's always been about the fact that if the US doesn't do this, then some other powerful nation will.

Almost Evangelicals: The Plymouth Brethren

https://deovicimundum.wordpress.com/2026/03/12/the-gospel-and-sacraments-a-visit-to-a-plymouth-brethren-assembly/

Immanuel offers some astute comments and helpful analysis with regard to the Brethren, their doctrines, ecclesiology, and soteriology. As I said to him, I am always torn by these groups. On the one hand there's so much that I appreciate about them or want to, and yet at the same time there are some glaring errors that seem to end up characterizing and dominating them, and one's experience among them.

Russell Vought, Pete Hegseth, and Redefining Witness

https://wng.org/opinions/clean-words-and-clean-witness-in-the-white-house-1764033683

There are so many astonishing articles being written these days - it's impossible to keep up.

This World Magazine article from back in November 2025 continues to amaze me.

AI Targeting, Ethics, and the Guns of August

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/3/18/ai_warfare

Everyone is talking about AI right now and unless you've had your head in the sand, you're aware of the discussions regarding the Pentagon's use of the technology and suspicions and claims that it was AI targeting that resulted in the hit on the girl's school in Minab, Iran. Over 175 were killed as a result and while Anthropic has protested and subsequently been blacklisted by the Pentagon, reports suggest that Palantir and other platforms still make use of Anthropic AI.

For years there were discussions about the ethics of robots in battle. Well, the use of AI has circumvented this debate and now computers are actively involved in targeting. The sheer speed of operations means the human element is minimal and unable to keep up.

You Shall Know Them By Their Fruits

The death of Chuck Norris (1940-2026) has garnered significant media attention within Right-wing and Evangelical circles. He was a hero to these factions. As they are desperate to have some Hollywood celebrities on their side, any defection from the mainstream to the Right will earn instant support. There are many B and C-list actors and actresses that have boosted their otherwise ailing careers by associating with the Evangelical movement.

Personally I couldn't care less about Norris but a host of Christian leaders praised the man both in life and now in his death. We are told to esteem his witness. So it is fitting for us to consider it.

Let the TSA Collapse

The Transportation Security Administration or TSA was founded in the aftermath of 9/11 and though it would seem people have forgotten, it was quite controversial. It began a period of dehumanised public interaction with the state, and the degradation and humiliation of travellers. It was connected to the Patriot Act and the decimation of basic Constitutional rights. In other words if I was a patriot (which I am not) I would view TSA workers as traitors, enemies of the republic established by the US Constitution. I'm glad they're not being paid. They should go get real jobs and actually earn some honest money.

Western Media Coverage of China, Serbia, and Copper Mining

https://www.politico.eu/article/serbia-bor-mine-china-zijin-mining-group-health/

Serbia continues to be a problem for the Atlanticist Empire. The US led two wars connected to Serbia in the 1990's and while it defeated the Serbs and wrested Kosovo away from Belgrade - the problem was never resolved. Serbia remains a thorn in the side of both Washington and Brussels, a beach-head for Moscow's interests and influence in the Balkans.

Clashing Feminists and Evangelical Chaos

https://www.newsweek.com/like-child-voiced-tradwife-senator-katie-britt-embodied-christian-rights-expectations-1879414

This is one of those extremely frustrating articles to read.

Newsweek's Sarah Stankorb is of course a secular feminist that doesn't understand Christianity and misinterprets the causes and actions of various groups.

Starmer Bows to the Emperor

https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/3/12/al-jazeera-sees-bombs-being-loaded-onto-us-planes-at-uk-base

Keir Starmer has tried to distance himself from America's war and yet Britain is certainly the junior and subservient partner in the Atlanticist Anglo-American Empire. His government is struggling and he didn't want to risk alienating more Labour voters by supporting the Trump-Netanyahu war and so he tried to side-step the issue by suggesting that UK bases would only be used for 'defensive' purposes.

