Pastor Foltz is Pastor Emeritus of Saint James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg, PA and author of the the Frontline Study content.
Any talk about church and politics after the Enlightenment has to look at the expectation that governments will protect freedom of religion. You get an idea how important this became when the founders of the US made their first amendment to our constitution the right to freedom of speech and religion. Since then, the role […]
The esteemed Pew Research Center reports 45% of Americans think we should be a Christian nation. Admittedly, there is a variety of ideas about what this means. However, it is especially significant against the background of American Exceptionalism. This is the belief that the USA is superior to other nations and called to lead them […]
Three weeks ago, I included conservative Roman Catholics in a list of Christian Nationalists. I want to take that back. At the time, I had no idea how outlandish and dangerous these new groups are. Conservative Roman Catholics are responding to the same social changes and also challenge the way our democratic government is trying […]
Surprisingly, I had the same experience exploring Christian Nationalism in Evangelical churches as I did the New Apostolic Reformation in Pentecostal churches. In both, I began wondering from where these people came and found they were groups with whom I had contact in the past. I thought they had disappeared because they were so outlandish. […]
This is probably the most extreme form of Christian nationalism. Like all the others, it assumes the church is under attack, and it calls for much more aggressive reaction. Christians must take over every area of society by replacing those presently in control with true believers. In fact, it claims this is necessary to pave […]
The separation of church and state that historically has been a cherished principle of the USA is being severely threatened. The media pictures Church leaders laying hands on political candidates and popular pastors speaking prominently at campaign rallies. Election committees regard religious groups as critical voting blocks. Then Pew Foundation’s recent study of religion in […]
Looking back over this series, it is evident that abortion has become the focus of society’s struggle with modern technology. The most evident form this has taken is through the “Make America Great Again”(MAGA) movement. However, there are all sorts of reactions to the way technology has challenged traditional values. Many conservative Churches describe it […]
I ended last week questioning whether the abortion issue should be a matter of civil law at all. It could be argued that passing laws that support either position imposes religious teaching on the other. In that sense, it breaks the first amendment that grants minorities the freedom to practice the faith of their choice. […]
Freedom of Religion has been associated with the abortion issue from the very beginning. Both sides use the First Amendment to support their positions. It began with Pro-Life advocates claiming they were denied freedom when they were forced to act against their beliefs. The often-used example was a Roman Catholic doctor or nurse forced to […]
Last week I suggested Pro-Choice adherents appeal to real-life experiences and women’s rights. Over and over, I read women claiming that Roe gave women rights that the Supreme Court removed. Sometimes the rights are spelled out with regard to “My Body, My Choice,” meaning the issue concerns the woman’s person so they have the right […]
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