W-5 PEOPLE FILES
- Diane Winston - Michael Sean Winters - Anne Marie Witchger - Ben Witherington III - Michael Wittmer - Jacob Wolf - Kenneth Wolfe - Stephen Wolfe - William Wolfe - Nicholas Wolterstorff - Andrew Wommack - Elizabeth Woning - Andy Wood - Stacie Wood - John Woods - Cassie Woolworth - Jordan Wooten - Darrell Worley - Molly Worthen - Mike Woundy -
==diane winston======
Pastors at a protest? That's the scene at anti-Trump rallies across the US.
Standing up to power is one of religious leaders’ “most vital functions,” said religion and the media expert Diane Winston, a professor at the University of Southern California. “The Founding Fathers kept religion out of the government on purpose because they did not believe religion should be part of the ruling process. However, they did believe religion was vitally important to the well-being of the nation and especially keeping the government in check,” Winston said. “In other words, the role of religion was to make sure that our political leaders were virtuous, ethical and moral.” Religious leaders played a key role during every major social movement, including the Revolutionary war, abolition, workers rights, suffragism, equal rights and civil rights, she said, and the symbolic value of their presence now cannot be understated. “Religion does not support one side or the other in political battles. It can be marshaled to support both sides or neither side. But it's good to remember that from the beginning of the founding of this country, religious leaders have often stood up for social issues,” she said.
(USA Today 10/26/25) READMORE>>>>
Standing up to power is one of religious leaders’ “most vital functions,” said religion and the media expert Diane Winston, a professor at the University of Southern California. “The Founding Fathers kept religion out of the government on purpose because they did not believe religion should be part of the ruling process. However, they did believe religion was vitally important to the well-being of the nation and especially keeping the government in check,” Winston said. “In other words, the role of religion was to make sure that our political leaders were virtuous, ethical and moral.” Religious leaders played a key role during every major social movement, including the Revolutionary war, abolition, workers rights, suffragism, equal rights and civil rights, she said, and the symbolic value of their presence now cannot be understated. “Religion does not support one side or the other in political battles. It can be marshaled to support both sides or neither side. But it's good to remember that from the beginning of the founding of this country, religious leaders have often stood up for social issues,” she said.
(USA Today 10/26/25) READMORE>>>>
==michael Sean Winters======
Is it time to retire the term ‘Christian nationalism’?
As if exasperated by a quarrel during Thanksgiving dinner, columnist Michael Sean Winters pleads with whoever will listen: “Can everyone please stop talking about ‘Christian nationalism?’” Writing in the Nov. 21 issue of the National Catholic Reporter, he claims with firm conviction, but without evidence, “Christian nationalism” as a phrase drives religious voters into the arms of MAGA politicians. Winters writes: “Hurled as an epithet, voters who are Christian and who love their country will think they are being looked down upon for their dual commitments to God and country, and they are not wrong. Whenever anyone mutters the phrase ‘Christian nationalism’ in your presence, thank them for helping to make MAGA inevitable.”
(Baptist NEWS Global 12.14.25)READMORE>>>>>
As if exasperated by a quarrel during Thanksgiving dinner, columnist Michael Sean Winters pleads with whoever will listen: “Can everyone please stop talking about ‘Christian nationalism?’” Writing in the Nov. 21 issue of the National Catholic Reporter, he claims with firm conviction, but without evidence, “Christian nationalism” as a phrase drives religious voters into the arms of MAGA politicians. Winters writes: “Hurled as an epithet, voters who are Christian and who love their country will think they are being looked down upon for their dual commitments to God and country, and they are not wrong. Whenever anyone mutters the phrase ‘Christian nationalism’ in your presence, thank them for helping to make MAGA inevitable.”
(Baptist NEWS Global 12.14.25)READMORE>>>>>
==anne mariw witchger======
Episcopalians ‘protest faithfully’ against authoritarian abuses, bearing Christian witness.
“For a lot of folks, this is a turning point and hopefully a wake-up call, just in terms of how violent and cruel these practices are and how much faith communities really need to step up to protect each other and be a voice of moral courage,” the Rev. Anne Marie Witchger of the Diocese of New York told ENS. Witchger chairs the diocese’s Task Force for Public Witness and serves as rector of St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery. Her church hosted a vigil for Good and other victims of ICE on Jan. 12 in partnership with three other churches in their Manhattan neighborhood. Attendees filled St. Mark’s nearly to capacity, and after the vigil they all processed out carrying candles in remembrance of people killed by federal immigration authorities or who died in detention. (ENS; 1.20.26) READMORE>>>>>
“For a lot of folks, this is a turning point and hopefully a wake-up call, just in terms of how violent and cruel these practices are and how much faith communities really need to step up to protect each other and be a voice of moral courage,” the Rev. Anne Marie Witchger of the Diocese of New York told ENS. Witchger chairs the diocese’s Task Force for Public Witness and serves as rector of St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery. Her church hosted a vigil for Good and other victims of ICE on Jan. 12 in partnership with three other churches in their Manhattan neighborhood. Attendees filled St. Mark’s nearly to capacity, and after the vigil they all processed out carrying candles in remembrance of people killed by federal immigration authorities or who died in detention. (ENS; 1.20.26) READMORE>>>>>
==Ben witherington III======
Ben Witherington III (born December 30, 1951 in High Point, North Carolina) is an American Wesleyan-Arminian New Testament scholar. Witherington is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary, a Wesleyan-Holiness seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, and an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church.
How New Testament writers viewed Old Testament prophecy
The book of Isaiah is mentioned 250 times in the New Testament, more than any other Old Testament book, according to biblical scholar Ben Witherington III. “The Isaiah citations are used as source texts, proof texts and subtexts, echoing and alluding to Isaiah’s prophecies,” Witherington said.
(Jeffrey Stevens/Jerusalem Post 4/4/22) READ MORE>>>>>
The book of Isaiah is mentioned 250 times in the New Testament, more than any other Old Testament book, according to biblical scholar Ben Witherington III. “The Isaiah citations are used as source texts, proof texts and subtexts, echoing and alluding to Isaiah’s prophecies,” Witherington said.
(Jeffrey Stevens/Jerusalem Post 4/4/22) READ MORE>>>>>
This book called the Bible contains the mind of God, the state of humankind, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s charter. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of Hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given to you in this life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and condemns all those who trifle with its holy contents. This friend will all our needs supply. This fountain sends forth streams of joy. This good Physician gives us health. This sun renews and warms the soul. This sword both wounds and heals and makes us whole. This book shows us our sins forgiven. This guide conducts us safely to heaven. This charter has been sealed with blood. This volume is the Word of God. FOLLOW IT.