Kyrgyzstan, Russian Sanctions, and Brussels

https://www.euractiv.com/news/kyrgyzstan-in-eu-crosshairs-over-russia-sanctions-circumvention/

The EU has been trying to establish better ties with Central Asia, but all of this has been sidetracked by the Ukraine War and the West's anti-Moscow posture. The nations of Central Asia deal with both Russia and China which are their neighbours with some nations leaning toward Beijing and others toward Moscow.

Starmer on Homeschooling

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/lots-misconceptions-home-education-062055678.html

Starmer's government is in trouble and so like many politicians in his position he looks to distract, to channel fear and anger, and to utilize scapegoats. As such, he's decided (among other things) to go after homeschooling.

Candid Talk Within the Oil Industry on Venezuela and Iran, and the Potential Geopolitics of a Larger Regional War

https://thegrayzone.substack.com/p/iran-war-described-as-biggest-opportunity

This article is based on a January 2026 summit held in Washington DC - just weeks after Maduro's kidnapping and before the latest Iran War.

Macron's Latest Defeat

https://www.politico.eu/article/france-germany-next-generation-fighter-jet-project-collapse/

In the grand scheme of things this is a minor story but it points to some of the internal struggles within Europe, which in turn plays out within the larger political spectrum. With the departure of Angela Merkel and in light of Franco-German relations (such as the 2019 Aachen Treaty), Macron stood at the pinnacle of European politics. France was set to re-assert the leadership it believes itself entitled to.

Iran Protests and Inflated Death Tolls

https://thegrayzone.substack.com/p/meet-the-former-fashion-blogger-and

The reporting surrounding the protests and death tolls in Iran have played a part in the media campaign justifying US action and in particular the assassination of Ali Khamenei.

The False Prophets of Just War Theory

https://breakpoint.org/just-war-in-iran/

Both Stonestreet and his mentor the late Charles Colson provide ample evidence as to why Just War Theory is a malleable self-serving fiction. If the war is launched by a Republican president, they support it and provide (by means of sophistry) a theological and ethical justification.

Another President Falls in Peru and its Connection to Cold War 2.0

https://www.dw.com/en/peru-ousts-interim-president/a-76013641

There is nothing too earth-shattering here other than to note how Peru's instability continues and how the nation is caught in a tug-of-war. It's one of the key fronts in Cold War II and the contest being Washington and Beijing.

Getaway Pilots and Kidnapping Plots

When crimes of robbery or kidnapping are committed, the getaway driver is often found to be of equal fault and culpability. Their participation in and facilitation of the crime marks them as guilty of the same larger crime. They are part of the violence and criminality.

Interestingly when Nicolas Maduro and his wife were kidnapped in January 2026, because it was a military operation - it's deemed legitimate. Because the soldiers involved wear the American uniform their actions are moral and justified to most of the public - and sadly most of the Church.

Christian Zionism and the Jerusalem Patriarchs

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/18/jerusalem-patriarch-churches-say-christian-zionism-threatens-christianity

I won't pretend the Latin, Orthodox, and other Eastern Patriarchs have some of kind of great standing with me. It's not as if I respect their Christian opinions or ethical stands on the issues of the day.

Bircher-Dispensationalism's Twisted Reading of Providence

https://www.vcy.org/crosstalk/2026/02/16/presidents-politics-prophecy/

Sometimes I can't help myself. Given my background and upbringing in Fundamentalist and Dispensational circles, I do like to 'check in' every once in awhile and see what's being talked about and how the issues are framed.

Attacking Chinese Targets in Tajikistan

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/26/tajikistan-taliban-border-clashes-whats-behind-them-why-it-affects-china

This is a story unlikely to get any attention in US media but it has American fingerprints all over it.

Cover Up, Poitras, and Seymour Hersh

https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/we-need-more-seymour-hershes

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2026/02/ritter-russia-and-hersh.html

This post is simply a follow-up or supplement to my recent piece on Scott Ritter and Seymour Hersh. This article provides some additional commentary on the Cover-Up documentary and the importance of Hersh's reporting on My Lai.

