Blog - Page 132 of 318 - John H Armstrong

Money Does Corrupt Our Political System

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:05-05:00December 10th, 2010|Categories: Film, Politics|

Many of you know the name Jack Abramoff. The convicted super-lobbyist has been discredited and now has been released after serving three and half years of a six year prison sentence. But what do you know about his background, his politics, his scams, his influence on influencing members of Congress, mostly Republicans but not all? (Harry Reid and Patrick Kennedy, both leading Democrats, have strong ties to Abramoff if major sources are accurate.)

I decided to get into the Abramoff story a few weeks ago when I saw the recently released documentary film Casino Jack and the United States of Money. A dramatic film on Abramoff, titled Bagman and starring Kevin Spacey, will appear soon. As I’ve said more than once on this site documentaries always have a point of view. This is not so much art as it is a venue for politics. But the Abramoff story is intriguing to say the least. It involves international casinos, spies, sweatshops and even mob-style killings that […]

Letters to a Young Calvinist: An Opportunity for a Dialogue

By John Armstrong|2010-12-09T08:36:01-06:00December 9th, 2010|Categories: Books, Reformed Christianity|

Jamie Smith is answering questions on the Brazos Press facebook page this week regarding his new book Letters to a Young Calvinist, which I recently reviewed here. People (who are fans of Brazos Press as I am) can post questions. Brazos will choose the best for Jamie to answer. Those who have their question chosen will not only get an answer from Jamie himself, but a free copy of the book. That’s a good deal. Check it out.

Pope Benedict XVI: Ecumenism is Not Compromise

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:05-05:00December 9th, 2010|Categories: Missional-Ecumenism, Roman Catholicism, Unity of the Church|

On November 18 Pope Benedict XVI underlined the importance of ecumenical work in a statement issued from the Vatican. He also cautioned that ecumenism should not be seen as a political effort.

The Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, founded by Pope John XXIII in 1960, recently marked its 50th anniversary. Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, and Orthodox Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon, a top ecumenical representative for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, were both in Rome to share in this celebration. The Pontifical Council—originally known as the Secretariat for Christian Unity—was, according to Pope Benedict, “a milestone on the ecumenical journey of the Catholic Church.” Benedict added that its work over the last fifty years has been vital to “overcoming the sediments of historical prejudice.” I agree and have written elsewhere (Your Church Is Too Small) that the outcome of Vatican II impacted ecumenism as much as any single event in the last century. It really did open the window and allow us to begin to undo a great […]

How Market Economies Really Work

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:05-05:00December 8th, 2010|Categories: Economy/Economics|

There is a rising opposition, among some Christians in the West, to market economies. Social science, joined with various claims about the inherent dangers of globalization (rarely defined in a clear way), have made their way into the public dialogue of many Christians. Since I have devoted a great deal of time to exposing how ideologies pose serious threats to the church’s commitment to the gospel I have spent more than a little time exploring this supposed threat through the growth of economic markets. I am quite convinced that opposing free markets is not an issue related to the gospel. Let me explain.

What is related to the gospel is freedom and virtue. A market, properly understood, is part of a decentralized economy that allows people to take initiative in providing for their own needs and those of others. People exchange goods, services and capital in a system of co-operation. Since the industrial revolution it was not the better use of land or the exploitation of workers, both […]

The Deficit Reduction Commission’s Report to the President

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:05-05:00December 7th, 2010|Categories: Current Affairs, Economy/Economics, Politics|

President Obama, in one of his boldest leadership moves to date, appointed a bipartisan deficit reduction commission some months ago. We have known little about what this commission might propose until the first report was released on November 11th. What is interesting is that members of both parties howled and screamed at various parts of the proposal to deeply cut red ink from our nation’s spending. The plan targets $200 billions in spending cuts by 2015. Proposals include the elimination of all earmarks for pet projects, cutting the federal work force by 10% and reducing Pentagon procurement by 15%. These are great starters. Included, as well, is a plan to gradually increase the full retirement age for Social Security to 69 years around 2050. (I can assure you something like this must happen at some point and those who deny it are playing blind man’s bluff for political reasons!)