A New Day for Apologetics
Despite all the recent attacks on faith or, perhaps, because of them these are definitely the best of times for Christian apologists such as Lee Strobel, William Lane Craig, Ben Witherington III, Darrell Bock, and J. P. Moreland. They are making documentaries, writing books, giving media interviews, attending debates and conferences, and presenting the public with what they say is a growing mountain of scientific and archaeological evidence documenting the truth of Christianity. “There has been a resurgence in Christian apologetics as a direct result of the challenges Christianity has faced in the form of militant atheism in college classrooms, on the Internet, and in TV documentaries and best-selling books,” says Strobel, former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and most recently the author of The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ. (Christianity Today July 2008) READMORE>>>>>
Despite all the recent attacks on faith or, perhaps, because of them these are definitely the best of times for Christian apologists such as Lee Strobel, William Lane Craig, Ben Witherington III, Darrell Bock, and J. P. Moreland. They are making documentaries, writing books, giving media interviews, attending debates and conferences, and presenting the public with what they say is a growing mountain of scientific and archaeological evidence documenting the truth of Christianity. “There has been a resurgence in Christian apologetics as a direct result of the challenges Christianity has faced in the form of militant atheism in college classrooms, on the Internet, and in TV documentaries and best-selling books,” says Strobel, former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and most recently the author of The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ. (Christianity Today July 2008) READMORE>>>>>
==michael wittmer======
Michael E. Wittmer (PhD, Calvin Theological Seminary) is professor of systematic and historical theology and director of the Center for Christian Worldview at Cornerstone University.
Michael E Witmer Files
Every discovery begins with doubt, and the largest doubts lead to the biggest breakthroughs. Job dared to charge God with injustice, "Why have you made me your target?" "Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?" (Jon 7:20; 13:24). When God finally gave Job his day in court, Job realized that he was the one on trial, and he pled no contest. "Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know," he said. "Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:2,6) -Michael E Wittmer; Despite Doubt; 2013
--jacob wolf-----------------------
Jacob Wolf is Assistant Professor of Government in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Honors College at Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. Prior to this, he was the 2020-2021 John and Daria Barry Postdoctoral Fellow in the James Madison Program at Princeton University. His expertise lies at the nexus of American politics and political philosophy, and his scholarly research investigates the theological origins of modern politics and the political origins of modern theology. He writes frequently on how democracy and individualism have changed the beliefs and practices of religion in modern America. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Boston College.
Jacob Wolf
Without much overstatement, one can describe the history of modern political philosophy as the search for a suitable replacement for Christianity. Progress replaces providence, humanitarianism replaces charity, and mind (or reason) replaces God himself. Into the void left behind by Christianity have rushed all sorts of ideologies—that is, comprehensive systems of belief that purport to explain the whole of human thought, action, and purpose.
-Jacob Wolf; Public Discourse; The Religion of Democracy 7.2.23
-Jacob Wolf; Public Discourse; The Religion of Democracy 7.2.23
==kenneth wolfe======
Department of Labor Holds First Prayer Service
Leading the service was Kenneth Wolfe, the director of the DoL’s Center for Faith. Prior to joining the Trump administration in that role, he wrote for various traditionalist Catholic publications, arguing for Mass to be in Latin. The Latin Mass has proved popular among some rightwing Trumpian Catholics in recent years, including Steve Bannon, Candace Owens, and Harrison Butker. Wolfe started the DoL service with a traditional Catholic prayer: “Direct, we beseech thee, O Lord, all our actions by thy holy inspiration, and carry them on by thy gracious assistance so that every work and prayer of ours may begin from thee and through thee be happily ended. We ask this in thy name, amen.” Wolfe noted at the start that the service would “celebrate the season of Advent with Scripture and song” and “commemorate” Hanukkah “with a guest faith leader.”
Wolfe’s deputy director, Brent Perrin, led the group in saying the Lord’s Prayer, which he introduced as “the ‘Our Father.’” He also read from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 about laboring together for the Lord and Psalm 90:17 about letting God establish the people’s work. Later, he read 2 Chronicles 15:7 about working hard to be rewarded and Ephesians 4:16 about the whole body of Christ working together.
(Word & Way; 12/10/25) READMORE>>>>
Leading the service was Kenneth Wolfe, the director of the DoL’s Center for Faith. Prior to joining the Trump administration in that role, he wrote for various traditionalist Catholic publications, arguing for Mass to be in Latin. The Latin Mass has proved popular among some rightwing Trumpian Catholics in recent years, including Steve Bannon, Candace Owens, and Harrison Butker. Wolfe started the DoL service with a traditional Catholic prayer: “Direct, we beseech thee, O Lord, all our actions by thy holy inspiration, and carry them on by thy gracious assistance so that every work and prayer of ours may begin from thee and through thee be happily ended. We ask this in thy name, amen.” Wolfe noted at the start that the service would “celebrate the season of Advent with Scripture and song” and “commemorate” Hanukkah “with a guest faith leader.”
Wolfe’s deputy director, Brent Perrin, led the group in saying the Lord’s Prayer, which he introduced as “the ‘Our Father.’” He also read from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 about laboring together for the Lord and Psalm 90:17 about letting God establish the people’s work. Later, he read 2 Chronicles 15:7 about working hard to be rewarded and Ephesians 4:16 about the whole body of Christ working together.
(Word & Way; 12/10/25) READMORE>>>>
==stephen wolfe======
Stephen Wolfe is a prominent figure in the contemporary discussion surrounding Christian Nationalism, primarily known for his 2022 book, "The Case for Christian Nationalism". This book has sparked significant debate, attracting both strong support and considerable critique. Wolfe defines Christian Nationalism as a "totality of national action, consisting of civil laws and social customs, conducted by a Christian nation as a Christian nation, in order to procure for itself both earthly and heavenly good in Christ." He advocates for cultural and ethnic homogeneity within nations, believing it facilitates a shared national identity and a better environment for pursuing a Christian way of life and ordering society toward heavenly goods. Wolfe envisions a strong, Christian leader or "prince" who would steer the nation towards Christian principles and uphold Christian values in the public sphere. This position is described by some as "measured theocratic Caesarism".
Wolfe argues that the Christian prince has the authority to suppress outward displays of "false religion" that threaten the public good and a nation's "common participation in the life of God". This suppression is seen as distinct from coercing individual conscience regarding inward beliefs. Critics argue that Wolfe's vision of a homogeneous Christian nation is incompatible with the pluralistic societies of many Western nations and potentially overlooks the complexities of national identity formation. The concept of suppressing "false religion" raises concerns about religious freedom and the potential for persecution of religious minorities.
Kinist tendencies: Some critics argue that Wolfe's emphasis on cultural and ethnic homogeneity borders on or exemplifies kinism, prioritizing one's "kin" over others, and potentially fostering exclusionary and ethnocentric policies. Some argue that Wolfe's arguments are not sufficiently grounded in Scripture and that his interpretation of certain biblical themes, such as the relationship between nature and grace, is lacking in depth. Critics draw parallels between Wolfe's model and Hegelian statism, suggesting that his vision could lead to a totalizing state that prioritizes the state's will over individual liberties and potentially subordinates the church to the state. Some critiques question the historical accuracy and applicability of the Reformed scholastic ideas that Wolfe draws upon to build his case for Christian nationalism. Critics suggest that Wolfe overlooks or dismisses the contributions of the liberal political tradition, including concepts like individual rights and the separation of church and state, which have shaped modern Western democracies. Stephen Wolfe's "The Case for Christian Nationalism" provides a detailed argument for a specific form of Christian nationalism. While influential, it has been met with significant debate and criticism regarding its theological foundations, political implications, and compatibility with modern understandings of religious liberty and societal pluralism.