Obfuscating the Roots of Kinism

https://ironsharpensironradio.com/2026/02/09/february-6-2026-show-with-lowell-ivey-on-kinism-race-realism-the-gospel/

Some might be excused for thinking I do nothing more than read bad articles and listen to egregious podcasts and radio shows. What's the point, someone might ask me?

It gives me no joy I can assure you but I am consistently astonished by what is taking place in the Church today - the bad teaching, the twisted ethics, the flawed reasoning, and the corrupt leadership. I encounter people that just drink this stuff in without stopping and thinking - and realizing that what they're being told doesn't add up, isn't Scriptural (despite the claims), and is ultimately misleading. At that point we have to ask 'why'? What is happening?

Ethnic Christianity and the Nigeria-Persecution Controversy

https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/p0mx8ffc

I've been writing about the situation in Nigeria for some time and remain concerned over the way the situation is covered in Christian media.

FLN, Disinformation, and Iran

Today on the Family Life Network (FLN), radio personality Robbie Price reported that despite US efforts, the Iranians are just not interested in trying to come to a peaceful solution. This is evidenced by the military drills conducted in the Strait of Hormuz.

Price just left it there and moved on to the next story.

Ritter, Russia, and Hersh

https://consortiumnews.com/2026/01/23/scott-ritter-getting-it-wrong-on-russia/

Seymour Hersh has been on my mind as of late. I was able to watch the 2025 documentary Cover-Up, directed by Laura Poitras. It traced and highlighted aspects of career and offered some interesting and candid moments.

The Church of England, Christo-Nationalism, and Two Robinsons

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4p42kydx9o

Now that the BBC has put up a paywall, it's hit or miss as to whether or not you'll be able to read this - that is unless you have an account. I don't and as such my BBC reading and website visits has plummeted. I still utilise their podcasts but I wonder how long they will remain available without a subscription? 

This article displays in very clear terms how some forms of revivalism have nothing to do with the gospel or the Holy Spirit but are instead tied to culture war and politics. Now I know men like John Stonestreet will argue this is nevertheless a good thing because it gets these people into churches where they will hear the gospel - that is assuming that they will in fact hear the Scriptures preached. I wouldn't count it - even in many so-called conservative churches.

The Super Bowl Half-time Show and All the Wonderful Things Taking Place Under Trump

Lately I've heard repeated references to how things are looking up and how we as Christians are obviously thankful for all the wonderful things that have taken place with Trump in office.

The Assault Weapons Ban and American Guns in Latin America

https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-01-20/carlos-perez-ricart-theres-never-been-a-better-time-for-the-us-arms-industry-than-right-now.html

This article does not affirm what many of us intuitively already know - the US arms industry is experiencing something of a golden age. From sales to the EU (for Ukraine), to client states across Asia and the Middle East, to Latin America - there's a lot of money being made. And as I'm often keen to note - a lot of this blood money flows into the coffers of Christians by means of investment, particularly in mutual funds and 401k portfolios.

But there's another aspect to the arms industry that also constitutes big business.

New Developments Regarding Wang Yi's Congregation in Chengdu and the Arrests in Zhejiang Province

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/New-arrests-of-house-church-members-in-China-64608.html

There are some serious problems with this article - with the reporting as well as the underlying assumptions.

Imagine if a US-based pastor went over to China, met with the most militant members of the People's Congress and CCP, men that openly speak of war with the United States and the threat it represents.

Further, he aligns himself with monied interests in China, receives awards, and then returns to the United States and agitates - flouts the laws, tax and building codes, and speaks openly of transforming US culture into something conformable to China.

How would US authorities likely respond?

The Mafia Matrix in Italy, China, and Beyond

https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/fast-fashion-exploitation-how-the-clothes-hanger-wars-escalated-in-italy-a-a9a0d238-03ab-484d-b7a7-b90567646ac7

There are Chinatowns in most large cities. Growing up I visited the famous district in San Francisco which is certainly impressive. But I was really struck by the Chinatown in Lower Manhattan - so proximate to the old Five Points, the various courthouses, and even Ground Zero, and how it all but overlaps with Little Italy. It caused me to reflect on the nature of these ethnic enclaves and the immigrant experience.