This commission is co-chaired by Erskine Bowles (photo left), a former Clinton chief of staff, and Alan Simpson (photo […]

What is the Greatest Enemy of Christian Unity?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:05-05:00December 6th, 2010|Categories: ACT 3, Missional-Ecumenism, Unity of the Church|

I am convinced that one of our greatest liberties, the freedom to practice religion and faith openly, is also one of the greatest weakness to be found in the American church. We divide the church endlessly because of tribalism and sectarianism. Indeed, denominationalism is a lot more about sociology and power than it is about truth and theology. In today’s video on the book Your Church Is Too Small I address this problem. A fuller and longer treatment can be found in the book.

Pray and Speak Up for Christians in Iraq

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:06-05:00December 5th, 2010|Categories: The Persecuted Church, The War on Terrorism|

On October 31 two priests and 51 parishioners were murdered by Islamic terrorists in Baghdad at a Syriac Catholic Cathedral. The primary reason for this attack seems to have been the determination of certain militant Islamic forces to prevent a religiously plural central government in Iraq. Pope Benedict XVI called these attacks “savage” and “absurd.” The descriptions of what happened, even to children, are gruesome.

Joseph Kassab, executive director of the Chaldean Federation of America (CFA), the largest and oldest association of Chaldean organizations in the nation, said: “Iraqi Christians are being systematically murdered and driven from their homeland. This situation must, repeat must, be addressed by an international security coalition with members from Iraq, the U.S. and the U.N.”

Many Iraqi Christians believe their suffering is invisible to most Christians in the U.S. I have to agree. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs issued a statement on this recent attack and did not even mention the cathedral or use the word Christian in condemning the attack. Several members […]

Cyber Church on Facebook

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:06-05:00December 4th, 2010|Categories: The Church, Web/Tech|

I guess I was not surprised by this but a recent article in the Reformed Church in America bulletin insert called “Today” told about a church in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, that has begun a mid-week service for worship on Facebook. Yes, I am serious. You can check it out at www.facebook.com and then search for First Reformed Cyber Church and you will find it. I spent some time there to get a feel for what the church is really doing online.

Pastor Dianna Smith says “Worship at First Reformed Cyber Church is a very Reformed liturgical process.” She says this is just a new format that is being used to connect with younger people. Smith posts Scripture passages, music and videos, as well as litanies, all ahead of time. When the service begins she then guides those who take part from link to link. She will direct participants to read the Scripture text on their own and then, when they are finished, to respond with an “Amen” or by clicking “Like.” By this she knows when to proceed. Sermons are abbreviated and thus usually a […]

Becoming Aware of Our Need to Grow Spiritually

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:06-05:00December 3rd, 2010|Categories: Education, Spirituality|

Most of us do not become truly aware of the need to grow spiritually until we are at least in our adolescence. Spirituality is not child’s play. Spiritual growth is a process, like everything else in our lives. It develops in phases. It is frequently activated when we face a crisis, a trial, or a great test. Maybe a tragedy hits us or an issue that we cannot cope with in our own strength. Whatever it is we become aware that we need God and his grace. If we try to force this on children prematurely I am convinced that we will do serious harm.

It is right and good that we teach children about God. It is right that we teach them the Bible, especially the Gospel stories about Jesus. It is also right that we raise their curiosity. It is even right that we catechize them in sound doctrinal understanding of the faith. What is wrong is an attempt to push them beyond where they are […]

The Beginning of True Spirituality

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:06-05:00December 2nd, 2010|Categories: Personal, Spirituality|

Yesterday I wrote about the danger of theology. What is truly needed is not a profound academic theological system that we can master or comprehend. What is needed to be godly is deep, true, vital spiritual life. This true spirituality, as the late Francis Schaeffer called it decades ago when evangelicals did not talk this way, always begins with the simple recognition that we need God in our lives. It begins when we place ourselves in his loving hands with complete trust. We can do this because we have become confident, in the revelation of God in Jesus Christ, that the Father truly loves us and nothing can change that fact. “God is love” (1 John 4:8).

The principal reason that we cannot rest in the love of God is that we are too conscious of our own sins and failures. No matter what we tell ourselves something inside of us keeps saying, like an alarm system, “You have no right to God’s love so forget it!” But […]