Wolfe argues that the Christian prince has the authority to suppress outward displays of "false religion" that threaten the public good and a nation's "common participation in the life of God". This suppression is seen as distinct from coercing individual conscience regarding inward beliefs. Critics argue that Wolfe's vision of a homogeneous Christian nation is incompatible with the pluralistic societies of many Western nations and potentially overlooks the complexities of national identity formation. The concept of suppressing "false religion" raises concerns about religious freedom and the potential for persecution of religious minorities.
Kinist tendencies: Some critics argue that Wolfe's emphasis on cultural and ethnic homogeneity borders on or exemplifies kinism, prioritizing one's "kin" over others, and potentially fostering exclusionary and ethnocentric policies. Some argue that Wolfe's arguments are not sufficiently grounded in Scripture and that his interpretation of certain biblical themes, such as the relationship between nature and grace, is lacking in depth. Critics draw parallels between Wolfe's model and Hegelian statism, suggesting that his vision could lead to a totalizing state that prioritizes the state's will over individual liberties and potentially subordinates the church to the state. Some critiques question the historical accuracy and applicability of the Reformed scholastic ideas that Wolfe draws upon to build his case for Christian nationalism. Critics suggest that Wolfe overlooks or dismisses the contributions of the liberal political tradition, including concepts like individual rights and the separation of church and state, which have shaped modern Western democracies. Stephen Wolfe's "The Case for Christian Nationalism" provides a detailed argument for a specific form of Christian nationalism. While influential, it has been met with significant debate and criticism regarding its theological foundations, political implications, and compatibility with modern understandings of religious liberty and societal pluralism.
Is it time to retire the term ‘Christian nationalism’?
He offers no data but seems guided by his intuition. On the other hand, my intuition tells me it seems far-fetched that people who voted for Donald Trump did so because someone called them a Christian nationalist. It seems more important to find evidence something like Christian nationalism exists. If it does, then why stop talking about it?The most obvious evidence Christian nationalism exists is there are quite a few conservative Christians who embrace the term and talk about it all the time. People like Andrew Torba and Stephen Wolfe come to mind. Both have written books advocating their support for Christian nationalism. Another prominent Christian nationalist is Doug Wilson, an Idaho pastor who published Wolfe’s book and has a book of his own on the way. Wilson favors the incorporation of the Apostles’ Creed into the Constitution and would prohibit non-Christians from holding public office. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attends a church in the denomination Wilson founded. (Warren Throckmorten; Baptist NEWS Global 12.14.25)READMORE>>>>>
He offers no data but seems guided by his intuition. On the other hand, my intuition tells me it seems far-fetched that people who voted for Donald Trump did so because someone called them a Christian nationalist. It seems more important to find evidence something like Christian nationalism exists. If it does, then why stop talking about it?The most obvious evidence Christian nationalism exists is there are quite a few conservative Christians who embrace the term and talk about it all the time. People like Andrew Torba and Stephen Wolfe come to mind. Both have written books advocating their support for Christian nationalism. Another prominent Christian nationalist is Doug Wilson, an Idaho pastor who published Wolfe’s book and has a book of his own on the way. Wilson favors the incorporation of the Apostles’ Creed into the Constitution and would prohibit non-Christians from holding public office. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attends a church in the denomination Wilson founded. (Warren Throckmorten; Baptist NEWS Global 12.14.25)READMORE>>>>>
Christ the Christian Nationalist Sunday?
Schriver is, unfortunately, not an outlier. Outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a group of young men waved “America First” flags while chanting “Christ is King!” shortly before the pro-Trump crowd stormed the building in hopes of blocking Trump’s electoral defeat. The group mixing “America First” and “Christ is King” were followers of far-right commentator Nick Fuentes, a controversial antisemitic Catholic Christian Nationalist. Fuentes, who argues the U.S. is “a Christian nation,” pushes the “Christ is King” slogan to support his White Christian Nationalist vision. Other extremists and antisemitic figures also often post “Christ is King” on social media, meaning the growing popularity online of the phrase is occurring because of those also pushing hateful politics. And a Christian Nationalist conference earlier this year was held with the theme, “Christ is King: How to Defeat Trashworld!” It included prominent Christian Nationalist speakers like Steve Deace, Andrew Isker, Calvin Robinson, Joel Webbon, and Stephen Wolfe. ”(A Public Witness 11/18/25) READMORE>>>>
Schriver is, unfortunately, not an outlier. Outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a group of young men waved “America First” flags while chanting “Christ is King!” shortly before the pro-Trump crowd stormed the building in hopes of blocking Trump’s electoral defeat. The group mixing “America First” and “Christ is King” were followers of far-right commentator Nick Fuentes, a controversial antisemitic Catholic Christian Nationalist. Fuentes, who argues the U.S. is “a Christian nation,” pushes the “Christ is King” slogan to support his White Christian Nationalist vision. Other extremists and antisemitic figures also often post “Christ is King” on social media, meaning the growing popularity online of the phrase is occurring because of those also pushing hateful politics. And a Christian Nationalist conference earlier this year was held with the theme, “Christ is King: How to Defeat Trashworld!” It included prominent Christian Nationalist speakers like Steve Deace, Andrew Isker, Calvin Robinson, Joel Webbon, and Stephen Wolfe. ”(A Public Witness 11/18/25) READMORE>>>>
To be clear, Stephen Wolfe is not the only representative of Christian Nationalism, nor is his book the best or only resource for the committee to assess. It is, however, a sort of cultural touchstone for the conversation, and so the committee would undoubtedly be wise to evaluate its claims. In so doing, the committee will necessarily need to consider Wolfe’s repeated claim, both inside and outside of the book, that what he offers in The Case for Christian Nationalism is nothing more or less than the historic Reformed position on the civil magistrate. This claim is really three claims packaged into one. The first is that the view advanced by Christian Nationalism’s contemporary proponents is a historic view. That is, it is a view drawn from the example of history and the writings of people within the broader Reformed tradition that the PCA would not be willing to haphazardly anathemize. The second claim is that Christian Nationalism is not only historically grounded, but also represents the consensus within Reformed Protestantism. That is, it is not merely one of many styles or camps of political theology within the broader tradition, but that it represents the majority or overwhelming consensus view. These first two claims can, I think, be fairly objectively assessed by turning to the sources Wolfe and others employ. The third claim however, that Christian Nationalism should be embraced by Christians today as theologically sound and politically prudent, will require much more discernment to adjudicate. It is undeniably true, for example, that past theologians and commentators within the Reformed tradition have advocated the civil magistrate do things most PCA leaders and members today would not support (think here of the oft-repeated debates around the execution of Servetus in Calvin’s Geneva, or the laws enacted in places like Puritan New England or Knox’s Scotland). When engaging in some sort of retrieval, then, contemporary Reformed thinkers have several options available. They could, like David VanDrunen in his Politics after Christendom, suggest that the principles and the framework established by 16th- and 17th-century thinkers like Calvin and Turretin is broadly correct and useful, establishing a difference between what is “common” and what is “sacred,” leaving the sacred to the church and the common to the magistrate. At the same time, they could suggest these thinkers are merely mistaken when they treat, for example, blasphemy laws as within the proper purview of the civil magistrate. Retrieval of this kind says that these thinkers are broadly correct in principle, incorrect in their application, and can thus be adopted with modifications. -Philip D Bunn 8/7/25
Christian Nationalist Stephen Wolfe Argues for a Minority Elite
A recent episode of Man Rampant, the Canon Press podcast hosted by Reformed pastor and author Douglas Wilson, features political theorist Stephen Wolfe, author of The Case for Christian Nationalism.
