Very few things can be as divisive as religion. In free America, we are guaranteed freedom of religion. This has kept the United States a mighty nation, with its strength being derived from unity in diversity. However, many Christians believe America is a Christian Nation and should be upheld as such by civil laws. The public divide over this political issue is seen in the separation of people into diverse groups,
Peacemaking
Misunderstood Authority: Why Christians should reject govt’s use of Romans 13
By Sonja DeWitt, Esq. – Christians should categorically reject such specious use of this passage–this usage is wholly inconsistent with the message of the Bible and the principles of Christianity.
Lautenberg Act, Created to Give Religious Immigrants a Fast Pass, in Jeopardy
In recent weeks, approximately 100 Iranian Christian asylum-seekers have been denied entry to the U.S. Religious and human rights leaders and politicians from both sides of the aisle have condemned the denials, which put the asylum-seekers’ lives in danger
Should the church take sides in military conflict?
By Ray McAllister, PhD – Your church group has been asked to have a special prayer for a member who will be going away to serve in the military overseas. How should your church respond to this request?
Blessed are the Peacemakers: Why Adventist Clergy Stay Away from Partisan Politics
By Michael D. Peabody, Esq. n a study released June 11, 2017, researchers from Yale and Harvard concluded that Seventh-day Adventist clergy in the United States are the most evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans when it comes to politics. The study also found that nearly half were not registered to either party. […]
Of Faith and Focus: The battle that matters most is in the heart, not in politics
By Rich DuBose – When we rally to fight evil, however we may define it we are confronting symptomatic issues as opposed to the underlying core affliction that plagues humanity. Our problem is not our symptoms. It is that we are disconnected from the Source of wisdom and life.
Pope Francis Calls for Common Good in Speech to Congress – Full Text
“In this land, the various religious denominations have greatly contributed to building and strengthening society. It is important that today, as in the past, the voice of faith continue to be heard, for it is a voice of fraternity and love, which tries to bring out the best in each person and in each society. Such cooperation is a powerful resource in the battle to eliminate new global forms of slavery, born of grave injustices which can be overcome only through new policies and new forms of social consensus.”
Rabbi Saperstein Sworn in as Ambassador for Religious Freedom
![Newly sworn in Ambassador-at-Large David Saperstein delivers remarks during a ceremony in his honor at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on February 20, 2015. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://dd1.f06.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/16568606696_cd3f08456f_z-300x177.jpg)
On February 20, 2015, Rabbi David Saperstein was sworn in as the United States Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom. Saperstein is the fourth person to hold the post since it was created as part of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
Opinion: Don’t Use Religious Liberty to Discriminate
By James Coffin – In the United States, individuals and groups have a long history of discrimination against fellow humans.
But over many decades, legislators and judges have curtailed our freedom to negatively impact others’ lives based on our own prejudices. Such government actions have been a great blessing to the targets of discrimination.
Although anti-discrimination laws limit our freedom to say by our actions that we view certain categories of our fellow humans as inferior, unworthy or evil, they also help ensure justice for all.
The Christian’s Involvement in Human Governments and the Politics of War
By Kevin Straub – Christianity, if it looks to Christ as its norm, will have nothing to do with the affairs of national/international politics and the wielding of the sword. It will not be involved in any of the processes involved in the adjustments of the balances of earthly powers. This is not our work. However, it has come to be standard thinking in Christianity that it is a part of our work. The discussions of whether to enter into a war or to stay out of that war is not merely academic in today’s Christianity; it is deemed the Christian’s duty to engage in a politicized Christianity. Today’s Christianity, since the time of Constantine, is not concerned solely with the gospel work, remaining an outside observer of the machinations of worldly powers, but as subscribers to the notion of “the just war,” is necessarily fundamentally involved in the geopolitical movements and the questions of taking nation(s) into war or not.