A Balanced View of UK Immigration

https://www.evangelical-times.org/as-nigel-farage-surges-in-the-polls-is-immigration-a-christian-issue/      

Generally speaking I have not been overly impressed with the Evangelical Times. The reasons for this are varied, but I found this article both balanced and even refreshing as the author (Mike Judge) demonstrated a willingness to break with mainstream political thought and to challenge (and likely offend) many who are committed one way or the other. As is often the case, those one step removed from the American political scene exhibit a little more in the way of sobriety and wisdom.

Gordon Wood, the 1619 Project, and the Radical Nature of the American Revolution

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/11/28/wood-n28.html

Given Gordon Wood's recent death (1933-2026), I thought it worth revisiting his comments on the 1619 Project - the attempt to cast colonial and Revolutionary War history in terms of attempts to promote and preserve slavery. For those who don't know, 1619 signifies the year slaves were first brought to colonial Virginia.

In other words (according to 1619), the whole reason there was a revolution to begin with was to defend slavery (against Britain's growing anti-slavery advocacy) and in fact British colonization was (to begin with) little more than a platform for profiting from slavery.

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.

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.

One Nation - Two Masters: The Confusion that is Sacralist-Nationalist Evangelicalism

https://cne.news/article/4851-why-one-nation-can-never-serve-two-masters

We read in Matthew 6.24:

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Not long ago I head Charlie Kirk twist this passage and use it to justify nationalism. You have to serve and love your country or not. You can't have divided loyalty. It was a complete distortion of the passage as it actually precludes the very nationalism Kirk was arguing for. Kirk was advocating a divided loyalty that contradicted the words of Christ.

A Distorted Scandal in the UK

https://www.christiantoday.com/news/the-cautionary-tale-of-sophie-from-dundee

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/4/5/the-uks-grooming-gang-scandal-is-about-race-class-and-misogyny

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-65174096

https://www.spiked-online.com/2025/08/30/sophie-of-dundee-and-the-online-rights-bs-machine/

Some of you will already be familiar with the scandal surrounding 'Sophie' from Dundee. In the wake of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska, this story has fallen by the wayside. But it has also faded away because it was (at least in part) a case of hype.

Western Liberalism vs. Tribalism in Spain

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/06/spain-local-authority-ban-muslims-public-facilities-religious-celebrations

The particulars of the vote are a little tricky, but essentially VOX engineered the passage of this bill which only allows for public facilities to be utilised by groups that are approved by the local authority, groups which fit their conceptions of Spanish identity. Clearly some are tying this in with Christianity, specifically to counter Islam.

A CREC Theonomist Cheerleading the Secretary of War

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/22/pastor-joshua-haymes-pete-hegseth

As these so-called Christians bring disgrace on the Church and sow confusion as to its testimony, we are forced to navigate these pestilential waters, decrying the errors of the heretics and the misunderstandings of the lost who in some cases criticise things they do not understand.

A Troubling Revival of Historic Anti-Semitism - A Story of Proliferation and Permutation

https://forward.com/culture/761623/theobro-antisemitism-nazi-christianity-reformed-podcast/

There is so much that could be said about Mahler, Wilson, and Webbon but in this case I was simply saddened by the fact that some of the legitimate discussions and debates surrounding the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint (LXX) are now likely to be tainted by this absurd and wicked line of discussion.

Unreal and Heinous Hypocrisy: A PCA Pseudo-Scandal

https://theaquilareport.com/its-been-five-years-and-the-time-is-right-an-earnest-appeal-to-the-authors-of-2020s-heinous-killings-statement-at-byfaith/

Generally speaking I have appreciated Tom Hervey's commentaries that have appeared at The Aquila Report - I even bought his book of essays on Amazon. I'm sorry to say this was an exception. He excoriates those in the PCA that in 2020 condemned the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd and these same Presbyterians even described them as heinous.