Titled “Christian Nationalism, the American Kind,” their conversation revisits the themes of Wolfe’s controversial book, offering what he sees as a theological and political recourse for Christians who reject the dominant post–World War II liberal consensus. At the center of Wolfe and Wilson’s argument is a call to return to a vision of the United States as they believe the Founders originally intended: a nation built upon Christian values and cultural cohesion. The postwar consensus, in their view, ushered in a godless worldview of Americans that believed they, acting out of a “helium of hubris,” no longer needed God. For dissenters, Wolfe suggests, the antidote lies in reclaiming an explicit Christian nation in all realms of society. (Juicy Ecumenism 7/15/25) READMORE>>>>>
A recent episode of Man Rampant, the Canon Press podcast hosted by Reformed pastor and author Douglas Wilson, features political theorist Stephen Wolfe, author of The Case for Christian Nationalism.
Titled “Christian Nationalism, the American Kind,” their conversation revisits the themes of Wolfe’s controversial book, offering what he sees as a theological and political recourse for Christians who reject the dominant post–World War II liberal consensus. At the center of Wolfe and Wilson’s argument is a call to return to a vision of the United States as they believe the Founders originally intended: a nation built upon Christian values and cultural cohesion. The postwar consensus, in their view, ushered in a godless worldview of Americans that believed they, acting out of a “helium of hubris,” no longer needed God. For dissenters, Wolfe suggests, the antidote lies in reclaiming an explicit Christian nation in all realms of society. (Juicy Ecumenism 7/15/25) READMORE>>>>>
Christian nationalism: Why a Church and state merger is anti-American
Christian Nationalism is no longer just a leftist buzzword used to discredit conservatives. While progressives have long wielded the term dishonestly as a smear against anyone to the right of Bernie Sanders, its definition has shifted. Today, it is being co-opted to describe an actual authoritarian movement seeking to upend the constitutional order and merge Church and state into a new sacralist regime. This version of Christian Nationalism — promoted by figures like Joel Webbon and Stephen Wolfe — pushes for theocracy, monarchism, and neo-integralism, rather than the constitutional republic the Founders established. Unlike the religious influence that shaped early America, which protected liberty while upholding moral order, this movement seeks government-mandated religious conformity while throwing individual freedom to the wind. And in doing so, it betrays the very principles conservatives (and Christians, mind you) have historically defended.
(Christian Post 3/30/25) READ MORE>>>>>
Christian Nationalism is no longer just a leftist buzzword used to discredit conservatives. While progressives have long wielded the term dishonestly as a smear against anyone to the right of Bernie Sanders, its definition has shifted. Today, it is being co-opted to describe an actual authoritarian movement seeking to upend the constitutional order and merge Church and state into a new sacralist regime. This version of Christian Nationalism — promoted by figures like Joel Webbon and Stephen Wolfe — pushes for theocracy, monarchism, and neo-integralism, rather than the constitutional republic the Founders established. Unlike the religious influence that shaped early America, which protected liberty while upholding moral order, this movement seeks government-mandated religious conformity while throwing individual freedom to the wind. And in doing so, it betrays the very principles conservatives (and Christians, mind you) have historically defended.
(Christian Post 3/30/25) READ MORE>>>>>
For Wolfe, the future is a strong nation, and a strong nation happens to be the Christian one. The church’s witness of a future Kingdom, the faithfulness of God, and the “weak things of the world shaming the strong” barely register. Wolfe’s only response to opposition is a Nietzschean-like challenge: Does a Christian man (yes, male) have the strength of will to impose his vision of Christian life and law onto a vacuum of secularist life? There is only one answer he will accept. And anyone who disagrees with him has submitted to the contradictions of an Enlightenment-infused liberal agenda and is close to embracing the progressive excesses of the left.
Wolfe’s work could function all too well as a theological and philosophical foundation for some of the worst impulses in our all-too-human hearts. It lays the foundation for Caesaropapism, a renewing of racial divisions within society and church, blurred lines of church and state authorities, overly ambitious civil laws, and brute power politics. Wolfe is himself careful to avoid invoking the “nationalism” of the 1930s and ’40s, content to defend a “phenomenological nationalism,” or, “the lived experience” of associating with one’s own. Nonetheless, Wolfe writes a manifesto that in the wrong hands could do great harm.
As I read The Case for Christian Nationalism, I admit to empathizing in places. Often I even agreed. To the average college student, I am the bad guy: white, straight, male, upper-middle class, a Christian pastor. I know that the Gender Studies department on my campus teaches a vision of humanity that is, by my Christian lights, anti-human. Wolfe correctly senses these errors. But he goes the wrong way in search of a solution. He dignifies sinful natural impulses to generate a will to power, and he tries to match a leftist power narrative with a Christian nationalist one—an eye for an eye, or rather, a blow for a blow. For Wolfe, the meek not only cannot inherit the earth—they ought not. They simply don’t deserve it.
This is no way forward for Christians. Our faith depends on the power of weakness. The meek shall inherit the earth. God will use the weak to shame the strong. I trust this, not because I deduce or intuit it or even because my tradition confesses it, but because God’s Word tells me. That is enough for my family—and for my nation.
---------Jonathan Clark; Reformed University Fellowship in Colorado Springs, Colo.; Jan 18, 2023
Wolfe’s work could function all too well as a theological and philosophical foundation for some of the worst impulses in our all-too-human hearts. It lays the foundation for Caesaropapism, a renewing of racial divisions within society and church, blurred lines of church and state authorities, overly ambitious civil laws, and brute power politics. Wolfe is himself careful to avoid invoking the “nationalism” of the 1930s and ’40s, content to defend a “phenomenological nationalism,” or, “the lived experience” of associating with one’s own. Nonetheless, Wolfe writes a manifesto that in the wrong hands could do great harm.