A Case of Lamech vs. Caine

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/1/20/minneapolis_minnesota_ice

One need not agree with all that Democracy Now stands for and certainly figures like Al Sharpton rightfully elicit scorn. We need not align ourselves with Renee Good or even the protesters who stormed a Southern Baptist congregation in protest of its ICE pastor. Nevertheless the reporting is pretty stark and damning when it comes to the character and conduct of ICE. I was particularly struck by the exchanges between ICE agents and an Native America/Indian woman with her nephew - harassed for having darker skin. The sheer terror in the woman's voice is disturbing - she's rightly in distress, fearing the ICE agents will kill her nephew.

American Media and the Nordstream Cover-Up

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/20/italy-to-extradite-ukrainian-nord-stream-sabotage-suspect-to-germany

https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/nord-stream-sabotage-suspect-remains-in-custody-1768528278.html

In addition to Kuznetsov who was arrested and extradited from Italy, there is also news of another Ukrainian arrested in Poland who is accused of being part of the Nordstream sabotage.

Trouble in Kazakhstan

https://evangelicalfocus.com/world/33581/baptist-church-raided-twice-in-kazakhstan

My heart goes out to Christians being put under pressure by wicked governments and we should be in prayer for the Church in Kazakhstan and throughout all of Central Asia.

That said, there are some problems with this story.

Protesting the ICE Pastor (updated 23 January 2026)

When Anti-ICE protesters disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota it was indeed sacrilege and every Christian should be offended.

Canada, Ukraine, and the Fall of Chrystia Freeland

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/freeland-ukraine-economic-advisor-9.7033382

Toronto-area MP Chrystia Freeland is in the news once again. Her most recent high profile position was as Trudeau's deputy and she was viewed by many as the 'minister of everything' and almost the de facto prime minister. Having previously served as foreign secretary, and finance minister, her star has been rising for some time. In a sudden move that sent shock-waves throughout Ottawa and beyond, she resigned the cabinet at the end of 2024 - a move which helped to ultimately bring down Justin Trudeau's government the following month.

Why do Evangelicals Persistently Misunderstand and Misrepresent History?

https://richbitterman.com/2025/11/14/why-60-percent-of-young-americans-prefer-socialism/

Bitterman laments the trend toward socialism among the youth. For the record, I contend America's contemporary decadent and consumerist youth are not in fact looking for socialism at all, but social democracy along the lines of what we see in Northern Europe. While those models may have socialist characteristics they are still capitalist and market driven societies with class distinctions and private ownership - and therefore dismissed by actual and ideological socialists.

Recent Dominionist Efforts in the UK

https://christianconcern.com/comment/the-mission-of-god-includes-politics/

Reading the summaries of this conference, I'm left shaking my head - more distractions, more confusion. The New Testament knows nothing of what they're talking about. They are cherry picking a few texts and reading a lot of assumptions into them.

The Right's Distorted Take on The BBC-Trump Controversy

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/the-bbc-is-the-voice-of-western-self-loathing/

The BBC was guilty of misrepresenting Trump's speech but Hume is also distorting the facts. Trump absolutely incited the riot and numerous people connected to him also played a part.

Franco and Protestantism

https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/33362/francoism-against-protestants-recovering-stories-of-repression-and-resilience

Given that we now have calls for a 'Protestant Franco', this book should interest all readers. At present I can't seem to locate the book in English, and so that may be forthcoming. At least we'll hope so.

The EU Response to the Venezuela Strike and Coup

I must say Europe's hypocrisy regarding the Venezuela raid is pretty staggering. Apart from some tepid appeals to the integrity of international law, the leaders of the EU have more or less acquiesced to American banditry and naked aggression - and its public proclamation of colonial-style expropriation of resources.