German Christians and the AfD

https://cne.news/article/4807-may-german-christians-vote-for-the-afd

Huizinga is an activist associated with the Acton Institute, Federalist Society, and other Right-wing think-tanks. As such, his attempt to muddy the waters regarding the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is unsurprising.

The Calvinist Legacy in South Africa

https://g3min.org/book-review-the-puritans-in-africa-by-w-de-klerk/

Cantrell offers some insightful commentary regarding Afrikaner Theology and how it devolved into Apartheid. I'm not sure I buy the True/False Calvinism distinction though. First, there's the issue and question of Calvinism which is broad and difficult to define. Second, there is the Dutch Calvinist legacy and its heavy emphasis on an integrated culture - seen particularly in the thought of Abraham Kuyper.

The American Right's Spin of the AfD

https://americanreformer.org/2024/12/what-is-happening-in-germany/

This article typifies the misunderstanding on the part of the American Right with regard to the rise of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, its values, and its political platform.

The New Evangelical Ethos in the Age of Bolsonaro and Trump

https://rainforestjournalismfund.org/projects/army-jesus

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/democraciaabierta/rise-narco-militia-pentecostal-brazil-en/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/10/cpac-argentina-milei-maga-trump-musk

This is disturbing but not at all surprising. And given that within a decade Brazil will likely have the largest Evangelical population on the planet - it's a moment for sober reflection.

The Subtle Deception of Idolatry and History Repeating Itself

https://danhult.com/2024/09/19/as-for-me-and-my-house-americas-household-idols/

A great deal could be said about the arguments put forward by Hult. Not a few would take issue with his prioritisation of family over Church but for me the most glaring problems are found elsewhere.

And it should be noted that he's right regarding the fact that idolatry is often equated with adultery and/or fornication. This is why I think it unfortunate that many of the newer translations choose terms like 'sexual immorality' in the book of Revelation as opposed to the more flexible term of 'fornication'. I think often what's being condemned is idolatry as opposed to specific sexual activities. This does not make light of the latter but rather many openly engaged in idolatry/adultery/fornication can render these passages as non-applicable because they see them as only referring to forbidden sexual activity.

This brings us to Hult's rendering of household gods which represents a departure from Scriptural thinking or rather a sleight-of-hand exchange - moving from Bible to Right-wing politics without missing a beat.

Anti-Semitic Israeli Generals?

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-former-general-compares-palestinian-treatment-nazi-germany

One would think this story would get a little more press than it has received.

Was this some left-wing firebrand that dared to compare Israel's treatment of the Palestinians to the Nazi regime or its West Bank policies to apartheid South Africa?

Further Reformed Fragmentation

https://julieroys.com/calvinist-activist-warns-white-nationalism-invading-reformed-churches/

I was encouraged to discover there are some who are concerned over what is happening within the Church – and in this case the Reformed sphere. And it's not just White Nationalism but a growing militancy that should be sending up red flags. Gun culture is incompatible with New Testament Christianity but what's been developing in recent years is far beyond the pale.

Shameless Evangelical Liars and The Squad

https://www.christianpost.com/voices/the-squad-shamefully-tries-to-inflame-another-summer-of-riots.html

Are these serious people – or merely actors and clowns? The Squad is trying to start riots?

The Woke Fantasies of a Dominionist Fool and His Blind Pursuit of Fascism

https://theaquilareport.com/wokism-and-silent-preachers-a-redux-of-hitlers-germany/

The fool speaks again. We have certainly wasted some ink responding to the likes of retired PCA minister Larry Ball, but given that his material is published at The Aquila Report it's evident that someone finds it to be noteworthy and intelligent. It's hard to imagine someone might find it edifying but given that there are still people walking around with Newsmax and Trump hats on – anything is possible.

A New Phase for the Homeschooling Movement

https://julieroys.com/how-battle-christian-nationalism-often-starts-with-homeschooling/

This is the kind of frustrating article that has almost become the norm. Everything about it is off. We are thankful that our kids are all past the time of schooling but some of the anxieties and fears being raised today were with us twenty years ago when we started. These tensions are not new. They've just gotten worse.