As I read The Case for Christian Nationalism, I admit to empathizing in places. Often I even agreed. To the average college student, I am the bad guy: white, straight, male, upper-middle class, a Christian pastor. I know that the Gender Studies department on my campus teaches a vision of humanity that is, by my Christian lights, anti-human. Wolfe correctly senses these errors. But he goes the wrong way in search of a solution. He dignifies sinful natural impulses to generate a will to power, and he tries to match a leftist power narrative with a Christian nationalist one—an eye for an eye, or rather, a blow for a blow. For Wolfe, the meek not only cannot inherit the earth—they ought not. They simply don’t deserve it.
This is no way forward for Christians. Our faith depends on the power of weakness. The meek shall inherit the earth. God will use the weak to shame the strong. I trust this, not because I deduce or intuit it or even because my tradition confesses it, but because God’s Word tells me. That is enough for my family—and for my nation.
---------Jonathan Clark; Reformed University Fellowship in Colorado Springs, Colo.; Jan 18, 2023
==william wolfe======
TPUSA Doubles Down on Christian Nationalism
In the years before he was murdered, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk had transitioned the group away from its libertarian leanings and toward a dominionist Christian nationalist ideology and agenda. It appears that the group’s current leadership is continuing that shift. TPUSA Faith, the group’s religious organizing arm, is hosting a “pastor roundtable” featuring two Christian nationalists, Oklahoma state Sen. Dusty Deevers and author and former Trump administration official William Wolfe, according to a flyer Deevers posted on his X account Wednesday. Both men have connections to extreme Christian nationalist Doug Wilson, who has been in the news recently, both for his claim that women should not have the right to vote and for his efforts to strengthen his influence within the Trump administration. Right Wing Watch noted recently, “Few elected officials can match Oklahoma state Sen. Dusty Deevers in their desire to see the United States turned into a Christian nationalist theocracy.” Deevers calls the separation of church and state “blasphemous.” In a sermon at Wilson’s Idaho church last year, Deevers declared that it is the duty of civil leaders to “submit” to the authority of Christ. He has called on Christian men to “make offensive war on the gates of hell” and “dominionize” the world. (Right Wing Watch 10/10/25) READMORE>>>>
In the years before he was murdered, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk had transitioned the group away from its libertarian leanings and toward a dominionist Christian nationalist ideology and agenda. It appears that the group’s current leadership is continuing that shift. TPUSA Faith, the group’s religious organizing arm, is hosting a “pastor roundtable” featuring two Christian nationalists, Oklahoma state Sen. Dusty Deevers and author and former Trump administration official William Wolfe, according to a flyer Deevers posted on his X account Wednesday. Both men have connections to extreme Christian nationalist Doug Wilson, who has been in the news recently, both for his claim that women should not have the right to vote and for his efforts to strengthen his influence within the Trump administration. Right Wing Watch noted recently, “Few elected officials can match Oklahoma state Sen. Dusty Deevers in their desire to see the United States turned into a Christian nationalist theocracy.” Deevers calls the separation of church and state “blasphemous.” In a sermon at Wilson’s Idaho church last year, Deevers declared that it is the duty of civil leaders to “submit” to the authority of Christ. He has called on Christian men to “make offensive war on the gates of hell” and “dominionize” the world. (Right Wing Watch 10/10/25) READMORE>>>>
|
When angry white men can’t give up hating Beth Moore
Exhibit A is William Wolfe, a former Trump staff member and former intern to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler. Wolfe is a self-described Christian nationalist who frequently uses his X account to post inflammatory statements of white supremacy, Christian supremacy and male supremacy. The latest came Dec. 23 when he tweeted: “If you can’t admit that Beth Moore was an ungodly, even demonic, influence on the SBC — I really won’t be able to trust you.” (Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 12/28/23) READ MORE>>>>> |
|
|
Russell Moore, Karen Swallow Prior Spark Outrage for Saying They Don’t Enjoy ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ Various people, including commentator William Wolfe, an outspoken supporter of Christian nationalism, and Founders Ministries president Tom Ascol, responded critically to Prior and Moore. “The admissions in this exchange explain a lot,” said Ascol, retweeting a circulating clip of the conversation. “Its [sic] not Scripture, but if this story leaves you cold, it might be indicative of a much deeper issue,” said another user. (Jessica Lea/Church Leaders 8/25/23) Read More>>>>> |
==nicolas wolterstoff======
Nicholas Paul Wolterstorff (born January 21, 1932) is an American philosopher and theologian. He is currently Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology at Yale University. A prolific writer with wide-ranging philosophical and theological interests, he has written books on aesthetics, epistemology, political philosophy, philosophy of religion, metaphysics, and philosophy of education. In Faith and Rationality, Wolterstorff, Alvin Plantinga, and William Alston developed and expanded upon a view of religious epistemology that has come to be known as Reformed epistemology. He also helped to establish the journal Faith and Philosophy and the Society of Christian Philosophers.
Nicolas Wolterstoff
“Faith is not an addendum to our existence, a theological virtue, one among others. The faith to which we are called is the fundamental energizer of our lives. Authentic faith transforms us; it leads us to sell all and follow the Lord. The idea is not, once again, that everything in the life of the believer is different. The idea is rather that no dimension of life is closed off to the transforming power of the Spirit — since no dimension of life is closed off to the ravages of sin. But faith, in turn, is only one component in God’s program of redemption. The scope of divine redemption is not just the saving of lost souls but the renewal of life — and more even than that: the renewal of all creation. Redemption is for flourishing.” - Nicolas Wolterstoff
Nicolas Wolterstoff
“But we all suffer. For we all prize and love; and in this present existence of ours, prizing and loving yield suffering. Love in our world is suffering love. Some do not suffer much, though, for they do not love much. Suffering is for the loving. This, said Jesus, is the command of the Holy One: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." In commanding us to love, God invites us to suffer.” ― Nicholas Wolterstorff, Lament for a Son
==andrew wommack======
Christian media figures may face defamation trials before November election
Conspiracy theorist Dinesh D’Souza helped create the 2000 Mules movie and its companion book. Both claim some 2,000 human “mules” harvested 400,000 fake ballots to steal the 2020 election from Trump.
The film has aired on Christian TV networks, was shown in hundreds of churches and was promoted by Metaxas, Andrew Wommack, Charisma magazine, MovieGuide, and Mike Huckabee, the honorary national chairman of My Faith Votes. But the movie’s claims are false. One of the alleged “mules” was a Black man named Mark Andrews. The film used footage of Andrews during an appearance on Tucker Carlson’s former show on Fox News, and a photo of Andrews was published in a companion book published by Salem-owned Regnery Publishing. The photo caption said Andrews was engaged in “organized crime.” Andrews sued D’Souza, Salem Media, Regnery and the organization True the Vote. Attorneys defending the film admitted in court they have no evidence to support the film’s wild claims.
(Baptist News Global 6.4.24) Read More>>>>>
Conspiracy theorist Dinesh D’Souza helped create the 2000 Mules movie and its companion book. Both claim some 2,000 human “mules” harvested 400,000 fake ballots to steal the 2020 election from Trump.