Trump, the Fall of Maduro, and the American Church

The powers that be are ordained by God and clearly in God's Providence, it was time for Maduro of Venezuela to go. That said, the Old Testament clearly demonstrates that the nation that removed him can be (on another level) outside of God's will and motivated by its own wicked desires. One thinks of Assyria and Babylon - God's servants in the punishing of Israel and Judah. They were agents of Providence but wicked in their motivation. This paradox is also seen in the commentary offered in Matthew 26.24 by Christ concerning Judas Iscariot. What is written must be fulfilled but woe to that man who actually conducts the betrayal.

So it is with Trump and the American Empire.

Trump is a Racist - Why do American Christians Support Him?

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-national-park-service-free-days-juneteenth-mlk-day/

Regardless of whether or not Juneteenth of Martin Luther King Day are perceived as Left-leaning, the bottom line is this - Trump repeatedly and consistently exhibits a hostility to non-White people. This is not to say there aren't Black and Latino fans of Trump. This is not to say he doesn't bring some minorities into his administration. He tolerates them as does the larger GOP.

McKibben Muddies the Already Septic Waters of American Christianity

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/nov/23/america-christian-evangelical-discrimination-immigration

I've read so many essays like this in recent years, well meant, making many excellent points but always out of focus, off, and ultimately as problematic as what as being critiqued.

The Sweet Taste of Vomit

https://petehurst.com/wealth-is-not-the-problem/

I was sorry to see (but not terribly surprised) the confused publishers of The Aquila Report endorsed this article by republishing it.

Hurst is a former PCA pastor who still speaks in PCA/OPC circles. He retired from the ministry and decided to get into real estate and get rich. He justifies this by means of Kuyperian argument. He is unapologetic in his celebration of wealth and the 'good life'.

Feminism and European Evangelicalism

https://evangelicalfocus.com/european-evangelical-alliance/33099/women-in-leadership-conference-a-triumph-of-courage-competence-and-unity

The call for women in leadership is cast in somewhat nebulous terms. How do they mean this? In ministry? Society? Business? Government? It's unclear.

Regardless, all of these options are problematic and cast womanhood in other than Biblical terms. Once again this is feminism on full display within Evangelicalism. By moving the goalposts they can insist they are 'conservative' feminists countering radical feminism - even though only a generation ago these same women would have been considered radical feminists.

The Politics of Orthodoxy in Old Bessarabia

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Romanian-and-Moldovan-Orthodox-Christians-in-conflict-64314.html

I have previously reported on the contest within Eastern Orthodoxy over the question of Moldova - an episode that somewhat parallels events in Ukraine.

American Pragmatism and the Justification of Christmas

https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/reformers-disagreement-on-christmas-yields-lessons/

The Reformers were divided on the question of Christmas celebration.

The Church historian in question suggests we split the difference. Luther was for the celebration of Christmas and all of other traditions that he deemed did not specifically undermine or contradict the gospel. The Reformed wing of the Magisterial Reformation tended to argue that ecclesiology is also regulated by Scripture and therefore Christmas was suspect.

Davis dodges the theological issue and tries to create a binary dilemma between sacred and secular elements of the Christmas celebration - enjoy it, but be careful.

But that's not the issue if we're talking about the divide between the Reformers. This is to miss the point entirely.

Mysteries Overcome by Philosophical Discipline are not Mysteries

https://www.challies.com/articles/difficult-does-not-mean-cryptic-and-mysteries-arent-meant-to-mystify/

Challies is a popular figure within New Calvinist/Evangelical circles. He rightly denounces the counterfeit mysteries that seem to be so popular in Evangelical and Charismatic circles - the Bible code books, visions of heaven and hell, hidden prophecies tied to contemporary politics, or perhaps the latest 'key' to understanding the Dispensational End Times scheme. There are plenty of examples we could point to and Challies rightly denounces this tendency.

But then he said a few things that I found to be troubling.