The film has aired on Christian TV networks, was shown in hundreds of churches and was promoted by Metaxas, Andrew Wommack, Charisma magazine, MovieGuide, and Mike Huckabee, the honorary national chairman of My Faith Votes. But the movie’s claims are false. One of the alleged “mules” was a Black man named Mark Andrews. The film used footage of Andrews during an appearance on Tucker Carlson’s former show on Fox News, and a photo of Andrews was published in a companion book published by Salem-owned Regnery Publishing. The photo caption said Andrews was engaged in “organized crime.” Andrews sued D’Souza, Salem Media, Regnery and the organization True the Vote. Attorneys defending the film admitted in court they have no evidence to support the film’s wild claims.
(Baptist News Global 6.4.24) Read More>>>>>
America engaged in ‘battle of worldviews,’ Mike Johnson tells Christian lawmakers group
Andrew Wommack, founder of the far-right group Wommack Ministries and Charis Bible College, received the George Washington Lifetime Christian Leadership Award from the group. Wommack is an outspoken Christian nationalist who has called Democrats “demonic” and complained that homosexuals, who are the “tip of Satan’s spear,” received too much sympathy after a gunman killed five and injured others at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Steve Rabey/Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 12/7/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
Andrew Wommack, founder of the far-right group Wommack Ministries and Charis Bible College, received the George Washington Lifetime Christian Leadership Award from the group. Wommack is an outspoken Christian nationalist who has called Democrats “demonic” and complained that homosexuals, who are the “tip of Satan’s spear,” received too much sympathy after a gunman killed five and injured others at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Steve Rabey/Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 12/7/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
==elizabeth woning======
Elizabeth Woning is co-founder of the CHANGED Movement, an international network of men and women who have left the LGBT subculture and identity to follow Jesus. She earned her master’s degree from a PCUSA seminary while openly lesbian and ministered within the LGBT-affirming church movement. A radical revelation of Jesus led her to a different path. Today, she is a licensed pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, California.
Elizabeth Woning
Jesus Christ taught that all people have value. Repeatedly, Jesus cautions against objectifying and demeaning others for personal gain (e.g., Matthew 5:22-26). What did 1819News.com stand to gain by publicly exposing Copeland (Alabama mayor, business leader, and Baptist pastor, F.L. Copeland) against his requests? Though their disclosure brought his situation to light and forced Copeland to face his moral crisis, the 1819News exposé is a symptom of the media’s callousness. I believe their articles crossed ethical lines. Should Copeland have been made accountable? Yes, but not in the public news cycle.
Meanwhile, according to their articles, Copeland did not appreciate the religious implications of his actions and apparently had no Christian oversight. These matters point to a broader issue within churches, including embracing biblical orthodoxy and the steady influence of sexual immorality among congregations. Above all, however, Copeland likely had no Christian setting to address his feelings safely. As I have written elsewhere, many people are leaving LGBT identities and culture to follow Christ. Still, fewer are finding churches offering them care and discipleship in Christian identity. Amidst accusations of so-called “conversion therapy” and the rising influence of LGBT-affirming messages coming from leading national pastors, the pathway of repentance and conversion to the Christian faith is challenging for those seeking to surrender to Jesus wholeheartedly. F.L. Copeland’s suicide speaks to these challenges. It releases a clarion call to Christians to redirect their outrage against transgenderism to see the people struggling behind the persona. --Elizabeth Woning; Christian Post; F.L. Copeland’s suicide is a painful glimpse into the inner conflict of trans identity 11/19/23
Meanwhile, according to their articles, Copeland did not appreciate the religious implications of his actions and apparently had no Christian oversight. These matters point to a broader issue within churches, including embracing biblical orthodoxy and the steady influence of sexual immorality among congregations. Above all, however, Copeland likely had no Christian setting to address his feelings safely. As I have written elsewhere, many people are leaving LGBT identities and culture to follow Christ. Still, fewer are finding churches offering them care and discipleship in Christian identity. Amidst accusations of so-called “conversion therapy” and the rising influence of LGBT-affirming messages coming from leading national pastors, the pathway of repentance and conversion to the Christian faith is challenging for those seeking to surrender to Jesus wholeheartedly. F.L. Copeland’s suicide speaks to these challenges. It releases a clarion call to Christians to redirect their outrage against transgenderism to see the people struggling behind the persona. --Elizabeth Woning; Christian Post; F.L. Copeland’s suicide is a painful glimpse into the inner conflict of trans identity 11/19/23
F.L. Copeland’s suicide is a painful glimpse into the inner conflict of trans identity
The tragic death by suicide of Alabama mayor, business leader, and Baptist pastor, F.L. Copeland became a national focus last week when LGBTQ Nation, followed by Fox News, broke the story. Sadly, it is the perfect injustice to incite public outrage on many fronts: the complex tragedy of emotional distress among those who identify as transgender, the lived experience of the transgender subculture, and the intersection of these with Christianity. For many, the outrage is motivated by protecting and affirming those who identify as transgender. For others, there is anger at the perversion and lack of integrity of Christian leadership through sexual immorality. However, I want to caution against reducing this heart-wrenching situation to either of these perspectives. Any suicide is a tragedy, and Copeland’s death should cause followers of Jesus to pause.
(Elizabeth Woning/Christian Post/NBC News 11/19/23)
Read More>>>>>
The tragic death by suicide of Alabama mayor, business leader, and Baptist pastor, F.L. Copeland became a national focus last week when LGBTQ Nation, followed by Fox News, broke the story. Sadly, it is the perfect injustice to incite public outrage on many fronts: the complex tragedy of emotional distress among those who identify as transgender, the lived experience of the transgender subculture, and the intersection of these with Christianity. For many, the outrage is motivated by protecting and affirming those who identify as transgender. For others, there is anger at the perversion and lack of integrity of Christian leadership through sexual immorality. However, I want to caution against reducing this heart-wrenching situation to either of these perspectives. Any suicide is a tragedy, and Copeland’s death should cause followers of Jesus to pause.
(Elizabeth Woning/Christian Post/NBC News 11/19/23)
Read More>>>>>
--andy wood-----------------------
Feb 21, 2023: Religion News Service: Southern Baptists oust Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor
Andy Wood also was the subject of a separate inquiry ordered by Saddleback after allegations surfaced of him being an abusive leader at his previous church. In July, the megachurch’s elders announced after investigations by two firms that they determined “there is no systemic or pattern of abuse under Andy’s leadership, nor was there an individual that we felt was abused.”
Andy Wood also was the subject of a separate inquiry ordered by Saddleback after allegations surfaced of him being an abusive leader at his previous church. In July, the megachurch’s elders announced after investigations by two firms that they determined “there is no systemic or pattern of abuse under Andy’s leadership, nor was there an individual that we felt was abused.”
--stacie wood--------------------
Feb 21, 2023: Religion News Service: Southern Baptists oust Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor
Stacie Wood, wife of Andy Wood, who replaced Warren as lead pastor last summer, has the title of “teaching pastor.”
Saddleback was one of five churches that were declared to no longer be in friendly cooperation because of a woman having a pastoral role. One church, Freedom Church in Vero Beach, Florida, was ousted “based on a lack of intent to cooperate in resolving concerns regarding a sexual abuse allegation,” the Executive Committee stated.
Stacie Wood, wife of Andy Wood, who replaced Warren as lead pastor last summer, has the title of “teaching pastor.”
Saddleback was one of five churches that were declared to no longer be in friendly cooperation because of a woman having a pastoral role. One church, Freedom Church in Vero Beach, Florida, was ousted “based on a lack of intent to cooperate in resolving concerns regarding a sexual abuse allegation,” the Executive Committee stated.
==john woods======
Andy Bannister – How to Talk About Jesus Without Looking like an Idiot
A panic-free guide to having natural conversations about Jesus 8/9/23
You have to feel sorry for Andy Bannister’s children! He is possibly the teller of the worst dad jokes in human history. I am surprised that there isn’t a hazard warning notice on the cover of this book. The cover has the sign: Don’t Panic; perhaps it should say Don’t Laugh, you might encourage him! No seriously, the jokes aside this is a helpful and readable guide to how to speak to people about Jesus.
First, the book deals with the confidence issue. The author deals with a range of common things that make us too afraid to speak about our faith, and using his own story he shows how those fears can be overcome.
Second, the book shows how Jesus models asking questions. This section helpfully shows how we can be too quick to get to the answer, with people being unaware of the need for one.
The four questions he suggests are: What? Why? Wondering? Whether?
He offers the following four examples:
What do you mean by the word god?
Why do you think that all religions lead to god?
Have you ever wondered why we are so drawn to art and beauty?
I wonder whether Christianity makes better sense of human rights and dignity than the alternatives?
Third, the offers advice on how to deal with questions. Here he uses the five steps SHARE:
Sympathise with the person asking the question.
Highlight hidden assumptions made by the questioner.
Apply the Bible to the question.
Retell the gospel to point the questioner to Jesus.
(This section also reinforces what the author has said about connecting the question to what Jesus said, did or a story he told.)
Equip your friend by pointing them to appropriate resources for further exploration.
Most readers would benefit from reading a book like this. It does open up the possibilities of gospel witness and provides some useful tools for engaging in it.
Many books on evangelism suffer from the gift projection of the author and the sense that the evangelistic formula provided is more straightforward in theory than in practice.
Andy Bannister seeks to avoid gift projection, yet I think some people might still be intimidated by this book. While it does avoid merely offering a guaranteed formula, readers might yet ask: why is that the actual non-Christians we talk to seem so much less compliant than those in the books on evangelism?!
This might not be the last word on evangelism for the timid, but it is a good start. Keep calm and read Andy!
John Woods is a writer and Bible teacher based in West Sussex. He is Director of Training at the School of Preachers in Riga, Latvia.
A panic-free guide to having natural conversations about Jesus 8/9/23
You have to feel sorry for Andy Bannister’s children! He is possibly the teller of the worst dad jokes in human history. I am surprised that there isn’t a hazard warning notice on the cover of this book. The cover has the sign: Don’t Panic; perhaps it should say Don’t Laugh, you might encourage him! No seriously, the jokes aside this is a helpful and readable guide to how to speak to people about Jesus.
First, the book deals with the confidence issue. The author deals with a range of common things that make us too afraid to speak about our faith, and using his own story he shows how those fears can be overcome.
Second, the book shows how Jesus models asking questions. This section helpfully shows how we can be too quick to get to the answer, with people being unaware of the need for one.
The four questions he suggests are: What? Why? Wondering? Whether?
He offers the following four examples:
What do you mean by the word god?
Why do you think that all religions lead to god?
Have you ever wondered why we are so drawn to art and beauty?
I wonder whether Christianity makes better sense of human rights and dignity than the alternatives?
Third, the offers advice on how to deal with questions. Here he uses the five steps SHARE:
Sympathise with the person asking the question.
Highlight hidden assumptions made by the questioner.
Apply the Bible to the question.
Retell the gospel to point the questioner to Jesus.
(This section also reinforces what the author has said about connecting the question to what Jesus said, did or a story he told.)
Equip your friend by pointing them to appropriate resources for further exploration.
Most readers would benefit from reading a book like this. It does open up the possibilities of gospel witness and provides some useful tools for engaging in it.
Many books on evangelism suffer from the gift projection of the author and the sense that the evangelistic formula provided is more straightforward in theory than in practice.
Andy Bannister seeks to avoid gift projection, yet I think some people might still be intimidated by this book. While it does avoid merely offering a guaranteed formula, readers might yet ask: why is that the actual non-Christians we talk to seem so much less compliant than those in the books on evangelism?!
This might not be the last word on evangelism for the timid, but it is a good start. Keep calm and read Andy!
John Woods is a writer and Bible teacher based in West Sussex. He is Director of Training at the School of Preachers in Riga, Latvia.
==cassie woolworth==========
Kansas county commission allows anti-Christian rant despite policy
Johnson County (Kansas) Commission Chair Mike Kelly has taken steps to stifle citizens who are concerned with or critical of county actions, but he apparently welcomes anti-Christian rhetoric that violates commission policy on public comments. The Johnson County Commission has a policy requiring public comments to only be “on matters that pertain to or involve the Johnson County Government.” However, at the March 7, 2024 meeting, local resident Cassie Woolworth came into the meeting virtually to deliver an anti-Christian screed that had nothing to do with “matters that pertain to or involve” the county government. Because public comments are not broadcast at Johnson County Commission meetings, an audio file of the comments was provided to the Sentinel. (The Lion 4/3/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Johnson County (Kansas) Commission Chair Mike Kelly has taken steps to stifle citizens who are concerned with or critical of county actions, but he apparently welcomes anti-Christian rhetoric that violates commission policy on public comments. The Johnson County Commission has a policy requiring public comments to only be “on matters that pertain to or involve the Johnson County Government.” However, at the March 7, 2024 meeting, local resident Cassie Woolworth came into the meeting virtually to deliver an anti-Christian screed that had nothing to do with “matters that pertain to or involve” the county government. Because public comments are not broadcast at Johnson County Commission meetings, an audio file of the comments was provided to the Sentinel. (The Lion 4/3/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Cassie Woolworth
“It takes a great deal of arrogance to litter the U.S. with over 200 different sects of Christianity, all with their own unique theology yet insist your sect has the moral authority to speak not for all Christians, but for all people in our country. The founders wrote the Constitution, not the apostles. They added the Bill of Rights, not the 10 Commandments. Their intent was freedom of religion. It was not controlled by religion......Conservative Christians aren’t looking for religious freedom, they’re looking for religious dominance. Well, no offense, but you can’t be Christian and hate gay people. You can’t be Christian and hate people of a different color, or speaking a different language. You can’t be Christian and hate people for living differently than you do. You can’t be Christian and hate people. That is not Christianity.....You made sure I didn’t get lunch at school. When I was thirsty, you made sure I didn’t get water while waiting in line to vote. When I was a stranger, you put razor wire in the water and watched as I drowned. What you did to these you did to me?”
--Cassie Woolworth; Kansas County Commission 4/3/24
--Cassie Woolworth; Kansas County Commission 4/3/24
--jordan wootten--------------------
May 22, 2023:
Jordan Wootten posted an op/ed at the Christian Post where he says American politics left and right "has gone mad." "This world is groaning for men and women to step forward who have the capacity “to live with [our] eyes wide open to the realpolitik of this life” — with all of its disappointment and despair — “and still love what [we] know” (Garber, emphasis added). It is a world desperate for Christians who, as St. Athanasius said of Jesus, find our love “evoked” by the brokenness we see, and who view that brokenness as “cause” and “occasion” for exercising our love on behalf of our neighbors. The arena of American politics is filled with people who are determined to use their words and their energy to tear things down. Our system needs people who will commit not to tearing things down, but to building beautiful things like trust and rapport and bridges across the ideological gulf between Left and Right while firm in conviction, bearing good fruit that lasts beyond an election cycle."
Jordan Wootten posted an op/ed at the Christian Post where he says American politics left and right "has gone mad." "This world is groaning for men and women to step forward who have the capacity “to live with [our] eyes wide open to the realpolitik of this life” — with all of its disappointment and despair — “and still love what [we] know” (Garber, emphasis added). It is a world desperate for Christians who, as St. Athanasius said of Jesus, find our love “evoked” by the brokenness we see, and who view that brokenness as “cause” and “occasion” for exercising our love on behalf of our neighbors. The arena of American politics is filled with people who are determined to use their words and their energy to tear things down. Our system needs people who will commit not to tearing things down, but to building beautiful things like trust and rapport and bridges across the ideological gulf between Left and Right while firm in conviction, bearing good fruit that lasts beyond an election cycle."
==darrell worley===============
July 13, 2018: Picayune Item: Improvements at Friendship Park are first of many planned
Committee members include city of Picayune Grant Manager Christy Goss, Picayune Parks and Recreation Director Trevor Adam, Capt. Theresa Milar with the Picayune Police Department, Picayune Main Street Director Reba Beebe, Rev. Allen Hickman with Resurrection Life Ministries, Rev. Brian Dees, Pastor Darrell Worley of Christian Life Assembly of God and Laura Rutherford.
Committee members include city of Picayune Grant Manager Christy Goss, Picayune Parks and Recreation Director Trevor Adam, Capt. Theresa Milar with the Picayune Police Department, Picayune Main Street Director Reba Beebe, Rev. Allen Hickman with Resurrection Life Ministries, Rev. Brian Dees, Pastor Darrell Worley of Christian Life Assembly of God and Laura Rutherford.
==molly worthen==============
Molly Worthen is an American historian and writer. She is currently a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the author of several books, including Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism. Worthen’s writing has also appeared in The New York Times, Slate, The New Yorker, and other publications. Worthen is known for her insightful commentary on American religion, culture, and politics
Joey Cocharn
Earlier today, Tuesday May 9, Collin Hansen released an interview with historian Molly Worthen on his podcast, Gospel Bound. What unfolded in the interview was the surprising narrative of Molly Worthen’s evangelical conversion to Christianity. Worthen grew up in Glenn Ellyn in what she described during the interview as a secular home. She completed a Bachelor of Arts at Yale in 2003 and completed her Ph.D. there in 2011. In 2010, she married Michael Morgan, a Ph.D. from Yale (2010) and a professor of international and global history at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Worthen is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She is an expert in American religious and intellectual history and has produced courses with The Great Courses, including The History of Christianity II: From the Reformation to the Modern Mega Church. She is a highly regarded journalist with numerous pieces published in the New York Times, most recently among these pieces includes “How Would You Prove that God Performed a Miracle?”. One of the most significant journalistic pieces that she has written for evangelical audiences is her 2010 cover story for Christianity Today, “The Reformer,” which profiled Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s President, Al Mohler.
Her 2013 Oxford publication, Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism, established her as a leading expert in the history of modern evangelicalism. While a penetrating and perceptive interrogation of the rise of the neo-evangelical movement, her book also included fascinating anecdotes or asides, like Wes Craven’s studies at Wheaton College and Mark Noll’s correspondence with Francis Schaeffer. More significantly, her work brought attention to denominations adjacent to insider neo-evangelicals, who struggled to earn respectability and inclusion at the neo-evangelical table.
--Joey Cochran; Anxious Bench; The Evangelical Conversion Narrative of Molly Worthen 5.9.23
Worthen is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She is an expert in American religious and intellectual history and has produced courses with The Great Courses, including The History of Christianity II: From the Reformation to the Modern Mega Church. She is a highly regarded journalist with numerous pieces published in the New York Times, most recently among these pieces includes “How Would You Prove that God Performed a Miracle?”. One of the most significant journalistic pieces that she has written for evangelical audiences is her 2010 cover story for Christianity Today, “The Reformer,” which profiled Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s President, Al Mohler.
Her 2013 Oxford publication, Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism, established her as a leading expert in the history of modern evangelicalism. While a penetrating and perceptive interrogation of the rise of the neo-evangelical movement, her book also included fascinating anecdotes or asides, like Wes Craven’s studies at Wheaton College and Mark Noll’s correspondence with Francis Schaeffer. More significantly, her work brought attention to denominations adjacent to insider neo-evangelicals, who struggled to earn respectability and inclusion at the neo-evangelical table.
--Joey Cochran; Anxious Bench; The Evangelical Conversion Narrative of Molly Worthen 5.9.23
--Mike woundy------------------
Mike Woundy
"... one does not need to be a Christian (or even religious) to support pro-life policies. A pro-lifer need not be religious, and pro-life arguments do not need to refer to any religious teaching to substantiate their claims. Hence, advocating pro-life policies does not amount to cramming your religion down on non-believers, as is sometimes alleged.
Some may find this claim about the pro-life movement shocking or—more likely—strange. To ease such concerns, perhaps some further clarification is appropriate. By “the pro-life movement,” I am referring to the thought and ideas of the movement—namely, the broad objection to abortion. To be sure, the pro-life movement has historically been religious, but I wish to emphasize the cognitive content of the pro-life movement rather than engage in historical investigation. Hence, to demonstrate the claim that the pro-life movement is not necessarily Christian (or religious), it is useful to outline what the general pro-life argument is. First, for brevity’s sake, we understand that murder is the intentional and wrongful killing of a human person. Next, we can lay out the argument as:
Some may find this claim about the pro-life movement shocking or—more likely—strange. To ease such concerns, perhaps some further clarification is appropriate. By “the pro-life movement,” I am referring to the thought and ideas of the movement—namely, the broad objection to abortion. To be sure, the pro-life movement has historically been religious, but I wish to emphasize the cognitive content of the pro-life movement rather than engage in historical investigation. Hence, to demonstrate the claim that the pro-life movement is not necessarily Christian (or religious), it is useful to outline what the general pro-life argument is. First, for brevity’s sake, we understand that murder is the intentional and wrongful killing of a human person. Next, we can lay out the argument as:
- Murder is wrong.
- Abortion is murder.
- Therefore, abortion is wrong.
